Review: Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1989 from Astor Wines & Spirits
In the whisky world, single casks are great because they offer the opportunity to try a unique and rare version of an otherwise familiar spirit. Glenfarclas’ Family Casks go one step further and let you pick across vintages spanning five decades. Since 2007, this Speyside distillery owned by the Grant family has produced more than…
Review: Root7 Geo Glasses
My daughter recently asked me, “How do you review a glass?” Pretty simple, I said: How does it look, and how easy is it to drink out of. Root7’s new Geo Glasses tumblers merit a discussion on both fronts. Hexagonal in shape, the glasses feature gold accents (or jet black (pictured), as you prefer) on…
Review: Carlshamns Flaggpunsch Swedish Punsch
Spend much time reading old cocktail guides and you’ll find a commonly called-for ingredient: Swedish Punsch (sometimes written as Swedish Punch). Ask your local liquor store for a bottle and you’re bound to get a head-scratch. Swedish Punsch went the way of the dodo during Prohibition. So, what is Swedish Punsch? It’s something akin to…
Review: Paul John Bold
Born and raised in the Goa region of India, Paul John continues to push out new expressions of its single malt whiskies — inspired by Scotland but unique to this part of the world. The latest expression — you can check out our previous Paul John coverage here — is Paul John Bold, a heavily…
Review: Redemption Wheated Bourbon
Redemption is known for its production of (MGP-sourced) rye and high-rye bourbon so much so that its tagline is “Join the rye revival.” As such, this new release is a real step out of the comfort zone. As the name implies, Redemption Wheated Bourbon ditches rye altogether for wheat — and Redemption really went whole…
Review: 2013 Balletto Brut Rose Russian River Valley
One sip of Balletto’s Brut Rose sparkler and I’m immediately transported ahead a month or so to the holidays. This is a classically structured rose (made from an interesting blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay), lightly floral and scented with strawberries, moderately effervescent, with overtones of orange peel, ginger, and a sprinkle of…
Review: Wyoming Whiskey Eclipse Edition Small Batch Bourbon
Wyoming Whiskey dropped a special edition of its flagship Small Batch Bourbon earlier in the year, in anticipation of the eclipse that crossed our country on August 21, an event which you have surely long forgotten by now. In celebration, the company wrote: “The eclipse will scribe its shadow across Wyoming beginning in Jackson Hole…
Book Review: Rum Curious
Well-known spirits writer Fred Minnick follows up his stellar Bourbon Curious with a somewhat less sexy, though equally indispensable, title: Rum Curious. As he did for the bourbon world, Minnick uses this tome to school the reader on the origins of rum (hope you like pirate stories!), the intricacies of its production, and controversies like sugaring and…
