Review: 2018 Harken Chardonnay California
Based on the back label copy — “we missed that rich, oaky taste of Chardonnays gone by” — I was expecting an utter monster from Harken’s 2018 chardonnay. The reality: The wine is surprisingly full of fruit first — orange and lemon notes — though ample vanilla infuses the experience throughout. Notes of poached pears…
Review: Eagle Rare Bourbon 10 Years Old
We’re digging into the archives again to fill out reviews of products that we’ve overlooked with formal reviews. Up next is Buffalo Trace’s Eagle Rare Bourbon, a 10 year old whiskey that’s easy to come by and which remains just as good as its stellar reputation. Let’s give a 2019 bottle a fresh tasting. Right…
Review: Organika Vodka and Organika Life
Mother Russia is home to Organika Vodka, a new brand of two vodka expressions made with water from Lake Baikal, best known to Jeopardy! fans as the largest freshwater lake in the world. Organika is distilled from “alpha grain,” the highest caliber of grain categorized by Russian regulators, and the expressions are alternately infused with two…
Review: Weller Full Proof
Weller bourbon fans suddenly have more choices to consider with the introduction of Weller Full Proof, a 57% abv version of its beloved, wheated standby. Per distiller Buffalo Trace: Buffalo Trace Distillery fills their wheated bourbon barrels at 114 proof, hence the name Full Proof. This bourbon forgoes chill filtration to preserve all the naturally…
Review: Hayes Parker Reserve Bourbon
This “Reserve” bourbon is by and large a Total Wine exclusive, mostly sold by the 1.75-liter handle for $20 a jug. The “100% genuine, small batch” juice comes (of course) from TerrePure. For 12 bucks per (750ml) bottle (that’s 80 cents per shot), I have to say I’ve had a lot worse at this price…
Tasting Report: WhiskyFest San Francisco 2019
Another year is in the books for San Francisco WhiskyFest, a typically packed event with hundreds of whiskeys to explore… plus, for those confused on where they are, libations from The Mocktail Project. My dance card was full of whiskies from around the world, with highlights to be found in just about every region. My…
Review: Wines of L’Ecole No. 41, 2019 Releases
Washinton’s L’Ecole No. 41 is one of the founding wineries of Washington’s Walla Walla Valley, and its 2019 releases — one white, two reds — are upon us. Let’s give them a spin. 2017 L’Ecole No. 41 Semillon Columbia Valley – Nutty and and honeyed, this is a classic expression of (non-botrytized) semillon, restrained and slightly…
Review: Lagavulin 11 Years Old Offerman Edition 2019
Somewhere along the way, Lagavulin dethroned everyone else to become the go-to distillery for fans of peated Scotch. You can blame Nick Offerman for a lot of that. Offerman began stumping for the brand in 2014 and his love affair with Lagavulin presumably goes back well beyond that. And now, at long last, Ron Swanson…
