Review: Brother’s Bond Regenerative Grain Bourbon and Bottled-in-Bond 7 Years Old
Its first release didn’t offer a whole lot to write home about, but Brother’s Bond got a leg-up at the start thanks to its celebrity ownership, which has kept the brand’s name at least in circulation. But now the boys of Brother’s Bond are moving into their own with some more exciting and interesting offerings.…
Review: Scharffenberger NV Brut Excellence and Rose
A lot of people hear Scharffenberger and immediately think chocolate. But John Scharffenberger — before he launched the Scharffen Berger Chocolate brand, now part of Harry & David — was a winemaker, and the brand that bears his name is still around, producing some of California’s best-quality sparkling wines. We recently received a pair of…
Review: A. Smith Bowman Abraham Bowman Oak Series: American Oak
The year isn’t even over, but we’re getting yet another Abraham Bowman limited release for 2024. American Oak is the second in the brand’s newly launched Oak Series, a line that highlights the impact of different oak types and charring on whiskey. The inaugural release was an unusual and impressive 12-year-old whiskey aged in a…
Review: Junglee Canned Cocktails, Complete Lineup
Finding the right surprises for stockings can be tricky, especially if you want to treat your favorite cocktail lover. Canned cocktails are a great choice this year. They mix the fun of ready-to-drink drinks with a bunch of cool flavors that can really liven up any holiday party. With their colorful packaging and tasty vibes,…
Review: 2021 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Louis M. Martini‘s cabernets have graced these pages regularly for years, and this Napa Valley-designated bottling makes a return appearance here once again with its 2021 vintage. This one is a blend of 91% cabernet sauvignon, 4% petit verdot, 3% merlot, 1% cabernet franc, and 1% malbec. It’s safe to say that at this point,…
Review: Westward Milestone Edition No. 2
We somehow missed Westward’s inaugural Milestone release, a whiskey billed, with no shortage of breathless excitement in the press release, as the Oregon distillery’s “most ambitious, limited, and exclusive” offering ever. The product of a 21-barrel solera system and slow proofing, Milestone is essentially an infinity bottling, reportedly comprised of some of their oldest and…
Review: Teeling Single Malt Irish Whiskey Phoenix Legends #1 24 Years Old
With this new single malt whiskey, our friends at Dublin’s Teeling celebrates something I would not have immediately expected: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its first consensus National Championship in 1924. Teeling notes that in that year, Notre Dame outscored their opponents 285-54 and went 10-0.…
Review: 2020 Otronia Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Patagonia
Pinot noir and chardonnay from… Argentina? Strap in, kids, we may be going into new territory here. Thoughts on Otronia’s wines follow. 2020 Otronia Chardonnay “III & VI” Patagonia – The Roman numerals refer to vineyard blocks. A clever combination of clean linens and fresh lemon, this acquits itself as a curious expression of chardonnay…
