Review: The Macallan Amber and Gold
The Macallan has never been a distillery to do things in a straightforward way. Case in point: the 1824 collection. There’s not just one. There are many. There’s an 1824 Master Series (which Rare Cask is part of). And there’s an 1824 Collection Travel Retail (which these whiskies are part of). Amber and Gold are…
Review: 2012 Mullan Road Cellars Red Wine Blend Columbia Valley
The Cakebread empire’s latest acquisition is Mullan Road* Cellars, a Washington winery focusing on this Bordeaux-style red blend. The 2012 vintage of Mullan Road Cellars Red is 51% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, and 12% cabernet franc. Mullan Road may be young, but it’s already showing some impressive chops with this blend. The wine is initially…
Review: Kilchoman 2008 Vintage and PX Finish 2010
Kilchoman may be just a kid on the distilling scene, but that doesn’t mean it’s taking its time. Here’s a look at two new expressions from this up-and-coming Islay distiller. Kilchoman 2008 Vintage – This is a vatting of exclusively bourbon-cask-aged barrels of Kilchoman distilled in July 2008 and bottled in August 2015, making this, at…
Review: 2011 Marina Cvetic Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Riserva
A curiously late release for an Italian white wine, this trebbiano from the Abruzzo region in south-central Italy pours a deep gold, offering notes of deep oak, roasted apples and pears, vanilla custard, and quite a few herbal notes. The big body dives into hardcore brown butter, coconut, and just a touch of tropicality. You…
Review: Michter’s Single Barrel Bourbon 10 Years Old 2015
Michter’s latest whiskeys have arrived — single-barrel bottlings of 10 year old and 20 year old bourbons. There’s no production or sourcing information on these limited edition whiskeys (which are not part of the US-1 line), only that they are aged in new oak for 10 (or 20) years, which is, of course, the law…
Recipe: New Year’s Eve Champagne Cocktails, 2015
Usually by the stroke of midnight, most partygoers are beyond being discriminiate in their choice of libation with which to ring in the new year. But not you, Drinkhacker reader. You value substance and style over slurred speech no matter what time it is. So here you go: some alternative cocktail ideas that go beyond…
Review: Booker’s Bourbon “Noe Secret” 2015-06
The sixth (and presumably final) round in Booker’s 2015 limited edition series of small batch bourbon releases is this, “Noe Secret” (get it?!?!), which is a bourbon aged 6 years, 8 months, and 7 days. For kicks (and a bit more introduction), compare to batch 2015-04, which we reviewed in September. Like parachuting into a…
Review: 2012 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles
This latest release in Justin’s Bordeaux-style Isosceles line is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc that spends 21 months in new French oak. Surprisingly sweet at first, it loads up with gentle pepper, baking spice, molasses, and some coffee bean notes. Lots of cassis and a touch of violets give…
