Review: Dailuaine 34 Years Old Limited Edition 2015
This is my first experience with Dailuaine, and it’s quite a unique one. A Speyside distillery that’s been running off and on since 1852, nearly all of Dailuaine’s production ends up in Johnnie Walker blends. A rarity in the Diageo Special Releases, this 34 year old bottling (aged fully in ex-American oak casks) is the oldest…
Review: Wines of Rodney Strong, 2016 Releases
Three new affordable releases from Rodney Strong, all from the Sonoma County range. Let’s give them a spin. 2014 Rodney Strong Chardonnay Sonoma County – Bright and fruity, this is an apple- and pear-focused wine that laces modest (but not overwhelming) vanilla and caramel notes into an otherwise fruit-forward experience. Uncomplicated, but super friendly for…
Review: Caol Ila Unpeated 17 Years Old Limited Edition 2015
Last year’s unpeated Caol Ila has been stretched from 15 to 17 years of age. Distilled in 1997, this second review in the 2015 Diageo Special Releases showcases the heart of Islay, sans the peat. The nose is quite salty and laden with iodine, slightly smoky — secondhand peat, perhaps. Hints of citrus waft up…
Tasting the Pinot Gris Wines of Alsace, 2016
The region is best known for Pinot Blanc and Riesling, but Pinot Gris is a major varietal in the Alsace — so much so that the region’s reps sent us four selections from the area for us to cover. Let’s dive into four major Alsatian Pinot Gris wines to see how they stack up. 2011…
Review: Clynelish Select Reserve Limited Edition 2015
Every year Diageo reaches into its Scotch whisky vaults and produces a series of ultra-expensive limited edition treasures called the Diageo Special Releases. As always, what arrived in Europe at the end of 2015 is finally making it to the U.S. in early 2016. For 2015 nine whiskies are being released. We received six of…
Review: Wild Root Original Alcoholic Root Beer
Our first foray into alcoholic root beers met with mixed results — but now we have a third option to add to the mix. The company behind Wild Root makes an alcoholic ginger beer that we’ve previously reviewed. This is their foray into a more soda-like concoction. The flavor of this beverage is heavy on…
Review: Tullibardine Sovereign, 225, 228, 500, 20 Years Old, and 25 Years Old
Tullibardine is a Highlands based distillery, largely overlooked in the U.S. but widely available if you take a spin around the internet. Tullibardine has changed hands and directions more than once (the whisky we reviewed only 4 years ago is long since off the market and the company has been sold and rebranded everything since then).…
Review: 2014 Zaca Mesa Viognier Santa Ynez Valley
This creamy viognier offers ample peach and apricot notes, with an almost caramel-like body that gives it some weight. Overtones of white flowers arrive after the wine has a chance to warm up a bit. The crisp acidity of many a viognier is missing here, replaced with overtones of spiced nuts and heavy cream. While…
