Review: Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2017)
Crafted in Fort Collins, Colorado, by former MGP master distiller Greg Metze, Old Elk is a different kind of bourbon right out of the gate. “Blended” is a curious term to see on a whiskey label these days, and I’ll let Metze and crew explain what that means here: We use traditional ingredients – malted…
Review: Hornitos Cristalino Tequila Anejo
The latest expression from Hornitos — it’s been on a tear lately — is Cristalino, an anejo tequila that is filtered back to clear. Let’s dig into this 100% agave offering. Whole most tequilas of this style are predominantly anejo-esque in style, Cristalino drinks less like an anejo and more like a “best of both worlds” tequila.…
Review: Wines of Rutherford Wine Co. – Scott Family, Rutherford Ranch, and Two Range, 2015 Vintage
Rutherford Wine Company is a growing Napa operation, arguably best known for its Predator bottling. But Rutherford produces wine under a number of other labels, including the trio we’re reviewing here. Let’s take a look at the wide-ranging offerings that Rutherford has to offer. 2015 Scott Family Estate Chardonnay Dijon Clone Arroyo Seco – Tons of…
Review: Balcones “1,” Baby Blue, and Brimstone (2017)
It’s been roughly three years since Chip Tate left Balcones, the Texas distillery that he founded, but Balcones Distilling continues to pump out whiskey after whiskey from its Waco operation with Jared Himstedt at the helm. We’ve been covering the distillery off and on for eight years now, and if anything can be said about…
Review: Don Q “Pina” Pineapple Rum
Pineapple and rum go together like peas and carrots, and as flavored rums go, Don Q’s Pina — made in Puerto Rico with rum aged 12 to 18 months and naturally flavored “with 100% natural pineapple juice” — feels tailor made for your pina colada, or whatever other tropical concoction you have in mind. Quite…
Drinkhacker Asks: Wild Turkey’s Jimmy Russell
Like most discerning drinkers, we here at Drinkhacker have many questions we’d like to ask the people behind our favorite wine, beer, or spirit. Every now and then, we get the opportunity to actually do so. For the first in our series of short interviews, we talked to the “the Buddha of Bourbon” himself and…
Review: 2014 Purple Heart Red Wine Napa Valley
Veterans are naturally the guest of honor with Purple Heart Wines, a collaboration between C. Mondavi & Family and the Purple Heart Foundation. The brand has been around since 2014, and it has donated $40,000 to date to the Purple Heart Foundation, which aids military men, women, and families transitioning back to home. Noble cause, but how’s the wine (a Bordeaux style…
Review: Jameson The Blender’s Dog Irish Whiskey
Jameson began its Whiskey Makers Series with last year’s lackluster The Cooper’s Croze (celebrating the impact of wood and the barrel on its whiskey) with this second release in the trilogy: The Blender’s Dog. For those not steeped in whiskey lore, the dog doesn’t represent a furry friend but rather a long copper tube that…
