Review: Sun King Brewery Polynesian Passion and Hop Tickler
Two new seasonal beers from Indianapolis-based Sun King Brewery. Who’s ready? Sun King Brewery Polynesian Passion – This is a monstrous Belgian tripel, barrel-aged and spiced with tiki elements that include pineapple, orange, and coconut. You can taste all of the above on the ultra-sweet and extremely spicy palate, which runs from pineapple candy to…
Review: 2019 Sonoma-Cutrer Winemaker’s Release 40th Anniversary Chardonnay
Celebrating 40 years of operations, Sonoma-Cutrer has released a special edition of its Russian River Valley-grown chardonnay, complete with a wax-covered enclosure. The wine “represents a final collaboration between its founding and current winemakers.” There’s quite a story behind it, too: In its four decades, Sonoma-Cutrer has consistently brought together top-tier talent whose winemaking talents…
Review: Yebiga “PRVA” Rakija
I first became acquainted with rakija — widely known as raki — through Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, where it seemed like he was always sipping on the stuff, invariably with a grimace on his face. Raki is the national drink of Turkey and is widely produced in eastern Europe and the western countries of the former…
Review: 2019 Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon
Chile’s Lapostolle has a wide range of wines ranging from $15 carmenere to over-$100 blends. This bottling drinks like the higher tier, though it’s priced quite affordably at $25. The wine (85% cabernet plus some carmenere and cabernet franc) is rich and soulful, an iconic cab-heavy study of currants and turned earth, licorice and spice…
Review: Double Cross Vodka (2021)
Way back in 2009, we reviewed the then-new Double Cross Vodka, a Slovakian distillate of winter wheat, bottled in an iconic — but tough to handle — rectangular bottle. Well, Double Cross is still on the market, and in 2021 they finally switched up the bottle, opting for a more traditional (and sustainable) look that…
Review: Russell’s Reserve Bourbon 13 Years Old (2021)
Wild Turkey’s Russell’s Reserve brand tends to fly under the radar a bit, but ignoring this latest release would be a mistake. It might be the best bottling ever to come out under the label. You’re getting a 13 year old cask-strength bourbon, available for a limited time. Here’s a bit of the story behind…
Review: Wilderton Botanical Distillates
Wilderton is a craft non-alcoholic distillery based in Oregon whose founders Brad Whiting and Seth O’Malley “came together for a new vision of distilling.” That vision? To create botanicals-based distillates without alcohol, their premise being that flavor makes a great cocktail, not booze. To achieve the level of complexity and character needed to carry a…
Review: Single-Serve Wines of Le Grand Verre, 2021 Releases
Single-serve wines don’t often get a lot of love, but Le Grand Verre, a new brand landing in the U.S. this summer, wants to change that. Le Grand Verre describes itself pretty simply, as a “single serve, ethical, proprietarily designed, and predominantly female produced boutique wine collection of France.” Here’s some backstory: Envisioned by three…