Review: Buzzbox Perfect Margarita
Ready-to-drink cocktails are showing up everywhere these days, and buzzbox (with a lowercase “b” to keep it casual) is a new company devoted to providing premium cocktails made without preservatives, additives, or artificial colors or flavors and packaged in eco-friendly boxes that look somewhat like — well, actually exactly like — my children’s juice boxes.…
Review: Kentucky Peerless Double Oak Bourbon
We’re probably nowhere near peak double-oak in the bourbon world, but maybe we’re getting close when small craft producers like Kentucky Peerless are hopping on the bandwagon. According to Peerless, they came about the process organically after re-barrelling bourbon from leaky barrels into new oak and discovering a dramatically changed profile. Those original bottlings were…
Review: 2018 Charles Woodson’s Intercept Cabernet Sauvignon
Not a sports fan? Who’s Charles Woodson? He’s a former NFL defenseman — rookie of the year in 1998 — who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. Now the man is making wine in Paso Robles with the help of O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, which produces a variety of luxury…
Review: Mal de Amor Mezcal, 7 Expressions
The range of mezcals available in the U.S. is growing and the ones we are trying today represent a fantastic new range of offerings. The Mal de Amor distillery is owned and run by the Hernandez family and is located in Santiago Matatlán, Oaxaca, Mexico. All of the mezcals we are trying are joven, which…
Review: 2018 Hamel Isthmus Red Wine Sonoma Valley
2018’s Hamel Isthmus is a much more approachable wine than the 2016 bottling. Composed of a much different blend of 64% cabernet sauvignon, 18% merlot, 14% cabernet franc, and 4% petit verdot, the wine is quite dry and weighty, notes of graphite and tanned leather yielding tentatively to a punch of currants and blackberry bramble,…
Review: Mijenta Tequila Reposado
Mijenta‘s second expression is here, taking its base Highlands agave and aging it for up to six months in a blend of American white oak, French oak, and French acacia wood casks. The finished product is soft and approachable, offering a solid balance between the freshness of agave and the sweetness driven by the barrel.…
A Visit to Porter Creek Vineyards
In the sleepy, woodsy west side of Sonoma’s Russian River Valley you’ll find Porter Creek Vineyards, a small winery that specializes in the classic varietals of this region — pinot noir and chardonnay. You’ll find plenty of other goodies on offer at the property’s tiny tasting room, which is available by appointment. (We were able…
Review: Glenmorangie 18 Years Old and Signet (2022)
Today we’re taking a look at two standard bottlings of Glenmorangie, both standing at the top of its permanent collection. Rob took a fresh look at Signet last summer, while Drew checked out Extremely Rare, Glenmorangie’s 18 year old release, in 2020. Note that Extremely Rare is currently available with a limited edition label designed…
