Recipes: 2016 Kentucky Derby Cocktails
The annual running of the Kentucky Derby (preceded shortly by the annual running of locals out of town) is fast approaching (it’s Saturday). And aside from the traditional fare of bourbon-based Old Fashioneds and Mint Juleps served on every corner, here are a few alternative recipes that may liven up your get together. Oaks Lily 1…
Review: Ardbeg Dark Cove
There’s been much chatter about Ardbeg’s latest special release, Dark Cove, which uses a lot of flowery language to say that this “darkest Ardbeg ever” is blended from a mix of bourbon cask-matured and sherry cask-matured (presumed to be Pedro Ximenez) stock. No age statement is included, per the norm. Saying this is the darkest Ardbeg ever…
Review: 2015 Matchbook Rose of Tempranillo Dunnigan Hills
It’s been a few years since we’ve reviewed this wine, produced by JL Giguiere under its Matchbook brand, a Yolo County rose made from Tempranillo grapes. Not much seems to have changed. Heavily fruit-forward, with notes of orange blossoms, strawberry, and vanilla, it’s a summertime sipper with ample sweetness but an appropriate amount of bite underneath.…
Review: Coopers’ Craft Bourbon
Brown-Forman, maker of Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, and Old Forester, has released its first new bourbon brand in 20 years: Coopers’ Craft. There’s a lot of confusing information out there about Coopers’ Craft, so let’s try to clear it all up. First, note that the whiskey’s name is Coopers’ Craft, not Cooper’s Craft. The whiskey…
Review: Amici Cabernet Sauvignon & Chardonnay and Olema Pinot Noir, 2016 Releases
I hadn’t heard of St. Helena-based Amici before (or its second label, Olema), and as such I didn’t have any real expectations for these three wines. Consider me both surprised and a new fan: These wines are uniformly excellent — and pretty good values, to boot. Thoughts follow. 2014 Amici Chardonnay Sonoma Coast – Lots…
Review: Kooper Family 100% Rye
Kooper Family Rye is a single-grain, 100% organic rye whiskey made by a small, family operation located in Dripping Springs, Texas — a small town near Austin. This distillate itself is actually sourced from Koval in Chicago. It is shipped unaged to Kooper, after which it spends two years in white oak barrels from Missouri…
Recipes: 2016 Cinco De Mayo Cocktails
Tired of the same old margies every year for Cinco De Mayo? Check out some of these bad boys to twist the holiday in a different direction. Mexican Martini Developed by Garrett Flanagan for El Original 1.5 oz. lime juice 1.5 oz. simple syrup 3 oz. tequila 0.5 oz. olive juice Shake with ice, pour…
Review: High West Light Whiskey 14 Years Old
Contrary to (and in fact the exact opposite of) what certain ill-informed websites will tell you, light whiskey is not distilled to a lower proof than regular whiskey. In fact, it is whiskey (made of unspecified grain) that is distilled to a higher proof — generally 80 to 95 percent alcohol. That puts it somewhere…
