Tastes
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The Bottle: I get the feeling that not much has changed since 1849 when this stuff made its debut. Instantly recognizable. It doesn't draw your eye the way a Bruichladdich would, nor does it just disappear into the backdrop like a bottle of Absolut does. It's something that your brain silently checks the box on as you scan a bar. In the Glass: Clear, but with a good viscosity. On the Nose: Fresh apple.... The orange on this is very forward, with a nice blend of rind and pith in the mix to keep it from reading like juice. There's a sugary coating on it, like candied orange peels. Very pleasing. Taste: Thick, sweet arrival. The orange announces itself on the development and finish. There's a faint bitterness on the finish that counterpoints the sweetness nicely and keeps the whole thing from becoming cloying. There isn't a ton of depth to this, but the quality behind it is evident. Very purpose-built for the flavor that they are going for. This would be a bit too sweet for me as a sipper, but on the rocks? Sure. In a cocktail? Absolutely.
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Casamigos Reposado Tequila
Tequila Reposado — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed June 27, 2021 (edited July 9, 2021)The Bottle: Pretty simple, as far as competitors go. There are some nice details about the provenance of the spirit within without any kind of marketing fluff (multi-million dollar actor signature aside). In the Glass: Very light straw, reminiscent of an Ardbeg. On the Nose: Caramel, vanilla and vegetal notes. There is definitely a sweetness on the nose that runs through all of the different notes popping out. If you like tequila, this will be pretty inviting. Taste: Very soft mouthfeel with a giant wallop of vanilla. My guess is that whatever casks this spent the better part of a year in really played a big role here. The development brings in the vegetal and caramel elements with the vanilla starting to take the back seat, but like a toddler on a car ride...you are always aware that it's there. The finish turns nicely bitter as a good counterpoint to the initial sweetness and dries nicely. All-in-all, this is a pretty inviting tequila. I think that we've all "had a bad experience" with this kind of spirit (and I am no exception); but this expression has done a great job of "easing me back into the pool", so-to-speak. I look forward to comparing it with their añejo and blanco to see where the right balance of price and flavor lands. -
St. George California Citrus Vodka
Flavored Vodka — California, USA
Reviewed May 16, 2021 (edited May 17, 2021)The Bottle: Classy, solid and simple. In the Glass: Transparent, but with a good viscosity. On the Nose: Simple and orange, right from the start. There's a blend of varietals in the mix, so it's hard to pick them out individually; but they all play nicely together. Taste: This is almost like an orange eau de vie instead of a vodka (you could almost use this as a replacement for Cointreau in a cocktail). Sweet orange on the arrival which develops nicely through the finish. The mix of different oranges in here means that it's not just single-note, but I do think that the Bergamont and Seville notes come through strongest. Simple, clean and elegant. There's no harshness, bitterness or overly alcoholic nip. Full marks. I'd love to see what St. George could do with a Lemon or a Myrtle-Leaf Orange take on this... -
St. George Green Chile Vodka
Flavored Vodka — California, USA
Reviewed April 25, 2021 (edited March 25, 2023)The Bottle: Taller than a typical bottle, but it has a really nice look and feel to it. The bottle itself is quite hefty in a "Colonel Mustard, in the bar, with the bottle" kind of way and the design on the label is nicely reminiscent of an American Dollar bill. In the Glass: Vodka transparency with just a hint of light green. On the Nose: Green Bell Pepper. I can't even tell you that this is alcoholic by the nose alone, which is something in-and-of-itself. This stuff just exudes all sorts of green (and I do mean green) chile notes of all sorts. Taste: Let's start with the obvious question, "Is it spicy?" And the answer is...No. Not really. This is more about the flavor than the capsaicin. The arrival is a very signature jalapeño flavor that turns a touch sweet and a touch spicy. The finish is on the bell pepper side, which aligns nicely with the nose. This is also made with serrano and habanero, but I do not have a keen enough palate to really pick those out of the lineup. I'm sure that they are in there, and they contribute to the overall flavor here, I just can pick them out of the crowd. On-the-whole, I really enjoy this stuff. It takes a really stand-up vodka for me to just pour it as a sipper, and this fires on all cylinders for me. I've used it in a number of cocktails, on the rocks and on its own. I look forward to reviewing the St. George "All Purpose" vodka to get a sense of what this distillation is like without the added flavor; but I can at least tell you that if you are looking for an outside-the-box clear liquor to give your drinks a new spin, you should look no further.30.0 USD per Bottle -
The Bottle: Classy. The translucent liquid with the clear glass works really well with the parchment/blue label. The quality of the presentation is much better than you would expect at this price-point. In the Glass: Clear, but with defined leg if you swirl it in the glass. On the Nose: It's like a candied dragon. It's plenty sweet with an alcohol nip. It's not terribly complex, but that's not uncommon for this style. There's a touch of banana underneath a blanket of baking spices. All-in-all, it's quite pleasing. This isn't a "sweet vodka" like so many others in this price-point, it reads like an actual rum. Taste: There's a youth to this that I think you'd want in a light rum, but I do wish that it were a bit more smoothed out. Non-descript "sweet" on the arrival, but then turns bitter and spicy. The finish has a touch of chocolate and banana to it. This is a perfectly serviceable cocktail rum that also happens to look nice on the bar. Maybe a touch less refined than the Plantation 3 Star, but not by much.
