Review: Sausalito Liquor Co. Marin Coastal Gin and Unsinkable Whiskeys
First, I love that a company in the 2020s named itself “Liquor Co.” Forget “Distilling” or “Spirits,” Sausalito Liquor Co. is kicking it old school. The California operation launched last year with three spirits, a gin, a bourbon, and a rye. Designed with northern California’s distinct flora in mind, “these spirits are meant to be…
Review: 2020 Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec
While it has been less than a year since we reviewed a Malbec from Argentina’s Trivento, it has been well over a decade since we last enjoyed the winery’s midpoint offering. Golden Reserve is aged 12 months, with 85% in French oak barrels and 15% aged in French oak foudres (1200 gallon barrels), and then…
Review: Marigot Bay Rum Creams, Complete Lineup
St. Lucia Distillers is known for its rums, but the distillery also cranks out a number of related products, including a new line of rum creams — essentially your Irish cream formula, minus whiskey, plus rum, plus a variety of flavorings. Four products are currently on the market, and we tasted them all. Let’s check…
Review: 2021 Trapiche Medalla Malbec and 2022 Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec
When discussing affordable yet quality Malbecs, there are a handful of names consistently standing out. Trapiche is certainly among them, maintaining its presence in the conversation year after year. With International Malbec Day fast approaching on April 17, we’re taking a moment to enjoy two of their entry-level offerings. 2021 Trapiche Medalla Malbec – Initially…
Review: Smooth Ambler Old Scout Bourbon 7 Years Old (2024)
Since they began procuring whiskey from other producers in 2011, Smooth Ambler hasn’t been shy about labeling the resulting products as sourced. Today, the distillery categorizes its offerings across three labels: Old Scout, a brand for their sourced offerings Founders’ Series, which denotes bottlings with 100 percent in-house distillate Contradiction, with bottlings containing a blend…
Review: Tanqueray Blackcurrant Royale Gin
You’ll need to travel across the pond to find this special edition Tanqueray, called Tanqueray Blackcurrant Royale Distilled Gin, as it’s not sold in the U.S. The recipe is simple: Take the classic four ingredients of Tanqueray — juniper, coriander, angelica, and licorice — and add in French blackcurrants and vanilla. Boom: You’ve got yourself…
Review: Bluebird Distilling Breakwater Bourbon
We’ve covered a pair of whiskey releases from Pennsylvania-based Bluebird Distilling in the past, with mixed results. Up next is a new bourbon, “well aged and lightly smoked,” with a charitable goal: 10% of profits from the sale of the whiskey go to the Jetty Rock Foundation, which aims to protect east coast oceans and…
Review: Karbach Free & Easy Non-Alcoholic Belgian-Style White
Making a good Belgian white is tricky enough. Now make it without alcohol. Karbach’s rendition of an NA Belgian pulls it off fairly well: Boldly flavored with lemon, orange, and that inimitable coriander character, the palate is bright and acidic — like it’s already had the orange slice expressed and dropped into the glass. The…
