Booker's 2021-02 — Tagalong Batch 6 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear with a deep mahogany color. The aromatics are wonderfully hedonistic and complex, offering scents of sweet vanilla fudge, rich caramel, and brown baking spices supported by baked apples, charred oak, and brown sugar. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and silky dense caramel and oak-driven core with generous baked fruit and assertive brown spice notes that rise on the finish. Full-bodied and so incredibly silky and lush while also showing balance and restraint. Aged six years and five months — bottled uncut and unfiltered. $89.99 – 5 Stars
St. Elder Natural Elderflower Liqueur
Brilliant, crystal clear. As you would imagine the nose is quite floral with scents of wild spring flowers in the lead supported by ripe green melon, white grapes, mango, kiwi, and star fruit with a dose of tangerine zest. The palate is in full accord with the nose offering up waves of white peach with loads of floral and tropical fruit notes flanked by a crisp dose of acidity and subtle citrus zest note. Rich but very vibrant with fresh acidity framing the bright, fruit-driven core. Nicely balanced with a bright, almost airy finish. $19.99 – 4 Stars
Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye Whiskey
Deep copper color. The nose is filled with the classic scents of an American Rye as it offers complex spice notes with sweet, honey-soaked grains, and hints of brown baking spices and oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a complex caramel and spice-driven core with accents of mandarin orange, caramel, allspice, and cinnamon. Full-bodied with great length and ideal balance and bright acidity. Made with 95% Rye with 5% malted barley. $45 – 4.5 Stars
Redwood Empire Lost Monarch American Whiskey
Deep copper/amber color. The nose is quite assertive with scents of black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon with hints of caramel, sawdust, citrus, and oak. The palate agrees with the nose delivering a peppery entry followed by sweet brown spices, caramel, vanilla, and oak. Full-bodied with a take-no-prisoner approach flashing firm, charred oak notes with spicy and assertive alcohol notes. Made with a blend of aged Bourbon (40%) and Rye ((60%). $45 – 3.5 Stars
Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon Whiskey
Deep copper color. The aromatics are lush and luxurious filling the nose with scents of vanilla, caramel, honey, and candied nuts with hints of baked apple, maple candy, and nutmeg. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a rich and silky honey and brown spice-focused core with flanking notes of black pepper, charred oak, and hints of cinnamon. Full-bodied with a lush, sweet core punctuated by spice and oak. Made with a blend of corn-dominated Bourbon aged four to twelve years. $45 – 4.5 Stars
Greenbar Grand Poppy Amaro
Brilliant, copper/orange color. The nose leaps from the glass with fresh scents of wild flowers, herbs, bitter fruit, and citrus zest with hints of earth and pepper. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a semisweet herbal blast with generous flavors of grapefruit, dried flowers, and forest floor. Medium-bodied with great complexity, length, and balance. $27.99 – 4 Stars
Greenbar Fruitlab Jasmine Liqueur
Brilliant, ruby with hints of burnt orange. The nose is unmistakably jasmine with supporting notes of tea, citrus, and wild flowers (both fresh and dried). The palate echoes the nose delivering a sweet black tea-forward core with flanking notes of flowers, herbs, and candied lemon zest. Medium-bodied and sweet with subtle and delicate flavors that linger for minutes. $32.99 – 4 Stars
George Dickel Bottled in Bond 13 Years Old 2007 Tennessee Whisky
Brilliant, deep bronze/amber color. The nose is very seductive and generous offering scents of red currants and red cherries with supporting accents of oak, clove, allspice, almond butter, and caramel. The palate echoes the nose delivering fruit-forward flavors of red berries with loads of brown baking spices, nut brittle, oak, and ginger. Full-bodied with great balance and a bright note of acidity with defining spice accents. Distilled in the spring of 2007. $44.99 – 5 Stars
Black Button Empire Straight Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, deep copper/bronze color. The nose is filled with the scents of charred oak supported by roasted nuts, baked orchard fruits, and a generous dose of black pepper. The palate echoes the nose delivering an assertive oak-driven core tamed somewhat by ripe fruit, caramel, and brown baking spices. Full-bodied with a dominate wood presence. $74.99 – 3.5 Stars
Laird's 10th Generation Bottled in Bond 5 Years Old Apple Brandy
Brilliant amber color. The aromatics are very generous featuring both baked apple and sweet, ripe apple juice with accents of toffee, caramel, kirsch, brown baking spice, vanilla bean, and charred oak barrels. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush, apple-driven core with generous notes of caramel, roasted nuts, allspice, ginger biscuits, black pepper, and subtle campfire accents. Full-bodied with rich, sweet fruit supported by loads of spice and bright acidity giving perfect balance. A beautiful bottled-in-bond apple Brandy from Laird's. $41.99 – 4.5 Stars
