Review: Weller Single Barrel
You don’t have to tell Buffalo Trace when it’s sitting on free money. With the launch of Weller Full Proof and, now, Weller Single Barrel, the distillery is taking one of its greatest assets — the Weller bourbon brand — and pushing it, slowly but surely, up-up-upmarket. Weller Single Barrel is exactly what you think…
Book Review: Sakepedia
In matters of sake, I tend to defer to our sake expert Stephen Allison. If Steve’s not around, author Jeff Cioletti can sub in, with his “Non-Traditional Guide to Japan’s Traditional Beverage” serving as a solid base of instruction for anyone trying to find their way through this complex category. Questions answered go far beyond…
Review: Crater Lake Gin
Crater Lake Spirits (formerly known as Bendistillery), based in Bend, Oregon, produces at least a dozen spirits — a few of which we’ve reviewed in earlier incarnations. One of its most visible products is this gin, an untraditional construction of gin that is flavored with only juniper and no additional botanicals. The juniper is infused after…
Review: Teeling Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Single pot still — whiskey made from a blend of malted barley and unmalted barley — is arguably the most iconic style of Irish whiskey. Redbreast and the “Spot” whiskeys are great examples of the style in use today. But a funny thing happened for most of Ireland some years back: Single pot still fell…
Review: 2014 Rotari Brut
Prosecco is the sparkling wine most commonly associate with Italy, but the country produces many different varieties, including this one from Trentodoc from the Dolomites in Northern Italy, which is made from 100% chardonnay. We reviewed the 2013 vintage in 2016. Today we have the following year’s bottling with a little more aging. Let’s see…
Review: Quady’s NV Starboard Batch 88 and Vintage 2006
Madera, California-based Quady is one of the most venerable names in U.S. dessert wines, its history dating back to 1975. Quady’s still at it, with a collection of vintage Port-like wines which it cheekily refers to as Starboards — although they are made with traditional Portuguese grape varieties grown in Amador County. Today we look…
Review: Redbreast Dream Cask 2020 – Ruby Port Edition 28 Years Old
The third edition of Redbreast’s Dream Cask release is here. These are very limited, one-off expressions that can be almost experimental in nature. Dream Cask 2018 was a monster 32 year old single cask release — the sample I had was quite delicious, though I didn’t formally review it at the time. Dream Cask 2019…
Review: Berg & Hauck’s Bitters, Complete Lineup
Berg & Hauck’s is a German company based in the heart of Bavaria. The operation produces 6 varieties of bitters, all made with “superior ingredients sourced from all over the world to achieve the best flavor and enrich the taste of fine food and mixed drinks with unparalleled balance and complexity. Carefully selected herbs and…
