Review: Barrell Bourbon Batch 23
It’s a new year, which means new batches of Barrell Bourbon from Barrell Craft Spirits. We recently received the latest, Batch 23. This one is a blend of straight bourbons from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana, all of which are aged at least ten years (similar to Batch 21). Let’s see how this one stacks up,…
Review: 2016 Chateau Lassegue Saint Emilion Grand Cru
Lassegue’s 2016 Bordeaux is an earth-fueled monster, layering notes of mushroom and leather with cassis and blackberry. A licorice kick spars with notes of graphite and crushed slate, plus a modest balsamic note. The finish folds together chocolate and a significant violet character clearly driven by the merlot in the blend (about 60-65%). Complex and…
Review: McClintock Distilling Epiphany Vodka and Forager Gin
McClintock Distilling can be found in Frederick, Maryland, north of Washington, D.C. One of the younger craft distilleries, they only just began to distill in 2017 inside a historic, warehouse space on Frederick’s downtown riverwalk. Their initial portfolio, not surprisingly, focused on clear spirits with an emphasis on the quality of their ingredients. As one…
Review: 4 Wines from Ribera del Duero and Rueda, 2020 Releases
Today it’s a look at a quartet of Spanish wines, all from the Ribera del Duero region and nearby Rueda. Ribera is home to red wines, Rueda is for whites. For the most part, these wines are more affordable than those in Rioja, a bit further to the east. Let’s dive in to the four…
Review: Old Pulteney Huddart, 12, 15, and 18 Years Old (2020)
Old Pulteney recently (well, in mid-2018) revamped and relaunched its core lineup, bringing its core to three age-statemented releases and a single NAS release. They’ve been slow getting to the U.S., but we’ve finally tracked down all four for review. (A harder-to-find 25 year old expression is also in the standard lineup, which we reviewed…
Review: 2017 Wente Pinot Noir Riva Ranch and Cabernet Sauvignon Wetmore
Here’s a pair of wines from Wente, two big reds built for the winter. 2017 Wente Pinot Noir Riva Ranch Vineyard – This Arroyo Seco (Monterey) sourced wine is quite intense and rich, a punchy wine that builds on a rather jammy base to showcase notes of fresh raspberry, some violets, and a touch of…
Review: Laphroaig 30 Years Old – The Ian Hunter Story, Book One: Unique Character (2019)
In 2016 Laphroaig brought its 30 year old whisky to the U.S. for the first time. That expression is long since gone, but the Islay icon has recently brought a new 30 year old to our shores, part of a new collectible series that celebrates the founders and key characters of Laphroaig. This first release,…
Review: 2018 Alamos Malbec Mendoza
Budget malbec doesn’t get much better than this (as we’ve previously noted), and the 2018 bottling is an earthy but balanced wine with notes of currants and cola, but tempered with black pepper, beef char, and a smattering of savory spices. A slight note of sweet tea hits on the finish. Widely available for less…
