The Glenlivet 15 year old French Oak Reserve

The Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve is matured for most of its life in traditional oak casks then, a portion is aged in new, specially coopered French Limousin oak casks. The final marriage of the whiskies from the Limousin and traditional oak barrels produces a unique, smooth spiciness that complements The Glenlivet's mellow fruity flavors. Scotch whisky is not traditionally aged in Limousin oak, they are generally reserved for the aging fine wine, making this distinctive maturation an innovative process that reflects the pioneering history of The Glenlivet itself. The aromas are both intense and sweet with notes of cedar and citrus surrounded by vanilla. The palate is beautifully structured with well-balanced flavors of vanilla, cinnamon and mandarin oranges with a touch of pepper. The finish is long and sweet with floral notes and flavors of honey and vanilla.
$47/750ml

Rating: 9.2 out of 10

2006 Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz

I just tried this today and thought it was a fantastic Shiraz for the money. Unlike many of the Shiraz produced out of Australia, this wine is not the huge fruit bomb you typically find out of the land down under. It is actually a bit more old worldish in style offering a bit of spice and earth layered within the dark berry flavors. The Lodge Hill vineyard is one of the highest vineyards in the Clare Valley, where they can grow Riesling on the cooler, less sunny side and Shiraz on the warmer side, ensuring both cool nights and warm days for the Shiraz portion of the vineyard. The color is deep and dark in the glass with big, ripe and juicy aromas of plum, black cherry and dark chocolate. The high alcohol and silky tannins make the palate balance perfectly between the huge fruit flavors and peppery spice.
$19/750ml

Rating: 9.0 out of 10

Green Flash Brewing Co. Le Freak

The brewers at Green Flash Brewing Company have really out done themselves with this convergence of beer styles where American Imperial IPA meets Belgium trippel. The end result is a zesty brew with enticing American hops and Belgian yeast aromatics that lead you to delicious malts and a complex layering of hop flavors that quench and refresh your pallet. When you pour it you notice its orangish amber color with a huge amount of American hops on the nose with notes of citrus. The palate itself feels heavy at first but then leaves you with a silky smooth mouth full of yeast and hops beautifully layered with fruity flavors of banana and grapefruit.
$7/22oz. Bomber

Rating: 9.3 out of 10

Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka

Tea flavored vodka, I know it almost sounds ridiculous but this flavored vodka sensation has been taking the country by storm all summer long. I was a little sceptical at first but when you actually sit down and try it this flavored vodka tastes just like a great glass of ice tea. It is not as sweet as the label may lead you to believe, unlike a lot of those southern tea brews although it is sweet enough to be refreshing. The tea flavor is genuine made with tea leaves grown just five miles from the company's distillery in Charleston, South Carolina. This stuff makes a great spiked Arnold Palmer just add 1 part sweet tea vodka to 1 part Lemonade fill with ice and garnish with a lemon. Be careful though, this stuff goes down a little to easily and will definitely get you into trouble if you don't watch it.
$19/750ml

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

2007 Adelsheim Pinot Gris

Some of my favorite domestic wines come from the Willamette Valley of Oregon, especially when it comes to Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Pinot Gris is the same grape as Pinot Grigio but they typically are a bit more concentrated and rich with its flavors than its Italian counterpart. Crisp and bright flavors have always gone hand in hand with the Adelsheim Pinot Gris. In this 2007 vintage you find delicate aromas of pear, peach and apple skins that lead you to a refreshing palate with just the right amount of acidity that keeps it light and lively. Flavors of nectarine, citrus and melons show through nicely with just a touch of minerality. The finish is surprisingly creamy which lends a mouth filling texture and extends the finish longer than you would expect from a wine that starts off so crisp and clean.
$19/750ml

Rating: 9.1 out of 10

2008 Gouden Carolus Cuvee de Keizer Blauw

Every year on the 24th of February Gouden Carolus brews the Cuvee de Keizer Blauw, or "Grand Cru of the Emperor" to celebrate the birthday of Charles V. The Cuvee de Keizer is brewed uniquely with only fine Belgium hops and with it being 11% ALC/VOL. this beer will age extremely well over the next several years with a complexity and intensity usually reserved for only the finest wines. This beer pours with a deep caramel color and golden tan head with aromas plums, raisins and wood leaping out of the glass. The palate starts of with sweet caramel that soon gives way to fruity flavors of figs and plums with a slight tart quality. The finish is long and mouth filling as the Belgium hops flex their muscles making it both sweet and bitter at the same time. It is still a little young so if you can keep your hands off of it the 2008 Cuvee de Keizer will only continue to develop over the next couple of years. What a treat!
$10/750ml

Rating: 9.7 out of 10

Drumguish Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Drumguish is a five year single malt whisky produced at the Speyside Distillery. The distillery takes its name from the original Speyside Distillery in Kingussie which started in 1895 and only produced until 1905. It was demolished in 1911. The pure local water coloured and flavoured by the peat of the Cairngorm mountains, together with the fine malted barley from the Moray Firth region, and,of course, our unsurpassed attention to detail. The nose is soft and medium sweet, with a slight bit of fresh earthy peat. The palate was lighter than most highland single malts with medium dry flavors of mint with a gentle smokiness and a little bit of sea salt. The finish is where you notice the salt and peat the most, but it still has a small amount of the sweetness that highland single malts are known for. An excellent value single malt scotch.
$20/750ml

Rating: 8.8 out of 10