Review: Michter’s US-1 Barrel Strength Straight Rye 2019
We last encountered Michter’s US-1 Barrel Strength Straight Rye, the overproof version of its US-1 Single Barrel Rye (it in turn a single barrel version of Michter’s US-1 Rye), in 2016. This 2019 expression is a classic rendition of overproof rye and the Michter’s style — as much as such a thing exists — with a…
Review: Citizen Cider bRose
Silly me. I thought the “bro” in bRose meant this was rose for bros… not that it was made with blueberries along with the apples in the fermentation. This pink number is certainly berry-forward. While not immediately evident as blueberry — if you told me this was made with raspberry or blackberry I may well…
Tasting Report: Whiskies of the World Expo San Francisco 2019
That’s two years in a row with no major injuries – woo! Whiskies of the World 2019 is in the books, at least its San Francisco installment, and that means another spring evening of Scotch, bourbon, and fettuccine alfredo has come to a close. My American whiskey love affair of WotW 2018 reversed itself for…
Review: Ullo Florence Decanter and Wine Purifier
I’ve written at length about why you should not be afraid of sulfites in your wine, but that hasn’t stopped people from taking measures to remove them. Ullo is a new brand that combines sulfite removal with an aeration system and a nice-looking decanter. It’s everything in a single product. Let’s look at each piece…
A Visit to MGP
You may have never heard of MGP, but chances are you’ve already had the whiskey the company makes. MGP is the largest supplier of sourced, aged whiskey in America for the many companies that don’t actually distill themselves (Non-Distilling Producers or NDPs), and they’re also a contract distilling powerhouse, working with customers from the earliest…
Review: 2016 Two Range Red Wine Napa Valley
The 2016 release of Two Range (a sub-brand of Rutherford Wine Company) — a big mystery blend that includes merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and petit verdot, among other grapes — remains plenty fruity (compare to 2015), but its blown-out berry notes are tempered here. The wine still veers to the sweet side — with…
Review: Casa Noble Joven Tequila
We’ve covered Casa Noble’s ultrapremium tequilas on several occasions, but have only had run-ins with single barrel Joven offering twice, both courtesy of the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. Today we look at Joven on its own, and though this bottling comes in a more nationally-available form, it’s still the same juice that you’ll find in…
Review: Bear Republic Challenge Series 11 and Sonoma Tart
A pair new releases from California’s Bear Republic, including the latest installment in its limited edition Challenge Series. Bear Republic Challenge Series 11 Double Brut Citra & Galaxy – This is an odd experiment that looks like a hazy, smells like a cross between a hazy and a standard west coast IPA, and finishes like…