Review: Westward Single Malts – Stout Cask and Pinot Noir Cask
It’s been far too many years since we’ve revisited the offerings of Westward American Single Malt Whiskey, formerly bottled under the House Spirits brand in Portland, Oregon. (Once things open up again, it’s a great place to visit and taste.) Westward’s stout-finished whiskey was in its infancy when we last visited in 2018, and now…
Review: ‘Merican Mule Fire Mule
In 2019, we reviewed ‘Merican Mule*’s flagship brand of pre-made cocktails in can, along with Tropical and Mexican style iterations. Now the gang has returned straight outta Long Beach with impeccable timing and a winter variation: the Fire Mule. This one’s a mix of bourbon (no word on the sourcing origins), ginger and cinnamon that…
Review: Bandero Tequila Blanco
Bandero’s agave is grown in the Guachimontones region of Jalisco, making it a Lowlands tequila. Available only as a blanco, Bandero lays claim to being “the world’s smoothest sipping tequila,” which is as bold a statement as it is meaningless. That aside, let’s give it a taste. Bandero calls its character heavy on florals, but…
Review: Ron Colon High Proof Rum and Coffee Flavored Rum
El Salvador isn’t widely known for its rum production — there is actually only one rum distillery in the country, last I heard — but Ron Colón Salvadoreño is looking to change that. To be fair, despite the name this rum is not entirely produced in El Salvador. Rather, it is a blend of Salvadoran…
Review: Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal – Criollo and Pechuga
Peloton de la Muerte (literally “death squad”) is a mezcal brand that’s offered a single Espadin-based expression for about three years. We haven’t reviewed it, but we recently received samples of Peloton’s two new line extensions, Criollo and a vegan Pechuga. Both mezcals are produced with wild agave grown in the Mexican state of Guerrero.…
Recipes for National Bloody Mary Day 2021
It is nearly New Year’s Day, 2021. If you’re reading this, no nuclear bombs went off at the stroke of midnight, and we have survived and thrived in an otherwise horrible year. Time to recover from our sequestered New Year’s Eve festivities through the marketing-sponsored phenomenon known as National Bloody Mary Day. The Green…
Review: 2018 Donum Carneros Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
The Donum Estate is a top-tier producer in California’s Carneros region, and two of its signature 2018 bottlings have arrived. The winery has a significant and complex collection of single vineyard and single appellation bottlings — including a vertical collection bottled in homage of Ai Weiwei, who was commissioned to create a number of large-scale…
Review: George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey Bottled in Bond 11 Years Old (2020)
Can lightning strike twice? 2019’s 13 year old Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whiskey from George Dickel won all kinds of raves, including from yours truly — proving that a $35 bourbon could go toe to toe with some of the best whiskeys in America. This follow-up edition arrived in mid-2020, an 11 year old made…
