Review: Usquaebach Reserve and 15 Years Old
As the back label of Usquaebach Reserve tells us, Robert Burns immortalized the name of Usquaebach in his poem “Tam O’Shanter,” when he wrote, “Wi usquabae we’ll face the de’il.” Usquaebach, pronounced OOS-keh-bah, is a brand of blended whiskies that are made in the Scottish Highlands. The highest end bottling of the three expressions of Usquaebach (sadly not…
Review: 2012 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford
Freemark Abbey’s always-engaging Cabernets are here, representing the 2012 vintage. Some real standouts… without further ado. 2012 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – 75.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16.6% Merlot, 3.3% Cabernet Franc, 2.6% Petit Verdot, and 2.0% Malbec. Dense and quite sweet, this is New World cabernet at its most iconic, all crushed red fruits,…
Tasting Report: WhiskyFest San Francisco 2015
It was another unforgettable year at 2015’s WhiskyFest, with some of whiskydom’s most cherished icons on tap for tasting, and plenty of old friends to mingle and catch up with. Of course, many of those old friends come in liquid form, and I had ample opportunity to revisit plenty of classic whiskies while spending time…
Review: GourmetGiftBaskets “Happy Hour” Cheesecake Sampler
Booze and dessert have always had a special relationship, and the folks at GourmetGiftBaskets are taking it one step further by baking bar delights straight into their “Happy Hour” Cheesecake Sampler. It’s a little off the beaten path for Drinkhacker to review cheesecake, but I feel the cocktail connection is strong enough for a discriminating drinker…
Review: Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection 1838 Style White Corn
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since the awesome Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir Finish bourbon dropped, but the latest annual release — the tenth to come out — of the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection is upon us. This year’s expression is called 1838 Style White Corn. What happened in 1838? Well, that’s when Oscar…
Review: Alaskan Brewing Company Heritage Coffee Brown and Smoked Porter 2015
It’s cold outside! Don’t stop drinking beer. Drink winter beer. Try these two from our friends up at Alaskan… Alaskan Brewing Company Heritage Coffee Brown Ale – Brown ale brewed with coffee from Heritage Coffee Roasting Co. Part of the Alaskan Pilot Series. Less dense and enveloping than you’d think, this beer offers quite mild coffee…
Review: Sobieski Estate Single Rye Vodka
Polish, mid-shelf vodka brand Sobieski moves up shelf this month with the launch of an extension to the line: Sobieski Estate Single Rye Vodka, made from “100% Dankowski rye locally grown in Poland which is hand filled and hand crowned by distillers.” The new vodka arrives in California now, with a national rollout coming in…
Recipe: Thanksgiving Cocktails, 2015
Once again, the Thanksgiving holiday is here, and with it comes the assurance of a few things: the food will be good, the Lions will lose, and the drinks will be poured at a healthy and brisk pace. Here are a few recipes that we’ve received that we will be no doubt pouring in between…
