Nose: Like listening to vivaldi drum and base. Decadent, elegant with kick. Maple syrup, super ripe cantaloupe, browned butter, seared and caramelized peaches, touch of funk
Palate: Salty, warm maple syrup, brown sugar, caramel, flan… decadent without being heavily oaked.
Rating: 7 / 10 – what a lovely pour.
Nose: Buttery, brown sugar, werthers originals.
Palate: Lightly salty, dulce de leche, biscoff, touch of hierba huerto, had a slightly astringent finish
Rating: 6 / 10 – sweet and enjoyable…. Lacks complexity but solid. But the slightly challenging finish takes the pour from from heck yeah to just yeah.
Nose: Big oak and concentrated cherry cola and cloves.
Palate: Surprisingly light initially on the palate given the nose but explodes with life on a bigger sip. Cola cubes, raspberry licorice ropes. Not terribly complex but quite drinkable for those who like a lick of oak without getting to tannic.
Rating: 7 / 10 – I would easily drink this without over-thinking it. I probably would only buy a bottle if it was priced right but it’s a very nice pour. Might be closer to a 6 than 7 on some days.
Nose: A cross between citrus and apricot… maybe loquat. White tea. I can smell the alcohol, which gives it a young feel. After sitting a bit it becomes lightly floral leaning towards lavender.
Palate: Very fruity and bright. kumquat and vibrant notes with hints of wood on the after path. Something lightly chalky, like after sucking on tums. The alcohol is oddly present for the abv. My tongue tingles. The finish is pleasant but not very pronounced.
Rating: 6 / 10 – a summer pour, cheerful but with character.
Nose: An earthy apricot or persimmon, creme brûlée, something mildly astringent
Palate: Peach white tea, raw almonds, wafers, white pepper
Rating: 5 / 10 – a super interesting pour but not something I would seek out
Nose: Strong floral and mountain pine needle notes – potpourri, white peach, ripe apricots, kumquat, a hint of farm funk – like hugging a sheep in the sun, with slightly astringent pine cleaner note.
Palate: A lovely light peach fragrance, even peach gummy on the long finish, with hints of warm spices. Incredibly balanced between fruit and wood. The pine / astringent note is present. This is delicious but that astringence is quite strange.
Rating: 5 / 10 – What a strange set of conflicts. The fruitiness is amazing. The astringence bizarre. I don’t know what to do with this.
Nose: Concentrated, crab apple, allspice, cloves.
Palate: Apple shrub dominates but more approachable than its siblings. For those who arent familiar, shrubs are old timey vinegar sodas from American history. Quite sour on the finish.
Rating: 6 / 10 – fun for a pour
Nose: Rich unctuous, sweet wood, black cherry syrup, pommegranite.
Palate: Sweet, complex, cola, cherries, without any tannic bitterness
Rating: 7 / 10 – the bourbonites will like this
Nose: Not terribly complex but pleasant. Oaky, floral with astringent undertones.
Palate: Oaky elements with a tannic kick. With a bigger sip a potpourri floral layer kicks in. Surprisingly hot with a larger sip given the abv.
Rating: 5 / 10 – happy to drink it but nothing special
Nose: Clove flowers, lime zest, old timey rootbeer barrel candy.
Palate: Chicory, clove, kaffir lime leaves, mild grape vinegar, lime peel
Rating: 6 / 10 – this is solid
Nose: Old wool sweater my grandfather wore when he had been smoking pipe tobacco. Mexican dark chocolate, incredibly rich
Palate: Incredible start. The first impact is lovely but the middle is missing something. Floral, sweet, spices. Beautiful but needs some oomph. Sorry for the vague notes today.
Rating: 6 / 10 – beautiful but missing a kick
Nose: Sharp black tea, bitters, black pepper reduction
Palate: Umami black pepper awesomeness. This should be a steak sauce. Spicy. Hot. fascinating.
Rating: 6 / 10 – I love this but can’t imagine wanting a bottle. But what a cool pour.
Nose: Subtle and gentle, soft nuttiness, stone fruits, tobacco, leather. tiny hint of chlorine. Toast with orange marmalade.
Palate: Insipid warmth with a sprinkle of herbs and spices, fleeting notes of the stone fruit, and cheap hair spray. The crystal folgers of armagnac. Wild spearmint. Pool water. The finish trails off into nothingness.
Rating: 5 / 10 – whatever. All the core components are here for this to be great, but they don’t quite come together to pull it off.
Nose: Opening with a blast of fresh pressed apples. What we call cider in northern washington, to differentiate from that vapid shit people sell in stores as apple juice. Cider that pulls no punches, with off the chart sweetness and acidity. If your head doesn’t snap back, it’s not the right blend yet. Tonight my daughter cooked dinner, and she took it up a notch with some epic steak tacos. Heavily seared filet with a green mango coleslaw. The mayo / paprika / cider vinegar and sugar vibe pairs so well with shredded green mango and carrots. Earthy, sweet, rich creaminess and extra acidity given both our palates. Sorry mom, I know it’s not your jam, but the chef is in charge.
Palate: Oh. Oh… shit lads (n ladies), we have a belter. My mom sometimes allows the apple and pear juices to sit in a glass container and give the wild yeast some space to add a touch of character. It’s not quite alcoholic cider, not quite apple vinegar. Maybe kombucha is the closest coursin. Or a shrub. A funktastic expression of nature and time. Incredibly vibrant, tart, tonic and tannic without jumping the shark. Vanilla and turmeric. Rich earthiness of brown sugar rock candy.
Rating: 8 / 10 – Off the charts awesome if you love belgian sours. I wish I had a bigger amount as with more time this will most certainly evolve into a 9 (but might not).
Nose: In a strange place tonight as I find myself contemplating mortality. Worked with my parents for a few hours on their medical directives. We legit argued about where my mom’s brain should get donated. And then the queen of England passed and I’m watching friends process. Don’t have much of a horse in that race. But all in all there is something austere in the air. Spiced plums and holly. A huge blast of cloves. And definitely sweet and earthy. Sticky rice with tamarind sorbet.
Palate: Fun! Old timey candy, both herbal and lightly sweet. Thyme. Catnip. Jasmine tea. Honey lozenge. I usually don’t go for this type of style, but it is so beautifully balanced, and kind of fits my mood. I’d drink this at a funeral and appreciate both the past and the future yet to come.
Rating: 6 / 10 – Not typically in my wheelhouse but an incredibly elegant pour.
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