Rated C+
Reviews of spirits, wine, and beer (and various errata like mixers and garnishes) comprise more than 80% of the content at Drinkhacker. At the C+ level, we see products that are relatively undistinguished, except perhaps in one or two minor factors. These products are generally not recommended, as better alternatives abound. On a five-star scale, these products would score 2 stars. On the traditional 100-point scale popular with many wine and spirits graders, these products would merit scores of 75 to 78 points.
I’m a sucker for a Spritz, but can anyone outdo Aperol? California-based Mommenpop recently hit the scene with an enticing pitch: Its aperitifs are made from Northern California wines fortified with Napa-made grape neutral spirit, to which real, whole, organic California citrus is added alongside “select botanicals.” Mommenpop’s aperitifs are as natural as you can…
Just arrived: Three new (to us) wines from two new (to us) vineyards from Argentina, just in time to make the shift from summer to autumn. Mendoza’s Argento has a solid reputation for its numerous sensibly-priced Malbecs serving well as introductions to the varietal without breaking the bank. Bodega Otronia, on the other hand, comes…
Iowa’s Cedar Ridge Distillery has hit with its third limited-edition single malt: The QuintEssential: The Untitled Cigar Malt Project. And it’s a complicated one, with five different cask types involved (as near as we can understand the details in the press release): According to master blender Murphy Quint, “The vision for this release was a…
Avivo is a new winery located in Lodi, California. The region is best known for Zinfandel, but the wine makers at Avivo note that it has a climate similar to what we find in the Mediterranean and choose to cultivate grapes that are typically grown in Italy. Their vineyards are CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers)…
Part of the Gallo family of wineries, William Hill’s North Coast series focuses on California’s North Coast which comprises six counties north of San Francisco including parts of Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Marin, and Solano, so your mileage may vary when attempting to dial in for a bit more detail. And unlike some of William…
The other day a mysterious little box landed on my doorstep, filled with small samples of spirits bearing strange names with all-caps labels attached to them. ISAUTIER CANE. FLAG SERIES TRINI. RIVERS. What I soon realized I had in hand was seven samples of fine rums from La Maison & Velier, which distributes some of…
Lux Row’s Ezra Brooks brand is getting the glow-up treatment, with new and reformulated versions of two of its entry-level products, Ezra Brooks Straight Rye and Bourbon Cream. Both are changing proof, recipes, bottles, and labels, so let’s dig in and see if these changes are for the better. Ezra Brooks 99 Straight Rye (2023)…
Is the world ready to try a high-end, 23-year-old flavored whiskey? One brand is banking on the answer being “yes,” and thus Crown Royal Golden Apple was born. As the newest entry in Crown Royal’s Master Series, Golden Apple is a blend of Canadian whiskies aged for 23 long years that is flavored with golden…
Get ten bucks to put toward a bottle of whiskey — or perhaps a whole liter of the stuff? Why, Old Crow’s been dominating the bottom shelf for nearly two centuries since Dr. James Crow introduced the world to his medicine, and it doesn’t look like the price has shifted more than a few nickels…
The Spritz isn’t the hardest cocktail to make, but opening a bottle of sparkling wine just to whip up a single drink seems wasteful. Enter Almare Spritz, a ready-to-drink option available in three varieties and made in the Veneto from the same glera grapes used for Prosecco. Each of the trio comes in a 750…