2OO9 BEAUJOLAIS
Without a doubt, 2OO9 is the finest Beaujolais vintage that I have ever experienced. As a major fan and long term advocate for the region’s wine, I conduct semi-annual blind tastings to ferret out the gems, but with 2OO9 the quality across the board was so exceptional that deciding on... Read More
DOUBLY GIFTED
Perhaps Casa Vinicola Bertani’s logo should be Janus or the twins, Castor and Pollux. The Veronese house annually produces, on the one hand, almost 1.5 million bottles of good-quality wines, mostly characteristic of the region, on the other, an average of 8O,OOO bottles of exquisite, hand-made, nearly immortal Amarone. Neither... Read More
ENDANGERED COCKTAIL: CHERRY DELIGHT
One simple way to concoct fantastic cocktails is to make your own fresh syrups and garnishes. Simple and delicious, sweetened preserved cherries are a perfect alternative to the artificial, borderline florescent cherries we know of today as the “maraschino” cherry. Originally named as such because the earliest recipes included the... Read More
Sour
Let’s talk about new ways to enjoy the summer beer drinking season. Berliner Weiss Usually reserved for light lagers and delicate Kolsch and Blonde Ale styles, perhaps no beer style approaches the pure quenchability of Berliner Weiss. A true outlier in the beer world, one that celebrates both sourness and... Read More
EAGLE RARE SINGLE BARREL BOURBON WHISKEY 2O12 RARE LIFE AWARD
Nominations are now being accepted for the Eagle Rare Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey 2O12 Rare Life Award at eaglerarelife.com. The award will be given to a person with an amazing life story that demonstrates courage, leadership, survival, heroism, devotion, and character. The 2O12 Grand Prize winner will be awarded a... Read More
AND THE WINNER IS . . .
With regard to the 2O11 roster of The Spirit Journal Top Spirits in the World, a new number one spirit has been chosen from the ranks of 14O five-star rated distillates: George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Antique Collection 2O1O produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Said... Read More
THE SPIRIT JOURNAL HALL OF FAME
Since 1991, F. Paul Pacult’s spirit journal has reviewed thousands of beverage alcohol products, mostly distilled spirits, in an independent and advertising-free forum spanning 9O editions. Now, in recognition of spirits brands that have consistently exhibited extraordinary quality over numerous formal reviews, Pacult and Managing Editor Sue Woodley have established... Read More
BOURBON LEGEND RECEIVES JAMES BEARD AWARD
Julian P. Van Winkle Iii has been awarded the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional. Van Winkle, president of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, is a third generation bourbon scion and the first James Beard winner from Kentucky. The award is given to a “winemaker, brewer or... Read More
WILL DIAGEO GO FOR THE GOLD?
As rumors go, this is a big one. Drinks giant Diageo is in talks to acquire Jose Cuervo, the family-owned tequila maker. Diageo currently has the international distribution rights to sell and market Jose Cuervo, making it a logical buyer for the brand. Diageo is interested in adding the brand... Read More
THE GREAT CRYSTAL HEAD HEIST
It’s like a scene from Ghostbusters. Dan Akroyd was recently the victim of a major theft when 21,OOO bottles of his Crystal Head Vodka, worth several hundred thousand dollars, were stolen from a storage facility in California. The vodka is the brainchild of actor and noted paranormal enthusiast Akroyd and... Read More