Review: Eau Claire Distillery Single Malt Whiskey
The traditional rye-heavy whiskey popular with the likes of Crown Royal and Canadian Club aren’t the only styles of whiskey you’ll find in Canada. Craft distillery Eau Claire is turning out 100% single malt — it’s not just the first craft distillery in Alberta, Canada, it’s the only producer of single malt whiskey in the…
Tasting the Wines of J. McClelland Cellars with Mitch Cosentino, 2019 Releases
Mitch Cosentino has been making wine in California since 1980, and he’s had a hand in dozens of labels in the last four decades. (He’s also credited with bringing the “meritage” style to California.) Today, he works with J. McClelland Cellars — which produces a whopping 54 different brands, only 3 of which are in…
Review: Camus XO Borderies Family Reserve Cognac
Cognac house Camus is out with its newest expansion to its Borderies-produced line of brandies, Camus XO Borderies Family Reserve. As is traditional for this producer, the Cognac is made from estate-grown grapes that are harvested from a single vineyard in the tiny Borderies region. It’s solid stuff. The nose is surprisingly woody and earthy,…
Review: Salt Point Canned Cocktails – Moscow Mule, Greyhound, and Gin Highball
Salt Point is a state park not far from Drinkhacker HQ in northern California. It’s also a new company making canned, ready-to-drink cocktails with premium ingredients… also not too far from our burg, in Mill Valley, Calif. Small batch and all-natural, it’s designed to provide a high-end drinking experience when spirits, mixers, bottles, shakers, muddlers,…
Review: Westland Peat Week 2019
For five years running, Seattle’s Westland Distillery has put out “Peat Week,” a special release that, like Balvenie, is made (and, in this case, is being poured at the distillery) for only one week out of the year. While Westland makes peated whiskey year-round, Peat Week is a special edition with its own barrel regimen.…
Review: 2016 Famille Perrin Gigondas La Gille
This Rhone bottling is “a full bodied red, produced on sandy soils found in just a small part of the appellation. Made with the same passion and savoir-faire as the famed Château de Beaucastel, Gigondas La Gille uses organized and biodynamic approaches, and is a traditional expression of grapes from the Southern Rhône Valley.” Aggressive…
Cocktails for St. Patrick’s Day, 2019
Who says 13 is an unlucky number? Not us! We’re sharing 13 great cocktails to try out this St. Patrick’s Day. When you come up for air, give these festive Reuben Sliders a try, too. Gin n’ Greens 1 ½ oz. The Botanist Gin 1 ½ oz. celery juice ½ oz. lemon juice 1 oz.…
Review: Wines of Balletto, 2019 Releases
Nestled in the Russian River Valley you’ll find Balletto, which makes a wide range of fairly affordable wines in a prestige region. Here’s a look at three current releases from the operation. 2018 Balletto Rose of Pinot Noir Russian River Valley – A bit gummy and quite floral, this rose doesn’t exactly raise the bar,…
