Bob McDonald

9.2

Apparently one of the oldest Distillery sites in Scotland. Located by the sea on the Isle of Islay this receives the slowest distillation of any Islay malt, then spends 16 years in old oak casks before being bottled. This is very pungent, peaty and smoky. One of my favourite single malts. — 3 months ago

James Forsyth

9.5

Baby Alexander is holding a bottle of Habitation Velier Forsyths WP 2005 Single Jamaica Rum in honor of National Rum Day! This was the first bottling of Worthy Park rum since the pot stills were mothballed in 1962, with the site having previously produced the spirit without interruption from 1670. The rum is named after the inventor of the still, one Alexander Forsyth, baby's namesake, who worked as a coppersmith in the 1890s. Interestingly his company, Forsyths, remains a leader in distillation equipment.

This 10 year aged rum is said to have leather, bourbon spice, toffee and smoke. I look forward to verifying these notes when baby Alex gives me permission to crack open his bottle. (And thus the rating is a guess for now too.) — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Delectable this is the 18 year old as per the label. Glengoyne claim to have the slowest distillation process in all of Scotland. 18 years maturing in ex Sherry casks. Appley notes and really quite smooth. What’s not to like in an 18 Year Old Single Malt. — 8 years ago

Brian S

9.3

Jalapeño, bell pepper, habanero, cilantro, onion all uncooked and added in separate times during my distillation. Smells like fresh salsa and taste amazing. — 8 years ago

Robin Hicks

9.3

No it’s actually the Gin. Santa Vale a few days early this year. Happy holidays! — 9 years ago

Edmond Bordelon

9.8

John Wayne's son, Ethan, teamed up with Jayson Woodbridge at Hundred Acre to crate this 80 proof homage to his 100 proof dad, who was a lover of great brandies and kept a stash of a few barrels on his boat, that has been sealed for 30 years. Duke Special Reserve brandy, made from a blend of the last two remaining 24 and 30 year-old barrels, produced by a 12th-generation master distiller. Originally distilled in an alambic pot still using seven fraction distillation. This is just spectacular stuff, as you would expect from a 24+ year old brandy. — 10 years ago

with Katherine and Janette

Aaron Tan

9.3

This didn’t captivate the audience quite like the same producer’s and vintage’s Pettenthal TBA a few years ago, but it was still a privilege to drink. I always feel so lucky to be able to taste wines like this - a pristine snapshot of history straight from the source, moving only once since it’s birth nearly nine decades ago (from the cellars of Franz Karl Schmitt to KP’s). The distillation of time revealed the inherently regal quality of Nierstein, even coming from the supposedly lower quality foothills of the red slopes. The wine was almost entirely dry, with remarkable flavours of cherry liqueur, warm earth, caramel, coffee, and bitter almonds; but perhaps the most astounding element was its textural quality - akin to a great aged red, with tannic grip and a weighty body. A little more acidity would have taken this up a notch, but that’s nitpicking for a wine this old. Overall, this was quite the night cap courtesy of KP. Danke! — 4 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.6

That is a Negroni base I will most likely never have again. So pure. Mountain top made in La Fresquière, Méolans-Revel. — 7 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.7

It’s usually a good sign when the winemaker can articulate what the wine is about like this: “Ceras is Botanica’s counterpoint. Its color is more purple than red. It is more about minerals and herbs than fruit and flowers. It is a focused and elegant distillation of rock rather than an opulent cascade of fruit. It is an expression of the geology that lays beneath our land, the tart blue fruits of the coast range and the tender herbs that one finds amongst the trees and mushrooms of the Northwest forest.”

Her 2013 Ceras is yet another example of Maggie Harrison’s sorcery over the vines at Antica Terra. The focus and intensity of flavor is off the charts, yet it maintains an almost ethereal weightlessness, only emphasizing the layer of silk that separates you from the wine. The pungent rock is so on point and distinctive it instantly reminded me of the scent of lichen growing on rocks, which I experienced in Colorado when I was 7 or 8 years old. This sets the stage for the level of complexity exhibited. The fruit has both an extraordinarily high level of purity and yet the woven tapestry of herbs and spices and even fruit blending are impossible not to notice. The key being that nothing is forced.

