Review: Buzzard’s Roost Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
Buzzard’s Roost recently dropped its first bottled-in-bond bourbon, made from an unusual mash of 51% corn, 45% wheat, and 4% malted barley. It’s MGP stock, distilled in the fall of 2018 and aged for five years in MGP’s own barrels, one more than the bonded whiskey requirements. From there it went into Buzzard’s Roost’s famous…
Review: Wines of Sonoma-Cutrer, Late 2024 Releases
We’ve been around the block with Sonoma-Cutrer more times than I can count. And here we go again, with four wines that span the range of the classic Sonoma winery’s production. 2021 Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir Les Plus Haut – This estate pinot is made from grapes grown at Sonoma-Cutrer’s highest elevation vineyard blocks, and the…
Review: Don Fulano Tequila Blanco and Reposado
Don Fulano is a new tequila brand from E. & J. Gallo’s spirits division. Well — new to us, the brand actually dates back to 2002, and the founders of the brand boast tequila distillation in their lineage, dating back over 140 years. Per Gallo: Don Fulano is of the last family-owned tequilas that is…
The (G)interview With Astraea Spirits Founder and Master Distiller Danielle Leavell
Danielle Leavell is the creative mind behind Astraea Spirits, where she’s both the Founder and Master Distiller. Astraea is a one-of-a-kind spirits brand that’s completely owned and run by women. They make delicious organic gins that are inspired by the rich botanicals and scenery found in the Pacific Northwest. Notable achievements mark Leavell’s journey to…
Review: Wines of DiamAndes de Uco, 2024 Releases
Mendoza’s DiamAndes de Uco shares prime acreage and co-production credits with Michel Rolland on Clos de los Siete, a wine that hits the bullseye in the quality to price target, and a Malbec blend I keep amply stocked and will reach for on weeknights to accompany whatever might be on the evening’s menu. DiamAndes de…
Review: Casey Jones Founder’s 10th Anniversary Blend
November 2024 brought with it the 10th anniversary of Casey Jones Distillery. In celebration, the Hopkinsville, Kentucky-based distillery pays homage to its namesake and Master Distiller Arlon “AJ” Jones’s grandfather Alfred “Casey” Jones with Casey Jones Founder’s 10th Anniversary Blend. The Jones family has a storied history in illicit moonshine before establishing a legal distillery…
Review: Sky Vineyards 2017 Mount Veeder Napa Valley Zinfandel and 2020 Mount Veeder Napa Valley Half’N
Mount Veeder’s Sky Vineyards and the Olds family embody resilience, having lost both the family home and a significant portion of the vineyard in the California fires of 2017. Established more than 50 years ago, this aggressively eco-friendly, organic, family-run, small-scale operation continues to persevere, producing Zinfandel, Syrah, Riesling, and a red blend. Today, we…
Review: Paul John Christmas Edition 2024
It wasn’t long ago when we reviewed the belated release of Paul John’s Christmas Cask from 2023. This year we’re taking a much more timely look at Christmas Cask 2024. While it’s always an unpeated Indian Single Malt from Goa, the whiskey’s aging process is different each year. For 2024, it’s finished in Caribbean rum…
