Over the course of the last few years, we at NeuFutur have gotten a tremendous amount of different wines, spirits, beers, and the like. In that time, we’ve filled out our Alcohol Reviews section considerably, but it has always seems as if there was something missing. We received a bottle a while back that I believe brings our wine and spirits coverage to the next level.
Jim Beam Black is the latest release by Beam Global, and it showcases an extreme amount of casking (8 years) that actually doubles the amount of time that the white version of Jim Beam enjoys in wood. This results in one of the best bourbons that I’ve had the chance to sample, right down to the fragrant nose that immediately hits when one opens the bottle. While pushing the limits…
The bicentennial of Mexican independence occurs on September 16th, 2010. The fine folks over at Moet Hennessy have created a limited edition run of their storied Privilege line in support of this, hand-numbering and providing imbibers with information about the cognac’s long history in Mexico. We were lucky enough to receive a bottle of Hennessy Privilege for review.
Cognac recently has caught the eye of a new generation, the sophistication of the image of a cognac drinker ; the taste of the drink itself are the largest contributing factors. Hennessy Black brings something new to the table, a smooth dark Cognac with hint of oak and cinnamon puts a sexy dark twist on a classic drink.
We have not had many chances to review cognac so far in NeuFutur, so it is quite fortunate that we were sent over a few samples from the Pierre Ferrand line. Our first coverage of this company’s spirits comes with their Ambre iteration, a similarly-colored cognac that has been casked for 10 years. The incredibly mild nose of the Ambre Cognac is a great introduction into something that will gradually…
What individuals smell when they first open a spirit, whether it be Tequila, Vodka, Whiskey, or Gin, is not necessarily an indication of what is to follow. This is perfectly encapsulated with Herradura Tequila, which has a strong, biting aroma that immediately assaults imbibers’ noses as soon as the bottle is crack. The color of the spirit seems to be right in the middle of the Reposado range, not as…
This beer begins its pour in a tremendously effervescent way, which will ensure a solid inch-plus head in a pilsner glass, no matter how carefully individuals pour. The continual bubbliness of the beer is a sight to see, while there is little in the way of nose to speak of. The first taste of the Boulevard Pilsner provides imbibers with two distinct sides. First off, there is a decidedly run-of-the-mill…
Pinnacle’s flavored line was one of the few that we had not had the opportunity to review at NeuFutur. Where we have reviewed countless other flavored vodkas in the time that we have had the alcoholic section active, Pinnacle’s Raspberry effort is special. Aside from being the first of its brand, it also is the first raspberry-touched spirit that we have covered. The seventy-proof spirit represents a fairly normally-fueled spirit,…
It seems as if many cherry-flavored alcohols tend to taste like cough syrup. I’m not sure if companies feel emboldened to go forth and make a half-arsed cherry iteration of one of their products, but it is very common . However, as Bacardi has moved to reinvigorate their brand, whether it be through changing of the cap (to keep the vodka fresher) or giving a more up to date bottle…
While there are a number of different vodkas that run the gamut of traditional fruit and beverage-based flavors, I believe that Skyy Infusions Ginger is the first root-flavored spirit that we’ve ever tried. I must admit, though, that the spirit sat on our shelves for a few days before our reviewers got the courage enough to try it. There is nothing at all wrong with the outward appearance with the…
I know that we are only a few minutes away from the end of the night, but I thought that we here at NeuFutur would have a little bit of the Cinco De Mayo spirit. We have been holding back on covering Pa’Qui (Aztec for “to be happy”) for a while now, not only because it is such a beautifully-covered tequila but also because it is one of the most…
After we opened up the beer side of the alcohol review section, I found myself in a serious quandary. We were receiving some seriously full-body beers, and were not getting too much in the way of more mild or properly seasonal types of efforts. The Summerbright beer is the perfect middle ground between these tremendously deep and full-bodied beers and the more familiar, macro styles of portable bread. Saying that,…
This beer retails at around $6-7, and it provides quite a kick considering that it clocks in at 10%. Take that into consideration with the fact that it’s a bomber, and one has essentially 4 beers under one’s belt after killing this bottle. The light coloring of the beer itself belies this heavy alcohol content, as the head quickly dissipates. The Reverend comes through with a decently light nose, one…
It has been a long time since we reviewed an Absolut vodka, and even longer since we reviewed a spirit that is at least partially based on the Acai Berry (October and February 2009, to be specific). We were lucky enough to receive a bottle of Absolut’s latest effort, their Berri Acai, a short while ago. The first thing that one will notice about the spirit is the sweet fruit…
There has to be something about Chambord that is special, as my wife and I still joke around about the numerous bottles of the liqueur that have been stashed away in individuals’ collections. However, before receiving this bottle for review, we both have never had a chance to test out this offering. If you are like us, we had no idea about Chambord’s lineage, which can be traced back all…
While there seems to be a number of sites that catalogue the newest and flashiest of the sake products released stateside, I feel that the Plum Gekkeikan that has been on the market for some time is something that should be given publicity. I have no doubt that a number of Asian buffets throughout the United States have a bottle of this either up on their liquor shelves or use…
Smirnoff is one of a few companies that actually have looked to continually innovate and change what individuals should expect from their vodkas. To that end, they have went and released two new offerings – Spiced Root Beer and Dark Roasted Espresso (review to come) – late last month. We have gotten a chance to sit down with the spirit and really see what the company has came up with.…
For those crunchy individuals, New Belgium’s Mothership Wit is the brewery’s first organically-crafted beer. Where it seems like in the last few years that companies have been more than happy to slap an organic tag on a shoddily-produced or crafted good, New Belgium has made one of the best beers that I’ve had this year. The white head and incredibly lightly-colored yellow of the beer itself hide how delectable the…
Harlem is the first kruiden that we have ever received. Apparently (this is from a Google translation of a Dutch Wikipedia entry), a kruiden is nothing more than an herb-infused liqueur. Harlem has heavy notes of anise, wormwood, cinnamon, and even vanilla present. Repeated tastings will bring forth other lesser, but still integral, hints of spices such as clove and basil.
It just strikes me that a number of IPAs have not been done right in the slightest. The bitterness that I have experienced form some of these efforts nearly put me off to the style, but Avery has done much with their IPA to bring me back into the flock. Upon pouring this beer, there is a clearish gold tint to the beer itself, while the inviting foam of the…