Review: Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch A120 (January 2020)
When Heaven Hill’s wheated bourbon Larceny was originally released in 2012, I had a mixed opinion about it. I initially found the whiskey overly wooded and unbalanced, though plenty of fruit helped it showcase its charms. Since then, I’ve retasted Larceny on many occasions and found it more mellow and well-rounded than I initially declared,…
Review: NV South Shore Wine Company Pét-Nat Riesling
Pennsylvania-based South Shore Wine Company makes this Pet-Nat from Riesling, a popular choice for this rustic, sparkling style thanks to its high acidity. Here, the nose immediately evokes oxidized fruit and a sort of Champagne vinegar quality. On the palate, a similarly oxidized character immediately rushes the tongue, with notes of apricot, lemon peel, and…
Review: Sierra Nevada 40th Hoppy Anniversary Ale
Holy crap. Sierra Nevada has been brewing beer for 40 years. 40 years! When they introduced the world to their iconic Pale Ale, the Berlin Wall was still up, music and movies were things you could hold in your hand, and people actually talked to each other. How things have changed, but not Sierra Nevada’s…
Review: Evan Williams Red Label 12 Years Old
Fans of Evan Williams bourbon have lived many years now without much in the way of age statements. In the early 2000s, long before folks were lamenting the loss of age-stated bourbon, Heaven Hill dropped age statements from the line almost completely. Today, you have to look overseas (mostly in Japan) or to the Evan…
Review: The Rum Cooperative Blended Rum Vol. 2
Bully Boy Distillers’ original Rum Cooperative blended rum, released just a few months ago, was a delightful oddity, a mashup of rum sourced from five different countries. Now, Volume 2 has arrived, and it’s also a blend from five nations — only one of which coincides with the quintet from Volume 1. Here’s what you’ll…
Review: Firestone Walker Parabola 2020
In recent years, we’ve reviewed several offerings from Firetsone Walker’s Proprietor’s Vintage Series (Helldorado, Sucaba, Stickee Monkey, and Velvet Merkin among others). There’s been a glaring omission, however, in the absence of their iconic Russian Imperial Stout, Parabola; although we did review the limited release of Napa Parabola last year. We correct that mistake today with…
The Best Banana Liqueur Roundup – Bols, 99 Bananas, Tempus Fugit, & Giffard
Come mister tally man, tally me banana! Banana liqueur tends to be one of those unsung cocktail ingredients that few give much serious thought to. A splash of something yellow to give a cocktail a vague tropicality, right? Think again. Banana liqueur has entered its own small renaissance, and mixologists are discovering myriad uses for…
Tasting the Wines of Tenuta Sant’Antonio, 2020 Releases
Tenuta Sant’Antonio is a major producer in the Veneto region of Italy, turning out 700,000 bottles a year of Valpolicella and other wines native to the area. What it’s best known for, of course, is Amarone, the luxury wine made from grapes dried for months via the appassimento process. Tenuta Sant’Antonio is owned and operated…
