Clase Azul Plata, 100% Agave Tequila
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is incredibly rich and sweet with scents of ultra-ripe tropical and orchard fruits. The nose is equally sweet and viscous with loads of agave honey, baked peach, and pineapple with accents of lime zest, sea salt, and hints of ginger. It finishes with a viscosity that coats the mouth and throat for minutes with lingering fruit and pepper notes. $79.99 – 3 Stars
Clase Azul Reposado, 100% Agave Tequila
Brilliant golden color being darker than many reposado Tequilas. The aromatics are rich with ripe, and sweet baked agave scents in the lead supported by notes of baked apple, cinnamon, allspice, sweet pickling spices, caramel, and hints of candied ginger. The palate confirms the nose with waves of rich, silky baked fruit flanked by accents of caramel, clove, black pepper, and citrus. A massively proportioned Tequila with layers of fruit and spice. $89.99 – 4 Stars
Tap 357 Maple Rye Whisky Canadian Blended Whisky
Brilliant pale bronze color. The aromatics are rich and seductive with layers of sweet maple, vanilla fudge, caramel, and honey on a bed of spicy rye. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering waves of sweet maple and brown sugar with peppery rye notes offering balance and length. Wonderfully spicy and ideally balanced with a silky, viscous core. Try with a few cubes of ice or marry with ginger, lime, or Fino Sherry to create your own unique cocktail. $29.99 – 4 Stars
Merlet Crème de Cassis
Deep, darkest ruby/garnet color with evident viscosity. The fruit purity in the aromatics is astounding with incredible concentration offering both ultra-ripe and bittersweet notes and hints of sour cherry. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush, velvet like texture of perfectly balanced black fruit concentrate with tart berry notes as the foil. Heavenly. $24.99 – 5 Stars
Merlet Crème de Mure
Deep garnet color with ripples of viscous liqueur on the glass. The nose explodes with the scents of a dense berry patch in the summer’s heat with hints of sweet cherries, wild mint and mineral. The palate is incredibly vibrant with waves of blackberry seeming nearly light, which is an amazing feat for the style. Bright, refreshing acidity runs throughout creating perfect balance and length. Superb. $24.99 – 5 Stars
Merlet Crème de Fraise
Bright garnet to burgundy with hints of orange. Rich and concentrated strawberry scents are supported by blood orange, citrus, and sweet wild flowers. The palate delivers on the promise of the nose delivering a complex fruit attack that strikes the perfect balance of tart and sweet with an ever evolving fruit core that lingers on for minutes. The descriptors could go on and on but ultimately it will never do justice to this masterpiece. $24.99 – 5 Stars
Merlet Crème de Poire
Brilliant pale straw color with evident sugars on the glass when swirled. The nose is fresh with the scents of ripe and tart pear with a serious dose of pear skin. The palate opens with a wave of delicate, sweet pear juice that soon gives way to a pear pulp concentrate and supporting citrus accents that lift the flavors to a new dimension. Perfectly balanced with long lingering bittersweet pear candy dissolving on the tongue. $24.99 – 5 Stars
Merlet Crème de Framboise
Deep ruby red with a thick coating of clear sugar on the glass. The nose is filled with the scents of raspberry concentrate as well as freshly picked berries with subtle underlying citrus note. The palate is a delicious struggle of sweet and tart berries with no clear winner beckoning you back for sip after sip in hopes of solving the puzzle. Ideally balanced and perfect in every way being nearly too good to believe. Brilliant. $24.99 – 5 Stars
Lunazul Blanco, 100% Agave Tequila
See the Full BevX Featured Review - Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose is fruity exhibiting tropical and apple notes with a healthy dose of salt and citrus, which is to say – it has the aromatics of fresh agave. The palate is semi-viscous and refreshing with ripe fruit tones giving way to crisp citrus notes mingling with agave and ripe peach. Wonderfully balanced with clean flavors and a long, lingering, spicy finish. $19.99 – 4.5 Stars
Blade and Bow Limited Release 22 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully rich and complex offering waves of decadent caramel, roasted nuts and toffee, dried fruits, brown baking spices, vanilla, and loads of charred oak. The palate confirms the nose delivering a lush caramel and fruit focused core with a wave of dry, peppery spice quickly leading to a long finish featuring brown butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This is a big and bold Bourbon showing its 22 years in oak on both the nose and the palate (while not as much to the eye) with flavors that build as sipped. $149.99 – 4 Stars