Glendronach 18. I recently got back from a whirlwind trip through the Scottish highlands and had the opportunity to visit one of my favorite distilleries – Glendronach! Glendronach whiskies are known for being “sherry bombs” – whiskies that have prominent flavor influence from aging in sherry casks. Scotch whiskies are…
Kamiki Japanese whisky. As Japanese whisky continues to enjoy its popularity amongst whisky aficionados, we’re seeing a host of new interesting items on the market! This exciting new whisky is uniquely finished in Japanese cedar casks, proclaimed to be the first of its kind. With the soaring interest in Japanese…
Glenmorangie Nectar D’Òr Scotch Whisky. Ok guys, this bottle holds a special place in my heart as this was the VERY first bottle of Scotch single malt whisky I owned. Scotch whisky was one of the last major categories of liquor I developed a taste for, so with that noted,…
Powers Three Swallow Irish Whiskey. I hear Irish whiskey is one of the fastest growing spirit categories these days. It’s a modern revival, as throughout much of history up until the early 20th century (when its drastic decline began), Irish was actually the leading whiskey style worldwide. The Three Swallow…
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon. Ok guys, this is one of my absolute favorite bourbons in my collection, and I know I’m not alone with this opinion. It’s priced in the mid-high range (about $50-60) and to me is worth every cent. If I could only own one bourbon…
Ardbeg 10 year scotch. Ah, peated Islay scotch. Ardbeg is known for being one of the most smokiest whiskies and I have to say, this bottle of the 10 year really grew on me over time. While the smoke factor is undeniable, the whisky is very light, both in color…
The Glenrothes 12 year single malt scotch. Honey, vanilla, dried fruit, with a whiff of full floral-ness. I enjoyed this so much the other night I literally couldn’t stop refilling my glass. A delicious, SUPER easy-to-drink sipper that even at the standard 40%, tastes richer than you’d think. This is part…
Ming River Baijiu. Well, it’s World Baijiu Day! Baijiu has been an integral part of Chinese culture for generations. It’s the top selling spirit by volume in the world, but its primary consumption and sales solely target the Chinese market and as such, is one of the most challenging spirits…
Baijiu, part 2. This is the follow up to my previous Baijiu post about the unique Chinese spirit that’s actually the most consumed spirit in the world. Highly recommend checking out that post first if you’re new to baijiu. Baijiu can be *extremely* funky, and what contributes to its flavor…
Mellow Corn Kentucky Straight Corn Whiskey. At under $13 with that super old-school label, this bottle is quite the eye-catcher. I was a bit scared and definitely skeptical when I first saw it, but after hearing some great things, figured I had nothing to lose (well, $13) and picked some…
Highland Park Magnus Whisky. My intro to Highland Park was actually an event celebrating the launch of this single malt entry-level whisky, where they brought along an actual Viking Ship and proudly celebrated their Orkney Viking heritage. The whisky is lightly smoky from local Orcadian peat (which adds a different…
Baijiu, part 1. Bai jiu is Chinese for “white alcohol” and was the first alcohol I ever tasted (a chopstick dipped in it as a celebratory gesture when I was a toddler). The taste haunted me for decades, until last week, when I spent some time in Beijing and rediscovered…
Two James Johnny Smoking Gun Whiskey. So, Two James from Detroit produces one of my absolute FAVORITE desert-island-worthy rums (Doctor Bird), so I was super excited to pick up another one of their products. This is essentially a flavored whiskey, created as a fun and casual table whiskey specifically to…
Standard Wormwood Rye Whiskey. Wormwood rye, what? I was fascinated when I got some of this extremely unique spirit to try out. It’s a New York-made whiskey from local rye and corn that’s aged in charred oak barrels, with the unique twist of having wormwood added during the distillation process.…
Lagavulin 16. This was my first bottle of a “peated” scotch. Scotch was really one of the last styles of whisk(e)y for me to get acquainted with, and even now I’m still finding my way around it. Even after “getting into” cocktails for a while, I didn’t know what peat…
Eagle Rare Bourbon. This is one of my most often recommended bottles of bourbon whenever people ask for suggestions. It was recommended to me years back when I was just getting started with bourbon, and what a workhorse this has been for my home bar! It’s a fantastic ~10 year…
Rowan’s Creek Straight Kentucky Bourbon. Outside of rum, bourbon is probably my next favorite spirit. That said, there’s quite a size discrepancy between my rum and bourbon collections, but this is a great bourbon I enjoy. At a healthy 100.1 proof (50.05% ABV), this bottle packs a good punch. This…
The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch. This was the first bottle of any type of scotch I ever purchased. I’ve since repurchased and will continue to do so until I discover something else that’s better bang for the buck. I’m not really one to sip on scotch neat or on the…
Rittenhouse Rye 100. This one is generally regarded as one the best affordable rye whiskies on the market, and so perfect for mixing, so go run out and grab a bottle! I first picked up a bottle when I was new to rye on the recommendation of pretty much every…
Jameson Irish Whiskey. This is the bottle that needs no introduction – everyone knows Jameson. Maybe you’ve had great experiences with it and maybe you’ve had the worst, but it’s indisputable they’ve built quite the name and following for themselves as one of the largest and most popular whiskey producers…
Old Potrero 18th Century Style Spirit. Whiskey is a spirit that has doubtlessly been a significant symbol in American history, and if you were ever interested in the libations consumed by the American forefathers, pick up a bottle of this offering by Hotaling and Co! This spirit was created as…
Good ol’ Bulleit Bourbon. If you like bourbon in any form or fashion, chances are you’ve tried Bulleit at some point. It’s truly a classic and standard in mainstream bourbon and for good reason! It’s delicious, affordable, easy to find, and comes in an attractive recognizable oval bottle! It’s my…
Suntory Hibiki Japanese Harmony. This is a delicious whisky, and one of very few bottles (of anything!) that we’ve really gone through and repurchased (it’s hard to go thru bottles when you have a pretty sizable collection!). It’s sweet with honey notes and a juicy floralness. Japanese whisky is closest…
Noah’s Mill Small Batch Bourbon. Before my whole (recent) rum obsession, bourbon was my go-to. It took me a few years into my alcohol journey to really became acquainted with whiskey (once I finally ventured beyond Jack/Jameson/Crown), but then the classic American bourbon stole my heart. The first time I tried…