Review: Dumante Pistachio Liqueur
Nobody is going to mistake Dumante for anything but fancy. From the awkward bottle that dares you to pour without spilling it all over yourself and a disturbing image of a three-legged, contortionist that will haunt your dreams, Dumante Verdenoce has "fancy" in spades.
Touch my feet....TOUCH THEM!
It's good stuff. It really is. But I wouldn't be earning my pay if I didn't try to look at this one from a different perspective. (Pay...HA!)
Myself and few buddies went through most of the bottle I was sent for review in a matter of days. There's no doubt that its an enjoyable liqueur. And for the folks who are first and formost concerned with "Defining the Flavor of Luxury" there's no doubt that this beats the pants off any simple amaretto in terms of both style and taste. But when I go out in search of a new booze I don't consider style and luxury or how cool the bottle will look on my bar (ok, maybe a little). When I set out to find something new the first thing I do is read sites like mine and see what people have to say about the new booze on the block. That's what I try to be for you guys - a guide to finding the best booze who doesn't talk down to you.
That said, I can't really recommend Dumante for everybody. I have to be honest with you guys, the first thing I thought when I tasted it was "Just like Disaronno". Upon further, side-by side comparison I could tell there was a definite difference between the two. You can tell that the primary ingredient is pistachios and if you happen to be really into pistachios that might be enough for you. On the other hand you can't really pick out the 5 different kinds of vanilla used in the production. So that may just be fluff. The overall experience is also less candy-like than Disaronno. As with any new purchase the best thing you can do would be to try it before you take the $40 plunge. It might be hard to find this one on most bars as it's still fairly new but your higher-end "luxury" establishments should have it soon enough.
To summarize:
Is Dumante better than your average amaretto (i.e. Disaronno)? Definitely.
Should you shell out the $43 they're selling it for at my local "luxury" liquor store? Not until you've tried it.
Our Grade: 3 1/2 Robin Leaches Price: $38-$43 www.dumante.com
Review: Cardhu Single Malt
We haven't seen Cardhu's single malt in the states for a number of years. I'm pretty sure it was because nobody could pronounce the name correctly ("CAR-DOW"), so liquor store employees were forced to laugh hysterically at anyone who asked for "Card-Who?" as a matter of principal. It's back in the states now and we are luckier for it, so learn how to pronounce it here and now so we don't lose it again, ok?
Regardless of how hard it may be to get that name out of your mouth you really should make the effort to get some Cardhu in your mouth. I'm not ashamed to admit that I have a bit of a sweet tooth when it comes to....well, anything. But when I can find a nice respectable scotch that has to common decency to sweet talk me a bit before getting down to business, I'm really excited. Cardhu isn't candy, theres nothing syrupy or cloying about it, but in your nostrils and all the way up to your mouth you catch glimpses of maple and carmel that let you know everything is going to be alright.
The man behind the malt, John Cumming, bought a license for his distillery in 1824 after making in on the down-low for 13 years. According to the website:
Whenever the Excise officers passed by, Helen would disguise the mashing and fermenting as bread-making. Then, while the officers drank the tea she made for them, she would fly a red flag from the barn to warn their neighbours that revenue men were around.
Definitely worth a look.
Our Rating: 4 Burgundys Price: $44 www.malts.com
Review: Isle of Skye
We have a serious Scotch Review Deficit around here. We need to remedy that. Let start with Isle of Skye. A very fine Scotch that may have a one-up on your usual dram.
Most of us have an "Everyday Whisk(e)y." This is the bottle you drink every day without thinking about it and serve to your guests. Since it's been with you a long time, you may have a bit of an emotional attachment to it that others find a little creepy. Maybe it's Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Glenfiddich, or another scotch with an obligatory "Glen", "Old" or "THE" in the name. You buy it because you've always bought it and while you might flirt with other bottles, you always come home to old-glen-faithful. In this analogy, Isle of Skye is the new floozy in town trying to drive a wedge between you and your one, true scotchy-love. Slut.
