The Sediment and the Star

Issue No. 199 — October 11, 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 Bottled in Bond

Brand: New Riff

Distillery: New Riff Distilling

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: 4 Year

Color: Bright amber with copper highlights

MSRP: $38–$45

Mash Bill: 65% Corn, 30% Rye, 5% Malted Barley

Barrel Type: New charred American oak (53-gallon)

Bottled in Bond: Yes

Nose: Caramel corn and fresh-baked bread open the nose, followed by orchard fruit and a hint of orange peel. A pleasant dusting of baking spice and toasted oak rounds things out.

Palate: Medium-bodied with a clean, grain-forward character. Brown sugar and rye spice lead, with supporting notes of cherry and vanilla custard. The mouthfeel is surprisingly full for its age.

Finish: Medium-length with a dry, spicy close. Oak tannins and a whisper of dark chocolate linger.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Caramel, Cherry, Brown Spices, Corn, Oak

The Verdict: New Riff proves that transparency and process matter more than age statements. Bottled in bond from their own distillate with a disclosed mash bill, this is Kentucky craft bourbon at its most honest. An essential baseline for understanding modern bourbon.

Classification: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Loch Lomond

Distillery: Loch Lomond Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: 12 Year

Color: Bright gold with hints of polished copper

MSRP: $35–$50

Region: Highland

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Distillation: Pot still distillation using Loch Lomond's distinctive straight-necked stills, allowing precise control over reflux and spirit character

Maturation: Aged 12 years in a combination of American oak ex-bourbon barrels and refill casks

Cask Type: American oak ex-bourbon barrels and refill casks

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: An inviting bouquet of ripe orchard fruit—baked apple and poached pear—layered with honey and a whisper of vanilla fudge. Beneath that sweetness, a gentle cereal note and a trace of white pepper emerge, lending complexity without heaviness. A faint floral lift, almost like heather blossom, rounds out the aromatics.

Palate: The palate opens with creamy malt and butterscotch before pivoting to citrus zest and a controlled spice of clove and ginger. A mid-palate wave of toasted almond and dried apricot adds textural richness. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied with an appealing oiliness that coats without cloying.

Finish: Medium-length finish with lingering honey, a gentle oak dryness, and a parting note of nutmeg and green apple. Clean and composed, it resolves with quiet confidence.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Honey, Almond, Vanilla, Malt, Clove Spice

The Verdict: Loch Lomond 12 is a study in equilibrium—turbulent Highland character tamed into surprising clarity by patient maturation. At 46% ABV and non-chill filtered, it delivers transparency of flavor that belies its modest price. A versatile Highland malt that rewards both contemplation and casual enjoyment.

Classification: Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Brand: Green Spot

Distillery: Midleton Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Rich gold with honeyed amber edges

MSRP: $80–$100

Mash Bill: Malted and unmalted barley (traditional pot still mashbill)

Distillation: Triple distilled in traditional copper pot stills

Maturation: Matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, with a finishing period in seasoned Château Léoville Barton Bordeaux wine casks

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Opens with ripe orchard fruits — green apple, pear, and a whisper of quince — layered over toasted oak and beeswax. Bordeaux wine cask influence brings cassis and dried red berries alongside a gentle vanilla sweetness. A subtle herbaceous note of fresh hay and honeysuckle emerges with time in the glass.

Palate: Silky and medium-bodied, the palate delivers waves of honeyed malt, butterscotch, and stewed stone fruits, with the wine cask lending a tannic structure that adds depth and grip. Cinnamon spice and toasted almond weave through a core of creamy vanilla and dark berry compote. A distinctly pot still oiliness coats the tongue, giving richness without heaviness.

Finish: Long and layered, with lingering dried fruit, clove spice, and a final flourish of dark chocolate and toasted oak. The Bordeaux cask's tannins provide a refined, drying farewell.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Honey, Dried Fruit, Vanilla, Clove Spice, Cocoa (Dark), Buttery

The Verdict: This Château Léoville Barton finish transforms the familiar Green Spot character into something altogether more complex — clarity forged through turbulence, as the robust pot still spirit meets the structured tannins of fine Bordeaux casks and emerges harmonized. It rewards patience and contemplation, revealing new facets with every sip. An exceptional value in the single pot still category.

