Review: Vinn Distillery Vodka, Baijiu, Whiskey, and Blackberry Liqueur
Vinn Distillery is a family-owned distiller based in Wilsonville, Oregon, where it makes all of its products from non-GMO rice. That includes vodka, whiskey, baijiu, and a blackberry liqueur. How far can a little rice go in today’s distillery universe? Let’s dig in to the full lineup. Vinn Distillery Vodka – Reportedly the first rice vodka…
Review: Proud Pour 2016 Sauvignon Blanc and 2014 Pinot Noir
Over time, one becomes naturally skeptical when booze brands say they are doing something good for humanity. Whether it is saving tigers or supporting veterans, you get positively exhausted by all the positive things alcohol purveyors are doing for society. Well, let’s not hold that against Proud Pour, another charity-focused wine producer whose two wines…
Review: Proof Traditional Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup
Proof is a new brand of cocktail syrups, ranging from steadfast (Traditional) to oddball (Maple Bacon), made by a bartender-led crew based in Decatur, Georgia. The collection is designed to go beyond mere sugar and water, and have bitters already in the mix. Per the company: These high quality cocktail syrups are an “everything but…
Tasting Report: WhiskyLIVE Washington DC 2018
Whiskey festivals come in all shapes and sizes, but WhiskyLIVE consistently produces a very approachable event for a fan at any stage in their whiskey obsession. There’s a good balance of offerings from industry heavy hitters and smaller craft outfits, as well as the occasional downright weird bottling. This year, I got to taste whiskey…
Review: Cotswolds Single Malt Whiskey (2018)
Cotswolds is an area in southern England, and while one might think this is gin country, a distillery has popped up (in 2014) that is also producing single malt whisky. Says the distillery, “The first whisky ever distilled in the Cotswolds, it uses 100% locally grown, floor-malted barley and has been aged in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels…
Review: New Belgium Tartastic Raspberry Lime Ale
New Belgium’s latest into its semi-sour fruit beer line, Tartastic, turns to that trusty combination of raspberries and lime. The results are short of impressive, though those looking for an alternative to, say, sangria, might find this combination of flavors enticing. Think earthy notes mixed with malty sweetness, layered with relatively restrained fruit notes —…
Review: Hangar 1 Rose Vodka
Who says there’s no innovation in the world of vodka besides simply dumping in random flavorings until something that tastes like a Jamba Juice comes out? Hangar 1 Rose is a bit of a new animal: Hangar 1 straight vodka blended with 5% California rose wine. (That’s right, it’s “ros-ay,” not rose petals.) We got…
Review: Craft Distillers Low Gap 2 Year Old Rye (2018)
Last encountered in 2015, Craft Distillers’ Low Gap Rye was at the time a two-year old whiskey that didn’t seem to be getting any older. As a matter of fact, distiller Crispin Cain is out with a new version of Low Gap Rye and, again, it’s a mere babe at just two years of age.…