Review: Ardbeg An Oa
Peat fans, consider it your birthday: Ardbeg is announcing a fourth whisky to join its core trio as a permanent addition to the range. Ardbeg An Oa (pronounced “an oh”) is the first new permanent expression from Ardbeg in almost a decade. The expression is named for the southernmost point of Islay, where towering cliffs stand…
Review: The Traveler Beer Co. Jack-O Traveler Pumpkin Shandy 2017
The unofficial post-Labor Day arrival of autumn ushers in things people look forward to all summer long: college football, campfires, and everything consumable blessed with a generous infusion of pumpkin. The beer world is not immune to this trend. One trip down a local beer aisle presents a plethora of pumpkin flavored beers around this…
Review: Kilchoman 100% Islay Seventh Release and Loch Gorm 2017
Two 2017 updates from Kilchoman have hit our desk. Let’s dig in! Kilchoman 100% Islay Seventh Release – Kilchoman’s 2017 version of its annual 100% Islay release — grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled on Islay — is here. At seven years old, it’s once again the oldest expression of 100% Islay released to date. As…
Review: 2015 Schloss Johannisberg Gelblack Riesling Feinherb Rheingau
Drinking a riesling like Schloss Johannisberg’s Gelblack bottling reminds me that I should be drinking more (German) riesling. This Rheingau-sourced wine is just a bit tropical, its nearly dry but honey-flavored core layered with notes of baking spice and gingerbread. The finish is dry but satisfyingly refreshing, again hinting at those pineapple-dusted tropical notes. A-…
What’s the Difference Between a Pot Still and a Column Still?
If you’re a shrewd imbiber, you may notice that some bottles of liquor — for instance, Irish whiskey like Redbreast — advertise a particular kind of still used to produce the spirit, in this case “single pot still.” Elsewhere, you may notice other bottles — like Japanese whisky Nikka — instead touting something called a Coffey still…
Review: 2014 Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC
An ultra-budget Tuscan, this is a blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Canaiolo, and 5% Cabernet Franc. It’s got a mild body, heavy with cherry, blackberry, and tobacco notes, which meld quite beautifully with the fragrant nose. The body is modest and the finish just a touch sweet, with a hint of green pepper…
Review: Slane Irish Whiskey (2017)
Remember Slane Castle Irish Whiskey? Of course not. Brown-Forman bought the brand a few years ago, and even then it was hard to find in the U.S. Now it’s been relaunched, rebranded — the “Castle” is now gone, leaving just “Slane” — and a distillery of its own is being build in Ireland. The current…
Review: Wines of Edna Valley Vineyard, 2017 Releases
You’ll find Edna Valley Vineyard in San Luis Obispo in southern California, but this winery sources grapes from all over California, particularly for its low-cost whites and rose. Here’s a look at three such wines to take you out of summer and into fall. 2016 Edna Valley Vineyard Pinot Grigio California – This pinot grigio offers…
