Monthly Archives: October 2009

Review: The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes Irish Whiskeys

Posted on October 31, 2009 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes — in a million years I wouldn’t have come up with a name for a line of whiskey like this one.

This collection of four new Irish whiskeys (named after soldiers forced out of Ireland during hard times) all share a common DNA, but offer some subtle differences when put to the test.

The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes Classic Blend Irish Whiskey – This is a typical Irish blend, offering a clean spirit with a mild palate and minimal complexity. Perfectly palatable, it offers only hints of wood and nutmeg but finishes hot. Not a whole lot to it, but a decent Irish on the whole. 80 proof. B / $38

The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes Rare Irish Whiskey – A considerably smoother whiskey, with smoky notes and a big caramel body. Also hot on the finish, but with spicy layers that mitigate that considerably. 86 proof. A- / $50

The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes Single Malt Irish Whiskey – Constructed of single malt, as the name indicates, this is the most Scotch-like of the bunch, a charcoal-inflected, massively malty Irish with a ton of woodiness to it. Peat character like this is rare in Irish. You’ll do better with a single malt Scotch but this isn’t bad. 86 proof. B+ / $48

The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes Limited Edition Fourth Centennial Irish Whiskey – Celebrating 400 years since the Wild Geese set sail, this is the top shelf expression from the Wild Geese, huge in its body, extremely malty, and with a good amount of citrus in it. The whiskey is mouth-coating, thick and viscous, with honey on the finish. I like it a lot. 86 proof. A- / $67

twgisah.com

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Posted in Irish Whiskey, Rated A-, Rated B, Rated B+, Reviews, Whiskey

Review: Go Time Hangover Relief

Posted on October 30, 2009 by Christopher Null| 4 Comments

Go Time is a rarity in hangover relief products: You take it the morning after, rather than while you’re drinking or before you go to bed — when no one ever remembers to take these things. No, Go Time is intended for use when you’re suffering at rock bottom.

It also benefits from being not a drink you have to choke down but a pill, a kind of scary-looking blue capsule that, when opened, is filled with what looks like sawdust. Just swallow one down with some water (take two for “extreme” hangovers, we’re told) and that’s all it takes.

Had a few drinks last night and this morning was decidedly sluggish. Popped a Go Time and, you know, I did feel better, and have been alert and fine all day (though nine hours later I’m feeling a bit of a crash coming on). What to credit in Go Time for this? It’s full of upteen ingredients, only a few of which I know what they are: vitamins C, B1, riboflavin, B6, B12, dextrose, glutamic acid, succinic acid, cinchona bark, guava leaf extract, fumaric acid, magnesium trisilicate, L-cystein, caffeine (less than a cup of coffee, they say), and alpha lipoic acid. That’s a lot of acid, but hey, I’m feeling pretty good.

A- / $3 per pack of two capsules / gotime-hangover-products.com

go time hangover Review: Go Time Hangover Relief

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Posted in Hangover, Rated A-, Reviews

San Francisco Wants Your Wine!

Posted on October 29, 2009 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

The annual San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is now underway. If you’re a winemaker large or small, now’s your chance to get some recognition for it!

Put your wines to the test at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition!  Acclaimed as the largest competition of American wines in the world, this renowned event is currently accepting entries from wineries across the country to be evaluated at the annual judging. The judging, which is an extensive process that takes place over a four-day period in January, will culminate in an annual Public Tasting in San Francisco in February.

Produced by winejudging.com and hosted by the Cloverdale Citrus Fair to benefit Santa Rosa Junior College Wine Studies and Culinary Programs, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting is the Bay Area’s “gateway” wine event and will be held Saturday, February 20, 2010 at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. Each of the wines poured at the event will have been evaluated by an elite panel of wine judges from around the country.

Founded in 1983 as the modestly sized Cloverdale Citrus Fair Wine Competition, the SFCWC broke world records in 2007 with 3,800 American wines entered, officially designating it as the largest competition of American wines in the world.  In 2009, the event witnessed an astounding 4,736 entries, solidifying its reputation as the premier competition of American varietals.

According to Robert Fraser, Executive Director of the Competition, “We’re encouraged and excited by the continued growth of the SFCWC, and by the amazing response we’ve received over the years.  We encourage all wineries to participate and are proud to stay on the cutting edge of the wine industry throughout the United States.”

All wine entry information and forms are available online at www.winejudging.com.

WHAT: San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Call for Wine Entries

WHEN: Deadline for entries is November 20, 2009

Wine must be shipped to Competition Headquarters by Dec. 10, 2009

Judging to take place the week of January 4, 2010

Public Wine & Food Tasting is February 20, 2010

INFO: For details and entry forms, visit www.winejuding.com .

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Posted in Wine

Review: 3 Gordon & MacPhail Scotch Bottlings, 2009

Posted on October 27, 2009 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

Gordon & MacPhail is one of the most — if not the most — well-respected independent bottlers of Scotch whiskys in the world. Recently the company put out three young and inexpensive renditions of whiskys drawn from the casks of some major-name distilleries. Here’s how they stack up. All are 86 proof and, oddly, eight years old.

