In 2019 K&L (the California store) released a couple of casks of Armagnac from a small producer named Domaine le Chaou, bottled by an outfit named Fitte et Laterrade (now defunct). The casks were 30 and 31 years old. Not very much was known about them—I’d learned long ago not to trust too much to K&L’s stories. However, Sku went on about them rather a lot and so I talked myself into buying a bottle of each. Five years later I’m finally opening one of them: the slightly older one. Looking about now for information about these casks, I came upon this wonderful bit of detective work, complete with aerial reconnaissance via Google Maps. You can go read the story there of how these casks came to be. One other bit of interesting information is that these two casks were not matured in the usual way for Armagnac. That usual way sees the spirit filled into new oak casks to start but then transferred a few years later into refill casks for the remainder of the maturation. These, however, were apparently left in the original casks for the entire maturation period. This may explain how it is that these casks ended up in the US. By which I mean that their greater oak contact would probably have rendered them more attractive to the American enthusiast market for Armagnac than to the French market. This because the American enthusiast market for Armagnac is largely comprised of bourbon drinkers who have a high tolerance for oak. Continue reading
Category Archives: -Other Drinks
Foursquare 12, Master Series 2 (for Total Wine)
Here’s another saved sample from a bottle split. This is not a whisky but a rum. And it’s a partner to the last rum I reviewed. That one was the third of three store bottlings of Foursquare I reviewed in February, the first of the so-called Master Series releases for Total Wine, the major American booze chain (the other two were bottled for the LCBO in Canada and the Whisky Exchange in the UK). The first Master Series release was a blend of three 12yo rums aged in bourbon and sherry casks. So was the second, but the Total Wine pre-arrival page listed a little more information for this one: it was put together from one rum matured full-term in ex-bourbon barrels, one double matured rum that spent three years in ex-bourbon barrels and nine in ex-oloroso casks, and one that spent 10 years in ex-bourbon barrels and two in ex-oloroso casks. How many total casks there were or what the ratio of cask types was, I do not know. I do know that I liked the first one a lot. My notes below may make it seem like I tasted them alongside, but in fact, they were recorded many months apart—I merely referred to the first set for comparison while writing the second. Anyway, let’s get to it. Continue reading
La Luna, Ensamble
And here’s a third La Luna to close out this week of La Luna mezcals. Unlike, Monday’s and Wednesday’s bottles, this one is not made from a single variety of agave but is a blend or ensamble of three. Two are Tequilana and Manso Sahuayo (the varietals Monday and Wednesday’s mezcals were distilled from) and the third is Cupreata. This bottle, despite having a black label, is different, by the way, from the original “black label” with which La Luna launched, which was 100% Cupreata. I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on some of that to try blending my own ensamble with different proportions of the three constituents. Anyway, let’s see what this one is like.
La Luna, Ensamble (46.12%; blend of Manso Sahuayo, Cupreata and Tequilana; from my own bottle)
Nose: A fairly balanced opening with some lime in the high notes, some vegetal bitterness in the low and a fair bit of sweeter fruit and a bit of smoke in the middle (charred pineapple). On subsequent sniffs it’s quite savoury. A few drops of water and…it doesn’t really change very much. Continue reading
La Luna, Manso Sahuayo
Mezcal week rolls on. You may recall that I am reviewing three mezcals from La Luna this week. On Monday I reviewed Lot 63 of their Tequilana. Today I have for you a review of Lot 23 of their Manso Sahuayo. Unlike Tequilana aka Blue Weber this is not a well-known agave variety or one that is in wide use. As per Mezcal Reviews it is an unclassified variety. I’m not sure if it’s found outside of Michoacán. It grows wild there but the plants used for La Luna’s mezcal are apparently cultivated. I have no idea what the typical yield from this variety is or what the characteristics of mezcal made from it are. It goes without saying that it is completely new to me and I’m curious to see what it’s like.
