Review: Hine Domaines Hine Bonneuil 2008 Cognac
Hine’s Bonneuil 2005 and 2006 — limited edition, single estate Cognac releases named after Hine’s 297 estate-managed acres at Bonneuil Village — are some of the finest middle-aged Cognacs you can find. The Bonneuil line skipped 2007, but now it’s back with a 2008 vintage release composed of just 16 casks, the smallest release in the…
Review: Root7 Himalayan Salt Shot Glasses
Do you like salt? I love salt, or at least I thought I did. Then I tried drinking out of Root7’s Himalayan salt shot glasses. Whoa. A whole bunch of producers sell these gizmos, which are exactly what they claim to be: Take a big chunk of pink Himalayan salt, shape it into a cylinder…
Review: Michter’s US-1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon 2018
For the first time since 2015, Michter’s has released its Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon, which was launched to much fanfare in 2014. The US-1 Toasted Barrel release is unique because it undergoes a second aging regimen after its initial run in charred oak barrel. This finishing takes place in a custom barrel which is assembled from…
Review: Wines of Left Coast Cellars, Early 2019 Releases
Here’s a quartet of new releases from Oregon’s Left Coast Cellars, all ready for springtime sipping. (Spring’s coming one of these days, right?) 2017 Left Coast Cellars Truffle Hill Estate Chardonnay – Surprisingly thin, and very acidic, atypical all around for chardonnay. The palate sees some fruit in the form of melon, gooseberry, and apricot, but…
Review: Barrell Craft Spirits Bourbon 15 Years Old
Since it first hit the shelves, Barrell Bourbon has been a premium offering, and it has continued to move upmarket with the recently released Barrell Craft Spirits line. This first, very limited release includes three offerings: a bourbon, a whiskey, and a rum. The intent of the project, according to the folks at Barrell, was…
Review: Angel City Brewery Speculoos Cookie Beer 2018
This winter seasonal arrived at the tail end of 2018, and we’re finally turning our attention to LA-based Angel City Brewery’s Speculoos Cookie Beer, a beer brewed in honor of spicy Dutch/Belgian shortbread cookies typically baked for the holidays. Brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, white pepper, cloves, anise, and brown sugar, it’s a boozy treat that…
Review: Three Chord Blended Bourbon
Musicians making whiskey has become the in thing to do in recent years, and much to my surprise, a lot of this has been pretty good. (Some, however, has not.) Three Chord Blended Bourbon is a project from musician/producer Neil Giraldo (he’s also married to Pat Benatar and produced “Love is a Battlefield”). If you like…
Review: Harpoon MacGuffin Wee Heavy and Catamount Bourbon Barrel Aged Porter
Boston’s Harpoon Brewery has a pair of new special editions out. Let’s dig in to the seasonal duo. Harpoon MacGuffin Wee Heavy – The Hitchcockian mystery alluded to in the name of Harpoon’s latest could very well apply to its alcohol level. MacGuffin (#67 in the operation’s 100 Barrel Series) drinks at first like an approachable…