Gordon & MacPhail MacPhail’s Collection Glenrothes 8 Years Old – A remarkable but young whisky, unusual because I don’t often like Glenrothes, but this rendition is quite tasty. Vibrant and alive, it’s got sweetness up front and a bit of a woody kick in the finish. Spices like cinnamon and cloves dance with a little honey, all very well balanced. A-

Gordon & MacPhail MacPhail’s Collection Highland Park 8 Years Old – Another youthful and exuberant young expression of a perennial favorite distillery, and quite similar to the Glenrothes but possibly a bit less complicated and nuanced. Very easy-drinking, it’s got a touch more wood on the tongue and a bit more body to it. A-

Gordon & MacPhail MacPhail’s Collection Tamdhu 8 Years Old – Slightly darker than the other two, this Speyside whisky is hotter, with more of a bitter edge to it. I like the caramel backbone and spicy kick, but otherwise this one feels a touch unbalanced. Drinkable, but not my favorite. B

each about $40 / gordonandmacphail.com

macphails collection scotch Review: 3 Gordon & MacPhail Scotch Bottlings, 2009

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Posted in Rated A-, Rated B, Reviews, Scotch, Whiskey

Recipe: Scotch Mist

Posted on October 27, 2009 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

I’ve had this recipe, ripped from Imbibe Magazine, on my fridge for the better part of the year. Finally whipped a few up in recent days — and they’re quite tasty. The original recipe is noted here, but I recommend easing up on the St. Germain, maraschino, and honey syrup by at least 25 percent of the noted volumes. Maybe add extra bitters (though I was lacking the Barrel Aged Bitters, instead using Fee’s Old Fashion Bitters). Also subbed in Dewar’s 18-year for Chivas 12-year and a straight-up maraschino cherry. Really nice interplay between the whisky, the bitters, and the sweet fruit character. The big ice cube (I used a Japanese ice ball) is a must!

Scotch Mist
2 oz. Chivas 12-year-old blended scotch whisky
1/2 oz. St. Germain liqueur
1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur
1/2 oz. honey syrup (honey diluted 1:1 with water)
2 dashes Fee Brothers Barrel Aged Bitters

Stir ingredients in mixing glass, strain into a glass with a large ice cube and garnish with an orange twist and a rye-soaked cherry.

scotch mist Recipe: Scotch Mist

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Posted in Recipes, Scotch, Whiskey

Review: 2007 Calluna Vineyards Cuvee Chalk Hill

Posted on October 27, 2009 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

For such a young wine with big grapes (this Bordeaux blend is 39% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 22% cabernet franc, and 9% malbec), Calluna Vineyards’ 2007 Cuvee Chalk Hill is remarkably easygoing.

This Sonoma wine spent 22 months in oak barrels, and it comes across with flavors of fresh fig, cedar, some chocolate, and light tobacco and spice. The tannins are quite understated, giving the Cuvee a simple structure but one which nonetheless hangs on to a bit of backbone, giving it a moderately long finish.

It’s a wine that doesn’t need much — it’s fine on its own or with a meal — and the price is easy to like, too.

B+ / $30 / callunavineyards.com

calluna vineyards 2007 cuvee Review: 2007 Calluna Vineyards Cuvee Chalk Hill

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Posted in Rated B+, Reviews, Wine

Review: Brugo Travel Mug

Posted on October 26, 2009 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

By now every urban legend fanatic knows what a deadly menace too-hot coffee can be. Between the scorched privates and scaled tongues, it’s a miracle anyone drinks this stuff at all.

How do you get your coffee down to a tolerable temperature without it getting too cold? Brugo’s answer is an elaborate travel mug with a unique lid.

Tighten on the custom lid and turn the dial to “tip and cool” then rock the cup back and forth a bit. The coffee (or tea, or whatnot) fills a special channel in the lid designed to quickly cool the drink. You then drink it normally through the usual sippy-cup-style opening.

If that leaves you with too chilly a drink you can always bypass the channel with the “sip” setting and get full-temperature, scalding-hot coffee.

Brugo sounds great in theory but it’s asking an awful lot of a caffeine-deprived sleepyhead at 8 in the morning. Filling the channel with the rocking motion just the right way is the hard part, especially since you have to do that with every sip you take. If you’re like me, you either get no coffee in the sip channel, or you shake it so hard it flies out all over your hand. And it’s still hot when that happens, folks.

Nice idea, but the execution is too tricky, especially while you’re driving. Works fine, though, if you just use the regular “sip” setting… provided you can actually get the lid off…

Available in about a dozen colors. Holds 16 oz. in an ergonomic chassis.