La Luna, Manso Sahuayo (48.51%, Lot 23; from my own bottle)
Nose: Less “green” and acidic than the Tequilana; quite a bit more earthy from the get-go, with a lot of decomposed leaves and damp earth. As it sits there’s some dill and some pine, and then some fruit begins to peep out (charred pineapple). With more time still, some savoury notes emerge (light ham brine). A touch of water and the lime and savoury notes expand a little. Continue reading
La Luna, Tequilana
It’s been a few weeks of nothing but whisky reviews. Let’s do another week of mezcal. This week’s reviews will all be of releases by La Luna. Based in the mountains of Michoacán, La Luna produces mezcal from a range of agave types and seems to be quite widely available in the US. I base this latter statement on the fact that their mezcals are easy to find in Minnesota, and ours is not a state where a lot of specialty booze is easily spotted on shelves. You can find out more about the company here. The first one I am reviewing this week is Lot 63 of their Tequilana made from Blue Weber agave and bottled at 48.51% (the abv varies by lot number). This is the same agave that is used in the production of tequila. You may have encountered the statement, “all tequila is mezcal but not all mezcal is tequila”; well, this mezcal may effectively be a tequila—though unlike most tequilas this is made in an artisanal manner with the agave cooked in ovens and very long fermentation times and so on. Let’s see what it’s like. Continue reading
Derrumbes, Tamaulipas
And another Derrumbes to end this week of mezcal reviews (see here for the Amaras Cupreata, and here for the Derrumbes San Luis Potosi). This one comes from the state of Tamaulipas in Northeast Mexico. It is not made from a single agave varietal but is an ensamble or blend of spirit made from different varietals. Let’s get right to it,
Derrumbes, Tamaulipas (47%; Lot 10; from my own bottle)
Nose: A little bit of acetone off the top. Green peppers here as well—a mix of bell and serrano—but they’re not as pickled in vinegar as in the previous two. Slightly bitter on the second sip and there’s some vinegar now. No real sign of smoke in this one either. As it sits, lime emerges along with some pepper; some very mild lactic notes as well (buttermilk). Continue reading
Derrumbes, San Luis Potosi
Next up in this week of mezcal reviews is one of two releases I’ll be reviewing from Derrumbes. The company bottles mezcals made by producers from a number of different regions. This is from the state of San Luis Potosi and is made from a wild agave from the region: Salmiana. This agave apparently has a very low yield and the spirit made from it is said to exhibit some unique characteristics. I’m excited to give it a try and also a little bit apprehensive. Oh yes, the agave is cooked in above ground ovens prior to mashing and distillation, which results in non-smoky mezcal. As to whether that’s traditional for the region or this agave or just for this producer, I don’t know. If you know more, please write in below. Okay, let’s get to it.
Derrumbes, San Luis Potosi (44.3%; Lot 68; from my own bottle)
Nose: Comes in with a big bright burst of green chillies and vinegar. Under that are first earthier notes (dried mushrooms) and then a hit of blue cheese (or are those gym socks?). Some naugahyde in there too. The “green” notes become more vegetal with time and dominate. A few drops of water bring the gym socks back up to the top and then the blue cheese expands dramatically. Continue reading
Amaras, Cupreata
Given the wild enthusiasm with which my mezcal reviews are greeted by the tens of people who read them, it’s only right that I offer you some more. So this week will be all-mezcal again. First up, an Amaras with a very attractive price tag—I think I paid less than $50. Amaras bottles mezcals distilled by mezcaleros in Oaxaca and Guerrero. In Mexico, by the way, the company’s name is Amores—not sure why it had to be changed to Amaras for the US market. The one I am reviewing today is distilled from the cupreata agave and bottled at 43%—a few ticks of abv down from most of the more celebrated boutique producers. Okay, let’s get to it.
