Review: Selvarey White Rum and Selvarey Cacao (2014)
Yes, that’s a gorilla silhouette on the bottle. Yes, these spirits are made in Panama. Yes, the closest wild gorillas live about 6,300 miles away from Panama, across the Atlantic Ocean in Africa. Yes, Bruno Mars is a co-founder of the company. Yes, that’s as random as that gorilla on the bottle. Selvarey’s recent launch brought…
Review: Buffalo Trace Distillery Single Oak Project Bourbon Round Fourteen
We’re near the end of Buffalo Trace’s exhaustive (and exhausting) Single Oak Project, a series of 192 bourbons all made in a slightly different style — an attempt to find the whole grail of whiskeydom. With this round, we’ve got 168 down, 24 to go. Home stretch! Need a primer on the Project? Here’s our…
Review: Wines of Baglio di Pianetto, 2014 Releases
Sicily’s Baglio di Pianetto takes the classic grapes of this fiery island and funnels it through the mystique of a French chateau style of production. That’s what they say anyway. The production at this winery (which also has a resort on the premises) is extensive. Today we look at a selection of six wines —…
Review: AVIV 613 Vodka
Sorry, Easter egg hunters, AVIV 613 Vodka is not named after the area code for Ottawa, Canada. It is rather named for the city in which it is made — Tel Aviv, Israel — and a purported 6/1/3 proportion of ingredients used in its production. I wouldn’t dare try to explain this unique process, so…
Review: Domaine Carneros 2012 The Famous Gate Pinot Noir, 2010 Brut Cuvee, and 2007 Le Reve
Today it’s a smorgasbord of wines from our friends at Carneros-based Domaine Carneros. Let’s jump right in. 2012 Domaine Carneros The Famous Gate Pinot Noir Carneros – A gorgeous Pinot, with notes of currants, blueberry, brewed tea, cocoa nibs, and touches of violets. Everything’s firing almost perfectly here — it’s so easy-drinking that it’s hard…
Review: Captain Morgan 1671 Commemorative Blend Spiced Rum
Captain Morgan has been on a tear with new releases and special bottlings over the last few years. 1671 is its latest expression, a fancified version of the Cap’n that still comes in at just 20 bucks. Captain Morgan 1671 is a St. Croix-based distillate that is crafted with a unique blend of spices and is finished…
Review: Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2014 Edition
Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection needs no introduction, I’m sure — this is one of the most well-respected and sought-after annual whiskey collections on the market. Closely allocated and tough to find, you’re best off starting your hunt now. These releases formally hit the market in late September/early October. Thoughts on the 2014 lineup follow. Sazerac…
Review: Parker’s Heritage Collection Original Batch Wheat Whiskey 13 Years Old (2014)
Last year Heaven Hill released the Parker’s Heritage Collection Promise of Hope, a 10 year old bourbon from which $20 of each bottle were donated to ALS research, a sober nod to Heaven Hill Master Distiller Emeritus Parker Beam, who was diagnosed with the disease two years ago. Promise of Hope ended up raising over $300,000…
