The Do’s and Don’ts of Whisky Festivals
Having been to and worked at quite a few whisky festivals now, I’ve seen the length and breadth of the behaviour spectrum — from upmarket jaunts to paramedics arriving on scene. A whisky festival is a scene of merriment (it’s not apple juice), but there’s a line that can get crossed when people are trying…
Review: Wines of William Hill, 2017 Releases
Three new wines from William Hill, all part of the winery’s Coastal Collection, which is its entry-level lineup. All three hail from the North Coast appellation, which covers a vast area that spans the bulk of northern California. 2016 William Hill Sauvignon Blanc North Coast – Big ammonia notes lead the way with this highly…
Review: Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Cherry Wood Smoked Barley
For its 2017 limited edition Master’s Collection bourbon (the 12th in the series), Woodford Reserve has gone a little bit off the script. The concept this year: “Rather than using natural malted barley, which is used in Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Master Distiller Chris Morris modified the grain recipe by selecting malt that had been smoked…
Review: Magic Hat TFG IPA
No bottles for Magic Hat’s latest IPA: It’s available only in cans or on draft. This is a fairly straightforward recipe, using Pale, Victory, Cara, and Carapils Malt, plus oats, and it’s spiked with Magnum, Nugget, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Cascade Hops. The results are a killer little IPA. It’s not overwhelming with pine or oil-heavy citrus — nor is…
Tasting Report: WhiskyFest San Francisco 2017
San Francisco’s WhiskyFest seemed as popular as ever this year, kicked off with the stampede to the Pappy Van Winkle booth that always marks the start of the show. As always, there was plenty to enjoy at this year’s event — both new expressions and classic old friends ready for tasting. Here’s a full rundown…
Review: 2015 Talbott Chardonnay Kali Hart
A classic California chardonnay, Talbott’s latest offers a hefty roasted-meat profile, giving its honey-apple core a bit of a beefy texture. Ample vanilla and oak notes take the wine to its natural conclusion, which is round and buttery, fading away with more of those meaty notes — but also a hint of flamed banana and…
Review: Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2017 Edition
Alright whiskey fans, it’s time to get cracking to see if you can turn up a bottle or two of Buffalo Trace’s annual Antique Collection, which (aside from Pappy Van Winkle) represents the rarests of its rarities. This year’s releases represent some clear departures from previous editions — but also shapes up as one of…
Review: 2015 Justin Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
Justin’s 2015 cab shows just how far you can go with a $25 wine, that you needn’t resort to massive amounts of doctoring and additives to create a palatable bottling. The wine is lush with plums and currants, with a squeeze of blackberry jam, winding from there into notes of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls, lavender, and…
