Review: Firestone Walker Napa Parabola 2019
In May, Firestone Walker released Napa Parabola, a brand spanking new addition to their Proprietor’s Vintage Series. This release sees their standard Parabola imperial stout, a much-loved brew that’s normally aged in bourbon barrels, matured instead in red wine barrels, reportedly from one of Napa Valley’s most prestigious “cult” wineries. Suspicions abound, but the brewery…
Review: Single Cask Nation Tamdhu 10, Port Charlotte 14, and Glenfarclas 9
In 2017, independent bottler Single Cask Nation launched a U.S.-only retail line. The move into retail-only offerings complemented the existing line of bottles available exclusively to members through their website. While Drinkhacker has already reviewed two different outturns of retail-only bottles (see here and here), we hadn’t yet explored the members-only, online offerings. Until now……
Review: Four 2017 Landmark Vineyards Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Wines
Landmark’s latest installments in its Overlook series — which generally represents its most approachable and affordable bottlings — as well as a pair of higher-end reserve offerings have arrived. Let’s dive in to these wines, all from the 2017 vintage. 2017 Landmark Vineyards Overlook Chardonnay Sonoma County – Initially quite oaky and meaty, this Sonoma…
Review: Bardstown Bourbon Fusion Series #1, Discovery Series #1, and Phifer Pavitt Reserve
We’ve mainly covered Bardstown Bourbon Company (affectionately BBCo) via its Collabor&tion bottlings, which were sourced spirits finished in various other wine and spirit casks. We weren’t huge fans of this line, but now BBCo is out with three new — and somewhat less ambitious — releases, including the first product (Fusion) made with its own…
Review: Four Virtues 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Bourbon Barrel Aged and 2017 Pinot Noir
Four Virtues is (another) Rutherford Wine Company sub-brand, with a focus on bourbon-barrel aged wines. We review one of these below, along with a standard, bourbon-free pinot noir. 2016 Four Virtues Cabernet Sauvignon Lodi Bourbon Barrel Aged – Lodi cab, finished in heavy-char bourbon barrels for 1 to 3 months. The whiskey sits heavy on…
Review: Trois Rivieres Rhum Agricole – Blanc and Ambre
Trois Rivières is a historic brand of rhum agricole — it’s Martinique’s oldest sugarcane plantation, dating back to 1660. The rum came later, and only now are these spirits finally making their way to the U.S. Not sure how typical rum and rhum agricole differ? I’ll let Trois explain the process a bit in this…
Review: 2018 Seven Hills Dry Rose Columbia Valley
At’s a good thing that Washington’s Seven Hills Winery notes on the label that this is a dry rose, as those looking for a burst of berries will likely be disappointed by the more aromatic profile of the primarily cabernet franc-driven wine. Floral and driven by notes of fresh-cut grass, buttery popcorn, and some coconut, it’s…
Review: KO Distilling Bare Knuckle Bourbon, Rye, and Wheat Whiskey – Single Barrel Releases
Bare Knuckle is a brand from Manassas, Virginia-based KO Distilling, and the outfit produces (among other spirits) a range of young whiskeys made from local grains, all of which we reviewed early last year. Now the Bare Knuckle brand is expanding by rolling out cask strength, single barrel versions of its three core whiskeys —…
