Review: Booker’s Bourbon “Noe Secret” 2015-06
The sixth (and presumably final) round in Booker’s 2015 limited edition series of small batch bourbon releases is this, “Noe Secret” (get it?!?!), which is a bourbon aged 6 years, 8 months, and 7 days. For kicks (and a bit more introduction), compare to batch 2015-04, which we reviewed in September. Like parachuting into a…
Review: 2012 Justin Isosceles Paso Robles
This latest release in Justin’s Bordeaux-style Isosceles line is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc that spends 21 months in new French oak. Surprisingly sweet at first, it loads up with gentle pepper, baking spice, molasses, and some coffee bean notes. Lots of cassis and a touch of violets give…
Review: Pendleton Midnight Canadian Whisky (2015)
Oregon-based Hood River Spirits has a bit of a cult following with Pendleton Canadian Whisky. In 2012 the company launched a second, older expression, Pendleton 1910, and now it’s following that up with Pendleton Midnight. Pendleton Midnight is quite a different animal than those that have come before it. The big spin is that a portion…
Review: 2014 Paramus Verdejo Rueda
This wine from Spain’s Rueda region is made from 85% verdejo and 15% viura, classic varieties from this area that’s largely unknown in the U.S. If more wines like this make it here, that could change quickly. Paramus Verdejo is a crisp white that balances fruit, minerals, and herbs all in a single bottle. The…
Tasting Report: Robert Parker’s Matter of Taste, 2015
Wine events are a dime a dozen, particularly in Northern California, but Matter of Taste, launched in 2014 by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, is something worth your consideration. The idea is simple: With a focus on (but not exclusive to) Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from California, Oregon, and New Zealand, every wine poured at the…
Review: Alaskan Brewing Company Winter Ale
Alaskan’s Winter Ale is brewed with spruce tips plus a selection of specialty malts and hops. The beer is sweeter than you’d think, think less evergreen and more winter spice mix — cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Very heavy with malt, it’s quite sweet and it leaves behind a lengthy, sugary finish before fading out with the aid…
Review: Sheep Dip Islay Blended Malt
Sheep Dip is a relatively well-known blended whisky, but few realize that there are multiple Sheep Dips (Sheeps Dip?) to choose from. The “original” Sheep Dip is easily the best known and most widely available, but producer Spencerfield Spirit Co. has also produced vintage bottlings from time to time. The latest expression is a (nonvintage)…
Drinkhacker’s 2015 Holiday Gift Guide – Best Alcohol/Spirits for Christmas
We at Drinkhacker have been busier than ever this year, and yet it seems impossible that it’s time for our eighth annual edition of the Drinkhacker holiday gift guide — our “best stuff of the year awards.” As always, the list comprises some of the best-rated products we looked at over the last 12 months but…
