When we visited the Dry Creek Valley last fall, we gave a full report on Mazzocco Sonoma winery and winemaker Antoine Favero along with our stay at its onsite Briar Cottage: Perlises Pick: Mazzocco Sonoma in the Fall of 2025 – Part 1 – Eve’s Wine and Spirits 101 Perlises Pick: Mazzocco Sonoma in the…
Two more spirits for review today from the recent Bar and Restaurant Expo are the new Ole Smoky Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey that’s barrel aged for four years, and one of their popular flavored whiskies: Salty Caramel. Most people are familiar with their moonshine brand. I had seen the jars everywhere myself. I honestly had…
One of the bottles I received for review from the recent Bar & Restaurant Expo included The Deacon, a blended scotch whisky from both Islay and Speyside, so there’s a bit of distinctive peat. It’s distributed by Sovereign Brands. I had tasted it at a past Expo and liked it then, so I looked forward…
Mark Newman, a pal of mine of many years, who was with Apogee 21 Holdings Inc at this year’s Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America convention, presented me with four organic Rose wines from Chateau d’Astros in Provence to review. They were all wines I’d never had before so I welcomed a chance to review…
I was recently offered the opportunity to try the same wines from Robert Hall in Paso Robles that were made two different ways: Regenerative Organic and Conventionally Farmed. If you know me you know that I have the unpopular opinion that I don’t care how the wine is made, organic or not, I just want…
Two years ago, at the WSWA Conference (Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America) I was thrilled to see my old chum Mark Newman, who is with Apogee 21 Holdings Inc, manning a large booth. I sampled quite a few items, including their Monkey in Paradise vodka and Andale tequila at that time – both winners…
Another interesting brand with an interesting backstory that I discovered at the recent WSWA (Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America) conference was Fort Mosé 1738. I took home both their rye and bourbon to sample at home. This is some of the story about the distillery I wanted to share with readers, I got it…
Aged in first-fill American oak ex-bourbon casks, the new permanent expression brings a sweetness derived from oak and malt forward, in balance with Lagavulin’s unmistakable smoky character ISLAY, Scotland, /PRNewswire/ — Few places in the whisky world match the intrigue of Islay, an island in the Western Hebrides of Scotland, where whisky-making is in the fabric of…
Another spirit I discovered at the recent WSWA Access Live event was Campesino Rum, and its founder Hatton Smith. I only had a few moments with Hatton but in that time I easily picked up on his enthusiasm and dedication to crafting his spirits. I happily took a bottle of his Campesino Silver home for…
We covered our first Access Live in 2024, missed it in 2025 as it was held in Denver, now we are thrilled to have had the event back in here Las Vegas this past February 2026. It’s an event for members of the wine and spirits industry that my husband Eddie (our photographer) and I…