And Scotch loves you, Ron Burgundy.
Isle of Skye is one of the few blended Scotches you'll find that bares any kind of age statement. Why? Is it because the other Scotches have something to hide??!?!?! No...probably not. But it feels like a comforting little guarantee that you're not getting the cheapest stuff they had lying around. Age statements require you to put the youngest Scotch in the blend on the bottle. Isle of Skye's youngest Scotch used in their blend is 8 years old which a lot of it is much older Scotch.
But none of that matters. Because the whole thing comes down to taste, luckily Isle of Skye has it in spades. Even though you may not have heard of Isle of Skye, I'd say it easily beats the living hell out of more popular brands like Chivas Regal or Dewars White Label. I'm not one for simply taking the words of others on this kind of thing, but if anyone has an informed opinion on Scotch then it's the man who brought enjoyment of Whisky closest to a religion - Jim Murray (The Whisky Bible). He called it:
"A textbook blend and an absolute must for any Islay-philes out there - in fact, a must for everybody! Your tastebuds are beaten up and caressed simultaneously. One of the most enormous yet brilliantly balanced whiskies in the world"
If you'd like a much more humble opinion (mine), I'd tell you that it's simply a great bottle of Scotch that deserves a shot at becoming your new "Everyday Whisk(e)y. Nothing busts your friend's balls more than a little bit of friendly Scotch-you've-never-heard-of-envy, "Oh...you're still drinking Dewars huh? That's nice."
Our Grade: 4 Burgundys Price: $30 Buy it online here: www.isleofskyewhisky.com
Review: Republic Tequila – Anejo
If you're going to start a Tequila company in the United States what better place than Texas, right? That's just what Tom Nall and Ken MacKenzie thought when they set out to create Republic Tequila. From the looks of it, Ken is the brains of the distilling operation and Tom is the...Cowboy. Because you just can't launch a Tequila in Texas without a Cowboy. Actually the Tequila itself is made by the La Quemada distillery to Republic's specifications. But, from the taste of things, they've worked really hard to craft something all their own. It's actually the
What I really like about the flavor of this tequila is they seem to have removed that part of the agave flavor that always leaves me cold - the extremely vegetal flavor. It just always rubs me the wrong way. Republic Tequila has almost none of it. When I get a taste for tequila these are the flavors that I'm remembering which draw me back. With MOST tequilas you have a very strong vegetal flavor that's a bit difficult to overcome (maybe its a U.S. thing? or a ME thing). I think this is why the classic margarita has such strong flavors. It needs them to get over the initial punch in the face that most tequilas carry. If you're a purist you might not like this, but for me (and for mixing) I think it's perfect. It's smooth, has very little burn, and (something you might not expect) this tequila actually goes really well with a bit of dark chocolate.
Lastly, I'm not going to lie to you, bottles matter. The matter even more when you're a new brand trying to get yourself some shelf space. Republic Tequila knocked it out of this park with this bottle. If you're buying tequila in Texas would you REALLY want to buy something foreign? Or would you buy a bottle you can use as a MAP to get you home?
Our Grade: **** (Gladly Recommended) Price: $45-50
Booze Reviews: Woodchuck Fall Cider
I am not a fan of Woodchuck's regular Draft Cider. I find it far too dry and I don't think it can hold a candle to a fine brew like Hornsby's. But this...this fall cider...is a boozy-revelation. Much like my experience with the Pear Cider (made from that accursed fruit that I once held in such contempt) this expression has opened my eyes by capturing all the best tastes of fall and mixing them with alcohol.
Fall is my favorite season...maybe. In actuality I think I love whatever season I am in; unless that season is causing me to alternatively freeze/sweat my balls off. Fall doesn't do that to me so I love fall. Now Fall pushes it some nights by crawling it's icy fingers under my covers, but since it also allows me to sit outside in the comfortably-cool weather and enjoy a nice cigar and a fine alcoholic beverage like this one, I'll let it slide. The best part about fall? Burning leaves!
