Review: 2018 Cameron Hughes Lot 744 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley
One rarely expects great things from zinfandel, but this wine is surprisingly lively and complex, showcasing tart cherry, raspberry, and gentle chocolate notes. It’s what comes later that elevates the wine, with cola and a little bay leaf adding a surprising complexity to what would otherwise feel largely on the level. Vanilla and some baking…
Review: Lost Lantern Single Cask #3: New York Distilling Rye Finished in Apple Brandy Cask
Lost Lantern got its start by putting together a wild blend of American craft distillery whiskeys, but lately it’s setting its feet further afield, offering single cask releases of non-blended stock from a variety of distilleries. Today we’re looking at the third release in Lost Lantern’s lineup, which got its start as a straight rye…
Review: 2019 Lucky Rock Pinot Noir County Cuvee
Lucky Rock’s County Cuvee wines are always made from a blend of grapes from Monterey, San Benito, and Sonoma counties — though with this 2019 vintage I don’t have any detail on vineyards and proportions from each region. Regardless, the 2019 bottling isn’t quite the delight that the 2018 County Cuvee pinot was, a bit…
Review: Hendrick’s Lunar Gin
The latest special edition gin from Hendrick’s is Lunar, launched in January to celebrate the lunar new year — the Year of the Ox — as well as the night, seeing as it is “infused with natural oils of the night.” Instilled with botanicals that flourish below the light of the moon, Hendrick’s Lunar Gin…
Review: Fire Department Coffee – Black Cherry and Vanilla Bean Bourbon
Fire Department Coffee was founded in 2016 by a group of firefighters and military veterans recognizing the vital role coffee plays in helping firefighters stay alert and energized through long and often challenging shifts. Their most recent limited batches include three of our favorite tasting notes, coffee or otherwise: vanilla, cherry, and bourbon. Your tasting…
Review: Five Mile Mountain Rye 105
The hip little mountain town of Floyd, Virginia (famous for the annual FloydFest music festival) has a storied moonshining history. It sits next to Franklin County, dubbed “the moonshine capital of the world,” but according to the owners of Five Mile Mountain Distillery, Floyd was actually the larger producer during Prohibition. The distillery even gets…
Book Review: American Cider: A Modern Guide To A Historic Beverage
In a country rife with craft beer, wine, and bourbon makers, cider’s place in American lore may not pique as great an interest to most readers. However, for centuries it has quietly stood amidst the noise of other boisterous spirit giants as a humble American beverage. As journalist Craig Cavallo and cider expert Dan Pucci…
Review: Dewar’s White Label, 12 Years Old, and 15 Years Old (2021)
In 14 years of Drinkhacking, we’ve enjoyed plenty of drams of Dewar’s, but somehow have never put pen to paper when it comes to reviewing the most essential whiskies in the lineup. If you don’t know Dewar’s by now, we can’t help you: According to owner Bacardi, Dewar’s lays claim to being the top-selling blended…
