Review: Som Vinegar Cordials
Portland, Oregon’s Som makes its mixers not from alcohol but from vinegar (and cane sugar), which sets up a sweet and sour base that can conceivably be confused for booze. Crafted by James Beard-winning chef Andy Ricker, they provide a healthy, zero abv alternative to traditional liqueurs. But… how do they taste? Spoiler: Some work…
Review: Compoveda Tequila Reposado
Compoveda — the house brand of online tequila retailer SipTequila — previously existed only as an extra anejo, aged five years in Napa red wine barrels. Over a year ago I had the good fortune to be part of a focus group that tested three expressions of a new Compoveda release, a reposado. These tequilas…
Review: Lonerider Nutcracker Pecan Flavored Whiskey
It’s two words — “Nut Cracker” — on the label, but “Nutcracker” officially. Whatever the case, this is a pecan flavored rye whiskey from Durham, NC-based Lonerider Spirits, and with that you know everything about it that I know. One sniff and whoosh! it’s a sugar bomb that hits the nostrils. Overbearingly sweet and laden with…
Review: Johnnie Walker High Rye
Johnnie Walker’s blends don’t typically disclose their mashbill, with the exception of this new release: High Rye, a blended whisky that includes 60% rye in the mash. Here’s the concept: With a bold profile inspired by iconic Johnnie Walker Black Label tasting notes, Johnnie Walker High Rye Blended Scotch Whisky features a unique mash bill…
Review: Jameson Orange
The orange whiskey invasion has finally crossed the pond and made it to Ireland, with Jameson Orange now a thing. Unlike Jim Beam Orange, which turned out to be an orange liqueur, Jameson Orange is a flavored whiskey — specifically Jameson with “zesty orange flavor” added. The results are both wholly expected and fairly tepid.…
Review: Starward Octave Barrels Single Malt Australian Whiskey
Starward is an Australian malt barley whisky that has been inching its way into the U.S. markets over the past several years. (We reviewed a couple of their releases in 2019 and 2020.) Hailing from foodie-centric Melbourne, Starward sources the grains and supplies from local farms and merchants, along with the wine barrels used for…
Recipe: Velvet Touch
If you’re like me, you drink a lot of Manhattans. Or at least a lot of variations on the Manhattan. I mean, there’s a reason this cocktail has remained in our cultural lexicon for nearly 150 years, amirite? I’m always in search of new takes on this eternal classic, the easier the better. And they…
Review: Hope Town Vodka and Lime Vodka
Hope Town Vodka is made in North Charleston, South Carolina by the folks who brought you Walker’s Cay Bourbon, which is to say, Steven Busch. This one is actually made in SC, not sourced from elsewhere, which is as it should be for an unaged spirit. Distilled six times. A straight vodka and, oddly, one…
