Reviews

If you read my write-up on Glenmorangie The Original, perhaps you were inspired to take that first step into the land of malt. If so, congratulations—you've crossed the bridge! Now that you're safely on the other side, hopefully with the realization that all Scotch doesn't have to be smoky, peaty, or intimidating, it's time to take the next step. The question now is: where do you go from here? Well, I'm glad you asked. Because the Lasanta 15 year just might be the answer. Whe

For bourbon drinkers, the leap into single malt Scotch may seem like a big one. With that big, bad, and scary word—peat—standing between them and the category, whether for good reason or simply because of preconceived notions (hint: a lot of Scotch is unpeated!), many bourbon drinkers never give Scotch a fair shot. But for those who are malt-curious, the question then is this: where to begin? There isn't really a right way to bridge this gap, but there are perhaps wrong turns

“Write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can. I’m not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.” –Neil Gaiman What were you up to in 2003? You might have found yourself curating the perfect iTunes mix, furiously tapping away at a flip phone, drafting a T9 text to your friend, or enwrapped in an argument over if Clay Aiken should have won American Idol over Ruben Studdard. Regardless of what you were doing, the fi

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic." –Albus Dumbledore Cedar Ridge Distillery has just released its oldest expression to date, and it just might be the most magical pour in Iowa. The name behind this old straight rye whiskey intrigued us, so we sought out the answer, just beyond Platform 9¾. The number didn't come from just anywhere, though; it's the age of the whiskey within! While the TTB prefers to work only with integers, whisk

Barrell Bourbon Batch 038 arrives at a fitting moment in American whiskey. As the nation marks its 250th year, Barrell celebrates the occasion by honoring bourbon's legacy and embracing the evolution of American whiskey. Today's bourbon certainly extends well beyond its point of distillation, with thoughtful blending emerging as a respected and defining expression of American whiskey. Batch 038 captures the spirit of modern bourbon, distilled across four states, masterfully b

These QuintEssential American Single Malt special releases from Cedar Ridge Distillery are exactly that: special. With a distinct spotlight on Cedar Ridge’s winemaking foundation alongside Iowa distilled malt and a noteworthy age on these blends for the ASM category, Quint and the team at Cedar Ridge have truly tapped into something special here. Following the award for Best American Single Malt at the World Whiskey Awards for the 1st anniversary of Pete & Sherri, the 2nd ann