Review: Excellia Tequila, Complete Lineup
This new tequila brand comes from 100 percent blue agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco — and then comes a twist: All the tequilas are aged in Sauternes and 20-year-old Cognac casks, a big twist vs. the usual old Bourbon barrels in which most tequila is aged. The results are, in at least one…
Review: Dream Dust Sleep Aid
Following on the heels of a variety of “relaxation shots” comes Dream Dust, which is not dust but rather a liquid in the familiar plastic “shot” bottle, designed to help get you to sleep. (Motto: “Better Sleep, Better Health, Better Life.”) The composition is very similar to Mini Chill, including Vitamin B6, Magnesium Zinc, GABA,…
Review: 2009 Martin Codax Albarino Rias Baixas
Spain’s Albarino grape continues to make great strides as an alternative to Sauvignon Blanc. Martin Codax’s Rias Baixas Albarino is another great and classic example of what this grape can be: Bright yellow in color, with fresh herbs and light fruit notes on the nose. In the mouth it explodes with lemon, grapefruit, and a…
Review: Benromach Origins, Batch #2 Port Pipes
Benromach isn’t a major name in Scotch whisky, but it’s doing some exciting things nonetheless. Its Origins series is designed to measure what happens to malt whisky not when you upend the entire production process but rather when you make relatively small changes. With its second experiment, Benromach has fully matured an 11 year old…
Review: RumChata Horchata Con Ron Cream Liqueur
As cream liqueurs go — this world is wholly dominated by whiskey, coffee, and simple milk flavors — RumChata is nothing if not unique. Instead of whiskey, RumChata uses (obviously) rum as the base booze. Then, it’s not straight up cream but horchata that supplies the milky whiteness. Horchata, if you don’t frequent your local…
Review: Don Elias Tequila Extra Anejo
It’s hard to find an extra anejo tequila that isn’t any good, and Don Elias proves that you can make a really solid one — even if you don’t charge an arm and a leg. At just $75 a bottle, Don Elias Extra Anejo is the least expensive Extra I’ve ever tried, and yet the…
Review: Michael-David Lust, Sloth, and Gluttony Zinfandels, 2011 Releases
Michael-David’s 7 Deadly Zins is a staple of every Supermarket in America. But it is also endeavoring to bottle individual “Zins,” with three serious vices — lust, gluttony, and sloth — now available. Personally, I’m holding out for greed, but meanwhile we tried the three current editions, each a Zin from a different part of…
Review: Esprit de June Liqueur
Nothing if not a unique spirit, Esprit de June is crafted from the vine flowers of a variety of grapes, primarily Ugni Blanc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The French company would love for you to believe that the flowers on each grapevine contribute different flavor characteristics to the liqueur, but with something this sweet, picking…
