Review: High West A Midwinter Nights Dram 7.6
By now most whiskey fans are well familiar with High West’s A Midwinter Nights Dram, which is rye whiskey aged in new American oak and finished in French oak Port barrels. The component whiskey has changed over time, of course. Now it is a blend (unspecified proportions and no ages noted) of two whiskeys: a…
Review: 2018 Hacienda de Arinzano Chardonnay
It’s always fun to explore familiar grapes from unusual locations; Hacienda de Arinzano is 100% chardonnay from the Pago de Arínzano region in northern Spain. Bright gold in the glass, it offers classic chardonnay notes in the form of fresh apples and lemon custard, but it’s cut with an exotic herbal element — anise and…
Review: Fernet-Branca and Branca Menta
It’s hard to believe, but in 13 years of running Drinkhacker, we’ve never reviewed one of our most popular tipples: Fernet-Branca, the iconic ultra-bitter liqueur. Today we finally remedy that with a formal look at the most essential of Fernet brands, and its mint-heavy sibling, Branca Menta. First off, what’s a fernet, and how is…
Review: 2018 Wines of Bread & Butter
Bread & Butter Wines has rolled out its 2018 portfolio, including a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, and a Pinot Noir. We reviewed their 2018 Rose previously. The source of their grapes is uncertain, but the company is based in Napa Valley and tout wines that are “easy-going and approachable, complementing everyday occasions all year long.”…
Review: Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey
Misunderstood isn’t too hard to understand: It makes just one product, whiskey flavored with ginger and other spices. The product, subtitled as “Legend One,” is described as “an 80 proof American blended whiskey distilled from Midwest grains, aged in used American oak barrels, and proudly infused & bottled in Kentucky.” To start with, the ginger…
Review: Bowling & Burch Gin
Kentucky’s Limestone Branch Distillery, best known for Yellowstone and Minor Case whiskeys, has added its first gin to its arsenal. Bowling & Burch Premium Gin “is named after Head Distiller Steve Beam’s two sides of the family who were in agriculture and also horticulture enthusiasts. ‘This new world gin was born from the passion my…
Review: Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky
We’ve been fans of the Indian distillery Amrut for some time (reviews can be found here and here), but haven’t previously reviewed one of their most popular offerings, Amrut Fusion. This NAS single malt whisky was introduced in 2009 and has a popular following around the world. Its name derives from the fact that it…
Review: Portland Brewing MacTarnahan’s Northwest Amber Ale
Pyramid-adjunct Portland Brewing recently dropped this tartan-clad but fairly straightforward amber ale, hopped solely with Cascade. Burly with roasted malt notes, it’s toasty and bready but backed up well by the hops, which give it a straightforward, piney bitterness on the back end. The malts rear back up on the finish, though, making this beer…
