School of Wine & Spirits
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1665 curated reviews
Hampden Estate 2016 HLCF Single Vintage Cask Strength
Hampden Estate
Hampden's HLCF mark (Heavy Low Continental Flavour) sits in the middle of their ester spectrum, and this cask-strength single vintage shows why that balance matters. The gap between the funky esters and the disciplined oak aging creates tension that rewards every sip.
El Pandillo Reposado
El Pandillo
A textbook Los Altos reposado from one of the region's most idiosyncratic distillers — agave-forward, exquisitely balanced, and priced fairly for the craft on display.
Tapatio Reposado 110
Tapatío
This is reposado with its volume turned up. The 110-proof bottling lets the agave and barrel talk at full register without distortion. Don Carlos Camarena's La Alteña distillery produces this with traditional brick ovens and tahona-crushed agave, and the result is a reposado that hides nothing. Sip it neat or try it in a stirred cocktail where you want agave to lead.
Kilbeggan Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Peated
Kilbeggan
This bottling from one of Ireland's oldest distilleries proves that peat need not be an Islay monopoly. The flame here is Irish turf — softer, earthier, more herbaceous than Scottish peat — and it plays beautifully against the pot still's inherent oiliness. An underrated expression that deserves wider attention.
El Pandillo La Ventana Blanco
La Ventana
An unfussy, transparent highland blanco from one of tequila's most respected distilling minds — a bright, early-morning expression of Los Altos agave that punches well above its price.
Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge La Plume du Peintre 2020
Domaine de la Mordorée
Mordorée's La Plume du Peintre is the estate's prestige cuvée, sourced from the oldest Grenache vines on the property. The 2020 vintage benefited from the Rhône's sun-scorched growing season, concentrating fruit intensity while the galets roulés — the famous sun-baked stones of Châteauneuf — radiated stored heat back into the canopy at night. This is heat's legacy in a glass.
Ar'te Blanco Tequila
Ar'te
Ar'te strips the blanco category back to essentials: well-grown agave, careful cooking, and no barrel influence whatsoever. Without oak to lean on, the spirit's quality is laid bare. This one holds up — the agave speaks clearly and the production is clean without being sterile.
Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim 2022
Domaine Marcel Deiss
Jean-Michel Deiss's Altenberg de Bergheim is among Alsace's most profound single-vineyard wines. The 2022 vintage captures the warmth of the season while the limestone-clay terroir provides natural tension. This is a complantation site where multiple grape varieties grow interplanted — an ancient practice that Deiss revived — yielding a wine that transcends varietal character entirely. Serious, contemplative, and built for the long haul, though already deeply rewarding.
Sagamore 7 Year Old Bottled in Bond Rye Whiskey
Sagamore Spirit
Sagamore's 7-year bottled-in-bond release is a showcase for what Maryland rye can be when given time and discipline. The extra age compared to their standard offerings adds depth and complexity without losing the vibrant, spice-forward character that defines the style. At 100 proof, it has the muscle for cocktails but the refinement to reward slow, contemplative sipping.