Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose reveals vibrant ginger aromas married with brown sugar with hints of citrus. Its aromatics profile is a dead-ringer for my homemade ginger syrup. The palate is in full accord with the nose with a rich, silky entry that soon gives way to flavors of freshly grated ginger. The finish builds in peppery intensity and lingers on for minutes. The Barrow's Intense is truly intense with a fresh and assertive ginger note that delivers the flavors and power that ginger lovers desire. $31 – 4 Stars
The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose offers a very pretty marriage of apples and pears, grain, and brown baking spices with accents of oak, tropical fruits, honey, and citrus. The palate echoes the nose offering a balance of sweet malt and baked fruit supported by a generous does of spice and oak finishing with a sharp black pepper note. Rich and bold with a fresh dose of acidity and loads of spices. This is not a beginners' dram. $34.99 – 4 Stars
Greenore 8 Years Old Single Grain Irish Whiskey
Brilliant, golden color. The nose offers sweet grain and grass notes with accents of lemon peel, vanilla, and honey, and a touch of smoke. The palate echoes the nose delivering a sweet grain core with touches of baked apple and pear not immediately evident in the nose. It finishes with a sweet citrus zest note with a kick of toasted oak. This is a wonderfully rich and decadent Whiskey with fresh citrus and spice notes and a nice dose of acidity. $49.99 – 4 Stars
Partida Blanco, 100% Agave Tequila
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose is amazingly complex offering rustic notes of baked agave with loads of salty aromatics ranging from green olives to pickles and capers with hints of earth and pineapple skins. The palate delivers a silky entry with dry tropical fruit on the mid-palate with loads of black and white pepper, lime zest, and sea salt. The second sip is far more rich and elegant with flanking notes of spice, honey, and dried herbs. This blanco is wonderfully intense while vibrant and refreshing as well. It walks the line between delicate and rustic in the best possible way. $45 – 5 Stars
West Cork Original Blended Irish Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is quite refreshing and complex with scents of toasted grain mingling with honey, heather, tangerine zest, caramel, and baked apples. The palate echoes the nose offering a dense and chewy grain and malt core with loads of support with rich honey and caramel notes foiled by a generous dose of acidity and fine wood tannins. Moderately intense on entry the round and mildly viscous core elongates the palate leading to a spicy, peppery, wood laced finish. $26.99 – 4 Stars
Molinari Caffè Liqueur
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewBrilliant, dark mahogany being nearly opaque. The nose offers the aromas of freshly roasted beans rather than brewed coffee with accents of cocoa bean, anise, nutmeg, and a hint of vanilla. The palate is reflective of the nose delivering a complex mélange of coffee bean notes that opens sweet and becomes increasingly dry offering crushed bean notes on the finish. This coffee based liqueur is bold and assertive but it's also quite vibrant and fresh inviting sip after sip. $25.99 – 4.5 Stars
Molinari Extra Sambuca
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. Pure, fresh anise seeds dominate the aromatics but there are many, subtle underlying notes that emerge such as kaffir lime leaf, fenugreek, and green peppercorns. The palate confirms the nose delivering a pure and potent anise focused blast of flavor with just enough sugar to tame the fiery spice notes. While this great liqueur is slightly over-proof you never feel any of the alcohol heat. It's beautifully intense in the nose and on the palate as it somehow manages to be refreshing and vibrant despite its richness. $25.99 – 5 Stars
St. Elder Natural Elderflower Liqueur
Brilliant, crystal clear. As you would imagine the nose is quite floral with scents of wild spring flowers in the lead supported by ripe green melon, white grapes, mango, kiwi, and star fruit with a dose of tangerine zest. The palate is in full accord with the nose offering up waves of white peach with loads of floral and tropical fruit notes flanked by a crisp dose of acidity and subtle citrus zest note. Rich but very vibrant with fresh acidity framing the bright, fruit-driven core. Ideally balanced with a bright, almost airy finish. $19.99 – 4.5 Stars
Haig Club Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Brilliant, crystal CLEAR. The aromas are simply beautiful with scents of butterscotch, fresh and baked apples, Calvados, pine needles, black pepper, shaved oak, and tropical fruits including raw coconut. The palate fully confirms the nose while being a bit more firm with a grip of cold, green tea tannins and a further pronounced black pepper note that flanks the lush fruit core. This is definitely a lighter styled whisky but it's far from faint. It's wonderfully complex with a great balance and a good bit of length. $70 – 3.5 Stars
Seraphin VSOP Cognac
Bright, copper color. The nose is wonderfully fruity veering toward Calvados (apples) with its aromatic signature accented by notes of clove, allspice, and oak. The palate is soft on entry with a peppery back and palate finish. Medium-bodied while being decidedly sweet and slightly viscous. $57 – 3 Stars
