The Pulse Beneath the Pour

Issue No. 121 — July 25, 2026

Your daily discovery of 8 exceptional wines and spirits

In This Issue

Bourbon Scotch Whisky Irish Whiskey Tequila Gin Rum Red Wine White Wine

Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Brand: 1792

Distillery: Barton 1792 Distillery

Proof: 96.6 (48.3% ABV)

Age: 12 Year

Color: Deep burnished copper with mahogany edges

MSRP: $45–$60

Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 15% Rye, 10% Malted Barley

Barrel Type: New charred American white oak (Level 4 char)

Nose: Rich caramel and toasted oak arrive first, followed by dried cherry and a subtle floral note. Underneath, there's a warm current of leather and cocoa that deepens with time in the glass.

Palate: Full-bodied entry with butterscotch and charred oak, then a mid-palate wave of baking spice and dark fruit. The twelve years show themselves in the integrated tannin structure — firm but never harsh.

Finish: Long and warming, with lingering tobacco, vanilla, and a faint echo of maple sweetness.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Caramel, Charred Oak, Cherry, Leather, Tobacco

The Verdict: Twelve years in Bardstown's climate creates a bourbon of real depth without barrel-heavy excess. The oak influence is measured and deliberate, complementing rather than drowning the grain character. A textbook example of what extended aging in Kentucky can accomplish when the distillate has the backbone for it.

Classification: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Dalmore

Distillery: Dalmore Distillery

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 15 Year

Color: Polished mahogany with ruby reflections

MSRP: $90–$115

Region: Highland

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley

Distillation: Copper pot stills with unusually flat-topped spirit stills, creating a rich and heavy new make

Maturation: Bourbon barrels for initial maturation, finished in Matusalem oloroso sherry butts and Apostoles oloroso sherry casks

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon, Matusalem oloroso sherry, Apostoles oloroso sherry

Peat Level (PPM): 0

Chill-Filtered: Yes

Nose: Orange marmalade and dark chocolate open the nose with immediate richness. Dried fruit — dates and figs — mingle with a waxy quality and hints of hazelnut and old leather-bound books.

Palate: Silky and full, with caramel-coated dried fruit giving way to clove spice and cocoa on the mid-palate. The sherry cask influence is prominent but well-integrated, adding layers of dried stone fruit and gentle oak.

Finish: Medium-long, with lingering orange peel, malt sweetness, and a dusting of cocoa that fades gracefully.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Orange, Dried Fruit, Cocoa (Dark), Clove Spice, Nut (Hazelnut)

The Verdict: Dalmore's 15-year-old demonstrates the distillery's signature approach to sherry cask management. The three-stage maturation — bourbon barrels, then Matusalem oloroso sherry casks, followed by Apostoles sherry casks — creates a layered, dessert-like whisky that somehow avoids heaviness. It rewards slow sipping.

Classification: Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Brand: Shortcross

Distillery: Rademon Estate Distillery

Proof: 92 proof (46% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Pale gold with amber highlights

MSRP: $75

Mash Bill: 100% Irish malted barley

Distillation: Triple-distilled in copper pot stills at Rademon Estate Distillery

Maturation: Matured in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels, virgin oak, and ex-rye whiskey casks

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Orchard fruit and honeyed malt lead, followed by soft rye spice, baked apple, and a whisper of vanilla cream. Faint floral notes drift through — hedgerow blossom and lemon zest.

Palate: Silky and rounded, opening with malted barley sweetness before rye pepper and clove build in the mid-palate. Layers of poached pear, toasted almond, and light oak tannin emerge, with a subtle waxy texture reminiscent of older pot still styles.

Finish: Medium-long and gently warming, with lingering baking spice, dried apricot, and a clean cereal note that fades into soft oak.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Malt, Honey, Vanilla, Clove Spice, Almond, Woody

The Verdict: A quietly confident single malt that rewards slow contemplation — the rye cask influence gives it a distinctive spine without overwhelming Shortcross's estate-grown character.

Classification: Tequila Reposado, 100% de Agave

Brand: Chamucos

Distillery: Tequila Chamucos (NOM 1586)

Proof: 80 proof (40% ABV)

Age: Aged 6 months in American white oak

Color: Pale straw gold with soft amber highlights

MSRP: $45 - $60 USD

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave from the highlands of Los Altos, mature at 7+ years

Cooking Method: Slow-cooked in traditional brick ovens, milled with a combination of roller mill and tahona, open-air fermentation with music played to the tanks, double-distilled in stainless steel pot stills, rested 6 months in American white oak barrels.

NOM: NOM 1579

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Cooked agave leads with layers of vanilla bean, warm caramel, and toasted oak; subtle citrus peel and a whisper of green herbs lift the sweeter notes.

Palate: Silky and rounded on entry, opening to baked agave, buttery caramel, honeyed pear, and a gentle drift of cinnamon and cocoa. Mid-palate reveals oak spice, minerality, and a citrus-pith brightness that keeps the sweetness in check.

Finish: Medium-length and composed, with lingering vanilla, cooked agave, and a soft peppery warmth that fades slowly into oak and honey.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Vanilla, Caramel, Oak, Citrus (Lemon, Lime, Orange, Grapefruit), Pepper

The Verdict: A poised, quietly confident reposado that rewards contemplative sipping — proof that highland tequila can express both delicacy and depth without additive shortcuts.

Classification: Scottish Dry Gin

Brand: Arbikie

Distillery: Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear

MSRP: $38–$48

Style: Scottish Dry Gin

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, cassia bark, angelica root, black pepper, lemon peel, ginger, honey, kelp, mace, caraway

Base Spirit: Estate-grown wheat

Distillation: Pot-distilled from estate-grown wheat spirit, vapor-infused with botanicals

Nose: Bright juniper opens immediately, accented by warm ginger and fresh coriander seed. A soft floral note — almost like meadowsweet — adds a pastoral quality, with a clean citrus backbone of lemon and gentle black pepper.

