Nose: Smoky, earthy, and herbal with notes of roasted agave, charred wood, and hints of citrus.

Taste: Rich and complex with flavors of roasted agave, smoky mesquite, black pepper, and a touch of tropical fruit sweetness.

Palate: Velvety and smooth, with a medium to full body. The smokiness lingers on the palate, balanced by a subtle sweetness and a touch of minerality.

Highly aromatic, with allspice, ground cinnamon, and hints of clove. Behind the spice, there is soft vanilla toffee, creamed coconut, and grapefruit peel. A palate comprised of citrus, peel oils, toffee, red berries, sweet barley, cinnamon, pepper, and star anise transition to a greater emphasis on toffee, hints of chocolate, more maltiness, and a little oak. The finish allows the spices to shine. (6,000 bottles) Editors’ Choice

From a fine vintage for Champagne, particularly the Pinot Noir favored by this producer, this wine is still young, while suggesting great maturity and further aging to come. It is a great, balanced wine, with an edge of minerality. Drink now, but also age for many years.

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It’s a brave person who tries to persuade a malt like Lagavulin to go into a different direction. Indeed, even PX casks, from the sweetest fortified wine of all, can’t fully obscure the distillery’s character, just give it a raisined coating. The creosote turns to tar and licorice, while there’s Syrah-like sootiness, and damson. This release is slightly less sweet than in the past and is the better for it, though I still prefer my Lagavulin relatively ‘naked.’

Roca Patrón Reposado is an artisanal, ultra-premium 100% Weber Blue Agave tequila from Jalisco, Mexico, produced entirely via the traditional two-ton stone tahona wheel process. Aged for five months in American bourbon barrels and bottled at 84 proof (
 ABV), it delivers a complex flavor profile of oak, butterscotch, and sweet agave.

The Lelarge-Pugeot Extra Brut Millesime 2008 is a sparkling wine made from a blend of Chardonnay (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%) grapes grown in the Vrigny Premier Cru subregion of Champagne. It has a golden color with fine and persistent bubbles and aromas of ripe fruit, citrus, and brioche. On the palate, it is dry, complex, and full-bodied, with flavors of white peach, apricot, toasted almonds, and a hint of honey. The wine has a long and mineral finish, which makes it a great pairing for seafood, white meat, and creamy dishes.

Meukow XO is the fruit of the blend that combines the power of the tannins brought by the long ageing in oak wood barrels and the delicacy of Grande and Petite Champagne eaux-de-vie with the sweetness of Fins and Bons Bois eaux-de-vie.

Kujira Ryukyu Single Grain Whisky 10 years was distilled from 100% premium Indica rice and matured in White Oak Virgin casks for more than 10 years.Nose: Rich and sweet butter with caramel, spices from sapwood like bourbon whisky.

Palate: sweet and buttery, like caramel, roasted wood, liquorice. With an extinguish taste of spice such as cloves and cinnamon.
Finish: bitterness with long finish of spices, that brings back the sweetness

Nose: Intense aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, and cherry, with hints of cedar, tobacco, and vanilla.

Taste: Rich and full-bodied, with flavors of ripe dark fruits, such as blackberry and plum, accompanied by notes of spice, licorice, and dark chocolate.

Palate: Well-structured with firm tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, lingering finish.

Pristine, attractive fruit with perfume and freshness. Dark-berry and plum notes, as well as cassis and brambleberries, define the character of both nose and palate. The tannins are saturated in ripe dark berries and plums and deliver a superbly fresh, shimmering, dark-fruited finish. Wow-factor is strong here in 2016.

Spicy, mellow smoke on the nose and a honeyed sweet maltiness with an explosion of pepper. On the palate, sweetly mellow and rich followed quickly by a spicy heat, like a gathering Storm. The flavour is elegantly drawn out with a balance of sweetness, smoke and salt. The finish is clean, warming, with a lasting aftertaste.

The Sassenach Select is a unique collaboration between El Tequileño and The Sassenach Spirits teams, led by Antonio “Tony” Salles and Scottish actor Sam Heughan. This exceptional blend is crafted using award-winning base spirits, matured agave from Jalisco Highlands, and mineral-rich water from El Volcán de Tequila. Distilled in traditional copper pot stills, it's aged for two years in American oak barrels and finished in French oak barrels, resulting in a bold and distinctive flavor profile. A limited-edition label, The Sassenach Select offers a truly unique sipping experience, showcasing the cultural fusion of Scotland and Mexico in a fine spirit.

"Matured in ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Indian Cabernet Sauvignon casks, this single malt offers a topaz hue and bold dried fruit flavors. Dried date, fig and gingerbread wind into a mocha midpalate and long finish laced with sandalwood, cardamom and allspice. Kara Newman" - 94/100, Wine Enthusiast

Aromas of newsprint, damp foliage, and wood spice dominate on the nose. Confident, almost fizzy sherry notes on the full palate, with sultanas, figs, and fruit spices. It becomes progressively more citric. The lengthy finish produces dark chocolate dipped in chili sauce. A sherry-soaked dram.

