To make up for the other post today, here is a review of a corn whiskey from Home Base Spirits, California Corn.
This whiskey uses certified organic Yellow Dent Corn grown in the Sacramento Valley grown and then goes into former Home Base Bourbon barrels. Originally intended as a piece to a blend puzzle, it turned out so well that it was released all on its own.
It pours a dark yellow with orange tinting to it. The aroma can be gathered even when not near your nose. Powerful wake-up first but underneath is a bit of soft caramel. Very dulce de leche notes in the flavor and then a powerful wake-up as the burn hits the throat. Good cop and bad cop going on here.
I do remember those days of high abv beer battles and I have tried Utopias as well as that strange beer that came dressed as a former squirrel.
I thought those stunts were over but apparently there is a new entrant at the top of the heap. A fortified product with a warning to just drink a tiny amount in a single sitting.
And of course, it has a childish name of Snake Venom.
My suggestion is to not shill out that money. You can get a really good bourbon with that cash.
I have now gone through them all and it is time to do summary reviews…
Day 1 – Mai Tai has big rum aroma but the orange lime mix kicks in while the almond note adds a bit of creamy texture.
Day 2 – Blanco Margarita has the balance of spirit and citrus just right. simple ingredient list but works really well.
Day 3 – Espresso Martini, my first ever, nitro too. smooth and creamy. weird duality. good cold brew then not good vodka .
Day 4 – #3 Daquiri coconut top note, heavier abv than the other 3. the acidity keeps it bright though
Day 5 – Manhattan is a classic and this is right up my alley. big bitters taste here. nice and spicy. perhaps a touch too much. whiskey is a minor player.
Day 6 – Negroni is not one of my favorite tipples. I find that Amaro and me are not friends which is a problem for a cocktail heavy with it. But this one, I can get down with. Crimson Snap liquer seems more accessible to me.
Day 7 – Oregon Old Fashioned which is quite strong. was hoping for more of a filbert nutty taste to it. the fir note is not there either. mostly getting honey and whiskey.
Day 8 – Margarita with jalapeno scared me a bit since I am heat averse but this was more on the green vegetal pepper side and though not my favorite had a nice balance of sweet and spicy.
Day 9 – Bee’s Knees first time trying this drink. not as sweet as expected. quite strong. have never heard of the liqueur in this but it makes this a little top heavy even as it cuts the honey.
Day 10 – Maple Old Fashioned is not super syrupy which is a good thing? quite a bit hot as well. the other old fashioned is slightly better. was expecting more sweetness or viscosity.
Day 11 – Thai Gimlet has quite a bit of spice to it and a nice hit of lime as well. for a vodka drink, i quite like it. no alcohol hit but that is ok since the other big flavors take control.
Day 12 – Pacific Paloma has a slight grapefruit pith aroma and a larger citrus taste here. seems a bit watery overall though. the other listed ingredients do not pop out.
If you missed it, 2 Towns Ciderhouse released their final Cellar Series cider of 2024 and it is festive and fruity, a Pear & Red Plum Imperial.
“Delicate and juicy Northwest dessert pears are met with warming, slightly tart Northwest red plums to provide a balanced fusion of flavor.” Plus apples as a base of course.
Time to switch it up and have a winter cider, let’s head over to GABF winning cider maker 2 Towns Cider House for a Polar Party.
“Shake things up with Polar Party as you step into a winter wonderland swirling with a lively blend of elderflower, PNW blueberries, and fresh-pressed apples. This limited cider is guaranteed to break the ice at any winter bash.”
I received the GABF winning ciders pack from 2 Towns Ciderhouse and it is time to open up the 10th Anniversary Cider to review.
Six different apples make up this 10th Anniversary cider and except for McIntosh the rest are all deeper apple cuts like Newtown Pippin, Orleans Reinette, Ashmead’s Kernel, Golden Russet and Cox’s Orange Pippin.
It pours a light yellow in the glass with lovely little bubbles climbing upward. It is a bit of a green apple aroma to it. Quite sparkly mouthfeel to it. There is a bit of tartness to this which I like. It has a bit of candy apple tart.
I like it over the Cellar Series one because of the that green apple swirl.
Does anyone truly need a Death Star liquor cabinet? No. But does everyone who grew up in the ’70’s truly want one? Yes.
Obviously, you would need the right space and vibe for such a large statement piece to work and no HGTV designer would ever sanction it but it sure is cool.
I would love to head back to Bardstown Bourbon Co. in Kentucky again and even more so when I heard of their collaboration with Blackberry Farm Brewery. The result is “a custom blend of 6 to 14 year old bourbon, then finished it in their signature Oxheart stout barrels for 17 months.” I do like a cask finished bourbon and this sounds tasty.
I received the GABF winning ciders pack from 2 Towns Ciderhouse and the first one to catch my eye was the Cidre Bouché because I learned a new word, keeving. You can read what 2 Towns says about the process HERE but in summary it is grinding the bittersweet apples and letting them sit in contact with the skins for enough time to fully extract of the juice and proper tannins.
With process out of the way, let’s talk taste of this very orange hued cider. Oak and apple swirl in the aroma. After that initial hit, the first sip is a bit one dimensional. But then a real big apple taste takes over. There is also a slight touch of vanilla to close out the flavor before your next sip.
Now Los Angeles rarely sees actual winter but Benny Boy Brewing and Cidery has our back anyway with Winter’s Hug, an Ice Cider made with Newtown Pippin and Dabinett apples. “Ice Cider is made from sweet juice extracted from frozen cider. This special method produces a higher alcohol content than traditional cider, and the result is a lovely, premium, barrel-aged, dessert-style cider.”
