Review: Hepple Gin
Originally launched in 2015, Hepple Gin is the result of a “pursuit of a gin to make the perfect dry martini,” culminating in a “complete rethinking” of how gin is made. The British gin is made using a three-step process that distills the spirit in three different ways. Step one is a fairly standard but…
Review: Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Spirits – Amaretti, Aperitif Rosso, and American Malt
Non-alcoholic beer and wine have been around for some time. Now non-alcoholic spirits are becoming a thing. Lyre’s makes nearly a dozen non-alcoholic knockoffs of just about everything on your back bar, from gin to whiskey to spiced rum. What’s this stuff made out of? Mainly water and sugar. A typical ingredient list looks like…
Review: McConnell’s Irish Whisky
Conecuh Brands — best known for the Clyde May’s whiskey portfolio — is stretching its arms overseas to bring its first Irish whiskey to the U.S. Heralded as “one of the greatest global brands of all time,” McConnell’s Irish Whisky — spelled with no “e” as it was originally — was first established in Belfast,…
Review: 2016 Ritual Pinot Noir and 2015 Neyen Espiritu de Apalta
These two red wines hail from Gonzalez Byass’s holdings in Chile. (Veramonte is its best known brand.) These grapes are grown in various vineyards located throughout the country, and you’ll note the relevant appellations in the respective writeups below. 2016 Ritual Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley – A slightly darker expression of pinot noir, at least…
Review: Midleton Dair Ghaelach Knockrath Forest Tree 1
Midleton continues its rare releases focusing on aging in barrels made from a single tree. The third release is still a single pot still whiskey that was initially aged in bourbon casks for 13 to 26 years, then finished for 2 additional years in barrels made from virgin oak sourced from Ireland’s Knockrath Forest in…
Recipe: Paper Plane
New York mixologist Sam Ross famously developed this cocktail while listening to M.I.A.’s song of the same name. It’s a delightfully bitter-sour treat, and it couldn’t be easier to make because all the ingredients are poured in the same proportion. While the official recipe specifies Nonino as the amaro, feel free to play with that…
Review: Harpoon Mike’s Pastry Cannoli Stout and DragonWeisse
Harpoon, the brewery that brought you a collaboration with Dunkin’ Donuts, is back with another dessert-fueled brew in this cannoli-inspired stout collaboration with Boston’s iconic Mike’s Pastry. Let’s give it a spin, along with another new edition, Harpoon DragonWeisse. Harpoon Mike’s Pastry Cannoli Stout – This milk stout is made with Mike’s Pastry’s hand-made cannoli…
Review: Baltimore Spirits Epoch Straight Rye
Baltimore Spirits Company was initially the Baltimore Whiskey Company, so that should tell you something about their original passions for craft distilling. But making only whiskey proved too restraining for this creative crew. Today their diverse portfolio includes such tasty oddities as Fumus Pumila, a smoked apple brandy, and Szechuan amaro. Still, their early passion…
