Rated B-
Reviews of spirits, wine, and beer (and various errata like mixers and garnishes) comprise more than 80% of the content at Drinkhacker, and at the B- level we begin to shy away from recommending these products except in relatively uncommon circumstances or for certain types of drinkers. On a five-star scale, these products would score 2.5 stars. On the traditional 100-point scale popular with many wine and spirits graders, these products would merit scores of 79 to 82 points.
Heaven Hill’s micro-brand Square 6 expands with the launch of its Wheated Bourbon, joining its High-Rye Bourbon and High-Rye Rye. Like the other members of the Square 6 family, this one’s made at the artisanal distillery located at 528 W Main Street in Louisville, “just steps from the site of Williams’ original distillery founded in…
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Chrome Horse Society is a new brand, founded by Jack Morgan, entrepreneur and equestrian (hence the name). Their tequila is produced at Distileria Leyros from 100% Blue Weber agave using no additives. So far, they have released only a blanco tequila. Chrome Horse Society is dedicated to environmental responsibility: Their agave is grown in private…
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A blend of 67% syrah, 27% petit verdot, and 6% malbec. The syrah dominates, for better or worse, giving the wine a smoky, meaty texture, becoming a bit chalky in body as it builds in glass and on the tongue. Both bitter and a bit sour, there’s a heavy intensity here that isn’t always agreeable,…
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Ah, Macbeth. The Scottish play. The Thane of Glamis. The Murderous King. The… collection of 42 whiskies hand-selected by Livingstone and Elixir Distillers? OK, we’re listening. This way-out-there concept celebrates Macbeth by taking 42 Scotch whiskies and pairing them with 42 characters from the famous play. At the top of the line is the £10,000…
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Houston’s Karbach doesn’t just make beer, it also cranks out a variety of popular canned Ranch Waters, four in all, based on the Texas-favorite blend of tequila, sparkling water, and lime. Mind you, the canned Ranch Waters are all made from malt beverages — not tequila — and are sweetened with a combination of cane sugar,…
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It was a warm but overcast day in the Texas Hill Country just a few weeks ago, but an altogether perfect setting for a stroll through Star Hill Ranch to sample the wares of some 35 Texas whiskies at the 6th annual Texas Whiskey Festival. A veritable who’s who of Texas whiskeydom, if there are…
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The latest company to enter the ready-to-drink space is Stone Brewing, which recently dropped this quartet of canned RTD margaritas: all sparkling, and made with real tequila. We got the full lineup to try, so let’s serve the salsa and get started. Each is 12.5% abv. Stone Buenafiesta Margarita Classic Lime – Things kick off…
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Buzzard’s Roost continues to pump out new whiskeys, this latest one a sourced rye made from 95% rye and 5% malted barley, aged four years, then finished in new American oak barrels that were toasted and then lightly smoked. It’s not my favorite expression from the brand, the heavy spice and grassiness of the rye…
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Philadelphia’s New Liberty Distillery makes its Bloody Butcher bourbon with a particular variety of eponymously named corn, grown just 25 miles away from the distillery in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The corn-heavy mash (70%) sees the addition of (curiously) malted rye (26%) and malted barley (4%) before fermentation. While a variety of Bloody Butcher expressions are now…
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Log Still Distillery is based in Gethsemane, Kentucky, where it produces a variety of whiskeys and gins. The project was born from the progeny of old-time whiskeymaker JW Dant, whose name is still being used on whiskey today, courtesy of his great-great-grandson Wally Dant, who revived the family’s 1836-established brand just a few years ago.…
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