Review: Wines of The Prisoner, Late 2020 Releases
The Prisoner — it’s not just for zinfandel any more, folks. Here’s a look at three new wines from The Prisoner label, only one of which has any zin in it, but all of which share a familiar name. 2019 The Prisoner Chardonnay Carneros – Made with the addition of Roussanne and Gewürztraminer. This wine…
Review: Glenfarclas 21 Years Old
We’ve always been impressed with the incredible value to be found in one of perhaps the most underrated Speyside distilleries, Glenfarclas. Throughout our years exploring the brand, this impressive single malt has shown it can deliver, be it a young or old expression, cask strength or modest proof. Despite our appreciation, it’s taken us entirely…
Review: Licor 43 Original
Licor 43 is billed as the #1 selling Spanish liqueur in the world. Despite the fact that there aren’t that many Spanish liqueurs to begin with, Licor 43 is popular by plenty of other metrics, and in recent years it has started to gain traction as a cocktail companion behind American bars. Licor 43 gets…
Review: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C920 (September 2020)
The Elijah Craig Barrel Proof should need no introduction, but if you’re just joining us, Batch C920 was bottled in September 2020 at the usual 12 years of age. This bottling, the final of 3 releases for 2020, has been winning raves, but after multiple rounds of tasting it it just never fully gelled with…
Review: JK Williams Gold Zephyr Bourbon and Stormy River Rye
Did you know: Before 1837 and 1919, Peoria, Illinois was home to 73 distilleries and 24 breweries and was known as the Whiskey Capital of the World. Before Prohibition, Peoria paid more liquor tax than anywhere else. JK Williams was a Peoria-based bootlegger of the time, and last year Andy Faris and Stacy Shunk purchased…
Review: Virginia Distillery Journey Cask Collection Caledonia
While their flagship single malt, Courage & Conviction, has understandably taken priority for Virginia Distillery Co., the distillery did manage another, very small release last fall in their Journey Cask Collection, dubbed Caledonia. Caledonia is the third and final offering in the Journey Cask line, a series of single cask single malts that pays homage…
Review: 2017 Frescobaldi Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico DOCG
We reviewed the inaugural vintage of this wine — the 2015 vintage — back in 2019. Now we’re back with another look at Tenuta Perano, a DOCG wine “born on the hills of Gaiole in Chianti from vineyards 500 meters above sea level.” Again, it’s an extremely dry wine, dusted with notes of balsamic that,…
Review: Bruichladdich Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2012 Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt
For a recent Robert Burns night, our friends at Bruichladdich sent a selection of Port Charlotte releases, plus a number of delightful Scottish snacks, to celebrate the Bard of Ayrshire. New amongst the bottlings we received was this 2012 vintage release of Port Charlotte Islay Barley, a heavily peated single malt made 100% from barley…
