Review: Wines of Mark Ryan Winery, 2016 Releases
Today our minds and palates turn northward, to Washington state, where Mark Ryan Winery has recently put out its fall releases. Let’s take a spin through three of them, all members of its lower-cost Board Track Racers series. 2015 Mark Ryan Winery Board Track Racers “The Vincent” Chardonnay Columbia Valley – A pretty, unoaked chardonnay, loaded with…
Review: Boardroom Vodka and Gin
Now that Trump Vodka is defunct, what is a discerning CEO to use to make his martini? Might I suggest Boardroom Vodka or Gin? Seems like the perfect thing to sip on before you utter, “You’re fired.” Boardroom Spirits is a new company that hails from Lansdale, Pennsylvania, where it distills its white spirits from a…
Review: Bayou Rum Silver and Select
Louisiana Spirits in Lacassine claims to be the largest privately-owned rum distillery in the U.S. Here they churn out a total of four spirits, distilled from local cane sugar and molasses using a copper pot still. Today we look at two of them, representing the core of the line. Both are 80 proof. Bayou Rum Silver – A…
Review: Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt and Nikka Yoichi Single Malt
Japanese single malt whisky fans, the end is here. Age statements are vanishing faster than polar ice, and in their stead are arriving a series of NAS releases to replace them. Nikka is the latest distillery to do the deed, replacing a variety of the age-stated whiskies from its Miyagikyo and Yoichi distilleries, which are long since…
Review: Langley’s No. 8 London Dry Gin
Langley’s is a brand of gin newly available in the U.S., thanks to Terlato, which is importing it. No “New Western” business here. This is a classic London Dry style of gin that will strip the enamel off your teeth with the pungency of juniper. But first, some background. Made in small batches from 100%…
Review: Kilchoman ImpEx Cask Evolution 2/2016 Bourbon Barrel
This is a single cask release of Kilchoman exclusively for the U.S. This barrel was distilled on August 11, 2011 and bottled on May 16, 2016, making it just shy of five years old, entirely aged in a bourbon barrel, cask #470/2011. (This series is meant to showcase the impact of different types of wood…
Review: Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders
Heineken-owned Strongbow is a staple of the apple cider scene, particularly in England, where the brand originated some 54 years ago. Most production of the beverage still takes place in England, but the samples we’re reviewing today were actually produced in Belgium. (The company also makes cider in Australia.) Strongbow comes in numerous varieties; today…
Review: Smirnoff Red, White & Berry Vodka
This limited edition seasonal was technically released for the summer and the Fourth of July, but it fell through the cracks and finally resurfaced here at Drinkhacker HQ. (Don’t worry, there’s plenty still available, even though it’s November.) This flavored vodka packs three different elements into a single bottle: cherry, citrus, and blue raspberry. That…