Kura The Whisky Sherry Cask Finish is a Helios Distillery expression from Okinawa, Japan, aged in American White Oak and finished in Oloroso sherry casks. It is a 40–43% ABV whisky featuring a rich, complex profile with notes of dried fruit (figs, raisins), caramel, chocolate, and subtle smoke, offering a smooth, long, and sweet finish.

Cambridge Japanese Gin is a 42% ABV, premium spirit from the Cambridge Distillery, designed to highlight Japanese botanicals through individual, low-temperature vacuum distillation. It features a unique, savory, and fresh profile with key notes of yuzu, shiso leaf, sesame, and sansho pepper, offering a "London meets Tokyo" experience. 

Padre Azul Silver is a premium 100% Blue Weber agave tequila from Jalisco, Mexico, bottled immediately after distillation for a clear, crisp, and authentic flavor. It is known for a smooth, velvety palate with notes of cooked agave, vanilla, coconut, and citrus. It is an ideal, high-quality choice for sipping or mixing in premium cocktails.

Small Gully crafts bold and intense Barossa wines that showcase the region's vibrant fruit character through meticulous vineyard management. This wine is smooth, succulent, and robust, featuring intense blackberry, caramel, and cocoa flavors balanced by good acidity. Polished in texture, it offers glowing notes of plum, sage, cream, and spice, with a dry, plush palate and a long, lithe finish.

Aged for a minimum of five years, the Padelletti Brunello di Montalcino Reserva is a premium red wine that is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes grown in the Montalcino region of Tuscany, Italy. This wine is characterized by its deep ruby color, intense aromas of dark fruit, leather, and spice, and its full-bodied, complex flavor profile that is marked by notes of black cherry, tobacco, and vanilla. The wine is aged in oak barrels for three years, followed by two years of bottle aging, which gives it a smooth, velvety texture and a long, lingering finish. This wine is a perfect accompaniment to hearty meat dishes, aged cheeses, and rich pasta dishes.

Without a doubt, Chateau Troplong Mondot has one of the most enviable and unique terroirs on the St. Emilion appellation on Bordeaux's Right Bank. Specifically located on the highest point of Saint-Emilion's famous limestone plateau, the 43ha estate has ideal soils and exposure. The resulting wines combine strength and elegance, complexity and precision. The 2019 Troplong Mondot is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon with attractive aromas of blackberry liqueur, blueberries, licorice, chocolate, and spice. With mouth-filling, juicy, and concentrated textures and flavours, this 2019 received a perfect score of 100 from Wine Enthusiast. Best from 2027-2040.

Chateau Haut-Bailly (Pessac-Leognan)- Chateau Haut-Bailly always delivers amazing wine, and this vintage is no exception. With aromatic and dense black fruits of cherry and cassis the 66% Cabernet Sauvignon and 34% Merlot is savory and delightful with earthy minerality and tobacco nuances. Be patient and you will be rewarded with a supremely delicious wine. You won't have to wait too long though as 2024 will mark 10 years in the bottle and the wine will start to show well. Drink 2024-2035.

Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot is an iconic, full-bodied Napa Valley wine known for its elegance, complexity, and age-worthiness, blending rich dark fruit (plum, black cherry, fig, boysenberry) with floral notes (rose petals), spice (cinnamon, cocoa), and earthy minerality, all supported by silky tannins and French oak aging, creating a benchmark for New World Merlot.

Crystal Head Aurora is a premium, additive-free vodka made from English wheat and Newfoundland water, known for its dry, bold, and spicy profile with notes of white pepper, anise, and lemon peel. Its distinctive iridescent bottle is inspired by the Aurora Borealis, and the vodka is seven-times filtered, with three of those filtrations passing through Herkimer diamonds.

Catena Zapata's Birth of Cabernet is a complex, elegant Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasting notes include rich aromas of ripe fruit like blackcurrant and cassis, along with sweet spice and subtle oak notes. On the palate, it showcases layers of cassis, tobacco, and black pepper, with tannins providing structure and a long, persistent finish.

A sophisticated powdery pink robe with luminous glints of wild rose. Delicate, vivacious bubbles are the result of an ageing period of 36 months. A base of 20% of reserve wines, white and red, gives this rose blend a subtle, yet complex nose. The initial fragrances from the 5-6% of elegant red wines are redolent of homemade strawberry jam mixed with the fruitiness of blood peach. A meticulous selection of crus gives the Charles Heidsieck Rose Reserve the rich warm notes of gingerbread and cinnamon. The deep powerful mouthfeel, the result of ageing in thousand-year-old cellars offers a burst of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry nestled in velvety whipped cream.

From Grand Cru villages on the Côte des Blancs, this Champagne is beautifully mineral and taut. It has white fruits and intense citrus giving texture and crispness. This is a fine wine, ready to drink.

This expression replaces the previous 17 year old, and has been aged in bourbon and second-fill American oak casks, followed by a period in first-fill Spanish oak oloroso butts. Sherry is immediately obvious on the nose, with fresh-baked fruitcake aromas, honey, and allspice. The palate is sweet and spicy, with Jaffa orange segments dipped in sea salt, toffee, and dark chocolate. Orange and oak in the medium-length finish.

