Review: Gabriel-Glas StandArt and Gold Edition Wine Glasses
Gabriel-Glas may not roll off the tongue the way Riedel does, but if you’re not familiar with this brand, you’re missing out on some exception glassware. The brand is the brainchild of Rene Gabriel, a former wine critic who developed this glass to be a uniform — yet ideal — glass for tastings. He spent…
Review: Mezcal Union Uno and El Viejo
The latest mezcal to hit the market comes to us not from a globetrotting celebrity but from a group of Mexican farmers going it alone: Mezcal Unión is an artisanal mezcal brand & co-op built with the intention to unite indigenous farmers and family producers from different communities of Oaxaca. The goal of Mezcal Union…
Review: Rampur Select Indian Single Malt (2019)
Rampur is the flagship product of Radico Khaitan, which makes Jaisalmer Gin, which we recently reviewed. Rampur’s line of single malts currently stretches to four expressions, with Select being the most readily available. There’s no age statement or production information (including cask data) available, but judging from the color it’s a fairly youthful bottling aged…
Review: The Rum Cooperative Blended Rum Vol. 1
The Rum Cooperative isn’t really a cooperative but rather a bottled product from Bully Boy Distillers, the Boston based craft spirits distillery. The Rum Cooperative has just 10% of its own rum in this blend; the other 90% comes from Central American and the Caribbean. Officially denoted as Vol. 1, it remains to be seen…
Review: Stone Jagermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale
Stone Brewing’s latest collaboration is perhaps its wildest to date, teaming up with Jagermeister to create one of the most unusual beers I’ve had all year. Officially Jagermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale, unofficially “Jagerbastard,” it’s a crazy combination of high-test strong ale and Jagermeister spices. Some deets: Jägermeister continues to travel down a path of innovation…
Touring and Tasting at Chalk Hill Winery, 2019
Chalk Hill is a Sonoma County winery widely known for its white wine production, particularly chardonnay. Founded in 1972 by Fred Furth, a litigation attorney best known for his involvement with the plaintiffs in the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the winery was sold to the Foley family in 2010, which now operates it. During a…
Review: Five & 20 Spirits Rye Whiskey
Five & 20 is a distillery and brewery in western New York state, and it doesn’t take more than a sip of its Five & 20 Rye to see that the distillery and the brewery are brothers in arms. First, some backstory: Five & 20 Rye Whiskey is crafted to be smoother and more approachable…
Review: Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23 Years Old
Recently, Glenfiddich dropped its latest expression with minimal fuss or fanfare, though it’s got quite the pedigree: A 23 year old single malt finished in “French cuvee casks,” which I’m told is the barrel that holds the wine before it goes into the bottle to become Champagne. I’ll let Glenfiddich do the introductions: Today, Glenfiddich,…
