Review: Penelope Bourbon Batch #2 and Barrel Strength Batch #1
It was only in June that we introduced you to Penelope, a new bourbon brand that takes three whiskeys — a rye-mash bourbon, a wheat-mash bourbon, and a “corn bourbon” made from just corn and malted barley — all from MGP, then blends this trio together to make a unique four-grain whiskey. Batch #1 went…
Review: Shackleton Blended Malt (2019)
Longtime readers (and Dalmore fans) may recall the original Shackleton whiskies, a pair of releases which hit in 2011/2012, designed personally by Richard Paterson to mimic the whisky that Ernest Shackleton took with him on his famed trip to the South Pole. These whiskies are both quite enjoyable — and expensive. (You can still track…
Review: Wines of Gundlach Bundschu, 2019 Releases
You’ll find Gundlach Bundschu tucked away in the south of Sonoma County. The impossible-to-say-right winery’s fall 2019 releases are upon us. Tasting notes on four wines follow. 2018 Gundlach Bundschu Gewurztraminer Estate Sonoma Coast – An apt expression of gewurztraminer, this wine is loaded with aromatics and perfume, with hints of jasmine infecting its potpourri…
Review: Holmes Cay Single Cask Rum Barbados 2005
There’s a new brand of ultra-luxe, independently-bottled rum on the market: Holmes Cay Single Cask Rum. Holmes Cay is doing for rum what folks like Murray McDavid are doing for Scotch, releasing one barrel at a time of high-end rum that simply isn’t available from anyone else. Here’s the back story on this first release,…
Review: Forty Creek Unity
It’s been a while since we checked out another offering from Canadian distiller Forty Creek, so we thought we’d change that with a look at its 2018 limited edition, which hit shelves in September. For this release, dubbed Unity, the distillery wanted to create something that honored its fans. To that end, Forty Creek’s whisky…
The Top 10 Tequilas and Mezcals of 2019
Tequila continues to grow in popularity and market share, thanks to a glut of high-quality, 100% agave spirit on the market. You can also thank a surging interest in mezcal, as artisanal offerings continue to push the smoky spirit into new places, with focuses on terroir and single varietals of agave. Today we take a…
Review: Vermouth Padro & Co. – Complete Lineup
Vermouth Padro & Co. — sometimes styled inversely, as Padro & Co. Vermouth — is a Spanish operation that dates its winemaking production back to 1846. Today, Padro makes not one, not three, but five different vermouth products, each with its own distinctive character. Let’s dig into the entire lineup and see how they acquit themselves.…
Review: Empress 1908 Gin
First things first: That vibrant blue liquid is gin — not violet liqueur, not sloe gin, not something from the planet Zebulon. It’s a straight gin colored to be blue, thanks to the addition of butterfly pea blossoms to the distillate. Why make a blue gin? The British Columbia-based distillery explains: Victoria Distillers introduced Empress…
