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).
Surely anything called Vampyre Vodka can’t be very good, right? Anything that preys on a pop culture joke like the undead, I mean, can’t be a serious spirit, can it? Vampyre Vodka even comes in a blood red edition — and if you need me to explain the gag to you, you are reading the…
Having previously expressed my love for Don Julio’s Anejo tequila, I finally got my mitts on the other four bottles in Don Julio’s line. Some additional thoughts on the products from one of the most reliable, high-quality tequila producers in operation. All are 80 proof. Tequila Don Julio Blanco (2008) Review A fresh and creamy…
New Scotch expressions are legion. But Scotch producers making it to the U.S. are pretty rare, considering this country’s love of the stuff. Glendullan distillery presents its first American offering this fall, The Singleton, a 12-year single malt that most Scotch enthusiasts will likely find perfectly pleasant, if a bit entry-level. The Singleton of Glendullan…
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition (officially ratified on December 5, 1933), so to celebrate, Old Forester is releasing a one-time-only, limited expression of its storied Bourbon whiskey. The whiskey will be sold in a 375ml bottle with a medicine-flash appearance and a replica version of a label from the…
It isn’t every day you get to taste the complete lineup of a serious Scotch producer in one sitting… and have a gourmet dinner to go along with it. While I’m still recovering from gulping down six glasses of Scotch in lieu of wine on Thursday night (pacing yourself when you’re thirsty during a meal…
To call the label of 2 Rooz Vodka cartoonish would be an understatement: It really is a cartoon, and it really does have two kangaroos on it. The label of this Australian vodka proudly notes that it is “neutral vodka,” and that’s somewhat helpful: This is a flavorful spirit, with vanilla, cinnamon, and some light…
Glenlivet launches its oldest (permanent collection) Scotch this fall, a 25-year malt called XXV. It’s exceptional. The Glenlivet XXV Review Aged in oak and Oloroso Sherry casks, the XXV has a light playfulness and a near-perfect balance for a single malt Scotch. Bottled at 86 proof, it needs the tiniest splash of water to bring…
All hail the House of Delamain. I reviewed much of Delamain’s exceptional cognac line earlier in the summer. This week, the company’s Managing Director Charles Braastad took the time to guide me and a handful of other wine and spirits writers through his company’s offerings. This tiny cognac producer makes some amazing products: The youngest…
Ahhh now here’s something special. I’m on record as being a big fan of Four Roses bourbon already. Now the distillery is launching a limited-edition blended bourbon, at cask strength, no less: A heady 112.4 proof (though my barrel sample was “just” 111.4 proof), which will burn off your eyebrows if you’re not careful. Yeah,…
The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry weighs in on the biggest fad in winemaking going today: Biodynamic farming. One assumes by the name that biodynamics must be a good thing… but what does it really mean? The CSI folks dig deeper, outlining something that even includes astrological analysis that is “set against a complex background cosmogony…