Review: Whip Saw Rye Whiskey

The folks at Napa-based Splinter Group Spirits have released a new rye to add to their growing collection. Splinter is masterminded by two wine industry veterans, Steve Matthiasson (of Matthiasson Wines) and Bob Cabral (formerly of Williams Selyem, one of my go-to pinot noir producers). For this rye, the duo takes a collection of sourced…

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Review: 2016 Megan Anne Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

From Mark Ryan McNeilly, the proprietor of Mark Ryan wines, comes this, the third vintage of the Megan Anne-labelled pinot, a wine that is named for McNeilly’s wife and made in collaboration with winemaker Isabelle Meunier. For an Oregon-sourced wine, this is a quite dense pinot noir, loaded with boysenberries, black cherries, tobacco leaf, and spice.…

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Review: Charbay Vodka Lineup (2018)

While we’ve reviewed countless whiskeys, tequilas, and even pomegranate wines from Ukiah’s Charbay, we’ve only formally reviewed a single bottle of their vodka — which might actually be what the distillery is best known for. It’s time to correct things, by taking a deeper dive into five Charbay vodka expressions, from straight vodka to their…

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Review: Wines of Patricia Ortiz – Tapiz, Zolo, and Wapisa, 2018 Releases

Patricia Ortiz is the impresario behind three Argentina wineries: Tapiz, Zolo, and Wapisa. These wineries are primarily located in the Mendoza region, the exception being the new Wapisa, which is located just 25 miles from the Atlantic Ocean on the Rio Negro in central Patagonia. Ortiz’s crew sent us six wines from across these three…

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Review: Highland Park The Dark 17 Years Old and Full Volume 1999 18 Years Old

As Orkney-based Highland Park continues to reshuffle its lineup, two new whiskies, both limited releases for 2018, have arrived on the scene. Let’s take a look at both in turn. Highland Park The Dark 17 Years Old – This limited release bottling is a rarity, Highland Park aged for 17 years in first fill sherry…

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Review: Don Chelada Michelada Mix and Cups

Don Chelada is all in on micheladas, that classic combination of Mexican beer and spicy chiles that is Mexico’s answer to the bloody mary. Don Chelada offers two ways of making a michelada at home. First, rim a glass with spices, pour in your beer and add a couple of ounces of Don Chelada’s liquid…

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Review: La Luna Mezcal Cupreata

La Luna is a new mezcal brand, hailing from Puente International Spirits, based in Etucuaro, Michoacán. Mezcal has been made here since 1910 by the Perez Escot family, where cupreata agave is grown and smoked over white oak to make this spirit. La Luna is reportedly made with a significant attention paid to the farmers…

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Review: Rogue 10 Hop IPA

Rogue’s 10 Hop IPA is less a celebration of hops and more a celebration of the number ten. Ten kinds of hops. 10.10% alcohol. Even 10 degrees Lovibond (a color measurement). All the hops come from Rogue’s own farm in Independence, Oregon: Liberty, Newport, Revolution, Independent, Freedom, Rebel, Yaquina, Alluvial, Adair, and Keven varieties, plus Rogue…

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