Little Known Fact: Al Gore live on the tears of small children.
Every year the mid-west ups it carbon footprint by another gazillion-foot-pound-mega-ton-gallons by burning leaves, while Al Gore sits in his McMansion and cries another crocodile tear (luckily he's able to dry them with Carbon Credits). Now, I don't know how you feel about burning leaves and I don't really care either because that aroma is an unforgettable part of my childhood. When you ride your bike through town and smell the burning leaves - that's how we knew it was Fall. I have some very warm feelings about those first moments of bi-cyc-ular freedom and so fall always holds a special place in my heart.
Which is why I love Woodchuck's Fall Cider. They've made a very solid beverage that has all the best fall spice and they even got that sweetness into just the right place - not syrupy and not too dry. Even my wife, who hates beer and can barely stand cider, loves this stuff. It's only available during October so get your hands on some while you can. I'm going to stock up.
Rating: **** (Awesomely Recommended) Price: $7.50 (6-pack)
LETS GO BURN SOME LEAVES!
Booze Reviews: Wild Blue – Blueberry Lager
I know what you're thinking. "JEEZE! Could you DRINK anymore fruity beer?" Yes, sir. I believe I could....I think it all goes back to my mother, really. Who, though she loves a nice beer, is afraid of the family curse and so avoids it - except in moments of weakness or celebration. So, my first impressions of beer told me that it was something to be both fearer and savored. As it is with any forbidden thing you imagine that the "THING" must be so very amazing that (insert deity/authority-figure here) MUST be keeping it for themself! As you might imagine, my first taste (as soon as nobody was looking) left me just a tad bit disappointed...
Something like this but with booze.
There was only one conclusions to be drawn: Beer must be made from soap. Like coffee, beer must just be one of those crazy things adults call "acquired tastes." Which has always seems like a misnomer to me because nobody "acquires" a taste for the truly good things in life: Twinkies, Oreos, Cheetos, heroin, doughtnuts, pizza, and cheeseburgers. You don't have to LEARN to like these things because they're already AWESOME. Beer, for me, is not one of those already awesome things. I'm learning to enjoy it's subtleties and the different varieties, but until I acquire that taste you're going to have to bare with me.
Which brings us to this crazy bull-dog-labeled blueberry brew. What I can say is, if you're a fan of things like Berry Weiss you're probably going to like this. It's ACTUALLY purple. I'm sure that's not a selling point for everyone but I thought it was a nice touch. The taste is more of a vague fruitiness than a full on blueberry, which is kind of a let down. But over all it was an enjoyable drink. It's not something that asks too much investment from you and it's happy to play second fiddle to whatever you eat with it. I like that in a beer. Like I said, I'm a BIT disappointed that this didn't include more straightforward blueberry flavor, but I'd still drink it again...you know, when nobody's looking.
Rating: *** (Recommended) Price: $7.50 for a 6-pack.
Booze Reviews: Maker’s 46
Here is my review...it's only one sentence long: Tasting Maker's 46 is like finally dating that tomboyish Girl-Friend you've known your whole life and finding out that she actually has some really deep, interesting parts to her...personality...that you never noticed before.
Who am I kidding? I can't stop there. Actually, I could because that one line is all you really need to know about Maker's 46. That's really it - in a nut-shell. If you like Maker's Mark you're going to like this. Bottom line. End of story. And I'd like to, but I can't bring myself to end it there. There's just too much cool stuff happening with this bourbon.
If you're not familiar with Maker's Mark you need to acquaint yourself...now. I'll wait.
Glad you're back. DO YOU SEE?
Maker's Mark started as an attempt to make a bourbon that actually tasted good. So it was either the most pretentious idea in the history of spirits or the most brilliant. You see, at the time of its creation (1950's) most, not all, of the whiskies on the market were pretty harsh. It was the drink of cowboys, gangsters, and really tough nuns.
