Review: Easy Rider Bourbon 4 Years Old
Earlier this year, Hood River Distillers, an increasingly busy operation that’s best known for Lucid Absinthe, added another bourbon to its portfolio: Easy Rider. Easy Rider was purchased from another company which had been marketing the spirit as Easy Rider Arizona. There’s no actual connection to the classic Peter Fonda movie, but the screaming eagle…
Review: 2016 Seven Hills Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Two new wintry reds from Washington’s Seven Hills winery. 2016 Seven Hills Merlot Walla Walla Valley – Fresh and focused squarely on the fruit, this wine exudes notes of cola and chocolate, all in the service of a bright, cherry-heavy core. A slight vein of tannin offers enough grip to take the edge off the…
Review: Chattanooga Whiskey 91 and Cask 111
We’ve been writing about Tennessee-based Chattanooga Whiskey for years now, and while we’ve been upbeat about their products, they have, for better or worse, all been sourced products. Now Chattanooga is out with its own house-made spirit — or rather, a pair of them with names based on their proof levels — made in what…
Review: Camp Cocktail Kits
There’s no shortage of products designed to sidestep the difficult work of composing a cocktail. From bottled syrups to powdered mixes, some great, some awful, we’ve seen just about every shortcut under the sun. Camp Cocktails are a new approach to the idea, with each kit coming in a pint-sized jar that’s filled with all…
Review: Highland Park Viking Honour 12 Years Old (2019)
Recently, Flaviar revamped its spirits club by upgrading what members get. The big news, in addition to a set of minis tailored to your tastes sent to you each quarter, you also get a full 750ml bottle of something as well. The fine print: it’s $95 for a single shipment or $300 for four shipments…
Review: That Boutique-y Whisky Company Countdown to Christmas Calendar 2019
Whiskey-themed advent calendars have become a thing in the last few years, and while the concept is fun, they’re plagued with a few problems. One, they’re expensive. Two, you don’t know what you’re getting — and whether it’s worth the outlay. With independent bottlers That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s 2019 calendar, solutions await. First off, this…
Review: 2018 William Hill Chardonnay Coombsville Winemaker’s Series
This wine is the inaugural release of William Hill’s Coombsville-sourced chardonnay, a single-vineyard release which was fermented in concrete eggs, “resulting in a site-driven, elegantly textured wine.” Well-textured, this ultra-creamy wine hits all the high points of this Napa Valley AVA: pears, butter, a lacquering of baking spice, and a hint of melon somewhere along…
Review: St. George Baller Single Malt Whiskey
California-based St. George Spirits produces a diverse portfolio of spirits. They make three different vodkas, four different gins, fruit brandies, liqueurs, even shochu and basil eau de vie. That creativity extends to their whiskey offerings, as well, with Baller Single Malt Whiskey being perhaps their most unique. “It’s a California take on the Japanese spin…
