Maker`s Mark 46
$66.99
Maker's Mark is a mellow bourbon, made with wheat in place of rye with a mash bill of 60% Corn, 26% Red Winter Wheat, and 14% Malted Barley. To create the Maker's 46, the Bourbon has been finished in the same barrels as the regular but with new French oak staves inserted to add additional flavours of caramel, spice and vanilla. Firm, complex dry spices, herb, and some polished leather "grip", which dovetails well with Maker's trademark layered sweetness, Dried fruit and somewhat aggressive, but never excessive oak.
Balvenie 14 Year Caribbean Cask
$154.99
The Balvenie 14 Year has been a staple for the core range for some time now. Bottled at 43% the 14 is a smooth and decadent Balvenie finished in Caribbean rum casks!
Producer Description
"The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14 year old single malt whisky has been matured in traditional oak whisky casks for 14 years, and then ‘finished’ in casks that previously held Caribbean rum. To create the ideal finish Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE filled American oak casks with his own blend of select West Indian rums. When he judged the casks to be ready, the rum was replaced with the 14 year old spirit and the wood was put to work adding the final touches."
Champalou Brut
$39.99
This beauty from the husband-and-wife team of Didier and Catherine Champalou is a winner. Floral on the nose, dry and clean as a whistle on the palate, this 100% Chenin Blanc sparkler is less austere and less effervescent than Champagne, but every bit as fun to drink and it's very versatile with food.
Magners Irish Cider
$19.99
Commercial cider made with a controlled yeast then pasteurized and artificially carbonated. Sold as Bulmers in Ireland and as Magners in the rest of the world for legal reasons. Aromas and flavour of red and green apple, with a dry, light tartness.
Dalmore 15 Year
$224.99
The Dalmore is one of the iconic distilleries of the Northern Highlands and the jewel in the crown of Whyte and MacKay who also own Jura, Fettercairn and the massive Invergordon grain distillery. Dalmore has at times held records for some of the oldest and most expensive bottles of whisky ever sold. Some recent bottlings like the MacKenzie have been done at 46% without colouring or chillfiltering. The 15 year old Dalmore is all about "sherry wood" having been matured in 1/3 each Amoroso, Apostoles and Matusalem sherry butts from Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. Sherry notes with hints of orange.
Berry Bros No.3 London Dry Gin
$65.99
Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchants have traded from the same shop for more than 300 years. Naturally, they have their own gin, made to order in the Netherlands by another family's business. Berry Bros believes that No.3 recreates the classic experience of London Dry Gin due to three simple things done well: the careful sourcing of the ingredients, the painstaking processes of production and the exquisite presentation in its unique bottle. Made with 3 fruits (Juniper and the peels of Spanish oranges and grapefruits) and 3 spices (Angelica root, Moroccan coriander and cardamom).
Bottled at a respectable 46% ABV.
Producer Description
"It took two years to perfect our masterpiece, working closely with master distillers, top mixologists, and Dr David Clutton—the only person in the world with a PhD in gin. After months of selecting the finest botanicals, we distilled our spirit in a 100-year-old brick-encased copper pot still in Holland, the birthplace of gin. With the best ingredients and the expertise of gin’s finest, we created No.3. Discover the full story here."
Baron de Ley Gran Reserva
$43.99
93 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate! The review: "The 2004 Gran Reserva is a mouth-filling, opulent effort from the great 2004 vintage that straddles the line between traditional and modern-style Rioja. It offers up a soaring perfume of wood smoke, pencil lead, exotic spices, lavender, and blackberry that leads to a dense, impeccably balanced, lengthy effort that has the structure to evolve for 5-7 years."
Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc
$77.99
Experienced wine folk Ivan and Margaret Sutherland and James and Wendy Healy have established a solid name with wine enthusiasts for their small but perfectly formed range of wines. This Pinot shows aromas of bright red fruits complemented by floral notes and a subtle, underlying earthy character. Rich fruit and well integrated spicy oak flavours showing excellent balance with sweet tannins and a lingering soft finish.
Muga Rioja Reserva
$36.99
The red 2012 Reserva is always a blend of Tempranillo with some 20% Garnacha, 10% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo from the lower part of the valley of the Oja-Tirón river. 2012 saw good ripeness, and the wine shows it, but doesn't show any excess. The vinification is as classic as it gets: the grapes ferment with natural yeasts with a 'pied de cuve' and the wine matured in new barriques the first year; it was then transferred to well-seasoned barrels for a further year of upbringing. It still feels quite oaky with some smoky aromas and some notes of roasted sesame seeds. The palate is lush and round, with polished tannins. This is a textbook Rioja at a very good price for the quality it delivers. This wine should be readily available, as it's produced in good quantities, close to one million bottles, which for this quality is impressive. 91+ Robert Parker