With a very approachable price (one can purchase this for well under $15 at most online retailers), the 2006 Ghost Pines Chardonnay (enjoying a blend of grapes from Sonoma, Monterey, and Napa counties) represents another piece of evidence to back up the claim that wine does not have to be pricey to be eminently enjoyable. While there are bits and pieces of a more woodsy flavor (represented in a vanilla…
Hey! It’s the first time here at NeuFutur that we have had the honor of reviewing a beer, so what better than giving some time to one of the most well-known independent brewers in the United States – Samuel Adams. This time around, we are giving their Summer Ale a spin. There is a complexity present to the Summer Ale that is simply not present with many beers that can…
It has been a few days since the last time we’ve updated the alcohol review section, and felt that the Appleton Estate Extra (a deep-colored Jamaican rum) would be the perfect way to get back into the swing of things. The different rums that are used to create the Extra are the very least 12 years old, with some types actually making it up to the 30 year mark. When…
Whether it be at the local sushi buffet or some of the more upscale Japanese establishments that we here at NeuFutur have been to in the last few years, we have made it a point to check out the sake menus. It was quite a pleasant surprise then to received the Ty Kyu Sake for review a few weeks back, so much so in fact that we had to get…
We here at NeuFutur have had the chance of going through a number of different whiskies over the course of the time that we have had the alcohol review section active. Buffalo Trace is the newest of this spirit sent over, and what will immediately hit potential purchasers is the more classic, cowboy-themed feel to the bottle. The rich copper color of the spirit offsets the beige of the label…
With each different bottle of the stuff we get, I feel that we here at NeuFutur find a new variety of rum. This time, Gosling (Castle Brands) has provided us with a black rum, which I personally thought was significantly different than dark rum. Turns out, it’s just another term for that version of the spirit.
The Mathilde Liqueur Orange X.O may seem to some to be yet another triple sec on the market, but I feel that the spirit is much more similar to a Grand Marnier than a Combier. Of course, the orange flavor is the focal point of the spirit, but I feel that the taste is much more nuanced than that. While the nose is based off of the orange base of…
After some shaky starts to the wine section of the alcohol review category, I find that my own experiences with wines in the last few months have been overwhelmingly positive. Given a chance with the 2008 Fetzer Riesling, I am pleased to report that this string of positive experience has continued. The first thing that I can say about the Fetzer Riesling is that the darker bottle is beyond brilliant;…
The last time that we had a grape vodka in the NeuFutur Headquarters, it was Ciroc. We have not had too much in the way of experience with this variety of vodkas, but feel that UVIX is a great first review of this fresh interpretation of vodka. The presentation of the bottle is nice enough, with a frosted bottle and cork providing a little more in the way of class…
For those that have not had a Hurricane in the past, it is (obviously) an alcoholic drink, made with light and dark rum, simple syrup and a ton of different juices (a complete list includes passion fruit, orange, grenadine, and lime juice). The Southern Comfort iteration of this drink hovers at about 30 proof, uses whiskey instead of rum, and is one of the latest flavors in the Cocktail line…
We here at NeuFutur have had the chance to try a few types of scotch in the time since we first began the alcohol section; Dewar’s 18 is the first that we have decided to cover. The presentation is what will immediately strike potential purchasers, as the spirit itself comes in a lavish box; after this box is opened, the rich amber color of the spirit comes out. After opening…
Being in a college setting for a number of years, it is not surprising that I am somewhat familiar with Jagermeister. The amount of inroads that it has made in the last decade or so into the collective consciousness of the average American adult is astonishing, considering no other of its kin (herbal-based liqueurs or even similar-tasting spirits) have sales numbers that even come close to Jagermeister. If you have…
There are so many rums present on the market now that it honestly feels as if most buyers will have no idea where to go for their rum needs. The amount of information differentiating the brands from each other is paltry, making it almost inevitable that buyers will pick out a sub-par rum sooner rather than later. However, Pernod Ricard has crafted a new rum and placed it under the…
The bottle that we received of Blue Angel looks to have drawn influence from Grey Goose and the 700 Club; the frosted bottle and blue top will remind imbibers of the former, and the name, cloud motif and halo on the bottle will remind them of the latter. Compared to many vodkas, the astringent alcohol nose of Blue Angel is very mild, and even inviting. When the imbiber first gets…
The versatility present in the Utkins U.K. 5 Organic Vodka is simply stunning. Where it will do fine when individuals sip at it on the rocks, I feel the spirit shines brightest in a shot or mixed drink type of setting. While the vodka has a pretty astringent type of nose to it, imbibers should look beyond this and dive headfirst into what is a pretty damn good vodka. At…
Crown Royal is a solid enough whisky on its own, but the Cask No. 16 may just be the smoothest, most satisfying whisk(e)y we’ve gotten our hands on for NeuFutur. The container for the whisky ensures completely safety, while the black bag (with gold accents) provides further authority for this bottle.
Gin seems to be one of those spirits that does not get too much in the way of love. I cannot count how many individuals turn down the chance to have a gin drink just because they think that the spirit tasters like pine trees. I’m sure that some (very) low-quality gins may only have the juniper taste present, but many of the different higher-shelf releases have a much more…
I had no clue before looking at the promotional one-sheet that Luke Donald was a golfer. Terlato Wine has entered into an agreement with Donald to brand a number of their efforts with eir name, and we received a bottle of the 2007 Chardonnay for review. After draining this bottle, we learned two things. First, the heaviness of the glass used to bottle this wine is such that one could…
This is one dark tequila. This is due to the fact that the spirit has been aged in oak barrels in much the same way as whiskey, imbuing all aspects of the Black Medallion with a smoky timbre that sets it off from all other tequilas on the market. The first experience beyond simply seeing the Jose Cuervo Black Medallion will be when one cracks open the bottle; the earthy,…
Don Simon is the first wine that we have gotten for review that has been in a normal, recyclable plastic bottle. It is also Spain’s highest selling wine. The first thing that should be said is that the wine’s flavor has not been modified in the slightest; there is not a plastic or similar flavor profile present in each bottle. Of course, there needs to be some discussion of the…