Classification: Extra Añejo Tequila

Brand: Herradura

Distillery: Casa Herradura (NOM 1119)

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 49 Months

Color: Deep burnished mahogany with copper-amber edges, strikingly clear despite its extended barrel time

MSRP: $350–$400

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave (Agave tequilana)

Cooking Method: Agave slow-cooked in traditional brick ovens for 26 hours, naturally fermented, double-distilled in copper pot stills, then aged a minimum of 49 months in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels

NOM: NOM 1119

Nose: Rich caramel and toasted oak open the nose, followed by layers of dried fig, dark chocolate, and a subtle undercurrent of roasted agave. Deeper inhalation reveals cinnamon bark and a whisper of leather, framed by a gentle honeyed sweetness. The complexity unfolds gradually, each return to the glass offering something new.

Palate: The entry is silky and voluptuous, coating the palate with butterscotch, vanilla bean, and baked agave. Mid-palate, flavors of espresso, toasted almond, and warm baking spice emerge with remarkable integration. A thread of dried fruit and dark chocolate weaves through, grounded by a persistent minerality that keeps the sweetness balanced.

Finish: Extraordinarily long and layered, tapering from oak tannins and cocoa into dried orange peel and a final, lingering note of smoked agave. The finish is where turbulence resolves into calm—every element finds its place.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Caramel, Vanilla, Chocolate (Dark Chocolate, Cocoa), Oak, Cinnamon, Leather

The Verdict: Herradura Selección Suprema is a testament to patience and clarity born from time. Over four years in American white oak barrels transform the spirit's youthful intensity into something refined and deeply composed. This is a meditation tequila—one that rewards stillness and attention, perfectly embodying the idea that clarity emerges only after weathering turbulence.

Classification: American Gin

Brand: New York Distilling Company

Distillery: New York Distilling Company

Proof: 88 (44% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear with brilliant transparency

MSRP: $30–$38

Style: American Gin

Botanicals: Juniper, elderberry, hibiscus, cinnamon bark, dried orange peel, lemon peel, coriander, orris root, ginger

Base Spirit: Grain neutral spirit

Distillation: Pot-distilled with a traditional botanical basket for vapor infusion of select florals, combined with direct maceration of juniper and citrus botanicals

Nose: An inviting bouquet of juniper and citrus peel opens first, followed by elderberry and hibiscus florals that lend a graceful, almost perfumed quality. Underneath, a subtle spice note of cinnamon bark weaves through dried botanicals, grounding the brightness with warmth.

Palate: The entry is clean and precise, with juniper leading confidently alongside fresh lemon zest and coriander seed. A mid-palate bloom of rose petal and orris root adds elegance, while ginger and a whisper of peppery spice create a dynamic, textured mouthfeel that keeps evolving sip after sip.

Finish: Medium-length and refined, the finish resolves into soft floral notes with lingering juniper resin and a final touch of citrus brightness. It's composed and clear—turbulence settled into calm.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Green), Lemon, Floral (Rose), Orris Root, Coriander, Ginger

The Verdict: Named for the famously sharp-witted writer who found clarity through chaos, Dorothy Parker Gin lives up to its namesake with a botanically complex yet beautifully resolved spirit. The interplay of floral, citrus, and spice achieves an equilibrium that feels inevitable rather than forced. An outstanding American gin that rewards attention.

Classification: Single Origin Aged Rum

Brand: Transcontinental Rum Line

Distillery: South Pacific Distillery, Fiji

Proof: 96 (48% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Pale gold with straw highlights

MSRP: $40–$55

Base Ingredients: Sugarcane molasses

Distillation: Column still distillation at South Pacific Distillery in Lautoka, Fiji, with aging initiated in the tropics and finished in continental European climate

Nose: An initial wave of fresh sugarcane and green banana gives way to warm vanilla custard and a wisp of coconut oil. Beneath the tropical brightness sits a quiet mineral note, like wet limestone after rain, and delicate honeyed oak.

