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 —…
Review: 2018 Bread & Butter Rose
A rose of unknown varietal origin, but hailing from Napa. Quite strawberry-heavy up front, the wine quickly takes a right turn into thick floral notes, a veritable thicket of lilac and honeysuckle. From there, the wine develops a distinct and surprising rosemary character, a pungent herbaceous quality that evokes a light vermouth. It’s crazy out…
Review: GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 10 27 Years Old
My sample of GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 10 leaked just a bit in shipping to me, and when I opened up the box in which it had been shipped, I knew I was in for a treat. The aromas wafting out of that package were so gorgeous I cracked into the bottle on the spot. This…
Review: Winchester Extra Smooth and Straight Bourbon
Winchester is a budget bourbon brand, produced by TerrePURE Spirits (aka Terressentia) and seemingly exclusive to Total Wine. TerrePURE uses accelerated aging techniques to release younger whiskeys than usual. Let’s see how that pans out with these two whiskeys. Both are 90 proof. Winchester Extra Smooth Bourbon Whiskey – The “silver label” version of Winchester…
Review: Nine Banded Whiskey
Austin, Texas is the home of Nine Banded Whiskey (aka 9 Banded Whiskey), by way of Kentucky, anyway. This is a sourced blend of 3 year old whiskeys (not just bourbon, mind you), cut with the hill country’s famous limestone-heavy water and named in honor of the nine-banded armadillo. Nine Banded doesn’t provide any breakdown…
Review: Patagonia Provisions Long Root Pale Ale and Long Root Wit
Did you know that Patagonia — yes, the people that make expensive, puffy coats — also has a division that makes foodstuffs? Patagonia Provisions doesn’t just make the kind of stuff you’d expect, like hippie cereal bars and buffalo jerky, it also makes beer, and recently it released its second brew in its lineup. Produced…
Review: Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin
Hot on the heels of Hendrick’s limited edition Orbium expression comes another seasonal gin release: Midsummer Solstice, a spirit which looks to flowers for its primary inspiration. Some details: Hendrick’s Gin has announced the release of Midsummer Solstice, a small batch, limited-edition gin by the woman who first created Hendrick’s — Master Distiller, Lesley Gracie.…
