Review: Cotswolds Single Malt Whiskey (2018)
Cotswolds is an area in southern England, and while one might think this is gin country, a distillery has popped up (in 2014) that is also producing single malt whisky. Says the distillery, “The first whisky ever distilled in the Cotswolds, it uses 100% locally grown, floor-malted barley and has been aged in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels…
Review: New Belgium Tartastic Raspberry Lime Ale
New Belgium’s latest into its semi-sour fruit beer line, Tartastic, turns to that trusty combination of raspberries and lime. The results are short of impressive, though those looking for an alternative to, say, sangria, might find this combination of flavors enticing. Think earthy notes mixed with malty sweetness, layered with relatively restrained fruit notes —…
Review: Hangar 1 Rose Vodka
Who says there’s no innovation in the world of vodka besides simply dumping in random flavorings until something that tastes like a Jamba Juice comes out? Hangar 1 Rose is a bit of a new animal: Hangar 1 straight vodka blended with 5% California rose wine. (That’s right, it’s “ros-ay,” not rose petals.) We got…
Review: Craft Distillers Low Gap 2 Year Old Rye (2018)
Last encountered in 2015, Craft Distillers’ Low Gap Rye was at the time a two-year old whiskey that didn’t seem to be getting any older. As a matter of fact, distiller Crispin Cain is out with a new version of Low Gap Rye and, again, it’s a mere babe at just two years of age.…
Is This the World’s Best Irish Coffee Recipe?
Irish coffee is one of those special occasion cocktails that rarely seems like the correct thing to order — but when it does, it hits the spot perfectly. Seeing as today is St. Patrick’s Day, the occasion seems to be upon us. The real trouble is getting a good one. A simple coffee with whiskey…
2018 St. Patrick’s Day Cocktails
Whether you’re Irish or not, St. Patrick’s Day is time for some hearty food and drink. Preparing it doesn’t have to keep you in the kitchen or bar area for long. Try out these cocktails along with our recipe for Beer Battered Corn Beef Bites with a stout cheese sauce. Soon enough, you’ll be toasting…
Review: Southern Grace Distilleries Conviction Small Batch Bourbon
Southern Grace Distilleries is a relatively new craft distillery housed in a former North Carolina prison. That’s right. A prison. In late 2016 the distillery released its first small batch bourbon, appropriately named Conviction. The whiskey is made from a mash of 88% corn and 12% malted barley. It’s bottled at cask strength after aging…
Review: 2015 Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut Rose
I promise there are no typos in the headline to this review. “Kaapse Vonkel” is the name given to all of Simonsig’s sparkling wines, though I remain unclear as to what specifically the phrase refers. Made from 63% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinotage, and 2% Pinot Meunier, this is a lightly pink rose that’s exceedingly dry on…
