Booker's 2021-02 — Tagalong Batch 6 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear with a deep mahogany color. The aromatics are wonderfully hedonistic and complex, offering scents of sweet vanilla fudge, rich caramel, and brown baking spices supported by baked apples, charred oak, and brown sugar. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and silky dense caramel and oak-driven core with generous baked fruit and assertive brown spice notes that rise on the finish. Full-bodied and so incredibly silky and lush while also showing balance and restraint. Aged six years and five months — bottled uncut and unfiltered. $89.99 – 5 Stars
George Dickel Bottled in Bond 13 Years Old 2007 Tennessee Whisky
Brilliant, deep bronze/amber color. The nose is very seductive and generous offering scents of red currants and red cherries with supporting accents of oak, clove, allspice, almond butter, and caramel. The palate echoes the nose delivering fruit-forward flavors of red berries with loads of brown baking spices, nut brittle, oak, and ginger. Full-bodied with great balance and a bright note of acidity with defining spice accents. Distilled in the spring of 2007. $44.99 – 5 Stars
Booker's Pigskin Batch 6 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear with a light mahogany color. The nose reveals a wonderfully decadent caramel and fudge core with vanilla wafers, brown baking spices, and toasted oak. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a luscious, silky caramel-driven core with spicy oak and pepper accents that become spicier on the finish. Full-bodied, incredibly silky and generous while displaying great balance and a powerful delicacy. $89.99 – 5 Stars
Hamilton Pimento Dram Liqueur
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekHazy, golden straw color. The nose is extremely generous offering scents of freshly crushed pimento (known to most in the USA as allspice) berries with its exotic aromas triggering a wide range of memories from jerk chicken to Christmas cakes. The palate echoes the nose delivering beautiful allspice (pimento) flavors that range from fruity sweet to savory pepper with accents of clove, ginger, and nutmeg. Medium-bodied with perfect balance as the sugar is here to soften and expand the bold allspice (pimento) flavors. A must for any Tiki enthusiast or anyone looking to add something distinctive to their bar and pantry. $29.95 – 5 Stars
6 O’Clock Brunel Gin
Brilliant, crystal clear. The juniper leaps from the glass causing lovers of juniper-forward Gins to applaud. Behind the juniper is an exotic spice market redolent of whole spice curry blends with cumin, cardamon, and pepper showing prominence. The palate fully supports the nose while becoming even more expressive thanks to the overproof spirit. It's remarkably fruity with citrus in the lead being both semisweet and wonderfully tart with lovely earth, pepper, and citrus zest notes rising on the finish. Full-bodied with a silky and semisweet core spiked with complex botanicals while being perfectly balanced with a bright dose of citrus-driven acidity. $55 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin Vintage 1990 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant amber color. The nose is wonderfully complex offering beautiful scents of orange peel, baked orchard fruits, sweet dates, honey, brown baking spices, and hints of a sweet turf fire. The palate echoes the nose delivering the promise of the nose in three dimensions with ripe, sweet peach and apple in the lead supported by notes of five spice, candied ginger, cardamon, and oak. The flavors linger on the palate for minutes. Lush and rich with perfect balance displaying impeccable grace with power. We reviewed Christian Drouin's 1990 vintage a decade ago and loved it. It has only risen in stature since 2010. $180 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin Vintage 1970 Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Deep, brilliant copper/amber color. The nose deftly marries the scents of rich, baked apple and sweet caramel contrasted by vibrant cider notes with accents of cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, red currant, and clove. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich and decadent apple-driven core with waves of brown baking spices, toffee, red fruits, and rich vanilla cream. Ideally balanced with great length and weight. We tasted this great Calvados 10 years younger and it was great and continues to be a great Vintage Calvados. $499 – 5 Stars
Christian Drouin XO Calvados, Pays d’Auge
Brilliant golden to copper color. The aromatics are amazingly fresh and vibrant with scents of fresh-pressed apple and cider, roasted apples, baked stone fruits, toasted almonds, brown baking spices, and a splash of vanilla. The palate is equally youthful and mature delivering layers of ripe fruit, spice, mineral, a fine salinity, and trailing floral notes, with cinnamon heat, vanilla bean, and oak on the finish. Medium to full-bodied with a vibrant texture offering layers of ripe fruit and generous portions of spice, vanilla, and oak. $95 – 5 Stars
Somrus Coffee Cream Liqueur
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekViscous and creamy with a mocha color. The nose is filled with the aromas of a boutique cafe with scents of freshly roasted coffee supported by notes of mocha and milk chocolate with hints of chicory. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a lush and silky cream and coffee-driven core with waves of chocolate, spice, and sweet Rum rising on the finish. This is a rich and mouth-filling liqueur with a surprising vibrancy that keeps it from becoming heavy or cloying. $24.99 – 5 Stars
Basil Hayden's 10 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant gold/amber color. The nose is very intense with scents of charred oak, vanilla bean, caramel, toasted grains, and a lovely dried fruit accent fill the nose. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush caramel and oak-driven core with waves of brown baking spices, toffee, and sweet brown sugar. Full-bodied and so incredibly silky and lush while also offering ideal balance with oak, caramel, fruit, and spice in perfect measure. $69.99 – 5 Stars
