Christian Drouin Vintage 1964 Calvados Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, deep amber color. The nose is filled with the scents of baked apples, tart cider, roasted nuts, brown baking spices, and oak with hints of fresh baked rye bread. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich and decadent baked apple-driven core with supporting notes of bitter apple, nutmeg, and dark caramel. Ideally balanced with great length and complexity as the trailing notes become surprisingly vibrant with apple skin tannins. $456 – 5 Stars
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 Vintage 1994 Calvados Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, amber color. The nose is filled with the scents of baked apples that are nearly equaled by red fruit with accents of caramel toasted nuts, cocoa nibs, and nutmeg. The palate echoes the nose delivering an incredibly juicy, sweet apple-driven core with waves of French apple cake, butter toffee, and hints of red cherry. Wonderfully balanced with a silky texture that seamlessly marries the complex flavors. $262 – 4.5 Stars
Christian Drouin Vintage — Foursquare Finish 2004 Calvados Pays d’Auge
Brilliant, deep golden/copper color. The nose is filled with the scents of baked apple with a generous dose of caramel, toffee, and brown baking spices with a lovely honey accent. The palate echoes the nose delivering a caramel and baked apple core with notes of dried pear, nutmeg, candied ginger, and hints of clove. Full-bodied with perfect balance as the spice notes and abundant acidity are the ideal foil to the rich, decadent fruit. $144 – 4.5 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
Benriach Malting Season — Third Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, pale straw color. The nose is intriguing with scents of toasted pale malt and hay filling the nose with accents of brown baking spices, citrus zest, and hints of oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a sweet, malt-focused core with waves of dried red fruits, toasted cocoa nibs, black pepper, and citrus. Full-bodied and ideally balanced with loads of spice and malt. $165 – 4 Stars
Greenbar Orange Liqueur
Brilliant, pale, burnt orange color. The aromatics are pure orange essence with tart orange zest equaled by candied orange peel and a dose of blood orange juice. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a silky, candied orange-focused center with orange sugar and trailing accents of orange zest. Medium-bodied and laser focused on the orange flavors. $24.99 – 4 Stars
Greenbar Ginger Liqueur
Brilliant, medium orange/gold color. The nose is filled with the scents of freshly grated ginger with a bit of honey, spicy ginger beer, and hints of black pepper and lemon zest. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering a wonderfully spicy, fresh ginger core with waves of ginger syrup and lemon. Medium-bodied with ideally balanced with spicy and warm ginger flavors in abundance with just enough sugar to tame the heat. $24.99 – 4.5 Stars
Greenbar Hibiscus Liqueur
Brilliant, deep ruby red color. The nose is filled with the scents of flowering hibiscus with generous supporting notes of fresh cut herbs, jasmine, green tea, and citrus zest. The palate echoes the nose delivering a red berry-focused core with gorgeous sweet and tart accents of hibiscus, tamarind, and citrus. Medium-bodied and perfectly balanced not being too sweet or tart with bright acidity present to keep it refreshing. $24.99 – 4.5 Stars
Bauchant Orange Liqueur
Brilliant, pale orange-tinged straw color. The nose is filled with the scents of burnt orange peel and Cognac with lovely Mandarin orange accents and a touch of honey. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering a complex orange-driven core with expansive Cognac flavors, dry and bitter orange notes, and orange honey. Medium to full-bodied with incredible length and balance and as the sophisticated orange flavors evolve from start to finish. $25.99 – 4.5 Stars
