Review: Ardbeg Supernova SN2015
By now you have probably had your fill of news about how Ardbeg sent some whisky into space and how it became a magical superspirit after three years in microgravity. 2015’s Supernova bottling — Ardbeg’s mega-peated expression — is being released in honor of these findings. (Remember: There is no actual space whisky in the bottle.) What…
Review: 2010 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Cabernet Sauvignon
BV’s top-end wine is still in its 2010 release, a key indicator of the amount of care that goes into the production of one of Napa’s most classic bottlings. The 2010 BV Georges de Latour cuts an opulent and austere profile, in keeping with the general approach of this series. Strong cassis on the nose…
Drinkhacker 2015 Wine Cheat Sheet / Vintage Chart
Our popular Drinkhacker cheat sheet — the ninth version in our annual series of printable features designed to help you tell a good vintage of wine from a crummy one — is here! Just print, cut along the dotted lines, fold it up (into thirds), and keep a copy in your wallet next time you need…
Review: Rational Spirits Santeria Rum
Remember Lost Spirits, the guys making 20 year old rum in 8 days? Well, after my Wired article hit, the company got venture capital funding, commercialized its reactor, and made deals with pretty much every distillery you’ve ever heard of — either to make commercial products or to provide experimental services. Now the first third-party rum…
Review: Starr Hill Boxcarr Pumpkin Porter
As pumpkin beers go, Starr Hill’s Boxcarr Pumpkin Porter is a pretty good rendition. Or, at least, it’s a non-awful rendition that manages to shy away from an over-sweetened, gloppy mess while also not attempting to do something insane like actually brew pumpkin pulp and turn that into beer. Rather, Boxcarr is a lightly spiced…
Review: Mystic Bourbon Liqueur
Bottled by a company called Barrister & Brewer in Durham, North Carolina, Mystic Liqueur is a sweet concoction combining bourbon and “exotic spices.” Based on a “centuries-old Scottish recipe” (presumably not one involving Bourbon), it’s a New World spin on Drambuie that deserves a look. The nose hints at both the honey and cinnamon of…
Review: StainRx Wine Stain Remover
I won’t rehash the details of the wine stain remover story I wrote for Wired earlier this year. Suffice it to say that StainRx is a late comer to the party, and they submitted a product to me well after that piece already ran. Long story short, I put StainRx up against Chateau Spill, my hands-down…
Review: Wines of Tom Gore, 2015 Releases
Tom Gore is a Sonoma County grape grower, nut farmer,chicken raiser, and olive oil maker — and now a winemaker with his first batch of wines hitting the market. Let’s tuck into this inaugural trio. 2013 Tom Gore Chardonnay California – Looks cheap, tastes great. Fresh and fruity, there’s buttery vanilla on the nose, but the…
