Spirits
Spirits are beverages made by the process of distillation. The “Spirits” category is not commonly used at Drinkhacker because the vast majority of reviews we publish fall into this category. It is used only occasionally to help organize our category list (and mainly gets clicked by accident).
Absinthe is the subject that keeps on keeping on — some of the forum battles over the intricacies of the subject here are legendary — and in honor of Vieux Carré‘s fine showing, I thought it would be personally instructive to revisit some of my most highly rated absinthes — and a few I didn’t…
It is fortunately far easier to drink Vieux Carré Absinthe than it is to type Vieux Carré Absinthe. This absinthe is produced by Philadelphia Distilling (which also created the fine Bluecoat Gin) and is composed, as the bottle tells us, of “grain neutral spirits distilled with herbs with additional herbs added.” No mention of artificial…
Chocolate-based liqueurs are hardly a new phenomenon, but few spirits we know of have works of art reproduced on their labels. In this case, it’s Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with the Pearl Earring” gazing out at you while you get your chocolate fix. Now we don’t know what kind of a drinker Vermeer really was —…
Mezcal (aka mescal) gets quite the rap. To set you straight, mezcal is made from a number of different types of agave (whereas tequila is only blue agave). The agave (or maguey) is roasted in a wood-fired pit for several days (whereas with tequila the agave is generally cooked in ovens), then fermented — a…
Amazing how impressions can differ over time and given a more leisurely tasting environment. I first encountered Aberlour’s A’bunadh at the Whiskies of the World event earlier this year and absolutely loved what I tasted. I finally bought a bottle this week and, while I still enjoy it, I find it’s not nearly the godsend…
What is dragon fruit? Known formally as the pitaya, this Asian fruit has red skin and has a flavor described by some as a blend of “kiwi and Concord grape.” Bacardi uses dragon fruit and strawberry to create this “Dragon Berry” infused rum (its eighth flavor), and extremely flavorful concoction. Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum Review…
Ireland’s answer to Drambuie, this 60-proof liqueur is a blend of Irish whiskey, Cognac, and honey, intended primarily as a digestif. Quite sweet but not overwhelmingly so, Celtic Crossing has a strong iced tea character that reveals itself in an interesting way, especially when served on the rocks. It’s not exactly whiskey, but it’s whiskey-esque…
With its frosted glass bottle, inset with a drawing of a copse of trees, Grand Traverse Distillery aims for super-premium territory with this True North Vodka, and arguably succeeds. Distilled from rye and bottled at 80 proof in Michigan, USA, this is perhaps the most unusual non-flavored vodka I’ve ever encountered. The nose and body…
These two bottles make up the youngest and most commonly available whiskys in the Glenfarclas portfolio (which includes bottlings as old as a whopping 50 years). These Highland malts are quite pleasing, accessible to either the new whisky drinker or the veteran looking for a solid standby. Glenfarclas 10 Years Old is a classically structured…
Reportedly the first ever “extra anejo tequila” — a new designation recently allowed under Mexican law, established in 2006 for tequilas aged three years or longer — commercially released (others have since followed), Gran Centenario‘s Leyenda is as dark a tequila as I’ve ever seen. The oak-brown color is seriously misleading, for this is as…