Review: Single Cask Nation Clynelish 9, Ledaig 13, Ledaig 15, Glenburgie 20, Clynelish 23, and Cameronbridge 26
Our fourth round of independent bottlings from new Scotch whisky producer Single Cask Nation starts now, with a sextet of releases just now hitting the market. (A pair of releases that were part of this outturn, from Imperial and Port Dundas, were unfortunately not available for review.) Single Cask Nation Clynelish 9 Years Old –…
Review: Stirrings Simple Margarita Mix and Margarita Rimmer
Stirrings was one of the first companies to make a splash in the burgeoning premade mixer business, and the brand now dominates shelf space on the mixer aisle. While Stirrings has 13 mixers at present along with a host of other syrups, rimmers, and other nonalcoholic products, today we look at the flagship: Stirrings Simple…
Review: Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon
Willett continues to be one of the hottest names in Kentucky bourbon and rye. The distillery, starting in 2008, built a cult following with its Family Estate line of sourced whiskeys, the origins of which still remain rumors (at least some barrels probably came from their Bardstown neighbor, Heaven Hill). In addition to Family Estate,…
Review: NV Blue Nun 24K Gold Edition
Blue Nun has a sparkling wine? With gold flakes in it? Your wishes have been granted, America: If you want to roll like a baller without having to shell out for Armand de Brignac, good old Blue Nun can get the job done for a little more than a ten-spot. What’s in this gold-encrusted bottle?…
A Visit to Islay’s The Botanist Gin Distillery
If you want to get ahead in the distilling business, it seems a good idea is to start as a tour guide. At the Bruichladdich distillery on Islay, the Scottish island renowned for peaty malts like Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg, two of the top men both began their careers as tour guides. Adam Hannett, the…
Review: 2018 Studio by Miraval Rose IGP
My wife had to remind me that Miraval wasn’t just a storied winery in Provence, it was also one with pop culture cred, being owned in part by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. (No idea how well that’s working now that they’ve split up.) Today the expression of Miraval you’re most likely to encounter is…
Review: Hazelburn 9 Years Old Barolo Cask Matured
Hazelburn is, quite famously, not a distillery but rather a specific style of whisky produced at Campbeltown’s Springbank Distillery. Hazelburn uses air-dried barley (with no peat, unlike Springbank’s other two styles) and is triple distilled, making for a light-as-a-feather spirit when it comes off the still. This unique version of Hazelburn spends 6 years in bourbon…
Review: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2019 Edition
The unofficial beginning of whiskey season is upon us with this, the 19th release of Old Forester’s Birthday Bourbon, celebrating the birthday of Brown-Forman founder George Garvin Brown. A slight amount of detail: “The 2019 Birthday Bourbon is presented at 105 proof, the highest proof to-date for this special expression. After showing exceptionally unique character…
