Review: Wines of Black Stallion, 2018 Releases
You’ll find Black Stallion on Napa’s iconic Silverado Trail — one of the most picturesque drives in all of California wine country. Here the winery produces a wide range of wines that are, surprisingly, quite affordable given the region from which they hail. Today we look at three recent releases that span the most common…
Review: Los Arango Tequila Complete Lineup
Los Arango Tequila is new to the U.S., a revival of an older brand named after Pancho Villa himself. Double (column) distilled from 100% pure agave by the same folks that produce Corralejo, here’s some background by way of press release: Los Arango Tequila, the authentic artisanal ultra-premium tequila with revolutionary heritage, is pleased to…
Review: Yuengling Oktoberfest
Pennsylvania’s Yuengling has launched its annual Oktoberfest brew expression, a beer they’ve put out every year since 2011 — but only during these high holy holidays of beer-drinking. Brewed with a blend of Tettnang and Hallertau hops, it’s a traditional copper lager, toasty with pretzel and brown bread overtones, lots of chewy malt, and the slightest…
Review: Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin
Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is a product of The Shed Distillery, a boutique operation in rural Ireland. It’s also one of the most unusual gins you’re likely to encounter, made from a grain neutral base with some interesting botanicals in the mix. In the distillate you’ll find a relatively typical mix of juniper, angelica root,…
Book Review: Moonshine: A Celebration of America’s Original Rebel Spirit
John Schlimm’s name can usually be found affixed to vegan cookbooks or impressive tomes about beer. Allowing for the direct family connection between the distilling of beer and moonshine, it makes sense his next endeavor would venture deep into the Americana lore of the white devil. So much has been written on the subject of…
Review: The Glenrothes Sherry Cask Reserve (2018)
Raise a glass and salute the end of an era: The Glenrothes vintage-dated whiskies are being discontinued, to be replaced with a line of whiskies with standard age statements and additional NAS whiskies, such as this one. We actually saw The Glenrothes Sherry Cask Reserve back in 2016, when it was first released as the first…
Review: 2016 Z. Alexander Brown Uncaged Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
Z. Alexander Brown is better known as Zac Brown, the country singer. Turns out he likes more than PBR tallboys: He’s got a winery, too, and it pumps out some affordable, well-crafted wines — at least the two whites, which we’re reviewing here. 2016 Z. Alexander Brown Uncaged Chardonnay Santa Lucia Highlands – An extremely approachable…
Review: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon 2018 Edition “130th Anniversary”
A much-beloved installment in special edition bourbon season — Four Roses’ Limited Edition Small Batch — has arrived. As Four Roses now seems to find something to celebrate as part of each annual release, this one is no different, marking the distillery’s 130th year in operation. This year, Four Roses is raising a glass and…
