Review: Amaro dell’Etna
Amaro dell’Etna isn’t a new brand of amaro, but it’s new to America. To wit: M.S. Walker has announced that it is introducing Amaro dell’Etna, a Sicilian digestif that has been produced near Mt. Etna in Italy for more than 100 years, into the U.S. market. Amaro dell’Etna has its roots, both literally and figuratively,…
The BroBasket: Boozy Gift Baskets… For Bros!
The BroBasket is part of the burgeoning “man crate” market, but with a focus on giving, not receiving. The company offers a wide array of baskets designed for giving to your man-friends, many of which are built around booze. In the photo above you’ll see a gofl-themed basket, complete with a bottle of Johnny Walker.…
Tasting Report: Rhone Valley Wines at Mondovino, 2018
I recently had the opportunity to attend Mondovino, an annual tasting event in Northern Virginia hosted by Kysela Pere et Fils wine distributors. The company was founded by a Master Sommelier whose own father is one of the larger wine collectors in America, so it was no surprise that the event showcased an exceptionally well-curated…
Review: Wines of South Africa’s Simonsig, 2018 Releases
South Africa’s Simonsig (pronounced SEE-mun-sigg) is one of the country’s most noteworthy operations, and recently we had the opportunity to sample five of its wines, courtesy of a live tasting with its winemaking and business staff, broadcast to us from Stellenbosch in South Africa. We walked through five wines that run the gamut of Simonsig’s production.…
Tasting Report: Whiskies of the World Expo San Francisco 2018
Hey, look who’s not breaking his foot this year! Last year’s Whiskies of the World Expo was cut extremely short for me, but this year, safety was the name of the game. (Reminder: Don’t text while on the stairs, kids!) I spent a lot more time than usual on American whiskeys this year, reflecting an…
Review: Deadhead Dark Chocolate Flavored Rum
From a packaging standpoint, Deadhead Rum is definitively one of the most talked-about bottles in my collection. Now the company is extending the line into a flavored rum — dark chocolate, specifically — while attempting to outdo itself with this monkey-headed decanter. (Again, it’s a plastic shell on top of a glass bottle beneath.) It’s a…
Review: Koloa Kauai Reserve Hawaiian Rum 3 Years Old
Kauai, Hawaii-based Koloa’s latest rum has hit the market, a three-year old product “artfully crafted in single-batches at its Kalaheo distillery. Kauai Reserve is made from the finest Hawaii sugar cane and fresh island water that was slowly filtered through volcanic strata before reaching vast underground aquifers. Kauai Reserve is carefully aged for a minimum…
Review: Glenfiddich Winter Storm 21 Years Old
Glenfiddich has long been one of Scotland’s more adventurous distillers, and true to its reputation, the operation is out with a new whisky: Glenfiddich Winter Storm, the first-ever single malt Scotch to be finished in ice wine casks, the latest release in the Glenfiddich Experimental Series, joining Glenfiddich India Pale Ale Cask Finish and Glenfiddich Project…
