Review: Crook & Marker Spiked Lemonade – Classic, Watermelon, Raspberry, and Blueberry
We already walked you through Crook & Marker’s spiked tea offerings earlier this summer, so now here’s a look at their line of hard lemonades. As with their boozy teas, this lineup from the health-conscious makers of Bai is about as wholesome and natural as alcohol in a can gets. Each is 4% abv, sugar…
Review: Bardstown Bourbon Chateau de Laubade
The upstart Bardstown Bourbon Company continues to make a name for itself by collaborating with any number of unusual — arguably obscure, even — brands, using a whole bunch of oddball barrels to finish its wares. The latest limited release is a collaboration with French brandy-maker Château de Laubade, taking 12 year old MGP bourbon…
Review: Chronic Cellars 2019 Rose and 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
Chronic Cellars is a cheeky brand from Paso Robles best known for its fanciful product names. Here’s a look at two new releases from the outfit. 2019 Chronic Cellars Pink Pedals Rose – 100% grenache. Strawberry juice in a bottle, this ultra-fruity rose is dripping with berry notes, sweet cream, and an edge of vanilla. Sweet…
Review: Barrell Rye Batch 1 and 3
They may be referred to as Barrell Bourbon, but Joe Beatrice and crew blend more than just America’s native spirit (see here and here, for example). It took a few years, but finally in 2017, Barrell introduced a rye whiskey to their lineup. Unlike the bourbons, which have seen 2 or 3 different batch releases a year…
Review: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Cocktail Bitters
Hey, Jack Daniel’s finally has its own line of bitters: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Cocktail Bitters, designed to “work hand in hand with Old No. 7.” Let’s give them a try. The nose is heavy on cloves and nutmeg, the intensity coming across a little like a funky jerk spice. Some dark cocoa powder notes emerge…
Review: Jane Walker by Johnnie Walker 10 Years Old
Diageo continues to honor the women in its past and present — or, at least, it’s been trying to. This special edition of Johnnie Walker — dubbed Jane Walker — is probably the most visible of its recent releases. The astute drinker may recall another “Jane Walker” release, which was just Johnnie Walker Black Label…
Review: Wines of Cameron Hughes, 2020 Releases
Four new offerings from the well-known, recently-revived negociant Cameron Hughes. 2018 Cameron Hughes Lot 718 Chardonnay Russian River Valley – This chardonnay is redolent with notes of melon and guava, an exotic mix of sweet and savory that rolls across the tongue like a conga line, and there’s a seaweed/saline note on the finish that…
Review: Balcones Texas Bock (2020)
If any beer is synonymous with Texas (outside of Lone Star, maybe), it’s Shiner. I spent nearly a decade in Austin swilling Shiner Bock, which is easily the brand’s most visible bottling. Well, here’s a twist: Balcones Distilling figured they’d take Shiner Bock and distill it into a straight malt whiskey. Now, making whiskey from…