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Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2011
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed April 11, 2021 (edited July 23, 2022)The Bottle: I love this thing. The green glass with the grey/white/gold is very "apothecary". It feels nice and solid in the hand and looks good on the bar. Some useful information about the spirit within and a minimum of marketing fluff. In the Glass: Light straw. On the Nose: If you are familiar at all with Bruichladdich's standard offering, you can sense the pedigree here from the off. There's the barley sugar sweetness and some fruit notes nestled within the peat. The peat here is more akin to a Laphroaig than an Ardbeg, so more mineral than smoke. Quite pleasant all-around. You couldn't tell that this is bottled at 50% abv from the nose alone, there's no alcohol bite or harshness. Taste: Sweet, measured arrival with a strong peat development. The smoke makes an appearance on the finish, even though it's missing from the nose. It doesn't finish overly dry or astringent, which a lot of younger spirits are wont to do. This is a very well constructed expression; with none of the individual flavors standing out from the others. A few drops of water won't hurt, but do be careful as the nuance would drown quite easily. All-in-all, this is a great peated offering from Islay. It's the cute girl next door to the brawlers from Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Well-worth a look. -
The Bottle: Pretty classic. If there is a more "French" bottle out there, then I've yet to meet it. It screams, "Bistro". In the Glass: Honey gold. On the Nose: A very un-shy, sweet anise. This isn't complicated, nor should it be. Love it or hate it, it is what it is. Taste: On the sweeter side of anise than something like a Pernod. This is in the same wheelhouse as an Ouzo, but not quite as "dessert" as a Sambuca. Despite the sweet arrival and black licorice wallop, it finishes with a nice dryness. Not really meant to be a sipper, this one is best over ice and water with plenty of sun. It will louche nicely, just like most other aniseed-based liqueurs. If this flavor is to your liking (and you probably already know if it will be, based on what I've written) then I'd go with something a bit more refined if you are looking for a full-strength sipper. Aniseed-based liquors are a dime-a-dozen in the Mediterranean, and there are definitely higher quality ones out there. But for a low ABV summer sipper? This one is hard to beat for the money.
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The Bottle: A much more colorful and vibrant take on the familiar Plantation style. I'm not sure why Fiji should be more colorful than Barbados, but I'll take it. It's a bit heavier on the marketing fluff than their more bespoke offerings, but that's what happens when there are fewer interesting things to say about the actual spirit. In the Glass: Light gold. On the Nose: Soft, sweet and fruity. There's nothing stand-out about it, but by that same token, there is nothing off-putting either. It's a simple, approachable rum. Taste: In many ways, this reminds me of the 5 year old offering from Plantation. There's no real "identity" to it where I can hone in on the fact that the spirit is from Fiji (the same as with the 5 year and it's Caribbean pedigree). It's smooth, sweet and finishes nicely with a touch of banana. This would be a good one for two different purposes. First, as an introduction to aged rum for someone without much experience. Second, as a mixer for any cocktail that calls for a light or aged rum. It's certainly serviceable as a sipper for those with a more experienced palate, but honestly...there are better single pour experiences out there to be had (especially from Plantation). They also do a more expensive, higher quality expression from Fiji; which I am totally interested in trying after giving this one a go.23.0 USD per Bottle
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Plantation Panama 2007 Single Cask
Aged Rum — Panama
Reviewed March 21, 2021 (edited March 22, 2021)The Bottle: A step above the typical Plantation offering. The darker label with the flash of purple really make it stand out. As with all of the other Plantations, the back label has a wealth of good information about the actual spirit; not just marketing fluff. In the Glass: Light bronze. On the Nose: My experience with Panamanian rums is somewhat limited, but they seem to have a style that is as distinctly their own as anything from any of the neighboring islands. Brown sugar forward with a hint of spices underneath. This is not a tropical fruit bomb at all, it's actually fairly reserved. Very pleasant, even with the 46% abv. Taste: The arrival is quite soft and then the development kicks into high gear. Sweet and spicy with a noticeable alcohol punch. The finish dries very nicely without turning bitter or astringent. I'm left with this nice touch of sweetness on either side of my tongue and some heat in my throat that makes me want to go in for another sip. Again like with the nose, I don't get a lot of fruit-based flavors with this; it's seemingly all about the cane (and that's fine with me). Maybe it's not as refined as a Panama-Pacific 23, but it's certainly built well enough to either be a sipper or for any high-end cocktail that could use a higher proof aged rum. Quite good, all-around.47.0 USD per Bottle -
The Bottle: I get the feeling that this hasn't changed much since its inception in 1845. It screams "classic Italian bitters". I have no idea what any of it says, but it looks good in the process. In the Glass: Dark brown with the slightest halo of green around the edge of the liquid as you swirl it in the glass. On the Nose: Bitter mint. Now, I know that sounds off-putting, but go with me on this one. It has a strong "mint of the earth" thing going for it. It isn't cloying like peppermint schnapps, nor is it as strikingly medicinal as something like Gammel Dansk. It strikes a nice balance. Taste: I mean, it's a bitters. Chances are that you aren't drinking this on it's own. But, if you did, it would taste something like really artisanal toothpaste with a bitter kick in the teeth. If the Romans made toothpaste, this is what it would be like. Fernet-Branca shines best in measured proportions in a number of cocktails, in my opinion. I know that a pour of it often shows up as a "bartender's handshake", but it takes an experienced palate to get the most out of this on its own. If you are getting started with this, I'd suggest the simple Coke & Fernet or a Toronto to a feel for how it can work best.
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