Rob Theakston
The extent to which I actively participate in the fashion universe typically begins and ends with songs from David Bowie and the Kinks. So, while I am most certainly not the target audience for Dressed to Swill, author/editor Jennifer Croll and illustrator Daiana Ruiz do an excellent job inventing cocktail recipes inspired by fashion icons…

When photographer Charles Button named this book, he could not have been more literal. The Art of Whisky does not speak to the chemical construction and craft of spirits, nor does it consider bottles or label artwork, as each already enjoys numerous volumes of published commentary. Instead, it presents the patterns of various whiskies as…

Now for the moment some of us have been waiting for since first signs of re-awakening appeared at the abandoned Taylor distillery off McCracken Pike. After several years of patience, time, and change, the inaugural batches of Castle & Key’s bourbon have been delivered. The first round of Restoration Rye went live in early 2021,…

Thanks to shifts in weather patterns and climate change, supply chain complications, rising temperatures, and fluctuating soil quality, winemakers are facing an expansive list of challenges posing a threat to their craft. It’s not exclusive to the wine industry by any means, either. A quick search on Google will provide any number of articles detailing…

Author and hospitality industry leader Tamika Hall partnered with Former Discovery Channel star and spirits expert Colin Asare-Appiah (The Cocktail Kings) for Black Mixcellence, a compendium of 70 recipes culled from Asare-Appiah’s own repertoire and contributions of African-American mixologists from across the nation. The recipes are reasonably straightforward and easy to follow, with Asare-Appiah’s rum-based…

Sequels are rarely as good as the first installment. However, leading your latest book off with quotes from legendary DJs Cosmo Murphy and John Peel provides a promising sign of good things ahead. Thankfully this is indeed the case with Tenaya and Andre Darlington’s follow-up to their most enjoyable Booze & Vinyl inaugural edition from…

This book is massive in both senses of the word. This large-format book is coffee-table thick and could easily provide the reader with a solid arm workout while holding it up to be read. It also covers every imaginable angle on Lodi and could very well serve as the definitive work on the region. Thanks…

Distilando is an app that, according to their website, aims to thoroughly educate users about the spirits they love. Here, users may find all the bottles they’ve always wanted and track/display their collection. The site and app are currently in “invite only” mode, so I cannot speak to the validity of these claims. But they…

In Autumn of 2021, I was fortunate enough to review the 2017 Mascota Vineyards Malbec and noticed the front page was blessed with a charming adage reminding us “pleasure is a treasure.” (Unanime is one of Mascota’s sub-labels.) I am pleased to report that one pandemic spike, one unjustified invasion/occupation, and two downright unremarkable Kanye…

We are back with another round from Mendoza’s Trapiche vineyards after being delighted by its Oak Cask Malbec and Medalla Cabernet Sauvignon earlier this year. With expectations high, let’s uncork. 2017 Trapiche Iscay Syrah-Viognier – A deep and heavy on blackberry nose deceptively brings malbec impressions to mind, but the palate corrects that assumption with…
