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…
Review: The Street Pumas Vodka, Gin, and Rum
Now here’s something unique in the world of spirits: The Street Pumas line of liquors combines imported spirits with… wait for it… comic strips. While we’re primarily known for hyper-specific, luxury items like a 22-year-old micro barrique cognac or corn-infused mezcal, Brooklyn-based importer, PM Spirits has just launched The Street Pumas, a line of premium well spirits.…
Review: NV Gustave Lorentz Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rose
Cremant d’Alsace is a perennially underrated sparkling wine, and Gustave Lorentz’s rose bottling is a clear indicator of why you should be drinking more of it. Creamier than Prosecco and drier than Cava, it’s a very fruit-forward wine that’s almost overwhelming with notes of strawberry and raspberry. Some cinnamon-driven notes give it a certain spiciness,…
Review: J. Mossman Blended Scotch 12 Years Old, 15 Years Old, and 18 Years Old
That packaging… it’s almost too much. As if it’s designed to distract you from thinking about the whisky inside, right? Well, rest assured that although these three new releases from new brand J. Mossman look exquisite on the outside, they’re just as good beneath the stopper. All three are blended Scotch whiskies, and they…
Recipe: Lion’s Tail (Corrected)
I came across the Lion’s Tail cocktail in a recent Punch article, and after mixing one up I had to agree with commenters that the recipe was way out of balance as published. No matter: A little tinkering makes this cocktail — a hybrid of bourbon and tiki spice — into something quite delightful. My…
Review: King Floyd’s Bitters – Orange, Aromatic, and Cardamom – and Rim Salts
My sleepy burg of Novato, California is home to a surprising operation: King Floyd’s, which produces both artisanal bitters as well as a couple of tins of rimming salts. The company was kind enough to send all five of its products our way for review. Thoughts follow. King Floyd’s Orange Bitters – Strong orange notes…
Review: Mixallogy Cocktail Mixers
The world of powdered cocktial mixers continues its march into the market. The latest comes from an outfit called Mixallogy, which uses USDA certified organic ingredients as the basis for three single-serve mixers. One nifty thing about Mixallogy’s approach is that the mixers are all packaged in a small, plastic cup. The cup does double…
