Absinthe Roundup: Jade CF Berger, Jade 1901, and Jade Esprit Edouard
Absinthe may have been the fastest rising and most rapidly falling fad in booze since Zima (when’s the last time you had a glass?), but let’s not forget our heritage: Absinthe is a spirit of critical import to the history of the (drinking) world, sullied alas by Americans jonesing for modern-day recreations of the stuff…
Review: Highland Reserve Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 12 Years Old
This anonymous-looking blended whisky, a minimum of 12 years old, is sourced from Highland distilleries, hence the name. The bottle may be unassuming, but you could do a lot worse than Highland Reserve for $40 a pop: A delicious aroma fills the air when it’s popped open, all fresh grains, malt balls, and light nougat…
Tasting Report: Wines of Greece, 2012
Greek wine doesn’t have a great reputation (blame the infamous Retsina for that one). Heck, with all its financial issues, Greece doesn’t have a great reputation either. Well, things must not be too bad: The Greek government recently hosted a lavish roadshow to show off dozens of its wineries – including the best lunch event…
Review: Mezcals of Agave de Cortes
It’s not every day you meet a 6th generation palenquero (mezcal maker), but that’s exactly what Asis Cortes, pictured below in my kitchen, is. Cortes and his family make mezcal in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. Some of it is only available in the country, and in addition to its own the company also exports…
Drinking and Dining at Press Club San Francisco
Press Club is a place I’ve passed by dozens of times without going in. Though it’s centrally located in San Francisco’s downtown district, the dark glass and mysterious design never really invited me indoors. Press Club used to be a tasting room. Six or so wineries each had their own bar space downstairs, and patrons…
Review: Highland Park Valhalla Collection – Thor
Starting this year our friends at Highland Park are releasing a series of four whiskys called the Valhalla Collection, inspired by the Norse gods. Coming out at a clip of one each year, the first one out of the gate is the big gun: Thor. This 16-year-old whisky, from Orkney (where all HP hails from),…
Review: Storm Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
From Glasgow’s Whisky Shack Company (a private bottler, retailer, and jack of all trades in the booze biz) comes this new whisky blend. No age statement, but the motto is “Malt Whisky with a PEATY finish.” The blend comprises mainly coastal distilleries, plus some Islay spirit. Very young — the darkish color is not of…
Review: Beluga Noble Russian Vodka “Export”
Few words are pre-loaded with luxury the way beluga is. Trump is another, but there was already a vodka with that name on the market (now defunct). Beluga hails from Russia, but beyond this there’s plenty about its production that remains rather mysterious. It is distilled from grain in Western Siberian distillery founded in 1900,…
