Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics jump out at you offering waves of smoke and peat delivered on a dense bed of sweet, honey-soaked malt with accents of spring flowers, heather, and a hint of citrus zest. The palate echoes the nose being rich with flavors of baked apples, malt, and honey accented by dry oak and grass notes. Wonderfully balanced and complex offering new wrinkles with each sip. This is a bold and hedonistic Whiskey with perfectly integrated peat and smoke notes that marry with the Whiskey rather than trample upon it. $44.99 – 5 Stars
Francescano Natura Assisi Pistachio Cream Liqueur
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is hedonistic with the scents of freshly ground pistachio being less sweet than one would expect with accents of richly toasted pistachio. The palate fully concurs with the nose delivering dense layers of pistachio with a roasted nut edge and subtle hints of vanilla. It's less sweet than expected (a good thing) being laser focused on purity. Medium-bodied with incredible viscosity coating every corner of your mouth while still being incredibly balanced and nuanced. $21.99 – 5 Stars
Francescano Natura Assisi Lemon Cream Liqueur
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully fresh and vibrant with the scents of lemon zest and sweet lemon juice being redolent of Limoncello and lemon drop candies. The palate confirms the nose delivering a rich, creamy core with bright lemon pulp and zest sharing an equal stage with a creamy custard. Medium-bodied with incredible viscosity coating every corner of your mouth while maintaining perfect balance. $21.99 – 5 Stars
Teeling Small Batch Blended Irish Whiskey
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully seductive with sweet Irish malt in the forefront, supporting notes of exotic brown baking spices, vanilla, toasted oak, and beautiful Caribbean Rum accents. The palate echoes the nose delivering a complex mélange of grain and spice notes offered on a silky palate. Medium-bodied with perfect balance due to bright acidity and dry, oak cask notes. $34.99 – 5 Stars
Poli Distillerie Uva Viva Italiana di Poli Grape Brandy
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is incredibly floral offering scents of cherry blossom, ripe pear, peach, mineral, apricot, and hints of raw apple. The palate is in full agreement with the nose while the flavors are more generous than the aromatics delivering waves of pure stone fruits with apple and pear as well. The vibrant flavors linger on for minutes on the finish. Medium-bodied with a rich but vibrant fruit-driven core offering perfect balance with a generous dose of bright acidity. $70 – 5 Stars
Poli Distillerie Jacopo Poli Moscato Grape Brandy
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with the scents of exotic tropical flowers, fresh savory herbs, orange blossom, white peach, and citrus zest with a hint of mineral. The palate echoes the nose delivering a vibrant fruit-driven core that captures the essence of a dense floral bouquet with generous citrus zest and soft mineral notes. Medium to full-bodied with a rich but vibrant Moscato-driven core offering perfect balance with a generous dose of bright acidity. $86 – 5 Stars
Poli Distillerie PO' di Poli Aromatica Grappa
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose surely lives up to its name offering up fresh scents of lavender, rose water, wild flowers, pink peppercorns, pine cone, and earthy notes redolent of turmeric. The palate is in full agreement with the nose while being remarkably delicate and mildly viscous with a rich floral core and flanking notes of pepper, ginger, and rose water rising on the finish. Medium-bodied with a rich, semi-viscous core that remains very vibrant offering perfect balance with a generous dose of bright acidity. $70 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin XO Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are amazingly fresh and vibrant with scents of fresh apple juice, candied apples, baked stone fruits, toasted almonds, brown baking spices, and a splash of vanilla. The palate is equally youthful delivering layers of fruit, spice, mineral, and a fine salinity and trailing floral notes, with cinnamon heat, vanilla bean, and oak on the finish. Medium to full-bodied with layers of ripe fruit and generous portions of spice, vanilla, and oak. $124.99 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin Vintage 1986 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully floral with wild honey, red cherry, candied ginger, and loads of baked apples, marzipan, and oak. The palate is in full accord delivering a rich apple core with cherry accents as the wood is a companion here, never trampling the complex flavors. Medium-bodied and amazingly delicate with ideal balance and long, lingering flavors. $217.99 – 5 Stars
E&J XO Extra Smooth American Brandy
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are so complex and inviting offering scents of roasted nuts, old leather, dense fruitcake, caramel, baked apple, vanilla bean, and sweet oak. The palate echoes the aromatics in every respect delivering a rich and impossibly silky fruit-driven core with supporting spice, toffee, caramel, and oak notes that mingle and evolve with each sip. Medium to full-bodied with perfect balance and proportions as each generous sip begs for the next. $15.99 – 5 Stars