What's so cool about Bill Samuels' creation of Maker's Mark is that he found a way to beat the system. Instead of working up several recipes, distilling the mash, putting it into barrels and then waiting YEARS to see if he'd made any good bourbon, he made bread. That's right - bread. He worked up several bourbon recipes and after baking loaves of bread using the same proportions of grain, chose the best one and turned it into bourbon. (I don't care if this is just BS from wikipedia I WANT IT TO BE TRUE!)
Fast forward 50 years or so: now you can find Maker's Mark throughout the country and even around the world. The thing is with such a solid product, and with such a loyal following, the fans of Maker's Mark were always asking "what else can you do?" Typical. Maker's 46 is the result of years of fans begging for more and Master Distiller Kevin Smith's bright idea to ask a Cooper (barrel maker) how to make his bourbon dreams come true.
If I've learned anything about bourbon from my "boozeperiments" it's that your wood is very important. If you don't have some nice, strong, toasty-wood when you get started, your bourbon is just never going to come to fruition. I'd say about 20-40% (give or take) of the flavor in any bourbon is straight from the wood. And who knows wood better than a man who makes barrels for a living? Enter Brad Boswell - Master Cooper.
Not You...
The "bingo" moment apparently came with Kevin and Brad's 46th try at creating "staves" that would enrich the bourbon with a deeper, more complex flavor that pushed the original characteristics of Maker's Mark into new territory. The "46th Stave Recipe" is placed into the barrels with already matured Maker's Mark for a few extra months before Maker's 46 is finally drained and bottled with the classic wax seal we all know and love.
I GOT NOTHIN'! Why don't YOU try to think of something witty to say about STAVES!
So that's the story. If you've stuck with me this long then you're obviously interested so just go out and buy a bottle. Seriously, I don't know what else to say to you needy people. Do I have to drive you to the liquor store? It's ok. I know...I was afraid at first that they might of ruined one of my favorite whiskies but they didn't! I don't know if I'd say they improved it. But I would say that the people at Maker's Mark have given us what we asked for: A new expression of an old favorite that lives up to the legacy of the original. Enough said...for real this time.
Rating: ***** (Why are you still here?) Price: $30
Booze Reviews: 42 Below Kiwi
I like 42 Below for the wrong reasons. While many brands advertise with boobs and/or tug at your dreams of fame and fortune, 42 Below goes straight for the funny - and I respect that. Though this means NOTHING about how their spirits taste, I am already a bit more welcoming toward a company that doesn't take itself all that seriously. Case in point:
Luckily, I also like it for the right reasons. As far as I know 42 below is the first company to try and capture the essence of Kiwi in a vodka. Their website gives some indication as to why:
"Kiwi Fruit Vodka had to happen eventually and the only reason it didn't happen earlier is because Kiwifruit as a flavor is a little bastard to get right. It took us three years and cost us a bomb so you better frickin' like it."
Definitely a vodka company after my own heart. But the bottom line is "do I frickin' like it?" Well...I do! This wasn't a love at first sight kind of thing for me. But as a sat down with the Kiwifruit vodka a few times I realized something: this actually tastes like a freakin' kiwi. That might not sound like much but if you've ever compared a drink with anything-kiwi and a real kiwi fruit, you know that what most people call kiwi tastes nothing like kiwi. So getting the kiwi flavor right is actually quite a feat of boozy-engineering.
Time out for more funny:
Did I mention 42 Below has BALLS? I know (and they know) this kind of add will make some people MAAD. But, honestly, it just makes me smile. Not because they're making light of drunk-driving (has anyone out there not been informed that it's a bad idea?) but because they know they're going to ruffle someone's feathers with this advert but they put it out there anyway because it's funny. If political correctness doesn't kill the political system it'll sure as hell kill our sense of humor. I for one am in-favor of the world remaining funny and becoming a more free place.
