Rated A-
Reviews of spirits, wine, and beer (and various errata like mixers and garnishes) comprise more than 80% of the content at Drinkhacker, and the A- rating is used for very good to exceptional products. On a five-star scale, these products would score 4 stars. On the traditional 100-point scale popular with many wine and spirits graders, these products would merit scores of 90 to 93 points.
In 1768, William Bard, born to Irish immigrant parents, journeyed into Kentucky to locate salt for shipment back to Pennsylvania. Trained as a surveyor, Bard later drafted the first known map of Louisville in 1779. Not long after, he settled south of the city, where he and his brother David founded the town that would…
As the wave of cannabis legalization washes over the United States, new variations of cocktails are emerging at a rapid clip. Here to help fuel the wave of weed-based innovation is Nowadays Cannabis Infused Beverage, a tart, fruit-forward infusion of low-dose or microdose cannabis that lends a refreshingly unusual flavor profile to the mixologists’ toolkit.…
We’ve covered the wines of Texas’ Wedding Oak only once before. Today we’re back with a trio of bottlings from the Hill Country-based operation. 2024 Wedding Oak Castanet Rose – Made from a blend of grapes (though the website says Cinsault), this is a surprisingly fragrant and fruity wine that balances up-front strawberry and almond…
Buckle up, Bowmore fans. Islay’s oldest licensed distillery is introducing four new expressions to the U.S. market, each from its Sherry Oak Cask Collection. These include 12, 15, 18, and 21 year-old single malts, all matured across a variety of both ex-bourbon and sherry seasoned casks. The 12 and 15 year old expressions hit stateside…
Tullibardine keeps mixing up its lineup, and while you will find its numerically guided Signature Range in the U.S., you will also now discover three expressions exclusive to the country, two with age statements, one without, and all focused on affordability. The distillery site dates back to 1488, but these three offerings are as fresh…
This is our second round with the independent bottlers at The Single Malts of Scotland, but unlike our first round, these are designated as “Reserve Casks.” I’m not entirely sure what makes them Reserve Casks — none are single barrels but rather blends of 3 to 10 barrels, and they all seem to be exclusive…
Austin Eastciders is one of the most visible cider producers in the country today — especially where I live, in the city where Austin Eastciders is based. The operation is a staple at bars and venues around the state of Texas, but it’s also got a strong national presence, thanks in part to its substantial…
Tomorrow is a California-based non-alcoholic wine brand, with a focus on “rethinking the entire winemaking process” and making NA products without additives. Instead, the operation focuses on particularly flavorful grapes like viognier and petite sirah. Its expressions are vintage dated, with fruit hailing from all over the state. Thoughts on the inaugural run of the…
In 1971, folk singer and songwriter John Prine released the song Paradise, a clear-eyed account of the damage caused by surface coal mining in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, the place his parents called home. The song describes how entire hillsides were stripped away with dynamite and heavy machinery to expose the coal beneath them. Prine name-checks…
Davis Bynum (part of the Rodney Strong empire) is a Sonoma County winery known for bottling the first ever vineyard-designated pinot noir in the region. Now it’s celebrating its 50th anniversary with a collection of wines, two of which we’re looking at today. 2023 Davis Bynum Chardonnay Dutton Origin Vineyard – Made from the original…