Review: Suze Liqueur
Outside of Chartreuse, French amari are uncommon in the U.S., but one you’re likely to encounter on the occasional upscale cocktail menu is Suze. (Pronounced basically as it’s written, one syllable.) Originally Swiss (originating in 1889), the brand relocated across the Alpine border at some point, and it’s now part of Pernod Ricard. Suze is…
Review: M&H Whisky in Bloom Israeli Single Malt – Double Cask and Lightly Peated
Need further proof that whiskey is taking over the world? Witness M&H — aka Milk & Honey — the first and so far only whisky distillery in Israel. M&H broke ground in 2014, and the launch was overseen by veteran distilling consultant Jim Swan, who has been part of Kilchoman, Kavalan, Amrut, and many other…
Review: 2019 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
As in prior years, this sauvignon blanc from New Zealand’s Whitehaven it a powerhouse of flavor, this vintage showcasing overwhelming tropical notes and quite a heavy level of ammonia. Notes of white peaches, tangerines, and veil of flowers attempt to pierce that pineapple skin, but it’s tough going due to the mix of sweetness and…
Review: The Finnish Long Drink
As any drinker knows, a “long drink” is one made with a nonalcoholic mixer — gin and tonic, Scotch and soda. What then is the Finnish Long Drink? It sounds like it ought to be made with some kind of dried fish, but rest easy, the Finnish Long Drink will fit right in at any modern…
Review: Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Batch Proof 2020
Normally we see Woodford Reserve’s Master’s Collection Series releases in the fall — like late 2019’s Chocolate Malted Rye Bourbon — but lately Master Distiller Chris Morris has been dropping a spring surprise: Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Batch Proof. (Versions of Batch Proof were previously released in 2018 and 2019; this is our first encounter…
Review: Krater Noster Gin
Krater Noster Dry Gin is made in Bavaria, Germany, and a small bottle of this gin — not available in the U.S. — was gifted to us by a friend of the site, visiting from overseas. The gin draws its name from its unusual source of juniper berries: The edge of a local meteorite crater,…
Review: Rogue Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout (2020)
This year marks the fifth annual release of Rogue’s Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout. Similar to 2019, this one was aged for nine months in Dead Guy Whiskey barrels coopered at Rogue’s Rolling Thunder Barrel Works, located next to the brewery in Newport, Oregon. Let’s see how it compares to last year’s release! This one pours…
Review: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Tasters’ Selection – Barrel Reunion #2
Jack Daniel’s experimental releases continue to roll along, including the second release in the Barrel Reunion series, itself part of the Tennessee Tasters’ Selection line. These whiskeys are only available at the distillery proper. For those in need of a refresher, Barrel Reunion #1 (aka Reunion Barrel #1) was Tennessee Whiskey finished in local wine…
