Review: The Botanist Islay Dry Gin (2017)
In 2012 we looked at The Botanist, a gin produced at Bruichladdich distillery on the Scottish island of Islay, where peaty Scotch is the order of the day. It remains the only gin produced on this island, though the brand has seen some changes, namely with a striking new bottle design, meant to turn away…
Review: 2014 Quinta de Roriz Post Scriptum Douro DOC
Prats + Symington’s Post Scriptum, produced at its Quinta de Roriz winery, is this year a blend of three classic Portuguese grapes — 64% Touriga Nacional, 28% Touriga Franca, and 8% Tinta Roriz. I was not enchanted with the 2011 release (a different blend), but the 2014 vintage is quite a bit of fun. Lively with…
Review: Woodford Reserve Distillery Series – French Oak Cask Finished Rye
Woodford’s latest Distillery Series whiskey — the seventh in this burgeoning portfolio of experimental, one-off spirits — has arrived. French Oak Cask Finished Rye is an interesting one. Per Woodford: The French Oak Cask Finished Rye completes a trilogy of rye offerings released this summer including Blended Rye and Toasted Oak Rye. Developed by Master…
Review: High West A Midwinter Nights Dram 5.4
A Midwinter Nights Dram is High West’s excellent Rendezvous Rye, finished in French oak and ex-Port barrels, bottled non-chill filtered. We first reviewed this unique whiskey in 2014 and gave it high marks (review can be read here). We briefly reviewed last year’s release and gave it an A (review can be read here), but…
Review: Koskenkorva Vodka
Koskenkorva vodka hails from Finland, where they’ve been turning a local barley mash into this white spirit since 1953. Only now is the vodka finally available in the U.S. thanks to an import deal with Infinium Spirits. As vodkas go, Koskenkorva is something of an oddity. I was expecting a bold, Old World style vodka, with…
Review: Painted Stave Distilling SunSeeker Wheat Whiskey
Another belated solar eclipse-themed whiskey, SunSeeker is Smyrna, Delaware-based Painted Stave Distilling’s third limited release made from a base of craft beer. In January 2016, Painted Stave Distilling partnered with Fordham Brewing Company in Dover, DE on what would be become the third release in Painted Stave’s “Beers To Whiskey!” series. Painted Stave picked up over…
Review: Black Feather Bourbon
Black Feather American Bourbon Whiskey comes across a lot like a microdistilled whiskey, but it’s actually a blend of two MGP allotments, bourbons made from a mash of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. Bottled in Houston, Texas (go Astros!), bottles are individually numbered, including a batch number. Again, I was stunned to…
Review: A Year of Good Whisky Page-a-Day Calendar 2018
This sounded like the perfect idea. Why hadn’t it been done before, I wondered. A rip-off-the-pages daily calendar featuring nothing but whisky. Genius! Well, great idea though it may be, the execution of this calendar is lackluster at best. What I was hoping for was a calendar which would feature a different spirit, hopefully letting…
