Ventura Orangecello
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are so pure and forward offering bright scents of candied, sliced blood orange with accents of mandarin orange and red grapefruit. The palate is in full agreement with the nose, rich and concentrated orange flavors that focus on the juice and pulp with a vibrant dose of zest that add an edge and keep it fresh. It's a big mouthful of orange with waves of sweet juice and zesty peel. $28 – 4.5 Stars
Gonzalez Byass Lepanto Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are quite complex while subtle with scents of toffee, Marcona almonds, orange peel, Sherry, earth, vanilla, and sultanas. The palate echoes the nose delivering a generous, unctuous caramel and fruit core with layers of nutmeg, nut, citrus, brown butter, and hints of clove. It's a medium-bodied Brandy with complex layers of fruit, caramel, spice, and wood with perfect balance. $55.99 – 4.5 Stars
Gonzalez Byass Soberano Spanish Brandy
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with beautiful Christmas cake fruits with rich brown baking spices, caramel, wood, and candied walnuts. The palate is in full agreeement with the nose delivering lush but vibrant fruit core with waves of spice, oak, honey, and toffee with hints of vanilla and black pepper. Medium-bodied with great depth and complex spice notes while featuring rich and ripe fruit flavors. $24.99 – 4 Stars
Papa's Pilar Blonde Rum
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is rich and exotic with scents of butter toffee, marzipan, vanilla, lemon drops, ripe tropical fruit, and subtle spice notes. The palate echoes the nose delivering a silky, buttery texture with ripe fruit, citrus zest, nutmeg, cinnamon, and hints of clove. Medium-bodied with a lush and generous mouthfeel giving layers of fruit and spice with a bright dose of acidity to keep it balanced. $29.99 – 4 Stars
Papa's Pilar Dark Rum
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with scents of charred oak, vanilla, generous brown baking spices, earth, concentrated fruit, mocha, hints of black pepper, treacle, and Bourbon. The palate absolutely confirms the nose as it offers a viscous fruit and caramel core with loads of spice, oak, and Sherry. Full-bodied and quite intense with dense barrel notes, molasses, and baking spice notes lingering for minutes. $39.99 – 4 Stars
Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition Blended Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is quite alluring with sweet malted barley and grains drenched in ripe fruits with baked apples, buckwheat honey, roasted walnuts, toffee, vanilla, and clove. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush fruit core with silky baked fruits layered with caramel and loads of brown baking spices with black pepper and oak notes emerging on the finish. (It really needs a splash of water to come alive.) Despite its obvious strength (100 proof) it is really quite approachable and delicate while being incredibly generous with fruit, caramel, toffee, and spice notes. $29.99 – 4.5 Stars
Old Forester Birthday 2015 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. This is a very aromatic Bourbon offering a complex set of aromatics featuring generous oak notes, sweet vanilla, dried orchard fruits, cigar box, orange peel, toasted walnuts, dried herbs, and brown baking spices. The palate echoes the nose delivering more pepper upfront than the nose suggests while quickly developing a lush and spicy fruit and caramel core with loads of baking spices building on the finish. This is a full-throttle Bourbon that marries intensity with complexity. $79.99 – 5 Stars
Michter's Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully layered with pepper and brown spices mingling perfectly with brown butter, caramel, and butterscotch supported by rich, sweet toasted grain, and vanilla. The palate echoes the nose with black pepper and cloves in the lead quickly followed by a melange of brown baking spices, butter toffee, roasted cashews, baked apples and pears, and cinnamon stick with hints of burnt sugar and oak. This is an intense Bourbon while perfectly balanced with a raw, rustic charm that begs for sip after sip. $48 – 5 Stars
Pendleton Midnight Canadian Blended Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully fruity and floral with a backdrop of toasted grains supported by saddle leather, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, clove, and toasted oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich fruit and spice driven core that is reminiscent of premium aged Rum. It's an amazing, seamless blend of fruit and grain. It's full-bodied without being brooding or heavy offering more elegance than weight with ideal balance. $34.95 – 4 Stars
Johnnie Walker Rye Cask Finish 10 Years Old Blended Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are rich with sweet grain, malt, caramel, toffee, and loads of brown baking spices with accents of candied ginger, vanilla bean, and peppery rye notes. The palate mirrors the nose delivering a lush malt and grain core with baking spice and black pepper notes rising on the finish. The rye notes are evident but a companion to the grain core rather than a dominating force. Ideally balanced with long, lingering flavors and a fresh dose of acidity. $45 – 5 Stars
