Review: Fanny Fougerat Pineau des Charentes Le Colibri Charmant Blanc
If you’re still sleeping on Pineau des Charentes — essentially young wine blended with Cognac to fortify it — then it’s time to wake up. Here’s a new release from Fanny Fougerat made from ugni blanc grapes grown in Cognac and fortified with a bright, effusive brandy. The bottle is more evocative of spirits, with…
Review: Clyde May’s Conecuh Ridge Bourbon 5 Years Old (2023)
Ten years ago, bourbon distilled in Alabama was unheard of. When we reviewed the original Conecuh Ridge release from Clyde May’s in 2013, we had to explain that good bourbon didn’t come exclusively from Kentucky and that whiskey made in Alabama deserved a try. Happily, those days are long gone. Today, Clyde May’s is a well-known…
Book Reviews: Champagne Widows and Madame Pommery
While historical fiction infused with a romantic twist isn’t typically within my usual literary domain, I may not be the ideal authority to assess the genre’s conventions. However, it is worth noting that author Rebecca Rosenberg has demonstrated an impressive literary output, producing no fewer than six books over the past four years. Notably, two…
Review: Cambio Tequila – Blanco and Reposado
Let’s give tequila newcomer Cambio some credit for mixing things up in the tequila world. While these are both 100% Highlands blue agave, additive free tequilas, they are unusual in that they are fermented at low temperatures in tanks lined with American white oak and Mexican pine before distillation. Bottling, at 46% abv, is considerably…
Review: Cumberland Falls Bourbon 4 Years Old
Hey, I know what you’re going to say: I’ve never heard of Cumberland Falls Bourbon. Is this more sourced stuff from MGP? Nope. This isn’t a sourced product, but rather a 4 year old Kentucky straight bourbon distilled in Owensboro, Kentucky by the Owensboro Distilling Company. What is the Owensboro Distilling Company? It’s the company behind…
Review: Benriach Malting Season 2023
Last fall, Benriach released the third installment of its limited-edition Malting Season single malt whisky, but this time without its non-age-stated partner, Smoke Season. It is unclear if we’ll see that one return in the future, but for the time being we’ll have to make do with just the one. As a reminder, Malting Season…
Review: Barrell Rye Private Release from The Podcaster Yak Attack
Media mavens are increasingly getting into the private whiskey release biz, but this release is one of the most ambitious we’ve seen to date. Two podcasters — the Whiskey Ring Podcast and This is My Bourbon Podcast — collaborated on a single private barrel of Barrell Craft Spirits Rye which was finished in an Armagnac…
Review: Catoctin Creek Ragnarok Rye Oderus Edition
The world’s least expected booze collaboration — between Virginia’s Catoctin Creek and shock/thrash metal band GWAR — is back with a second edition: Ragnarök Rye: Oderus Edition. Curious? Here’s some errata: This year marks the tenth anniversary of the passing of Oderus Urungus, and to commemorate his immortal spirit, together with GWAR we are releasing…
