Christian Drouin Vintage 1974 Calvados Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, deep copper/amber color. The aromatics are reminiscent of holiday cheer with sweet apple, baking spices, and decadent caramel in the lead with accents of vanilla and cinnamon. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a layered, apple-focused core with waves of allspice, cinnamon, and butter toffee. Perfectly balanced with an incredibly vibrant rush of acidity that gives a youthful edge to this mature vintage Calvados. $360 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin Tres Pomme Calvados Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, golden straw color. The aromatics deliver a clever balance of youthful cider with apple spirit giving detail of each part of the fruit from the sweet juice to the rustic skins. The palate echoes the nose delivering a unique spirit that defies categorization as it offers vibrant, raw, sweet fruit with the power of a refined pomace brandy in the best possible way. Ideally balanced with great length and weight. Made in very small batches, aged for three years in old, neutral, large format oak casks. $68.75 – 5 Stars
Sorel Liqueur
Brilliant, opaque, deep ruby color. The nose is redolent of hot drinks served in European Christmas markets featuring scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and bright red fruits derived from hibiscus with hints of ginger, pepper, and a complex herbal mélange. The palate echoes the nose delivering a vibrant yet generous red fruit and cinnamon-driven core with five spice and ginger candies. Medium-bodied and lively while wonderfully intense. $42 – 5 Stars
Uncle Nearest Single Barrel — Batch 061 Tennessee Whiskey
Brilliant, deep amber color. The nose is filled with the scents of caramel, butterscotch, and roasted grains with supporting notes of brown baking spices, treacle, and toasted oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich and creamy caramel-focused core with waves of spice, pepper, leather, and hints of earth. Full-bodied with a complex and dense palate that greatly evolves with water and aeration. $79 – 5 Stars
Uncle Nearest Uncut & Unfiltered – Batch 005 Straight Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, deep golden amber color. The nose is filled with the scents of honey-soaked toasted rye with notes of toffee, dry, brown baking spices, toasted oak, and dried black berries. The palate echoes the nose delivering an ultra complex marriage of caramel, toffee, and spicy rye supported by honey, nutmeg, and brown butter. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a beautiful intensity that ideally integrates sweet with dry coupled with exotic spices. $149 – 5 Stars
Denizen Merchant's Reserve 8 Years Old Rum
Brilliant, medium amber color The aromatics are quite compelling and complex offering scents of rich fruit, caramel, oak, and the unique accent of "ho-go" (a Rum—specific cool funkiness) found in old, pot-still Rums that takes the Denizen Reserve to rare territory. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich and silky caramel and brown spice-driven core with waves of roasted nuts, tropical fruits, oak, and black pepper. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a lush texture that is kept bright and refreshing with ample acidity and spice notes. $29.99 – 5 Stars
Old Pulteney Pineau de Charentes Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, deep bronze color. The aromatics are thoroughly engaging, offering scents of honey and vanilla bean on a malt base with accents of baked apples, candied ginger, orange peel, and cashew butter. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a rich, silky fruit and honey-driven core with flanking notes of toffee, brown baking spices, and caramel with hints of black pepper and sea salt on the finish. Full-bodied with generous notes of honey-touched fruit, nuts, malt and spice — ideally balanced with a long, lingering finish. $79.99 – 5 Stars
Booker's 2023-02 — Apprentice Batch 7 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear with a deep mahogany color. The nose is incredibly complex and generous offering scents of vanilla fudge, roasted nuts, caramel, baked orchard fruits, and loads of baking spice. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a rich and silky caramel-driven core with lovely proportions of fruit, toffee, brown butter, allspice, nutmeg, and oak. Full-bodied, incredibly silky and generous while displaying great balance and a powerful delicacy. Aged seven years and one month — bottled uncut and unfiltered. $89.99 – 5 Stars
Tulchan Gin
Brilliant, faint steely hue and crystal clear. The aromatics are simply alluring with waves of juniper supported by dried berries, wild flowers, angelica, and anise. The palate echoes the nose delivering a silky core spirit accented by assertive spice notes including pepper with citrus zest and complex earthy edges. Full-bodied and ideally balanced with a bright dose of citrus and acid that finishes with a ginger/pepper note that lingers for minutes. $40 – 5 Stars
Don Q Double Aged Cognac Cask Finish Rum
Brilliant, copper to amber color. The nose is absolutely gorgeous and complex, offering scents of deep caramel, baked apples, molasses, vanilla, and an unmistakable dose of Cognac cask with its rich brown baking spices. The palate is in agreement with the nose delivering lush caramel and fruit with silky brown butter and baking spices foiled by accents of ginger, oak, and hints of black pepper. Full-bodied with perfect balance as the spice notes and abundant acidity rival the decadent flavors. This complex Rum is made from a blend of the classic Don Q Rums aged five to eight years in American oak followed by two years in French Cognac casks. $79.99 – 5 Stars
