Review: Creador Mezcal, 2023 Releases
In the widening world of mezcal, artisanal expressions made by hand with traditional methods are increasingly the best places to find unique flavors and superior quality. And it doesn’t get more handmade than Creador which dropped their second set of bottlings late last fall. The deets: Each of the six new expressions is milled by…
Review: 2021 Lovatelli Barbera d’Asti DOCG
This is our first time out with Lovatelli, a producer of both barbera and primitivo wines. This 2021 release is a pretty, clean, and approachable barbera, heavy on the nose with its notes of rosemary and white pepper. Balanced on the palate — though a bit weedy — the cherry-focused fruit elements keep the wine…
Review: Mash & Mallow S’mores Whiskey
Mash & Mallow looks on the surface like any old industrial flavored booze product, right? I mean… s’mores whiskey? Come on. Turns out the product is made by none other than Kaveh Zamanian, the man behind Rabbit Hole Bourbon and no slouch when it comes to quality spirits. So maybe there’s something to this after…
Review: Daviess County Bourbon Medium Toasted Barrel Finish
In 2023, Lux Row’s Daviess County brand launched a new series of whiskeys built around toasted barrel finishing. The first, with a Lightly Toasted Barrel Finish, didn’t make a huge impact on us. But the series trudges forward all the same with, of course, a Medium Toasted Barrel Finish expression. Like its Lightly Toasted predecessor,…
Review: 4 Wines from Vouvray, 2024 Releases
Tucked away in France’s Loire Valley, Vouvray is a relatively undersung white wine composed entirely of chenin blanc grapes. While most drinkers have experience with dry table wines from the area, you may not realize that Vouvray also producers sweeter wines, in both the demi-sec and fully sweet styles, the latter akin to Sauternes. (Vouvray…
Review: Maestro Dobel Atelier Tequila Extra Anejo, Trajineras Edition 2023
Maestro Dobel‘s latest tequila is plenty old, but it isn’t a cristalino but a traditional extra anejo, complete with natural color driven from the barrel. This is actually the second release of Dobel’s “Atelier Tequila” Extra Anejo expression, which launched last year — and which you can still find online. The bottles are decidedly unique,…
Review: 2020 Sullivan Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to someone’s lovely home in the central Kentucky countryside to enjoy an evening focused exclusively on wines from Napa’s Rutherford Valley. Quality was not in short supply, with many hard-to-find vintages or bottles attainable in highly specialized shops. However, this particular selection from…
Review: Basil Hayden Malted Rye
Late last year, Basil Hayden dropped its latest edition, which will be a permanent part of the Basil Hayden lineup going forward. Basil Hayden Malted Rye is made with 100% rye grain that has been malted, which partially germinates the grain before it is dried and made into a mash that is fermented. As it…
