Review: Germain-Robin Old & Rare Brandy Barrel 351

Craft Distillers has made just 120 bottles of this brandy under the Germain-Robin label, all from a single cask of 26 year old spirit of 100% pinot noir — grown in a Mendocino vineyard that no longer exists. In its online notes, Germain-Robin calls this perhaps its “finest distillate” and notes its “almost feral intensity.”…

Read More about Review: Germain-Robin Old & Rare Brandy Barrel 351

Review: El Luchador Organic Tequila 110 Proof

Tapatio 110 isn’t the only overproof tequila in the game. Now comes El Luchador, a tequila from David Ravandi that also hits the 110 proof mark. El Luchador (“the wrestler”) is made from organic agave, single estate grown. Grown at 4,200 feet, the agave hails from the upper reaches of what is considered a Lowlands spirit. Individually…

Read More about Review: El Luchador Organic Tequila 110 Proof

Review: Chieftain’s Tobermory 1995 18 Years Old Cask #1287

Chieftain’s is a venerable independent bottler operated by Ian Macleod (which owns Glengoyne, Tamdhu, and many other whiskey brands). This is our first review of a Chieftain’s release, an 18 year old Tobermory, from the Isle of Mull. Thoughts on this overproof limited edition follow. A well-aged dram, this whisky is showing well, with a nose of orange and…

Read More about Review: Chieftain’s Tobermory 1995 18 Years Old Cask #1287

Review: Wines of Taken and Complicated, 2014 Releases

What’s Liam Neeson’s favorite wine? Taken! Taken Wine Co. is a five year old winery that bottles under two labels — Taken and Complicated. Part of the Trinchero empire, these are most affordable wines designed to be crowd pleasers. Thoughts follow. 2011 Taken Red Wine Napa Valley – 60% cabernet, 40% merlot. A soft and ready-to-go…

Read More about Review: Wines of Taken and Complicated, 2014 Releases

Book Review: Bourbon Desserts

The problem here is twofold: there’s perception and then there’s reality. When in the kitchen, I often fancy myself as an avant-garde foodie supreme. I daydream about and attempt to make gastropub delights and fancy myself in the same limelight as my particular chef of idolatry, Homaro Cantu. The results are certainly avant-garde, but just…

Read More about Book Review: Bourbon Desserts

Review: 2013 Domaine de Nizas Languedoc Rose

Here’s a harmless but quite food-friendly Languedoc rose composed of 40% syrah, 40% grenache, and 20% mourvedre. Light strawberry notes on the nose become more evident on the palate, overcoming some bitter root and grassy notes that tend to dominate when the wine is very cold. A touch of floral character — roses and violets —…

Read More about Review: 2013 Domaine de Nizas Languedoc Rose

Review: Ardbeg Supernova SN2014

Ardbeg’s Supernova, alongside Bruichladdich’s Octomore, is one of the legends of super-peated whiskies. Originally issued as a special edition “Committee Release” in 2009, it was so popular Ardbeg did it again in 2010. And then… nothing. For the last four years peat freaks have been wondering what happened to Supernova. Well now it’s back, as…

Read More about Review: Ardbeg Supernova SN2014

Review: Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Years Old

2014’s autumn of whiskey releases continues with this new release from Speyside’s Glenfiddich, a permanent addition to the distillery’s portfolio. Nothing fancy here: Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Years Old is aged entirely in American oak ex-bourbon casks, with no finishing. It’s actually the first whisky in the company’s permanent collection to be entirely aged in ex-bourbon casks. While…

Read More about Review: Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Years Old