Amaras, Cupreata (43%; lot no. 3; from my own bottle)
Nose: A big hit of cut green chillies in vinegar (and they’ve been in there 2-3 days). Under the bright notes is a layer of slightly bitter vegetal notes (bitter greens). On the second sniff there are sweet notes, a mix of floral and fruity (lime, charred pineapple). Just a hint of smoke in the distance. With time there’s some salt and some ham brine. A few drops of water brighten it up again. Continue reading
Foursquare 12, Master Series 1 (for Total Wine)
Let’s bring Foursquare week to an end with one last store pick (see here for Wednesday’s release for the Whisky Exchange, and here for Monday’s release for the LCBO). This was an American release and the first of at least two releases for Total Wine in the US. I’m not sure how widespread the release was: I didn’t see it in my local Total Wine (which is not to say that I was looking for it). I’m also not sure what the cask makeup of this release was. If you know, please write in below. Okay, let’s get right to it.
Foursquare 12, Master Series 1 (62%; for Total Wine; from a bottle split)
Nose: Molasses and caramel off the top with dried orange peel coming up from below; some leafy notes as well. Sweeter as it sits with some red fruit (cherry) emerging as well. With time the toffee emerges strongly here as well. A few drops of water soften it up further, bringing out more of the toffee and pushing the caramel back; the leafy notes are gone too now as some oak emerges. Continue reading
Foursquare 12, Diadem (for The Whisky Exchange)
Foursquare week rolls on. On Monday I reviewed a 12 yo bottled for the LCBO in Canada. That one was matured in a mix of ex-bourbon and sherry casks. I thought it was fine but nothing great. Today I have a review of another 12 yo. This one was bottled for the Whisky Exchange in London and was matured in a mix of ex-bourbon and madeira casks. This one has the added appellation, “Diadem”. As to whether that flourish came from the distillery or the retailer I don’t know. Anyway, let’s see what it’s like.
Foursquare 12 (60%; for The Whisky Exchange; ex-bourbon and madeira casks; from a bottle split)
Nose: A mix of light caramel and maple syrup off the top with vanilla coming up strong from below. Not much early sign of the madeira. As it sits, there’s more brown sugar and the fruit begins to emerge; it’s mostly jammy with currants and cherry and a bit of orange peel. With more time the caramel and vanilla meet at creme brulee. With a few drops of water it gets creamier and there’s a fair bit of toffee too. Continue reading
Foursquare 12 (for the LCBO)
Alright, by popular demand—by which I mean that one person put in a request—let’s do a week of rum reviews. It’s been a year and a half since my last rum review and two and a half since my last review of a rum from the great Barbados distillery, Foursquare. Well, all of this week’s reviews will be of rums from Foursquare. Once upon a time, not so very many years ago, Foursquare was a very good value proposition but now prices for most of their releases have crept up quite a bit and the releases have become harder and harder to find—at least in Minnesota.
First up, I have for you a 12 yo released for the LCBO in Canada (the other reviews this week will also be of store picks). It’s a mix of rum matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks (the last one I reviewed was from ex-bourbon and madeira). Let’s get right to it. Continue reading
Bonete, Raicilla Costa
The third agave spirit of this week—and a shout out to the very few who read my reviews of the two Cinco Sentidos mezcals (here and here)—is not a mezcal per se but a raicilla. Raicilla is produced in Jalisco. As far as I can make out, it’s made in much the same way as mezcal but is outside the regions officially recognized for mezcal production. Well, it’s also the case that a lot of raicilla is single-distilled, whereas mezcal is typically double-distilled. But the one I have for you today, bottled by Bonete, was apparently double-distilled as well. So the distinction between it and mezcal may just be nominal. The major sub-regions for production are along the coast near Puerto Vallarta and in the Occidental Mountains. The former bear the appellation “Costa”, and the latter, the appellation “Sierra”. This one is Bonete’s Costa—I think they also bottle a Sierra. Anyway, I am curious to see what it’s like and if I can make out much of a difference from mezcal. Continue reading
Cinco Sentidos, Tobala-Cuixe (for Tricks of the Trade)
Mezcal week rolls on. Here is another release from Cinco Sentidos for Tricks of the Trade in Fort Worth. Unlike Monday’s bottle, which was just distilled from the Tobala agave, this one is a blend of distillate from Tobala and Cuixe. I liked the Tobala a lot—let’s see what this one is like.