Gahoujin Junmai Dai-Ginjo (我逢人) is a premium, award-winning Japanese sake from Nakano Sake Brewery, crafted with Yamadanishiki rice polished to 30%. It features a fruity aroma (melon, apple, peach) with a creamy, rich texture, a subtle sweetness, and a clean, refreshing finish.

The 2016 Château Talbot is a highly-rated (93-96 points), medium to full-bodied Saint-Julien Fourth Growth, offering a rich, polished profile. It features intense aromas of black fruit, cassis, and tobacco, with refined, silky tannins and high acidity. This 2016 vintage is praised for its power and aging potential. 

Talisker Distillers Edition is a 45.8% ABV Isle of Skye single malt, double-matured in Amoroso-seasoned American oak casks for enhanced richness. It blends signature maritime peat, smoke, and black pepper with deep, sweet sherry notes, including dried fruits, vanilla, and cocoa, offering a more complex, rounded, and sweeter profile than the standard 10-year.

The Dalmore 12 Year Old Sherry Cask Select is an elegant Highland Single Malt (43% ABV) that is matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks before being finished in a special blend of aged Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. It features notes of caramelised orange, ginger, sultanas, dark chocolate, and cinnamon.

The Cogno family has been making wine for four generations in Piedmont. Located in Novello (one of the 11 communes in which Barolo can be made), it is now being run by Elvio's daughter Nadia and her husband Valter Fissore, the current winemaker. Ravera is a powerful Nebbiolo that has enticing scents of rose, tobacco and perfumed berry, along with a palate of violet, raspberry compote, star anise and wild mint. he finish is complex with some spice notes. This wine will no doubt become better with age. 

93/100 Tim Atkin

Domaine l'Enclos' 2020 Chablis Grand Cru Vaudsier demonstrates both elegance and power: apple, pear, quince, orange and orange zest, notes of vanilla, bread crust and coffee with milk. Everything is dominated by a scent of sea air, dried oyster shell and seaweed. A great opening on the tongue, lots of light and juicy fruit combine with a fine acidity which is wonderfully integrated into the fondant of the fruit. A high-class Chablis.

Perlage: Fine, elegant and long-lasting mousse.

Colour: Pale lemon shade with golden and green highlights.

Bouquet: On the first nose, the wine reveals white flower aromas (honeysuckle, lilac), citrus notes, as well as fresh butter and cream. After airing, as it is getting warmer, this Champagne exhales another spectrum of aromas. The wine reveals spicy notes of ginger, and lemongrass, which were unsuspected until then.

Flavour: The beautiful quality of the acidity (present throughout the tasting) is especially remarkable. The frank vinosity of the wine (roundness and alcohol) gives an impression of strength and freshness. The wine appears both broad yet tight. These various sensations produce a pure, creamy and silky-textured wine. The finish is clean, slightly mineral and long. The last aroma is the grapefruit. The impression will be remembered as a harmonious, healthy and vibrant wine.

Pairs well with: Lobster & Crab

Inky dark purple core and hue. Pure and layered nose displaying ripe black currant, plum an aromatic herbal spiciness, tobacco leaf, fine wood and violet notes. Nice density and grip on the palate, ample dark fruit notes of cassis and cherry with good layers of sage, bay leaf, tobacco, liquorice and fine wood. Ample and structured with plenty of grainy tannin and a balancing fresh acidity, powerful yet in an elegant style with a very long and lingering finish.

José Cuervo Reserva de la Familia was introduced in 1995 to celebrate the 200-year anniversary as the world’s leading producer of tequila. Each bottle is handmade, numbered, dated and sealed in wax. Every year the Cuervo family commissions a different Mexican artist to design the new collectible box for Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia collection. José Cuervo. Only 17,000 bottles of Reserva De La Familia are produced each year, in collectors boxes designed by Mexican artists.

This Extra-Añejo tequila is aged in oak barrels for an average of 3 years. The final blend includes Tequila from reserves aged over 30 years. Only the estate’s finest 10-year-old agaves are hand-selected. Only the most flavourful inner portion of the agave’s piña (heart) is used. Vibrant, with a full, mellow flavour combines floral, agave, vanilla and Cognac-like flavours.

Exceptionally complex, fine-smelling aszú made with furmint base wine and linden-leaf aszú grain. In addition to its intense fruity aroma and good acids, it has a completely smooth, elegant structure. Its sugar content can be described in the background, its main value in its complexity and impeccable balance. A lovely but firm wine, taking full advantage of the vintage. An excellent accessory for desserts and cigars.

"The 2016 Durfort-Vivens is gorgeous. Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics and structure play off the natural intensity of the year beautifully. Blackberry, grilled herbs, licorice, leather and crème de cassis are all vividly sketched in this layered, expressive Margaux. (AG) " --- Vinous (1/2019)

96 points - James Suckling