Other Spirits

E&J XO Brandy

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

E&J XO Brandy

40% ABV
$16
Website
E&J XO Brandy

What the Distillery Says

Bold and seductively smooth, nothing complements the night quite like E&J XO, which is charcoal-filtered to create the ultimate drinking experience.

Tasting Notes
Barrel-aged for a minimum of two years
Charcoal-filtered for the ultimate smooth finish
Balanced sweet and toasted flavor

What Gary Says

Nose: Heavy vanilla, subtle floral notes with a bit of cocoa, maple and cherry.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, caramel creme candy, vanilla, sugar cookies, nutmeg, a bit of cinnamon and a hint of cherry cola.
Finish: Short in length, sweet with notes of cherry cordial.
Comments: This is nice, very smooth. On the nose, it’s like vanilla extract in terms of the weight of the vanilla – but if you work past that you get some other notes. I bought a 50 mL mini of this just to benchmark some other brandies against, and glad I did as previously I had E&J VS for our ‘cooking brandy’ and I’ll definitely replace it with this!

Rating: Stands Out

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E&J VS Brandy

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

E&J VS Brandy

40% ABV
$14
Website
E&J VS Brandy

What the Distillery Says

E&J VS entered the scene in 1975 and has been an OG fan-favorite ever since. Sip it straight-up, or mix it up as a cocktail.

Tasting Notes
Barrel-aged for a minimum of two years
Hints of apple, toasted oak, and vanilla
Crisp and light-bodied

What Gary Says

Nose: Bright, crisp, subtle floral, perfume with grapes.
Palate: Round mouthfeel, light, grapes, bit of baking spices with vanilla and a hint of pears.
Finish: Short to moderate in length, slightly drying with caramel and fading spices.
Comments: Compared to E&J XO Brandy, this is brighter but thinner. Shows that the XO age absolutely makes a difference. For only a dollar or two more, I’d definitely go for the XO and skip this one all together. Don’t get me wrong – this wasn’t bad or anything like that, but just pales in comparison for my money.

Rating: Average

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Foursquare Master Series Edition No. 1 Rum

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Foursquare Master Series Edition No. 1 Rum
Single Blended Rum

62% ABV
$150-$400 (auction only)
Website
Foursquare Master Series Edition No. 1

What the Bottle Says

Foursquare Rum Distillery
Master Series Edition No 1
Single Blended Rum | Fine Barbados Rum
Private Cask Selection | Concierge Total Wine
Aged 12 Years, MMXX Release
Maturation: Ex-Bourbon & Ex-Sherry
62% Alc./Vol.
Distilled, matured and bottled at Foursquare Rum Distillery, Barbados

What Gary Says

Nose:  Banana, charred oak, coconut, tobacco, vanilla and tahini.
Palate:  Thick mouthfeel with dark chocolate, chili oil, caramelized banana, tobacco, vanilla, cinnamon and citrus zest.
Finish:  Long, warm, syrupy, spicy with chocolate, honey and banana.
Comments:  Absolutely not a rum expert, or even afficionado (but am blessed to have friends who gift me samples of lovely things like this, so want to share my thoughts for any who might give a damn). This is a really nice rum! A tad hot on the nose, but intense flavor. A bit of water doesn’t hurt it, and brings out more coconut on the nose while tamping the heat on the palate and bringing some caramel to the party (and while it’s hard to imagine, made the mouthfeel even thicker than it already was). Not sure what this sold for initially, but have seen auction prices ranging from just over $150 (not including shipping/hammer fees) to closer to $400.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Appleton Estate 12‑Year‑Old Rare Casks Jamaican Rum

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Appleton Estate 12‑Year‑Old Rare Casks Jamaican Rum

43% ABV
$43
Website
Appleton Estate 12‑Year‑Old Rare Casks Jamaican Rum

What the Producer Says

The proof that craftsmanship and talent need another ingredient to achieve excellence: Joy

12 Year Old Rare Casks is a true expression of Master Blender Joy Spence’s passion. A blend of rare hand-selected pot and column still rums crafted with limestone-filtered water, all aged for a minimum of 12 years in the tropical climate of Jamaica.

Color: Deep bronze with a honey gold ring of age and mahogany reflections.
Aroma: Toasted oak, dried fruit, and hazelnut, followed by notes of dark cocoa, molasses, orange peel, vanilla, and hints of coffee.
Finish: Long, bittersweet, and luscious.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Banana nut bread with tropical fruit notes of coconut, mango, vanilla, oak and a hint of maple.
Palate:  Sweet caramel, vanilla, milk chocolate, unsweetened coconut, bit of maple, candied grapefruit and subtle spice notes.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, with cotton candy, caramel and pepper spice.
Comments:  Continuing with another rum, this one is quite different from the Foursquare offering. On the palate, this reminds me a bit of a bourbon. Enjoyed the tropical fruit notes, and very easy to drink.

Rating: Stands Out

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State Line Coffee Liqueur

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State Line Coffee Liqueur

25% ABV
$30
Website
State Line Coffee Liqueur
We would like to thank State Line Distillery and Publicity For Good for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Locally roasted coffee, organic grains from Wisconsin’s Driftless region, and pure cane sugar combine to form a decadent liqueur that is velvety smooth with rich notes of coffee and chocolate.

Crowned ‘Best in the World’ multiple years at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition, State Line Coffee Liqueur represents unmatched quality in every sip.

State Line Coffee Liqueur is velvety smooth with rich notes of coffee and chocolate. Produced from locally roasted Kin-Kin Coffee it’s hard not to get hyperbolic about our coffee liqueur. But man — it’s good. Crazy good.

State Line’s neutral grain spirit blends with cold brewed Kin-Kin Coffee and cane sugar for a decadent liqueur that’s not too sweet yet not too bitter, like dark chocolate. Serve it over ice or shake up an Espresso Martini. It’s always good. Too good, even. Okay we’ll stop.

Learn more here!

What Gary Says

Nose: Medium to dark roast coffee with a bit of chocolate.
Palate: Sweet coffee with a bit of caramel and dulce de leche.
Finish: Short in length with notes of coffee and sweetness.
Comments: This is a delightful and coffee-forward coffee liqueur! That might sound like a given, but trust me – it was really eye-opening to experience. After tasting, I decided to pull out the “coffee liqueur” I had in my cabinet (Kahlúa) for a side-by-side comparison, and the two really aren’t that similar. This is less syrupy and a tad lighter in the glass (because of course I tried both in Glencairns because I’m a whisk(e)y geek!) This is coffee first, with sweetness playing a supporting role – where the other is syrupy sweet and more chocolate forward, with coffee falling well behind. It was only then I noticed that the other is ‘coffee AND RUM liqueur’, which I had forgotten. All that to say, don’t think of this as a substitute for the other – it really does stand on its own, and if you’re a fan of coffee, this is a gem!

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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