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 the B+ rating is used for solid products that we don’t exactly love, but which we still heartily recommend. On a five-star scale, these products would score 3.5 stars. On the traditional 100-point scale popular with many wine and spirits graders, these products would merit scores of 87 to 89 points.
Lemonade Stand at Main & Vine is brought to you by The Wine Group, which includes in its hefty wine portfolio familiar brands such as Cupcake Vineyards, Franzia, Chloe, Benziger Family Winery, and of course, Main & Vine. The new ready-to-drink cocktail line bottled under the Lemonade Stand moniker aims to widen the reach of…
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Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley partnered up to launch Brother’s Bond in 2021, an MGP sourced and blended bourbon. In our review, we found the 2021 release to be a straightforward and harmless pour, one that hints it really preferring to be mixed in cocktails, especially given its 80 proof. The four-grain bourbon is actually…
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Drinkhacker has steadily sampled the products of Colorado-based Stranahan’s over the years, chronicling the various hits and misses as it continues to explore twists on American single malt whiskeys. This Extra Anejo Tequila Cask bottling is the latest in the limited-edition Distillery Exclusives line, which are only available at the distillery. The Extra Añejo Tequila…
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The Bay of Fundy — “one of the 7 wonders of North America” — can be found between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Its namesake gin is made in Nova Scotia, double distilled from corn and proofed with local water over local beach stones, then re-distilled a third time with eight locally sourced botanicals. These…
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You’re a major spirits company with some well-known brands in your portfolio, and you know people are going to make cocktails out of them. What do you do? Why, you release them as ready-to-drink versions, of course. Brown-Forman is no stranger to the RTD bandwagon — its Old Forester Mint Julep is an instant winner…
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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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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…
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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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Xicala Mezcal has been on the market for some time, but it’s recently expanded its line beyond a joven, adding a reposado and anejo to its repertoire. All three are made with traditional methods at Tlacolula Distillery in Oaxaca from 100% espadin agave, but the barrel regimen on the two aged mezcals is where things…
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