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…
Review: Bols Genever 100% Malt Spirit
Genever is a spirit that has lately been wrapped up with gin, but its original recipe was actually closer to a whiskey than a neutral spirit. For the first time in hundreds of years, Lucas Bols is bringing that recipe back. Designed “for collectors and cocktail enthusiasts,” the awkwardly-named Bols Genever 100% Malt Spirit is…
Review: 2015 Tascante Ghiaia Nera Nerello Mascalese Sicilia DOC
Tascante is a project from the Italian winemaking family Tasca d’Almerita, producing a collection of wines on Sicily’s Mt. Etna. The wines are heavy on native varietals, including this affordable bottling, made from nerello mascalese, a grape with some genetic similarity to sangiovese. Soft but nutty, this wine shows a gentle meaty note, close to roasted pork,…
Review: Maker’s Mark Private Select for Star Hill Provisions
In 2015, Maker’s Mark launched one of the most ambitious private barrel programs I’ve encountered to date. The concept starts with a standard Maker’s Mark barrel, but after it’s fully matured, buyers get to drop 10 additional wood staves into the barrel, where they finish the bourbon for an additional nine weeks. Five types of…
Review: Beers of Revolver Brewing
MillerCoors-owned Revolver Brewing finds its home in Granbury, Texas, where it produces a small but growing collection of beer in several styles — all distinctly Texanized. Four beers in total are available in year-round release, with a fifth on the way (plus a variety of limited-edition offerings). Today we look at the core quartet, which…
Review: Sons of Liberty Uprising and Battle Cry Single Malt Whiskeys
We’ve covered a number of products from Sons of Liberty Beer & Spirits Company, located in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, a company that’s best known for seasonal whiskeys like its annually released pumpkin spice-flavored whiskey. The company also runs a small brewery (though the beers are not widely available), and lately it’s been turning those beers…
Review: 2016 Frank Family Vineyards Carneros Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Frank Family’s latest releases have arrived, both from the 2016 vintage and both from the Carneros region. A chardonnay and a pinot noir are both on tap. Thoughts follow. 2016 Frank Family Vineyards Chardonnay Carneros – While buttery and creamy, this chardonnay nonetheless manages to showcase some acidity as well as brilliant fruit, including apple,…
