Review: Patron Cristalino Tequila
Surely you saw this one coming: A cristalino version of Patron Anejo, a traditionally produced tequila aged for 12 to 15 months in four different types of casks, then filtered through wood charcoal back to transparent. Fans of Patron will find no faults here: This tequila has a mild, gentle nose — lightly lemony, showcasing…
Review: Rancho La Gloria Espresso Martini
Rancho La Gloria Espresso Martini is a tequila-adjacent ready-to-drink (RTD) bottled cocktail. The Rancho La Gloria drinks company based in Jalisco, Mexico claims the invention of the Margarita at their hotel bar in Tijuana. There are many stories about who created the Margarita and Rancho La Gloria holds one of the seven that are most…
Review: Planteray Mister Fogg Navy Rum and Jamaica 1984 – 40 Years Old
It’s been a year (January 2024) since Plantation Rum formally rebranded as Planteray as a move to get away from the slavery connotations of its original name. This is actually our first formal coverage of the brand under the new name, including a look at a new mainline product, Mister Fogg, and an extremely rare limited…
Review: 2021 Venus la Universal Dido Blanc
A Spanish wine with a Mediterranean bent, Dido is a white blend of Garnatxa Blanca, Macabeu, and Cartoixà, all grown in Montsant, which is on the far eastern edge of Spain, just south of France and abutting the water. Aged in a mix of barrels and cement. Dido is one of the most unusual white…
Review: Preservation Estate Pot Distilled Wheated Bourbon
Bardstown’s Preservation Distillery was officially launched around 2015, but the brand has roots dating back to the 1980s. That’s when founder Marci Palatella began bottling sourced bourbon under a wide variety of labels — including Pure Antique, Very Olde St. Nick, and Rare Perfection, among others — often specifically targeted at export markets. Some of…
Review: 2021 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Te Koko
Te Koko is Cloudy Bay‘s most luxe sauvignon blanc expression, and it may well challenge your expectations of both the grape and the region. The palate pops right away with coconut (rather than pineapple), a quality which only grows stronger as the wine opens up and warms a bit. Notes of toasted anise seed are…
Cognac in Cocktails: It’s Time for a Renaissance
If you’re a fan of pre-Prohibition cocktails, you’ll see a vast number of recipes that contain either brandy or Cognac. Before whiskey became the common base spirit, people often made their Old Fashioneds with brandy. This drink included a spirit of any kind, a sweetener, and bitters. And with the famous French 75, there is…
Review: New Riff Sour Mash Single Malt Whiskey 2024
New Riff’s Single Malt Whiskey got started back in 2023, and as of fall 2024, it looks like it’s turning into an annual affair. Drew’s 2023 review discusses the extreme complexity that is involved in making this whiskey — featuring at least six mashbills with four different types of malt, and aged in more than…