I've never thought of myself as a traditionalist, the establishment can suck it as far as I'm concerned, yet here I sit contemplating Maker's Mark new offering, the Maker's 46, and I find myself wondering if what they're doing to make the stuff is fair, does it buck tradition too much? Maybe I need another … Continue reading Maker’s 46, Kentucky Bourbon Whisky – Review
Month: July 2010
Chieftain’s Tasting Review Notes, Round III
Round III of quick notes from the recent Chieftain's tasting hosted by K&L Wines at Martin's West in Redwood city... Chieftain's 1991 Linkwood 16 Year Old Yet another rarely-seen-in-distillery-bottlings...bottling, Linkwood has been around since the early 1800's, going through the usual myriad ownership changes before ultimately landing in Diageo's prodigious lap. Like Allt'A Bhainne and Glencadam, Linkwood spends … Continue reading Chieftain’s Tasting Review Notes, Round III
Chieftain’s Tasting Review Notes, Round II
Round II of quick notes from the recent Chieftain's tasting hosted by K&L Wines at Martin's West in Redwood city... Chieftain's 1985 Glencadam 22 Year Old Glencadam is another distillery that's more well-known for not being that well-known. Having been around since the 1825, many ownership changes over the years have finally led this Highland malt to the … Continue reading Chieftain’s Tasting Review Notes, Round II
Chieftain’s Tasting Review Notes, Round I
Part of Ian Macleod's family, the Chieftain's line-up of independent bottlings has recently found its way to the whisky shelves of the U.S. David Driscoll of K&L Wines hosted a recent tasting at Martin's West in Redwood city to introduce the new line-up. The big draw of the night for me was another taste of … Continue reading Chieftain’s Tasting Review Notes, Round I
Signatory 1992 Ben Nevis 17 Year Old – Review
I have no idea what a Cloud Chamber is. I've read descriptions and explanations but after a sentence or two, I get glassy eyed and wonder what bike race is happening in Europe and what whisky I'm going to have a sip of next. According to Wikipedia, a cloud chamber is used to detect particles … Continue reading Signatory 1992 Ben Nevis 17 Year Old – Review
Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Review
*Thanks to the good folks at Impex Beverages for the sample. Advertising and marketing have been around for centuries. Political slogans and commercial messages have been found in ancient Egyptian ruins and Vesuvius' ash depository, Pompeii. Johnny Gutenberg's printing press really upped the ante, and today we're basically bombarded in all our waking hours by … Continue reading Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – Review
The Alembic Bar- Review
In San Francisco these days, food and drink is king. The celebrities in this town are not the actors and rock stars of LA (or at least we pretend they're not), they're the chefs and bartenders who are one Osso Buco or one Blood and Sand away from their own Food Network show. If you … Continue reading The Alembic Bar- Review
Bargain Bin Fridays #3, Ancient Age Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Review
Just to prove that I'm not just a mean-spirited, masochistic hack who's out to insult bad whisky makers and destroy my liver at the same time, for this installment of Bargain Bin Fridays, I thought I'd give an old school, mildly respected bourbon a try. After all, it is called "Bargain Bin Fridays" not "Wince … Continue reading Bargain Bin Fridays #3, Ancient Age Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Review
Pendleton Blended Canadian Whisky – Review
I haven't tried much Canadian whisky. In fact, I haven't spent that much time in Canada, our more civilian-minded neighbor to the North. Aside from the requisite visit to the Niagara Falls area, my Canadian experience is limited to the trip my dad and I made to Brandon where he mistakenly poured me a spoonful … Continue reading Pendleton Blended Canadian Whisky – Review
Signatory 1999 Auchentoshan 10 Year Old – Review
Back when I was rugged deckhand in the early 1800's, when I was hoisting a jib and batoning down the hatches to make ends meet instead of doing whatever it is I do now, we sang a lot of songs at work. That kind of thing probably wouldn't fly in today's hi-rise workplace, but back … Continue reading Signatory 1999 Auchentoshan 10 Year Old – Review
THE CASKS 