Review: D’usse Cognac XO
I didn’t find much to love in D’usse’s inaugural Cognac, a VSOP, but this upscale update, an XO, has a whole lot more to recommend. All the eaux de vie in the finished product are at least 10 years old — and the black bottle is arguably even cooler than the one used for the…
Review: A Trio of Albarinos, 2017 Bottlings
Albarino — that crowd-pleasing white wine from the north of Spain — is sure to make an appearance on your summer table at least once. Here’s a look at three new releases, all currently on the market. 2016 Atlantis by Maetierra Albarino Rias Baixas – A slightly creamier expression of albarino, this bottling is a…
Review: No. 209 Barrel Reserve Gin – Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay Finished
No. 209, based in San Francisco, is going on a tear with its gin. Not only is it still producing standard and Kosher versions of its straight gin, it’s also out with three barrel-finished expressions, each spending time in a different type of California wine barrel. Today we look at two of those — gin…
Review: Bear Republic Fastback Racer Double IPA
Bear Republic’s Fastback Racer (nee Fastback Racer X3) is a monumental beer — the brewery describes it thusly: “Massive hop additions of Citra and Ekuanot are revved to the limit on a chassis of Rye, Munich, and light caramel malts.” Revved to the limit is about right. The beer comes across as almost syrupy in composition,…
Review: Death’s Door Gin
Death’s Door Distillery, in Middleton, Wisconsin, is one of the most venerable of American craft distilling operations, having been founded way back in 2005. On the eve of the company revamping its labels and brand ID — the gin (new bottle pictured) is now in a “lighter bottle with better grab points and greater balance”…
Review: Chimay Gold, Red, White, and Blue
The monks at Belgium’s Scourmont Abbey have been making Chimay beers since 1862. Today, Chimay is perhaps the most famous of all authentic Trappist ales, which are sold to support the monastery’s operations and charitable functions. Today we look at the four core beers in the Chimay lineup, all of which are also available in larger…
Review: Dad’s Hat Straight Rye (2017)
This latest release from Pennsylvania’s Dad’s Hat may look familiar, since there’s already a Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey on the market, which we reviewed way back in 2013. Pay careful attention, though: This is not Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey, this is Dad’s Hat Straight Rye Whiskey. Not only is it able to use the “straight”…
Mega-Rose Wine Roundup, Spring 2017
Rose wine comes in all shapes and sizes — or, at least, many shades of pink — but regardless of that, you’re probably going to be drinking a lot of it as the temperature creeps up. Here’s a look at seven recent rose releases, from all over the place (but, well, mostly California). NV…
