WINE & SPIRITS
Designer Dram Whiskies
The American whiskey market may be saturated, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows their ideal flavor profile. Fortunately, Designer Dram can help with an at-home blending experience that allows customers to mix any combination of five whiskies: a classic bourbon, a high-rye bourbon, a wheated whiskey, a pure rye whiskey, and a barley rye. Designer Dram’s master distiller fulfills each submitted blend, which is bottled and delivered with a customizable label. From $170; designerdram.com
Hardin’s Creek Bourbons
Crafted by James B. Beam Distilling Co., Hardin’s Creek: The Kentucky Series Trio, a tri-pack of 17-year-old bourbons distilled using the same mash bill, showcases how microclimates and diverse landscapes influence flavor. The barrels were aged in warehouses set in three separate Kentucky locations, and based on their locale, flavors range from sweet caramel and floral tobacco to subtle hazelnut and seasoned leather. Even the mouthfeel of each whiskey was influenced by its warehouse location. $170; hardinscreek.com
Procera Gin
The beauty of gin is its ability to capture and convey a distinct sense of place. Procera gin, distilled in Kenya, not only does that—showcasing the vibrant flavor of fresh African juniper berries—but it also delivers distinct spirits crafted for specific cocktails. Procera Blue Dot makes a sublime dry martini, while Procera Red Dot will forever change your impression of the Negroni. $93 (Blue Dot), $100 (Red Dot); proceragin.com
Laneta Extra Añejo Tequila
After three years spent in ex-bourbon barrels, Laneta Extra Añejo emerges from the cask full-bodied in flavor, with a silky-smooth mouthfeel and a bright, lively aroma. Like many extra añejos, this spirit appeals to a broad audience—even those who don’t always think to order tequila. Hints of toffee on the palate play well with the herbaceous agave notes, creating a decadent spirit well suited for after-dinner pours. $170; lanetatequila.com
Compass Box Whiskies
The Extinct Blends Quartet from Compass Box includes limited-edition whiskies blended to replicate the aromas and flavors of Scotch whiskies that have long vanished. The latest expression in the series, Compass Box Metropolis, brings together single malts from Aberlour, Miltonduff, and Bowmore distilleries, marrying them to a sherry-matured blended whisky and a zesty grain whisky. The result is a layered and complex spirit, one that evolves gradually across a prolonged, creamy finish. $325; compassboxwhisky.com
Rhum Clément Rum
While many younger rums distilled from sugarcane juice showcase a distinctive (and typically pleasing) vegetal quality—certainly those from Martinique—Rhum Clément Cuvée Homère, a blend of older, ex-bourbon-barrel-aged rums ranging in age from 7 to 15 years, isn’t as forthcoming in that regard. Instead, the drink offers up biscuits and almonds on the nose, with woody vanilla flavors and hints of toasted coconut on the palate. Overall, it’s an ideal aged rum to pour over the winter holidays. $121; rhum-clement.com
Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Crafted from grapes grown on selected parcels of Napa Valley’s famed To Kalon Vineyard, Schrader Cellars Monastery Block cabernet sauvignon showcases the terroir of that gravelly soil. It also exemplifies the 2021 vintage—a growing season that produced small yields of intensely flavored berries enhanced by notable complexity. The result is a classic Oakville cabernet, one that juxtaposes prominent black fruit flavors with subtle floral notes and an elegant minerality. $475; schradercellars.com
Banfi Red Blend
As climates are changing, so too are the compositions of notable wine blends. In Italy, for example, Super Tuscans are shifting away from sangiovese as a foundational grape and are leaning more on cabernet sauvignon. Banfi’s Summus Toscana, a pioneer in this trend, is a tantalizing blend of earthiness and vibrant fruit character. On the palate, this elegant 2017 red delivers dark stone fruit mixed with tobacco and leather, while its tannins are discernible but well integrated. $80; banfi.it
Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs
Southern England shares a similar soil composition to Champagne, France. Now, thanks to climate change, it’s warm enough in parts of the United Kingdom to ripen grapes, which means British sparkling wines are on the rise. In that category, Nyetimber’s Blanc de Blancs is a standout, one that has respected sommeliers taking notice. Not only is this sparkling chardonnay crisp, bright, and refreshing, but each vintage is proving to be more sophisticated than the last. $58; nyetimber.com
Domäne Wachau Riesling
The grapes for Domäne Wachau Riesling Smaragd Achleiten are sourced from Achleiten, a celebrated vineyard in southern Austria known for producing fruit that imparts into wine a smoky, mineral-forward character. Expectedly, this single-site riesling delivers a complex bouquet of aromas, with equally tantalizing flavors that include hints of apricot and peach. Although round and complex on the palate, this dry white finishes crisp and clean. $51; domaene-wachau.at
