By Richard Thomas Rating: A- California’s St. George Spirits is an example of what I call craft distilling before there was craft distilling. Founded by Jörg Rupf in 1982. After spending a decade in brandy-making, ex-nuclear scientist and former brewer Lance Winters showed up on Rupf’s doorstep, looking to make whiskey and with a bottle …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B One of the best outcomes of American whiskey becoming a truly national industry, with distilleries producing coast to coast for the first time in our history, is the creation of so many regional styles and appellations. One such is Empire Rye, a New York State appellation created by a growing …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Cask finishes figure highly in the annual limited edition game, but enthusiasts usually think only of the major and mid-sized distilleries. However, craft distillers do regular, annual releases too, and some of them are merit more attention than they get. A fine example of that is Laws Whiskey House Cognac-Finished …
By Richard Thomas Rating: A- I find myself rather dismayed, sitting here in January 2022, that the autumn release of the George Dickel and Leopold Brothers collaboration blend did not garner more of a buzz among enthusiasts. It certainly got attention from us booze writers, but I didn’t see much enthusiasm expressed on forums and …
The Whiskey Reviewer does not hold an annual awards panel. Yet we are also focused on all things whiskey, have a team of contributors, and because of those three points we have an unusual way of doing what are our de facto awards. Instead of handing out medals or drawing up a conglomerated list, every …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Jeptha Creed occupied a special spot for me for a few reasons before I got hold of their new bonded bourbon. They were the first new distillery I visited upon returning to the United States from my long sojourn abroad; they were among the first (and are engaged in a …
Lost Lantern is sending out a batch of its single cask, American Whiskey bottlings in time for holiday shopping by inaugurating their Winter Whiskey Wednesday Drop. From now on, similar batch will release that on the first Wednesday of December every year. On this new tradition, Lost Lantern Co-Founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski said, …
At long last, after half a century, Rosen Rye whiskey is available in bottles for sale. This highly limited single-barrel release of only 100 bottles from Stoll & Wolfe Distillery this month will represent the first time in over 50 years that Rosen, a rye grain specifically and historically grown for use in the distilling …
New Holland Spirits of Holland, MI has released Zeppelin Bend 10 Year Old, a small batch single malt whiskey finished in Australian Sherry Casks. As the oldest single malt hailing from Michigan, Zeppelin Bend 10yr is a must try whiskey for enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike. “Zeppelin Bend is one of the most ambitious projects …
By Richard Thomas Rating: B Redwood Empire is a distillery in Sonoma County, California’s Russian River Valley, and they draw their name from an old apple company in whose buildings they are operating from. Running with their namesake, the distillery follows a theme of naming their whiskeys after prominent trees, and they also pledge to …