Palate: Medium-bodied with a creamy texture that carries honeyed juniper and cassia bark warmth across the tongue. Angelica root provides earthy structure, while a flash of grapefruit pith adds welcome bitterness on the mid-palate.

Finish: Clean and lingering, with juniper, a trace of pepper, and a final herbal exhale.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Green), Ginger, Coriander, Cassia Bark, Lemon, Peppery

The Verdict: Arbikie grows its own wheat and potatoes on their Highland estate, giving them rare control over the base spirit. AK's Gin reflects that precision — the botanical integration feels seamless, with no single element shouting over another. It's a gin that performs beautifully in cocktails but genuinely rewards neat tasting.

Classification: White Cane Juice Rum (Agricole-style)

Brand: Chalong Bay

Distillery: Chalong Bay Distillery

Proof: 80 proof (40% ABV)

Age: NAS (unaged)

Color: Water-clear

MSRP: $32 USD

Base Ingredients: Fresh-pressed sugarcane juice from Phuket-grown cane

Distillation: Single distillation in a small hand-hammered copper Charentais-style column still; unaged, rested in stainless steel before bottling

Nose: Freshly pressed sugarcane leads, layered with white flowers, cucumber skin, wet grass, and a whisper of green banana. There's a saline lift and a hint of lemongrass that anchors the aromatics in Southeast Asia.

Palate: Silky and restrained on entry — sugarcane sap, green apple, sweet basil, and a mineral, almost coastal salinity. Mid-palate reveals subtle white pepper, jasmine rice steam, and lime pith, with none of the heat or sharpness common to unaged cane spirits.

Finish: Clean, elegant, and softly herbaceous, with lingering grassy sweetness and a fresh mint-leaf coolness that fades slowly rather than burns.

Rum Kit Aromas: Agricole, Citrus (Generic), Tropical Fruits, Banana

The Verdict: A quietly confident white rum that trades the funk of Caribbean pot stills for a serene, aromatic clarity — an ideal introduction to non-Antillean cane-juice distillation and a versatile cocktail base with genuine terroir.

Classification: AOC Haut-Médoc

Brand: Château Sociando-Mallet

ABV: 14.0%

Primary Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc

Vineyards: Estate vineyards in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, Haut-Médoc, on gravel and clay soils overlooking the Gironde estuary

Maturation: Traditional Bordeaux vinification with temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel vats, followed by malolactic fermentation and aging in French oak

Color: Deep garnet with violet rim

MSRP: $25–$35

Nose: Ripe blackcurrant and black cherry dominate, with cedar shavings and a subtle green pepper note providing classic Médoc character. A thread of violet and toasted oak emerges as the wine breathes.

Palate: Medium to full-bodied, with firm but polished tannins framing dark berry fruit. The mid-palate offers a minty freshness alongside toasted notes, with the Cabernet Sauvignon backbone providing structure and length.

Finish: Medium-long, with cedar, blackcurrant, and a graphite-like mineral persistence.

Wine Kit Aromas: Blackcurrant, Cedar, Cherry, Violet, Toasted

The Verdict: This second wine of the celebrated Sociando-Mallet estate delivers a striking amount of the grand vin's character at a fraction of the price. The 2020 vintage's warmth gave the fruit extra concentration without sacrificing the property's signature freshness. It drinks well now but has the tannin structure to reward three to five years of cellaring.

Classification: AOC Alsace

Brand: Domaine Weinbach

ABV: 13.0%

Primary Varietal: Riesling

Blend: 100% Riesling

Vineyards: Clos des Capucins, Kaysersberg, Alsace — biodynamically farmed on granite and clay soils at the base of the Schlossberg Grand Cru

Vinification: Whole-cluster pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts in large oak foudres, aged on fine lees with no malolactic fermentation

Color: Pale straw with green-gold reflections

MSRP: $35–$50

Nose: Vibrant citrus — lime zest and white grapefruit — mingles with green apple and a subtle floral note reminiscent of white roses. There's a pronounced mineral backbone, like wet slate, and a hint of honeycomb that adds depth without heaviness.

Palate: Precise and taut, with razor-sharp acidity carrying flavors of green apple, citrus pith, and a faint herbaceous quality. The mid-palate has beautiful textural weight despite the wine's lean profile, and a saline minerality that speaks clearly of the granite and clay soils of the Clos des Capucins.

Finish: Long and vibrant, with lingering lime, crushed stone, and a gentle honeyed sweetness that arrives at the very end.

Wine Kit Aromas: Citrus (Generic), Apple (Green), Honey, Floral (Rose), Green (Cut Grass)

The Verdict: Named for Colette Faller, who shaped Weinbach into one of Alsace's greatest estates, this cuvée embodies the family's philosophy of minimal intervention and maximum terroir expression. The 2023 vintage delivered ideal ripeness with retained acidity, creating a Riesling of rare balance. It's a wine that demands attention and repays it generously.

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Robert R. Mohr, CPA, CGMA, WSET Level 3, WSG Certified Spirits Specialist — author of America's Spirit, Scotland's Spirit, Ireland's Spirit, The Ultimate Northern Italian Wine Journey, The Tequila y Mezcal Revolution, The Definitive Pocket Guide to Chablis, The Definitive Pocket Guide to the Côte d'Or, and Strategic Tuning. Published author of the Aroma Academy Tequila/Mezcal and Distiller's training kits.

The Still & The Vine is a daily publication of the School of Wine and Spirits.

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