Review: Madre Mezcal Espadin y Cuishe
Made with espadin and madrecuishe (aka cuishe) agave, Madre Mezcal was formerly billed as an ensamble, but now carries the identities of both of its primary agave varieties on its label. The Oaxaca-made product shows promise right away. Initially rather sweet on the nose, with notes of overripe fruit, it finds balance in its smoky…
Review: Select Aperitivo
The bright red color can mean only one thing — presuming it’s not maraschino, of course — you’re looking at a bitter Campari clone, one of the kings of the amaro world. Select was born in Venice (Campari hails from Milan), where it was originally created in 1920, using 30 botanicals (including rhubarb and juniper)…
Review: Stinson Vineyards 2017 Meritage and 2019 Merlot
We’ve covered a lot of wines from Virginia in recent years, but none from Stinson Vineyards, which hails from the Monticello AVA. (Jefferson’s historic home is worth a visit, btw.) Today we look at two bottlings from the winery, both revolving in same way around merlot. 2017 Stinson Vineyards Meritage Monticello – 50% merlot, 20%…
Review: Four Gate Batch 11 and 12
Four Gate continues to crank out whiskeys, and today we’re looking at two new releases — a rye and a bourbon, both quite different — from the Louisville-based operation. Four Gate Rye Batch 11 Ruby Rye Springs – This is the third representation of the same MGP rye from Four Gate, still 7 years old…
Review: 2019 Vento di Mare Grillo Sicilia DOC
Once exclusively a blending grape for Madeira wine due to its high sugar content, grillo has since come into its own, and it’s common now as a Sicilian table wine. This offering from Vento di Mare is organic — and quite affordable. Kicking things off on the (perhaps unsurprisingly) sweet side, this wine starts with…
Review: Proclamation Blended Irish Whiskey
The Proclamation in question is the 1916 order that formally established Ireland’s independence. Naturally a whiskey to celebrate that fact was all but inevitable. Proclamation, which arrived in the U.S. in late 2020, is owned by Inis Tine Uisce Teoranta (ITUT), a company based in County Mayo. Says the company, “Proclamation was a collaborative effort…
Recipe: Kingston Negroni
Here’s another good cocktail to remind you of that vacation you’ve been meaning to take. The Kingston Negroni was created by bartender Joaquín Simó while he worked at the infamous Death & Co. in New York. By Mr. Simó’s own admission, the cocktail immediately came to him in a bolt of peculiar inspiration the first…
Review: 2017 Sokol Blosser Blanc de Blanc
This Oregon sparkler is composed of 30% pinot blanc and 70% chardonnay, cutting a profile that any domestic sparkling fan should find familiar. Lightly doughy but expressive with notes of lemon curd, apple cider, and some tangerine, it’s heavy on the fizz, which tempers some of the creamier qualities of the otherwise rich body. The…
