Review: Nc’nean Organic Single Malt Whisky
Distilleries all over the world are finally starting to go green, but it feels like there’s been a particular focus on sustainability in the whisky space over the last year or so. Distilling is a notoriously energy intensive process, and for a lot of large-scale heritage brands, it’s going to take a while for their…
Review: Eda Rhyne Rare Grain Rye Single Barrel and Fernet Barrel
Since they first started distilling in 2018, Asheville’s Eda Rhyne has built a portfolio of spirits unique among most craft distillers. Their first bottlings focused solely on amari instead of the more typical vodka and gin (although they got around to the latter eventually). That approach was rooted in a desire to spotlight the Appalachian…
Review: Barrell Bourbon New Year 2024
Another year down means another Barrell New Year batch to help us celebrate. Or forget. Usually, a bit of both. Barrell continues its everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to this specialty blend, adhering closely to the 2023 playbook with a cornucopia of bourbons distilled in eight different states and spanning 5 to 15 years old. While the bourbons…
Review: Wines of Villa Gemma and Marina Cvetic, 2023 Releases
Gianni Masciarelli was an icon in Italy’s Abruzzo region, and after his passing, his wife Marina Cvetic and their daughter Miriam Lee have continued to work to ensure this southern Italian region is a source of high-quality wines spanning the spectrum of styles. From fruit-forward roses to inky, dense reds, here’s a look at the…
Review: 4 Brewdog Non-Alcoholic Beers and Cocktails, 2023 Releases
BrewDog’s U.S. arm has been embracing non-alcoholic options for quite a while now, and the operation continues to up the ante on “AF” offerings designed to appeal to the sober-curious (and sober-certain). All four of the products reviewed below are part of a box set that includes four six-packs, one of each product, for $50.…
Review: 2 Sparkling Vouvray Wines, 2023 Releases
Vouvray is both a region in the Loire Valley and a wine, known for its high acidity drawn from the near-exclusive use of chenin blanc grapes. Sparkling Vouvray however is also a thing, particularly when cooler weather prevails. Here’s a look at a pair of sparkling Vouvrays to help power you through your January festivities.…
Review: Baker’s Single Barrel Bourbon 13 Years Old (2024)
I didn’t realize it had ever left, but Baker’s 13 is back on the market, returning to store shelves to give drinkers a fresh taste of this classic expression with 6 extra years of age on it. Originally launched in 2019, it became an instant classic and a worthy upgrade to Baker’s 7 when more…
Review: 2019 Stags’ Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Edition Reserve Napa Valley
Stags’ Leap produces a number of Cabernet Sauvignons that range from very good to outstanding, so it’s a pleasure today to have a chance to try their 2019 Limited Edition Reserve, which draws grapes from a number of their Napa Valley vineyards. This year’s bottling is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot, and…
