Review: Backpack (Canned) Wine (2018)
Is canned wine a thing? Yes. Is canned wine necessarily a good thing (as it has been for beer)? Not really. The latest entry into this burgeoning field is Backpack Wine, which comes in picnic-friendly one-and-a-half serving cans, four to a box. What’s in the can? Who knows!? This trio of low alcohol, nonvintage wines…
Review: Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare
The latest installment in Diageo’s Johnnie Walker Scotch line isn’t a new color but rather a special version of an existing one. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare, as it awkwardly notes on the bottle, is a “Special Blend with Brora & Rare; 8 Legendary Whiskies.” The key to that is a single word: Brora, a…
Review: Sake Roundup – Fukucho, Bushido, Tozai, Konteki, and Kanbara
Sake is a daunting category that, for many westerners, has two sub-categories at best: hot sake, and cold sake. But as we’ve written about in the past, sake is in reality a complex universe that contains many styles and grades. Various sakes can be found in tiny cans for a few bucks, or in full-sized…
Review: Ohishi Kaito’s Cask, Islay Cask, and Tokubetsu Reserve Whisky
Ohishi made a splash in 2016 when it arrived in the U.S. after over 140 years of producing rice-based whisky. We reviewed its inaugural offerings at the time. Today we turn our attention to three new releases, each more exotic than the last. Ohishi Kaito’s Cask Whisky – This is a special selection of Ohishi’s…
Review: 2016 FEL Chardonnay Anderson Valley
Did you know? “Fel” is Swedish for “wrong.” Naming quirks aside, FEL’s 2016 chardonnay from the Anderson Valley region strikes hard with lots of sweetness up front, almost marshmallow-like, with creme brulee notes, before segueing strangely into some quite contrary notes — bitter lemon peel and some hints of canned green beans, giving it…
Review: Nine Single Barrel Bourbons from the New Hampshire Liquor Commission – Woodford Reserve, Knob Creek, Jack Daniel’s, and Russell’s Reserve
The state that brought you 15 barrels of Jack Daniel’s whiskey and 9 single barrel tequilas is back again with a mountain of single barrel bourbons from some of the biggest names in the industry. The New Hampshire Liquor Commission recently went down south and came back with a whopping 62 barrels of spirits from just…
Review: 2015 Luce della Vite Lucente
Tuscany’s Luce della Vite is well known for its high-end super-Tuscan blend, but its “second wine,” Lucente, merits just as much attention. For the 2015 release, a surprising note of vanilla runs through the wine, with a semi-sweet core of cherry, blackberry, and blueberry character. A spicy element pokes its head up from time to time,…
Drinkhacker Asks: Limestone Branch Distillery’s Steve Beam
Recently, we kicked off our Drinkhacker Asks series with Jimmy Russell, one of the most recognizable names in the spirits world. While we’ll continue to interview big names in the industry, we also want to introduce you to some of the less well-known figures, as it’s our experience that often these folks have some of…
