Christopher Null
Bosscal is a new mezcal made in the Mexican state of Durango. Three varieties are on available; we received two of them. Details on each product can be found below in their particular writeups. Thoughts follow. NOM D248G. Bosscal Mezcal Joven – Unaged distillate of an unstated agave variety (or varieties). Agave is ground by…
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We’ve checked in with Alabama’s Clyde May’s Whiskey on numerous occasions dating back to 2013, and recently we received a passel of samples from the brand, including fresh bottlings of the three whiskeys that comprise its core — rye, bourbon, and Alabama style whiskey — plus a pair of much older, limited edition releases. Let’s…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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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…
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Fiddlehead Cellars has been an icon in California’s Central Coast region since its founding in 1989 by winemaker Kathy Joseph. Her now-famous Fiddlestix Vineyard began as dirt and has grown to be perhaps the premiere vineyard in this region, used for some of her own prized wines while selling its grapes to numerous other bottlers…
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It’s another sports-themed beer from Boston’s Harpoon, this one brewed in collaboration with three Massachusetts native hockey players — Matt Grzelcyk, Chris Wagner, and Charlie Coyle. It’s a pilsner that’s triple dry-hopped to make for an unusual combination of lager and IPA styles, made with Cascade, Sterling, Citra, and Mandarina Bavaria hops. A portion of…
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