Review: Bozal Mezcal Tobasiche and Cempasuchil
Even if you’re not a mezcal drinker, you’ve probably seen Bozal’s iconic ceramic bottles, painted in understated earth tones, on the back bar more than once. Bozal, which means “wild” or “untamed,” produces a huge range of mezcals, ranging from a simple Ensamble to various single maguey and reserve bottlings. Today we look at two…
Review: Milagro Tequila Cristalino Anejo
Milagro isn’t the most exciting tequila brand — though its Select Barrel Reserve options are good products at a solid value — but the distillery looks to shake that up with the launch of a new expression that joins the standard lineup: Cristalino Anejo. It’s Milagro’s first launch in more than a decade. Like all…
Review: Diageo Orphan Barrel Project Fanged Pursuit Bourbon 17 Years Old
Diageo’s Orphan Barrel Project is taking us back to its tried and true origins in the world of bourbon. Curiously, this 17 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon is the first North American spirit in the entirety of the Orphan Barrel Project not to be chill-filtered. During a one-on-one tasting with Diageo Master Blender Delicia “Dee”…
Review: New Riff Balboa Rye
I’ve had the opportunity to talk to New Riff co-founder Jay Erisman about many different products from his cutting-edge Covington-based distillery. Of all the whiskeys he’s helped to create over the years, he says Balboa Rye is special to him because it was the very first New Riff whiskey to experiment with an heirloom grain.…
Tasting Report: Jack Rose Premier Drams 2024
Now in its 5th year, Jack Rose’s Premier Drams continues to be one of the standout whiskey events anywhere. WhiskyFest may have given up on our nation’s capital long ago, but Jack Rose owner Bill Thomas has proven that the city’s whiskey lovers will turn out if the right bottles are on offer. That means…
Review: Wines of Domaine Anderson, 2024 Releases
This quartet of wines from Anderson Valley-based Domaine Anderson arrived at the tail end of 2024 and represent a cross-section of the winery’s most essential varietal production — chardonnay and pinot noir. 2021 Domaine Anderson Estate Chardonnay – Initially a bit oak-forward, this wine eventually settles into a groove that showcases a mix of tropical…
Review: J. Mattingly 1845 Private Barrel Select Bourbon
J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery shook things up in late 2024 with Double Staved Kentucky Bourbon 6 Years Old. To craft the release, J. Mattingly utilized a proprietary double-staving process. The finishing method involves adding specially charred staves into the barrel to increase surface exposure for the bourbon. J. Mattingly applies the double-staving to whiskey without…
Review: Firestone Walker Brewmaster’s Collective 2024 – Collective Choice, Bendy Foldies, and Maltose Falcons
Firestone Walker’s beer club, the Brewmaster’s Collective, continued to churn out a slew of creative, barrel-aged beers in 2024. We received a whopping six different boozy brews for consideration from last year’s release, but so far, we’ve only gotten to three. As I said when reviewing the latest Anniversary Ale, these aren’t Miller Lites, people.…
