Review: Nosotros Tequila Blanco (2019)
How’s this for an origin story? Nosotros began as a college project by Carlos Soto and Michael Arbanas in 2015, and the duo decided to make the project a reality, officially launching in 2016. Today, Nosotros — or more formally, La Historia de Nosotros (“The Story of Us”), is winning lots of praise from the…
Review: Little Book Bourbon Chapter 3: “The Road Home” (2019)
Freddie Noe’s passion project — the rotating whiskey series bottled under the Little Book banner — has reached its third installment, “The Road Home.” For the first time in the series, Little Book isn’t a blended whiskey but is actually a bourbon — or rather, a blend of each of the four bourbon styles made…
Review: Wines of Chronic Cellars, 2019 Releases
Chronic Cellars is a hipster-friendly wine brand out of Paso Robles, California. With tongue-in-cheek brand names and eye-catching graphics (and, of course, it’s called “Chronic”), Chronic doesn’t immediately come across as a “serious” wine label. Turns out that’s not the case, as Chronic has a few impressive (and affordable) gems under its wings. That said,…
What’s the Deal with Independent Whisky Bottlers?
Recently a reader made a comment on our Debate Over Age Statements dispatch, essentially asking what the story was with independently bottled whiskies. Why would a 25 year old Bladnoch from Alexander Murray cost less than a 25 year old whisky directly from Bladnoch? What’s the difference between the independent bottling and the distillery bottling, anyway?…
Review: 2016 Double Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills
Washington-based Double Canyon recently released its 2016 cabernet sauvignon, and it’s definitely a worthwhile bottling at an outstanding price. The wine opens up softly, with introductory layers of mint and chocolate. Supple notes of strawberries and blueberries inform the lively, slightly peppery, palate, which opens the way toward a long and silky finish. A heavy…
Review: Siempre Tequila Plata (2019)
Siempre is that rarest of tequila brands: One which is headquartered in Canada. The tequila of course comes from Mexico, specifically near the town of Jesus Maria in Jalisco’s Valle region — which, as the name implies, makes this a Lowlands-based spirit. Siempre has a full line of tequilas on the market now, but we…
Review: Cruzan Watermelon Rum
Cruzan’s latest flavor is one normally seen in vodka, not rum: watermelon. It’s a limited edition offering for 2019, with $1 from every case of rum sold (so, about 8 cents per bottle) going to the Island Spirit Fund. Per the distillery, “Cruzan Watermelon Rum takes the sweetness of a fresh cut, juicy watermelon, and…
Review: The Glenrothes 10, 12, 18 Years Old, and Whisky Maker’s Cut (2019)
Late last year The Glenrothes embarked on a bold rebranding, revamping much of its vintage-dated whisky and converting it to age statemented releases called the Soleo Collection (a reference to the 100% start-to-finish sherry cask aging used in all the whiskies in this lineup). Soleo spans five expressions, including 10, 12, 18, and 25 year…