Review: Brora 38 Years Old Limited Edition 2016
When Diageo includes old Brora — which was shuttered in 1983 — in its Special Release series, it’s a cause for celebration. Like Port Ellen, this one fortunately makes a regular appearance on the roster, and with this 38 year old expression, the oldest release of the 15 bottlings in the series, we get the…
Review: Allagash Curieux and Hibernal Fluxus 2016
It’s time for something old and something new from Allagash, the Portland, Maine-based producer of some of the country’s most coveted craft brews. Allagash Curieux – This was Allagash’s first barrel-aged beer, which starts with its Tripel Ale and goes from there for eight weeks into bourbon barrels. The aged beer is then blended back with…
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Drinkhacker is hiring! We’re looking for a few good writers who know their way around a whiskey bottle or a winery. Are you an experienced writer who can cover any of these? News and trends in the world of alcoholic beverages Answers to common questions about the world of wine and spirits Opinion stories about…
Review: Port Ellen 37 Years Old Limited Edition 2016
Though the Islay distillery closed in 1983, Diageo cranks out a Port Ellen Special Release every year. This is the 16th installment of the whisky. Distilled in 1978 and aged for 37 years, it is also the oldest Port Ellen ever released… and likely the most expensive, too. As is common, this release is a vatting…
Review: Firemans Brew IPA
L.A.-based Firemans Brew is back with its first new beer in over a decade. Being that this is a California brewery, it’s only fitting that it’s an IPA, made with Cascade, Columbus, Chinook and Galena hops. A touch maltier than many IPAs, it has a distinct but mild mushroom note on the nose, tempered with a bit of…
Review: Linkwood 37 Years Old Limited Edition 2016
Diageo hasn’t put out a Special Release bottling of Speyside’s Linkwood in eight years (and only one other one before that), and for 2016 it’s got a doozy: 37 years old, distilled in 1978. The whisky was aged in a mix of refill American oak hogsheads and refill European oak sherry butts. A clear standout…
Review: 2015 Pighin Pinot Grigio Friuli
This Friuli-sourced pinot grigio offers some of the usual tropical fruit notes, with ample acidity, but it is weighed down by a significant vegetal character that is particularly present on the nose. The finish winds things up with a brisk, almost sour, finish — but also a touch of mushroom. It’s a nice value, but…
Review: Auchroisk 25 Years Old Limited Edition 2016
This third-ever release of Diageo’s Special Release of Speyside-based Auchroisk was distilled in 1990 and aged in a mix of refill American oak and refill European oak casks. See also Diageo’s two prior Auchroisk releases in 2010 and 2012. The nose is mild and quite restrained, with light notes of iodine, roasted grain, baked apples, and…
