Review: 2018 Far Niente Chardonnay Napa Valley
One expects a slap in the face with a butter-slathered oak stave here, and while Far Niente’s 2018 estate chardonnay has its share of vanilla-soaked lusciousness, it manages to keep itself in the median, with a delightful note of tropical fruit and a spray of white flowers. Notes of fresh baking spices and some toasted…
Review: Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey (2020)
Next to Jameson, Bushmills has been half of the twin icons of Irish whiskey. While various expressions of Bushmills have come and go, the standard-level Bushmills — aka Bushmills Original — has been with us literally for hundreds of years. We last reviewed the iconic Bushmills way back in 2008, and we figured the time…
Review: Virginia Distillery Co. Courage & Conviction American Single Malt Whisky (Dr. George G. Moore Batch)
We reviewed Virginia Distillery Co.’s first entirely house-distilled single malt whisky, Prelude: Courage & Conviction, last fall. That release was a one-off, meant to be a preview of this bottle, Courage & Conviction, the distillery’s official flagship brand, the first batch of which has been dedicated to the distillery’s late founder, Dr. George G. Moore.…
Review: 2016 Hamel Isthmus Red Wine Sonoma Valley
A burly, ruddy wine, Isthmus (89% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc, 1% merlot) is a powerhouse of extracted fruit — almost pruny — with overwhelming blackcurrant notes, plus notes of tar, tea leaf, and cola. Unctuous on the body but thick with chewy tannins that make for a heavily earthy finish, the wine is a…
Review: Five & 20 Rhiskey Business
New York’s Five & 20 doesn’t just make whiskey, like many craft distilleries, it also makes beer. Its Rhiskey Business combines both worlds: The aged rye beer is made with local pale malt, C10 malt, rye malt, and chocolate malt along with Chinook and locally grown Cascade hops. After fermentation, it’s aged in the company’s…
Review: Putnam New England Single Malt Whiskey 4 Years Old
Boston Harbor Distillery is the company behind Putnam, a single malt whiskey that is bottled in bond, meaning it is made in one season, at least four years old (as this one is), by one distillery, and bottled at 100 proof minimum. While increasingly common in the bourbon world, it’s unusual to see an American…
Review: Wines of Prosecco, 2020 Releases
Arguably the most accessible of sparkling wines, Prosecco is produced in what is (deep breath) known as Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG zone in northern Italy. This hilly region primarily grows grapes of the glera varietal, though a small amount of other white wine grapes can be used in Prosecco as well. Recently we had…
Review: SoulBoxer Bourbon Old Fashioned, Brandy Old Fashioned, and Manhattan
Milwaukee-based SoulBoxer (aka Soul Boxer) makes a trio of classic recipe, ready-to-drink bottled cocktails. How classic? Two of the three are old fashioneds, one based on brandy (which is apparently a big thing in Wisconsin). The products are available in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota or online. The company doesn’t distill any of its own spirits…