The nuance of complexity only being noticed when desired is nearly an impossible feat. I can’t help but recall James Conaway quoting Andy Beckstoffer in his recently released book: Napa at Last Light: America’s Eden in an Age of Calamity. “If a wine was a model with a chipped tooth, you’d have to give her something to compensate with. If she needs better shoulders, better breasts, give her some. But her real charm is in how she carries the defect.”

After reading his book, I can tell you I’m definitely not certain whether you can accept his quotes verbatim. One thing is certain, though, Maggie Harrison’s Antica Terra wines carry the defect like no other. — 8 years ago

Philippe Dupuis

9.1

Distillation of spirits from apple, grapes and pears. Soft and aromatic, at its best served chilled or on the rocks, no need to cocktail this fine gin in my opinion #madeinquebec #domainelafrance — 9 years ago

Toni Zablocki

9.0

Mixed with puntas (beginning of the heart of distillation) and distilled with anise - which is present on the nose along with the same buttery richness of the first Mezonte. Creamy palate but finishes with a starchiness of corn. — 9 years ago

Adam Foster

Beverage Director Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop, Blue Coop Restaurant

9.1

Very herbaceous, piney, integrated smoke. Silky with just enough sweetness to round out the heat. Bottled at distillation proof. — 10 years ago

David Kline

9.6

2014. Light petrol/rubber interplay, with black lime, lime pith and smoky cherrywood, graphite, underripe pineapple, igneous rock dripping with lemon. Sweet pineapple, lemon essence infused into lemon marmalade and emerging profoundly drier. Lime reduction, candied kalamansa with an ethereal distillation of floral and mystery citrus admixture.



#dönnhoff #dönnhoffniederhäuserhermannshöhlerieslingauslese #auslese #riesling #rieslingsuslese #niederhäuserhermannshöhle
#nahe #erzeugerabfüllingweingutdönhoff #dönnhoff #vdp
#vdpgrosselage
— 4 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.6

Oh my God.

An oh my God on open.

Nose is beautiful. I’d buy it just for that. Intense but elegant guava flower, pineapple flower blend. A nasal orgasm.

Palate is confectionary sugar made from tropical fruit distillation. Gorgeous.

Bought from fass selections — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Glenrothes used to have a relatively unique labeling convention. They would mark the distillation date (vintage date). They did away with all that and adopted a more traditional age statement for their bottles. This was a crazy dark color after seeing 18 years in ex-sherry casks. Delicious honey, nuts, and dried fruits. Smooth. A pleasant “oiliness” though not to the extreme that the Craigellachie has. Long finish. Rich and delicious. Definitely worth seeking out. — 7 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.1

An authentically Southern creation, the name is both a reference to the spirit's absence of oak aging as well as how you'll jokingly be forced to eat your biscuits sorghum-less after Bruce Boeko buys up all the ingredient for distillation. To call a spirit "rum," it technically must be derived from sugar cane, but Nashville Craft's Sorghum Spirit is in essence an unaged white rum. There's an almost gin-like floral character to the aroma - honeysuckle and butterscotch - and the palate finds a softness of texture that tastes lighter than air. — 8 years ago

Brian S

9.3

Dry farmed Bartlett pears from Colorado, champagne yeast, the whole pear is used in distillation process, 30-35 lbs of pears = 1 750ml bottle.
65 gallon still will use 400-450 lbs of pears. Beautiful natural pear smell and taste. — 8 years ago

Devin Bray

9.3

Absolutely gorgeous mineral core that smells like a fresh spring creek and sour fruit skins, and tastes like a gorgeous distillation of underripe orchard fruit, flowers, and wet stones. Crisp, refreshing, complex, and wonderful. — 9 years ago

Jay Christianson

Winemaker Canyon Wind and Anemoi

9.2

A distillation of what Napa Cab is in many ways. Big, fruitful, structured, probably still too young. Just dang good. Nothing leaping out and overpowering anything else. That alone gains .2 above 9. Showing intelligent restraint is the hallmark of brilliant winemaking. — 10 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.8

The fruit rides up high over the smoke and char, subtle herbaceous notes to keep it interesting...mezcal is like wine but from another planet, delicious and fascinating but alien, a crystalline "distillation" of a plant, yet a plant utterly different than what we are used to. — 10 years ago