Review: 2015 Primus The Blend Apalta
Primus is an ever-changing blend, and for the 2015 vintage it consists of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 24% Carménère, 8% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. We last encountered it — in a much different blend — way back in 2012. Hailing from the Colchagua Valley’s Apalta region, this is a cult wine that’s…
Review: Chattanooga Whiskey Co. 1816 Native Series – Three Taverns Brewery Beer Barrel Finished
In the three years since we’ve reviewed the primary wares of Tennessee-based Chattanooga Whiskey Co., the distillery has launched a new line of products. It’s so-called 1816 Native Series is a line of whiskeys that are finished in barrels sourced from various breweries. Reviewed here is the 8th release of the series, with the whiskey…
Gift Idea: Door58 Decanter Set
Ahead of Father’s Day, we received for review a decanter set from Door58, a new brand of whiskey decanter “inspired by the speakeasies of 58th Street in Manhattan… reflecting authentic designs with a hip aesthetic appeal reminiscent of 1920s Art Deco.” The large wooden, presentation box with snap closures is some of the nicer packaging…
Review: Ellington Blended Canadian Whisky (2018) and Ellington Reserve
We previously mentioned Ellington in our Drinking the Bottom Shelf series; the brand seems to be an exclusive bottling for Total Wine stores. We thought we’d take a deeper (or at least a separate) dive into this spirit, looking at a 2018 bottling — which is to say, a plastic mini we picked up at…
Review: Haku Japanese Vodka
Hot on the heels of Roku Gin comes Suntory’s stab at vodka, Haku. “Made under the philosophy of monozukuri craftmanship and representing the nature and spirit of Japan, this premium craft vodka is made from 100% Japanese white rice. In a process completely unique to Suntory, the rice distillate is filtered through bamboo charcoal, which…
Review: 2016 Francis Ford Coppola Eleanor Red Wine
Eleanor is named after Francis Ford Coppola’s wife of many, many years, and it’s a high-end red wine blend, made from a hodgepodge of 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Syrah, and 22% Petite Sirah grapes sourced from both Napa and Sonoma County. Said to be styled after Penfolds Grange, the wine is officially sourced 63% from…
Review: Diageo Orphan Barrel Project Forager’s Keep Single Malt 26 Years Old
The latest release in Diageo’s Orphan Barrel Project — the 13th in the lineup — is perhaps its most unusual to date: It’s a single malt Scotch. Diageo owns a town of Scotch brands, so while it’s sort of logical to drop one of these into the Orphan Barrel brand, it’s also a little confusing.…
Review: 2015 Sosie Roussanne and Pinot Noir
Sosie means “twin” or “lookalike” in French, and it’s an apt name for this Sonoma-based winery, which focuses on French varietals and “old world wine making” techniques. Wines are made with no additives and minimal sulfur, attempting to focus as fully on the terroir and the grapes themselves. Here’s a look at two fresh releases…
