Review: Glen Moray Elgin Classic Sherry Cask Finish
Glen Moray, one of Speyside’s stalwart whisky producers, has released a new expression to its permanent lineup, Glen Moray Classic Sherry Cask Finish. While this is a NAS whisky, some production details follow. Glen Moray is excited to introduce its newest addition to their Classic Range, the Glen Moray Classic Sherry Cask Finish. First aged in…
Review: Grandeza Orange Liqueur
Check out the single-serve bottle of Grandeza, a new orange liqueur. Why the little hook on the end of the mini bottle? Allow the Seattle-based company to explain: In 2014, Bernie Garcia, President and owner of Moctezuma’s Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar, conceived an idea for an upside-down orange liqueur sidecar bottle that could be hung…
Review: Zinfandel Wines of Day, 2018 Releases
I first encountered Day, a strictly Zinfandel producer centered in St. Helena, at this year’s ZAP festival. Enchanted by the wines, I then found out it was a single-varietal project from Ehren Jordan, winemaker (past and present) at Turley, Neyers, and Failla. After the show, Day sent us a six-pack of recent releases, all from various…
Touring and Wine Tasting in California’s Anderson Valley, 2018
The cool-climate wines of Northern California’s Anderson Valley are finding their audience. This temperate region, close to the ocean, is home to several well-known labels and farmers who practice sustainable and organic farming — even those who aren’t certified organic. They view responsible stewardship of the land as the baseline to making great wine. And…
Review: Mountjoy CBD Sparkling Water (2018)
Weed fever is running wild in California, which is why we have products like Sonoma County-based Mountjoy, a cannabis-infused sparkling water available in various flavors (with no alcohol). Launched late last year, Mountjoy Sparkling originated as an infusion for CBD (the non-psychoactive compound in cannabis), with each 16 oz. bottle containing 10mg of cannabidiol. Recently,…
Review: Lambay Irish Whiskey – Small Batch Blend and Single Malt
Our friends at CIL US Wines & Spirits — the American arm of Camus Cognac — have chosen an interesting project for their next release: Irish whiskey. Lambay Irish Whiskey comprises two expressions, both made by West Cork Distillers and finished with unique barrel treatments that take a nod toward their creators’ roots in France.…
Tasting Report: Wines of New Zealand 2018
If wines hitting the market in 2018 are any guide, New Zealand continues its march upmarket, putting out wines of increasingly high quality at a variety of price points. In my tasting of dozens of 2018 releases from NZ, I found that releases of sauvignon blanc are particularly worthwhile, continuing the trend of dialing back that…