Sorry for the tangent, now back to the booze... Should you buy 42 Below Kiwi Fruit? That depends on your tastes and your penchant for mixing up cocktails. If you're into trying something new and you like to have different flavors on hand to experiment with I can say with absolute certainty that 42 Below Kiwi is an authentic booze-representation of the fuzzy brown fruit. If you're not excited by Kiwi fruit then you don't really need me to tell you not to buy this. I like it and I'd recommend it to anyone interested.
Our Rating: **** (Highly Recommended) Price: $25
One more for the road:
Booze Reviews: Octomore Orpheus
What do you do with a peaty Scotch whose entire purpose for existing is to beat the hell out of every other High-Peat Scotch? What do you measure it against? How do you approach it? Very carefully. Because at any moment it could transform into:
"Everyone knew Optimus Prime was a lush. But at least he had good taste. "
There's really no reason to beat around the bush. If you don't like a lot of peat flavor in your scotch you're not going to be able to handle this as it truly is the peatiest Scotch in the world right now. The nice people from Bruichladdich in Scotland sent me this sample as well as two others to show of the kind of diversity their distillery produces and their willingness to take risks with their Scotch has made them my favorite distillery. Octomore Orpheus is one of their experiments and it's really something special.
If you're not ready for it, the peat in this Scotch can really knock you on your ass. Then again if you're drinking a Scotch with a name like OCTOMORE ORPHEUS (Pretty sure this translates to: Giant Bad-Ass Squid) I'm betting you already know what you're getting into. At 140 ppm it beats previous "peatiest" scotches like Ardberg Supernova by a mile. But the cool thing is that Bruichladdich didn't want this to be JUST the "peatiest scotch in the world," they really wanted to make a great scotch that could stand on its own. So they finished it in Chateau Petrus Bordeaux wine casks for several months before bottling.
I have to be honest. The peat overwhelmed me at first. It was all I could taste. I like peat, it reminds me of riding my bike around the neighborhood in the fall and smelling all the leaves that my neighbors were burning. So a nice peaty scotch evokes warm memories in me every time. But if you stick with it you really do start to pick up the depth of this scotch and the fruitiness that comes from the Bordeaux barrels. If nothing else this really is an experience.
Our Rating *** (Recommended) If you LOVE peat I'd say this is four stars easy but due to the "learning curve" some people might have trouble with this one. Price: $109 online. Find it at the Laddie Shop!
HAVE YOU tasted Octomore Orpheus? What are your thoughts on peat? Does it draw you to a scotch or does even a bit too much send you running? Leave us a comment and let us know.
Booze Reviews: Tomasello Winery’s Raspberry Wine
It's not often that I get to rave about a product. But this is one of my favorite dessert wines and, as we all head into the weekend and try to forget about Monday, I thought I'd share it with you and do a little raving.
This is the one fruit wine that I've been able to find in smaller stores that is made with 100% of the fruit on the bottle and won't break your wallet into a thousand pieces. Most other "fruity' wines are cheap and made with a mixture of some kind of grapes and a bit of fruit and oftentimes "natural" flavors, which to me just sounds like cheating. If you're going to make a fruit wine USE THE FRUIT! Tomasello uses only the fruit on the bottle to make their wines and it SHOWS.
Here's why this wine is so great: it actually tastes like raspberries. Stay with me now; I'm not high. This wine tastes like something you might make in your basement if you had a master wine-maker for a best friend. If you went to the store and bought a gazillion raspberries (spell check does not catch "gazillion"...good to know) and then under the watchful eye of your wine-ninja friend you fermented some kick-ass wine from only the freshest raspberries (not the crappy ones that come in every box either... THE GOOD ONES) this is what you'd have.
The other thing I like that Tomasello does is sell slightly smaller bottles (500ml). This means you can get them cheap (About $10-$12 a bottle where I buy it) and try new flavors without worrying that you're going to blow a bunch of cash on a crappy wine. All in all I think they've got 6 flavors now, all made with 100% of whatever fruit is on the bottle, including pomegranate, blueberry, and cherry. Take a chance on this one, you won't be disappointed.
Grade: **** (Highly Recommended) Price: $10-12