C- / $20 / brugomug.com

brugo Review: Brugo Travel Mug

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Posted in Barware, Rated C-, Reviews

Review: Compass Box Orangerie

Posted on October 25, 2009 by Christopher Null| 6 Comments

The folks at Compass Box make some unusual whiskys to begin with, but Orangerie is something unlike any other Scotch you’re likely to have tried: Take a Highland single malt whisky (from Fife) and add hand-zested Navalino orange peel, Indonesian cassia (cinnamon), and Sri Lankan cloves to it. Bottle the infusion and you have Orangerie, now back on the market after three years of unavailability.

For a devoted Scotch drinker, Orangerie is a shock to the senses, a powerful orange experience with a whisky kick. It’s kind of like Drambuie in reverse. The spices — cinnamon and cloves — are almost an afterthought here, adding just a touch of exoticism to the sweetness. In the end, Orangerie grows on you amazingly. The orange — initially quite shocking — becomes tolerable and then quite pleasant the more you drink. It’s not a Scotch I’d drink every night, but as a curative against the chill or during holiday festivities, perhaps with a slice of pumpkin pie, this could do quite nicely.

80 proof.

B+ / $40 / compassboxwhisky.com

compass box orangerie whisky Review: Compass Box Orangerie

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Posted in Rated B+, Reviews, Scotch, Whiskey

Review: Rain Flavored Vodka Lineup

Posted on October 25, 2009 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

The folks at Rain — which makes vodka from organic white corn and distills it seven times — have recently expanded their lineup to four uniquely flavored vodkas. We got our hands on the complete lineup. All are 70 proof and flavored naturally.

Rain Lavender Lemonade is a comparably mild concoction, but quite sweet (as are all of these vodkas). The lavender is understated, but the lemon is fairly present on the palate. The finish is a little saccharine but not wholly unpleasant. Could see using this in a cocktail with (actual) lemonade. B-

Rain Red Grape Hibiscus Vodka takes two odd flavors and puts them together to create curious spirit. You get both flavoring agents in the mix, but it’s the grape that is considerably more prominent, the flowery hibiscus more present in the finish. Not bad, but the sweet grape is a bit much, leaving things a little too sweet. B

Rain Cucumber Lime Vodka hops on the cucumber bandwagon… but I have no idea why Rain adds lime to this mix when cucumber alone would have been a much more interesting way to go. The lime adds (again) an unnecessary sweetness to the vodka, though on the whole this isn’t unpleasant. B

Rain Honey Mango Melon is a triple threat of flavors, but it’s the melon — primarily cantaloupe-like — that dominates this infusion. Though honey is in the name, this vodka is, surprisingly, less sweet than all the other Rain flavored vodkas. Probably my favorite of the bunch — but where’s the mango? B+

$19 each / rainvodka.com

rain flavored vodkas Review: Rain Flavored Vodka Lineup

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Posted in Flavored Vodka, Rated B, Rated B+, Rated B-, Reviews, Vodka

Tasting Report: VinItaly San Francisco, October 2009

Posted on October 23, 2009 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Wandering around the crowded, poorly-organized, no-signs-anywhere VinItaly tasting of a rather random collections of Italian wines, a fellow attendee asked how I was liking the show. I remarked on the above and added that the program was of absolutely no help in any of this and the man smiled back, shrugged, and noted, “That’s the Italians!”

Sure enough, there were amazing gems to be found among the cheap Soave and Chianti being poured at this event — and if you could catch the attention of some of the famously long-winded Italian wine pourers, you might even get a chance to try some of it.

I sampled a mere 19 wines at this event, but they reflect a wide swath of Italian winemaking regions and styles. My favorites: Masi’s Amarone Costasera, a rich and nuanced example of Amarone and easily the best Amarone I tried during the event. Also was quite a fan of Avide’s Barocco, an intensely chocolate and vanilla-filled red that had many going back for seconds. La Togata’s reserve Brunello La Togata of Togati (hard to distinguish, bottle-wise, from its regular Brunello bottling) was also a winner, a huge wine with a big, creamy body and rich spiciness.

VinItaly 2009 Tasting Report

2008 Piera Martellozzo Pinot Grigio / B

2005 Vinea Trionfo Amarone / A-

2004 Vinea Fontana Antica Amarone / B

2006 Vinea Impero Amarone / A-

2007 La Togata Barengo / B+

2004 La Togata Brunello La Togata of Togati / A

2004 La Togata Brunello di Montalcino / A-

2005 Tenuta di Arceno Chianto Classico / B+

2005 Tenuta di Arceno Chianto Classico Riserva / A-

2005 Tenuta di Arceno Prima Voce / B

2004 Tenuta di Arceno Arcanum I / B

2005 Tenuta di Arceno Arcanum II / B-

2005 La Terrazze Sassi Neri Conero / A-

2003 Avide Barocco / A

2008 Masi Pinot Grigio Masianco / A-

2006 Masi Amarone Costasera / A

2006 Rivera Rupicolo / B

2008 Umani Ronchi Montelpulciano di Abruzzo / A-

2006 Montecappone Tabano / B+

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Posted in Reviews, Wine