Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1025306
september 2018 / the tasting panel / 63 SPIRITS 92 Surf City Still Works California Gin, USA ($32) Vibrant nose with a silky texture and elegant flavor profile dominated by citrus; more finesse and style than you would expect from a first-time effort. This pretty bottle should be on every bar in Southern California. SURF CITY STILL WORKS 93 Suerte Añejo Tequila, Mexico ($50) Pale amber ; rich, deep, and creamy with some earthy agave notes and sweet caramel. Luscious and balanced, it's aged "twice as long as the industry standard," the company boasts—and it shows. COLORADO SPIRITS IMPORTERS, LLC 93 Ming River Sichuan Baijiu, China ($34) Fragrant and smooth; sweet, toasty, and vegetal. Long and harmoniously balanced with intriguing pineapple notes, it's a clue that baijiu's moment has perhaps finally arrived. PARK STREET IMPORTS 94 Glenmorangie Signet Scotch Whisky, Scotland ($200) Soft, full-bodied, and elegant; mellow and smooth with toasty oak, spice, and vanilla. Balanced and deeply layered, this is a precise and complex knockout from this storied distiller. 92 Basil Hayden's Two by Two Rye, USA ($45) A limited- edition release with a striking floral nose and pleasing notes of vanilla and smooth oak; tannic, lively, and silky with nice rye flavors, spice, and considerable balance. A long, smooth, and tangy blend of four spirits: two Kentucky straight rye whiskies and two Kentucky straight bourbon whiskies. 92 Eastside Distilling Hue-Hue Coffee Rum, USA ($20) Deep mahogany color with a rich coffee aroma; smooth yet powerful flavor with some nice sweetness and pure, gorgeous mocha intensity; subtle and balanced enough to try some in your morning cup. ©2018 Produced & Bottled By St. Elder, Ltd., boston, MA. 20% Alc/Vol (40 Proof) PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. For recipe inspirations visit St-Elder.com | @DrinkStElder Crafted in small batches from an extract of fresh elderflower blossoms, St. Elder brightens up every cocktail with notes of sweet citrus and floral honey. ST. ELDER GREYHOUND 1½ oz Vodka ½ oz St. Elder Natural Elderflower Liqueur 3 oz Grapefruit Juice Lemon wedge Shake ingredients with ice & strain into a rocks filled glass. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon 95 Booker's Bourbon Batch 2018-02 Backyard BBQ, USA ($65) This cask-strength release reveals a softly spicy and toasty noise after watering; smooth and refined with sweet oak, alluring dried fruits, and caramel; warming with floral notes and vanilla. A stunning, complex achievement. JIM BEAM BRANDS