Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/430172
134 / the tasting panel / december 2014 2014 Yearbook Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland WILLIAM GRANT & SONS Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Year Old, Scotland WILLIAM GRANT & SONS Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland WILLIAM GRANT & SONS Global Vodka, Italy GLOBAL VODKA IMPORTING CO. Gran Patrón Piedra Tequila, Mexico PATRÓN SPIRITS Grand Leyenda Silver Tequila Organic, Mexico MHW, LTD J.R. Ewing Private Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon, USA PARIRIE CREEK BEVERAGES JURA Brooklyn Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland WHYTE & MACKAY Karma Tequila Reposado, Mexico KARMA TEQUILA Kringle Cream Liqueur, USA NORDIC DISTILLERS Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky Diageo Special Releases 2014, Scotland DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky Diageo Special Releases 2014, Scotland DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Laphroaig Triple Wood Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland BEAM SUNTORY Laphroaig Select Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland BEAM SUNTORY Loft & Bear Artisinal Vodka, USA YSA.LA Lotus 100% Pure Grain Vodka, Italy BH GROUP USA Marzadro Le Diciotto Lune Grappa Stravecchia, Italy PARK STREET IMPORTS, LLC Master's Selection London Dry Gin, Spain VISION WINE & SPIRITS Masterson's 12 Year Old Straight Wheat Whiskey, Canada 35 MAPLE STREET Ménage à Trois Vodka, USA TRINCHERO FAMILY Metaxa 12 Stars Greek Brandy, Greece RÉMY COINTREAU USA Mezcal Sacrificio Reposado, Mexico PARK STREET IMPORTS Michter's Unblended American Whiskey Small Batch, USA CHATHAM IMPORTS Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin Batch Distilled, Germany SIDNEY FRANK IMPORTING CO. O'Begley Poitín Traditional Irish Style Moonshine, USA O'BEGLEYS LLC Oban Single Malt Scotch Whisky Diageo Special Releases 2014, Scotland DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Ocean Vodka, USA HAWAII SEA SPIRITS Orphan Barrel Rhetoric Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, USA DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company Old Blowhard, USA DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Passion XO Sun Fruit Juice with XO Cognac, France BH GROUP USA Pisco Portón Pisco Mosta Verde, Peru PISCO PORTÓN Port Ellen Single Malt Scotch Whisky Diageo Special Releases 2014, Scotland DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Prairie Handcrafted Gin Certified Organic, USA PHILLIPS DISTILLING CO. RE:FIND Rye Whiskey, USA RE:FIND DISTILLERY Roca Patrón Reposado, Mexico PATRÓN SPIRITS Roca Patrón Silver, Mexico PATRÓN SPIRITS Roca Patrón Añejo, Mexico PATRÓN SPIRITS Selvarey Rum, Panama SELVAREY RUM Solbeso The Original Fresh Distilled Cacao NEW WORLD SPIRITS Sound Spirits Aquavit, USA SOUND SPIRITS Speyburn 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland INTERNATIONAL BEVERAGE HOLDINGS LTD. Stolen Rum Coffee and Cigarettes Spiced Rum, USA PARK STREET IMPORTS Suntory Hakushu Heavily Peated Single Malt Whisky, Japan BEAM SUNTORY Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky Diageo Special Releases 2014, Scotland DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Talisker Distillers Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Tanduay Blanco Rum, Philippines MIDWAY USA Tanqueray Old Tom Gin, England DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Tap Rye Port Finished Canadian Rye Whisky 8 Years Old, Canada VAN GOGH IMPORTS Tapatio Tequila Blanco, Mexico CHARBAY DISTILLERS Templeton Rye, USA INFINIUM SPIRITS Tequila 1519 Reposado, Mexico A. HARDY USA The Balvenie 15 Year Old Sherry Cask Single Barrel, Scotland WILLIAM GRANT & SONS USA The BenRiach Authenticus 25 Year Old Peated Single Malt, Scotland ANCHOR DISTILLING The Dalmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 15 Years, Scotland WHYTE AND MACKAY The Dalmore 25 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, Scotland WHYTE AND MACKAY The Glenlivet XXV Single Malt Scotch Whisky 25 years old, Scotland PERNOD RICARD USA The Irishman Founders Reserve Irish Whiskey, Ireland PALM BAY INTERNATIONAL The Singleton of Dufftown Single Malt Scotch Whisky Diageo Special Releases 2014, Scotland DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA Truuli Peak Vodka Alaskan Vodka, USA PARK STREET IMPORTS Uncle Val's Restorative Gin, USA 35 MAPLE STREET SPIRITS VEEV Açaí Spirit 70 Proof, USA VEEV SPIRITS Villa Massa Limoncello Liqueur, Italy DEUTSCH FAMILY WINE & SPIRITS VOR Icelandic Gin Pot Distilled, Iceland PARK STREET IMPORTS Westland American Single Malt Whiskey, USA WESTLAND DISTILLERY WhistlePig "The Boss Hog" Straight Rye Whiskey, Canada DOMAINE SELECT WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey 10 Years Old, Canada DOMAINE SELECT White Tiger Vodka, Russia AMUR SPIRITS UNLIMITED Wild Turkey Jimmy Russell Diamond Anniversary Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, USA CAMPARI AMERICA Woody Creek 100% Potato Vodka, USA WOODY CREEK DISTILLERS MOST LIKELY TO LIVE ON THE BEACH HAMILTON RUSSELL VINEYARDS 2012 ESTATE CHARDONNAY, HEMEL-EN-AARDE VALLEY, SOUTH AFRICA ($33) S tony, low-vigor soils and cool Atlantic Ocean breezes treat these grapes to the kind of life only the most southerly wine estate in South Africa—and the one closest to the sea—could provide. Situated in the cool maritime climate of the Walker Bay appellation, in a valley behind an old fishing village, Hamilton Russell Vineyards is the culmination of an exhaus- tive site search by Tim Hamilton Russell back in the 1970s. Today, his son Anthony, who took over in 1991, works only with grapes from their estate terroir. The geological influences of the region make it possible to craft a perfectly balanced Chardonnay, given the gentle handling of the grapes by winemaker Hannes Storm and his team as they leverage traditional winemaking tech- niques aimed at highlighting origin and individuality. Bright, nervy and crisp with beautiful citrus, peach and minerals; lovely structure and notes of toasty oak and vanilla; seamless and elegant. 94 —Anthony Dias Blue, Blue Reviews EXTRA!, July 2014 VINEYARD BRANDS www.hamiltonrussellvineyards.co.za See you next year!