Cinco Sentidos, Tobala-Cuixe (48.7%; for Tricks of the Trade; from a bottle split)
Nose: Wet dog, pleather, a bit of salt, mineral smoke. On the second sniff there’s some lime. As it sits it gets earthier even as some sweeter fruit swirls around underneath (plum?). A drop of water brings out more of the fruit and makes the smoke a bit drier. Continue reading
Cinco Sentidos, Tobala (for Tricks of the Trade)
One of the unexpected things that happened in 2023 is that I suddenly, randomly became very enamoured of mezcal. This happened in the second half of the year when I finally drank some samples I’d acquired and hoarded. It wasn’t long before I was buying bottles of my own to explore further. I’ll have reviews of those bottles in the coming months; here now is a review from one of the aforementioned samples. It is a Tobala released by Cinco Sentidos, a brand launched by El Distilado, an Oaxaca restaurant that is renowned for its collection and championing of mezcal produced by small distillers in the region. This particular Tobala was bottled for Tricks of the Trade, a store in Fort Worth. I’ve liked all the Tobalas I’ve tried so far—not that my exploration so far of the vast range of agaves and producers has been very wide or deep. Anyway let’s see what it’s like.
Continue reading
Rey Campero, Pechuga de Codorniz
Let’s close out this week of reviews of mezcals from Rey Campero (see here for Monday’s Jabali and here for Wednesday’s Mexicano+Madrecuishe; and here for last Friday’s Tobala) with a somewhat unusual pechuga. Pechuga, as you may know, is a category of mezcal in the traditional production of which a chicken or turkey breast is hung over the still during the final distillation of the spirit, and which also deploys fruits, vegetables and nuts in the distillation process. That’s the traditional version. In recent years, however, many twists on the savoury component used have emerged. None of the three pechugas I’ve previously reviewed have involved chicken or turkey breasts. I’ve reviewed a Del Maguey that used Iberico ham, a Quiquiriqui that used cacao beans, and a Cinco Sentidos that used mole poblano! This Rey Campero pechuga is relatively staid by comparison as it involves a bird, even if it is quail. Also used in the distillation were grilled pineapple, grilled banana and grilled corn cobs. The unusual part is that it is only double-distilled whereas most pechugas are triple-distilled. It was produced in February 2022 and rested in glass for three months. Oh yes, the maguey used was Espadin, which is apparently the norm with pechuga. Okay, let’s see what it’s like. Continue reading
Rey Campero, Mexicano + Madrecuishe
Here is my second Rey Campero review of the week and the third overall (see here for last Friday’s review of the Tobala, and here for Monday’s review of the Jabali). This mezcal is made from a 50-50 mix of two different kinds of maguey: the Mexicano and the Madrecuishe. Madrecuishe is not the same as the cuishe maguey, in case you’re wondering (as I was before I looked it up). This was distilled in February 2020 and rested in glass for 18 months. That’s quite a bit longer than the five months the Jabali spent in glass (the Tobala’s label did not include that information). I’m not sure how common it is for joven (or mezcal not aged in oak) to be rested in glass for extended periods or where 18 months of resting in glass falls on the range of times common in the industry. If you know more about this, please write in below (or point me to good sources of information on mezcal production processes). In the meantime, here are my notes. Continue reading
Rey Campero, Jabali
The seven or eight people who read my mezcal reviews last week will be thrilled to know that I’m doing another full week of mezcal. Last week I reviewed two releases from Mal Bien (the Alto and the Verde) and one from Rey Campero (the Tobala). This week will be all Rey Campero. First up, the Jabali. Yes, Jabali is the name of the maguey varietal used to make this mezcal. As per Mezcal Reviews, this variety is apparently seldom used in mezcal making as it is apt to foam during fermentation and distillation. As someone who has been known to foam at the mouth himself from time to time, I’m going to take that as a good sign. Let’s see what it’s like.
Oh yes, this is from lot DS029-J. It was distilled in August 2021 and rested for five months in glass vats. I could even tell you what type of yeast was used for fermentation, what the source of the water used was, the type of mill used etc. etc. This is not because I know so much but because artisanal mezcal producers seem to put all this information on their bottles. Viva transparency! Continue reading