School of Wine & Spirits
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756 curated reviews
Domaine François Cotat Sancerre Les Monts Damnés 2022
Domaine François Cotat
François Cotat is arguably the most singular producer in Sancerre, picking far later than his neighbors and allowing wild fermentation to run its course. The Les Monts Damnés vineyard — its vines clinging to perilously steep Kimmeridgian slopes — yields a Sauvignon Blanc of almost Burgundian density. This is Sancerre for people who think they've outgrown Sancerre.
Cascahuin Extra Añejo
Cascahuin
Cascahuin is a family-owned distillery that has earned serious credibility among tequila purists, and this extra añejo demonstrates why. Three years in oak could easily overwhelm, but the agave identity survives beautifully. This is a contemplative pour that never loses its soul.
Tobermory 12 Year Old
Tobermory
Tobermory 12 is one of the most underrated island malts in Scotland. It avoids peat entirely, instead offering a clean, fruity, and gently complex character shaped by long fermentation and unhurried maturation. An ideal entry point into Mull's distinctive terroir.
Smooth Ambler Old Scout Single Barrel Bourbon
Smooth Ambler
Smooth Ambler's single barrel selections showcase the best of what MGP distillate can become with careful cask choice. This is a bourbon that punches above its price point, rewarding both neat contemplation and cocktail duty. A workhorse with hidden depth.
Dingle Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Dingle
Dingle's single pot still expression captures the essence of this Kerry-based distillery's meticulous craft. The combination of malted and unmalted barley yields a richly textured whiskey that sits comfortably alongside more established pot still names. It rewards slow sipping.
Descendientes de J. Palacios Pétalos Bierzo 2022
Descendientes de J. Palacios
Alvaro Palacios and his nephew Ricardo brought global attention to Bierzo's old-vine Mencía, and Pétalos remains their most accessible expression of that mission. The 2022 vintage is vibrant and perfumed, demonstrating why this grape — when farmed with conviction — can rival Burgundy for sheer aromatic beauty at a fraction of the cost.
Foursquare Indelible Exceptional Cask Selection
Foursquare
Richard Seale's Exceptional Cask series consistently delivers some of the finest aged rum on earth, and Indelible is no exception. The 11-year maturation in Barbados's tropical climate accelerates aging dramatically, yielding complexity that rivals spirits twice its stated age. Essential for any serious rum shelf.
Perfume Trees Gin
Perfume Trees
Named for the Aglaia trees that once blanketed Hong Kong's hillsides, Perfume Trees Gin channels East Asian botanicals through an unmistakably London Dry framework. The result is precise, aromatic, and deeply refreshing. It bridges traditions without losing identity.
Craigellachie 13 Year Old
Craigellachie
Craigellachie 13 is Speyside's contrarian — a malt that wears its worm-tub-condensed character like a badge of honor. It trades polished elegance for muscular honesty, rewarding drinkers who appreciate texture and funk over refinement.
Probitas / Veritas White Blended Rum
Foursquare / Hampden Estate
A collaboration between Richard Seale and the Hampden Estate team, this rum exists to prove that white rum can be a serious spirit. It succeeds. Equal parts funky and refined, it stands alone or elevates any rum cocktail it touches.
Dorothy Parker American Gin
New York Distilling Company
Named for the sharp-tongued literary wit, Dorothy Parker gin has the same quality: nothing wasted, everything deliberate. It bridges London dry structure with American botanical creativity, and at this price point, it over-delivers consistently.
Kilbeggan Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Kilbeggan
Kilbeggan's single pot still release is a quiet revelation — proof that this ancient distillery's revived copper stills can produce spirit with genuine character. At this price, it's one of the best introductions to the pot still style available.
COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico DOCG 2020
COS
COS was fermenting in buried terracotta amphorae before it became fashionable, and this Cerasuolo di Vittoria shows why the method endures. It's Sicily's only DOCG red expressed in its purest form — no oak distraction, just Nero d'Avola and Frappato in transparent conversation.
Belle Meade Bourbon Reserve
Belle Meade
Belle Meade Reserve is Nelson's Green Brier at its most confident — proof-forward bourbon that never bullies the palate. The mash bill's corn-rye balance is on full display, making this an ideal study in how high proof can amplify rather than obscure complexity.
Siembra Azul Blanco
Siembra Azul
Siembra Azul Blanco is a transparency project in liquid form — co-founded by tequila educator David Suro specifically to showcase terroir and traditional production. It delivers highland agave character without distraction, making it an essential reference blanco.
Domaine Roulot Meursault 2021
Domaine Roulot
Jean-Marc Roulot's village Meursault is a masterclass in restraint. Where others in this appellation lean into oak and richness, Roulot pulls back, letting the limestone speak. The result is Meursault stripped to its essence — no veneer, just truth.
Tequila Ocho Añejo
Tequila Ocho
Ocho's single-estate philosophy treats tequila like wine — each vintage and field is documented. The Añejo expression proves that a year in barrel can add complexity without erasing origin. If you want to taste how terroir translates through oak, start here.
Velier Royal Navy Tiger Shark
Velier
Velier's Tiger Shark is a navy-strength blend that honors the historical tradition of combining rums from across the Caribbean. It's demanding but never chaotic — each component contributes a distinct voice. Add a few drops of water to open it up, then let the conversation unfold.
AnCnoc 12 Year Old
AnCnoc
AnCnoc 12 is a Highland malt that favors clarity over volume. It's an ideal entry into the style for those who equate 'light' with 'uninteresting' — there's real depth here, just expressed in a lower register. A weeknight dram that never bores.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series #9
Bardstown Bourbon Company
Bardstown's Fusion Series demonstrates what happens when sourced and estate-distilled whiskeys are married with care rather than convenience. The ninth release is their most balanced yet — a bourbon that drinks well above its price point and rewards slow exploration.
Dingle Original Gin
Dingle
Dingle's gin captures the wild Atlantic hedgerows of Kerry without relying on novelty botanicals. The balance between classic juniper structure and softer floral elements makes it versatile — equally at home in a Martini or a G&T with a sprig of rosemary.
Clonakilty Single Batch Double Oak Finish
Clonakilty
Clonakilty's double oak treatment isn't a gimmick — it genuinely rounds out a blend that might otherwise read as simple. The second cask adds depth and spice without losing the easy drinkability that defines great Irish whiskey. A strong value in an increasingly crowded field.
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge 2020
Domaine Tempier
Domaine Tempier is the benchmark for Mourvèdre-based Bandol, and the 2020 vintage delivers the classic tension between sun-drenched fruit and wild, herbal depth. This is a wine that insists on food — bring it roasted lamb and watch it come alive.
Domaine Marcel Deiss Pinot Gris 2021
Domaine Marcel Deiss
Jean-Michel Deiss's biodynamic approach in Alsace consistently produces wines that taste like place rather than variety. This Pinot Gris is rich yet disciplined — the sort of white that converts people who think they don't like Pinot Gris. Pair it with anything involving cream, mushrooms, or cured pork.