Review: Ezra Brooks Straight Rye (2017)
Jumping on the rye bandwagon, Luxco’s Ezra Brooks has expanded to offer a rye — 95% rye, 5% barley, sourced from Indiana’s MGP and bottled at just two years old — er, “24 months” according to the back label. It’s bottled just a tad overproof at 45% abv. The nose doesn’t give too many hints…
![IMG_0621[1]](https://www.drinkhacker.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG_06211.jpg "IMG_0621[1]")
Review: Lavazza Coffees – Santa Marta, Kilimanjaro, and Intenso
With coffee cocktails all the rage now, having a good cup of java as the base for a great drink is more important than ever. Lavazza’s two single origin coffees and its Intenso dark roast all bring something different to the table, and each will make a great base for a different style of coffee…
Review: The Revivalist Botanical Gin Solstice Expression
The Revivalist is a gin brand that launched in 2016, produced in Elverson, Pennsylvania. Solstice is its “winter inspired expression” (apologies for the lateness of this review), the fourth gin in the company’s lineup. Like all its former expressions (none of which we’ve seen), it is available in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Michigan.…
Review: Cooper River Petty’s Island Rums and Cooper & Vine Brandy
Cooper River Distillers is the first legal distillery in Camden, NJ — ever! This outfit produced its first product, a rum, in 2014, and since then it’s been adding more rum expressions, brandy, and whiskey. We received a variety pack from the company — three rums and its brandy — and put them all to…
What Botanicals Are Used to Make Gin (and Why)?
Our recent martini taste test has lit a juniper-scented fire under us here at Drinkhacker HQ, so we’ve decided to once again explore gin, the most aromatic of spirits. Today we’ll be giving an overview of the different botanicals that go into your favorite gin; unlike wine, which can have aromas and flavors of a…
Review: 2014 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga
The latest release of Chateau Montelena’s signature cabernet is somewhat rocky, rather closed off on first blush, revealing tight, oaky tannins and some vegetal notes. Give this one some time or decant — I let it sit in glass for more than an hour before coming back to it — and the wine shows a bit…
Tasting the Symington 2015 Port Lineup (And Retrospectives) – Graham’s, Dow’s, Quinta do Vesuvio, and Cockburn’s
For the most part, the hot, dry, and low-yielding 2015 will not be a declared vintage from the major vintage Port houses. Even though the year wasn’t perfect, it hasn’t stopped Symington, which owns Graham’s, Dow’s, Quinta do Vesuvio, and (since 2010) Cockburn’s from releasing 2015 vintage-dated Ports in some fashion. Recently the Symington family…
Review: Lubanzi 2016 Chenin Blanc and 2015 Red Blend
Lubanzi is a brand new venture from Walker Brown and Charles Brain, designed to bring high-quality South African wine to the U.S. at affordable prices. Named after a stray dog who joined their 100 mile hike across South Africa’s Wild Coast, the brand donates 50% of profits to The Pebbles Project, a charity benefiting low-income…
