Review: Matusalem Gran Reserva Rum 15 (2022)
It has been over a decade since we last checked in on Matusalem rum. While the Gran Reserva 15 Years Old remains the brand’s flagship, their portfolio is rather extensive, including a white rum, Gran Reserva 18, and Gran Reserva 23 among others. We’ll hopefully get to some of those in due time, but before that,…
Review: Hercules Mulligan Rum & Rye
Hercules Mulligan is a minor figure in American history — and a somewhat larger figure in the musical Hamilton — and now the old Mulligan has a ready-to-drink cocktail named in his honor. It’s a complicated blend of three aged rums, three rye whiskeys, bitters, and fresh ginger — plus a splash of simple syrup. The…
Review: Wines of Dutton Estate, Late 2022 Releases
Dutton Estate‘s summer wine releases have arrived. Today we look at a quartet of offerings from this Sonoma-based pinot specialist. 2020 Dutton Estate Chardonnay Kyndall’s Reserve – No shortage of oak here, this aggressive chardonnay is punchy with vanilla, brown butter, and toasty lumberyard elements. Almost chewy in texture, with elements of coconut, white flowers,…
Review: Remus Repeal Reserve Series VI Bourbon
The fall bourbon releases are upon us. Where did 2022 go!? As usual, the Remus Repeal Reserve is one of the earliest out of the gate. This limited edition bourbon is brought to us by Ross & Squibb Distillery, formerly MGP (although it’s probably still OK to call them MGP). Remus Repeal Reserve VI marks…
Review: Bocavin Electric Wine Aerator
We’ve covered countless aerator products over the years here, but with Bocavin, the company is attempting something new: Drop a AAA battery into your bottle-topping aerator, and the whole thing vibrates, really amping up the amount of air that can get into your vino. The product design is interesting. The device has two parts, a…
Review: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2022 Edition
The 22nd edition of Old Forester’s classic Birthday Bourbon is upon us. This year marked a shift in the way Birthday Bourbon is sold. Rather than being sold at the distillery, it was offered via a lottery that was held during the last week of August. I also had to hunt high and low to…
Review: 2018 Arano Ribera del Duero Moradillo de Roa Crianza
This 100% tempranillo wine hits all the right notes. Initially a touch on the jammy side, Arano’s 2018 Ribera soon settles into a groove of bold blackberry and plum notes, followed by touches of backing spice. A creamy chocolate character builds from there, landing on a gentle touch of mint to finish things up. Well-rounded…
Original Recipe: Highland Split
If it feels like the world is awash in craft cocktail recipes, that’s because it is. With so many different options for vermouths, amari, bitters, tinctures, and everything else that can acceptably be mixed with alcohol, the sky is the limit. And you don’t have to get wildly creative to construct your own unique cocktail…