Palate: Silky and medium-bodied, the palate opens with ripe pineapple and mango before grounding itself in toasted oak and baking spice. A gentle salinity emerges mid-palate, bridging the fruit-forward top notes with caramel and a touch of white pepper warmth.

Finish: Medium-length and clarifying, resolving into clean vanilla, dried coconut, and a faint echo of citrus zest that keeps the rum bright through its final moments.

Rum Kit Aromas: Tropical Fruits, Vanilla, Coconut, Oak, Caramel, Spice (Generic)

The Verdict: This Fijian rum embodies the issue's theme beautifully — tropical turbulence distilled into pristine clarity. The careful aging in continental casks polishes the exuberant South Pacific character into something refined yet still vibrantly alive. An exceptional value for those seeking complexity without heaviness.

Classification: Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Brand: Domaine de Villeneuve

ABV: 14.5%

Primary Varietal: Grenache

Blend: Primarily old-vine Grenache with small portions of Mourvèdre and Syrah

Vineyards: Estate vineyards on the plateau of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, featuring galets roulés (large rounded stones) over clay-limestone subsoil, with vines averaging 60–80+ years old

Maturation: Hand-harvested, destemmed, fermented with native yeasts in concrete tanks with gentle extraction, then aged in large neutral oak foudres to preserve varietal and terroir character

Color: Deep garnet with violet-purple edges, opaque at the core with surprising translucence at the rim

MSRP: $45–$60

Nose: A swirl of crushed dark cherries and blackcurrant intermingle with dried violets and a dusting of garrigue herbs. Beneath the fruit sits a mineral earthiness—like wet slate after a storm—alongside hints of black pepper and cedar. With air, a fleeting note of roasted game emerges.

Palate: The entry is concentrated yet remarkably poised, with ripe cherry and blackcurrant fruit buoyed by fine-grained tannins that speak of old-vine depth. A savory mid-palate of dried herbs, cedar, and a touch of dark chocolate creates layers of complexity. The texture is silky but structured, conveying both power and restraint in equal measure.

Finish: Long and quietly persistent, with lingering violet, cedar, and a stony minerality that echoes like clarity emerging from the wine's dense core. A whisper of black pepper closes the experience.

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

The Verdict: This is a wine of turbulent intensity that resolves into crystalline focus—old vines channeling the rocky, sun-baked terroir of Châteauneuf into something luminous and precise. A benchmark of the appellation at a price that still rewards the attentive drinker, it demonstrates that sediment and structure are the precursors to beauty.

Classification: Etna Bianco DOC

Brand: Planeta

ABV: 12.5%

Primary Varietal: Carricante

Blend: 100% Carricante

Vineyards: High-altitude vineyards on Mount Etna's northern slope, Castiglione di Sicilia

Vinification: Gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, brief aging on fine lees

Color: Pale straw with green-gold reflections

MSRP: $22–$30

Nose: White flowers and Meyer lemon open cleanly, followed by wet stone and green almond. A subtle smoky-mineral note hints at the volcanic soils.

Palate: Crisp and taut, with bright citrus acidity framing white peach and pear flavors. The midpalate reveals a saline minerality and flinty character that gives the wine real tension and length. Delicate but not fragile.

Finish: Medium-long with a clean, mineral-laced close. Citrus zest and a chalky texture persist.

Wine Kit Aromas: Citrus (Generic), Apple (Green), Melon, Green (Cut Grass), Marzipan

The Verdict: Planeta's Etna Bianco captures the electric energy of Mount Etna's volcanic terroir in an accessible, everyday format. Carricante grapes from high-altitude vineyards on the north face deliver a wine with the freshness of the mountain and the depth of ancient lava flows beneath the vines. Remarkable value for terroir this specific.

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