Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/931490
120 / the tasting panel / january/february 2018 BEST NAME Dented Brick Roofraiser Vodka ($24) Marc Christensen started Dented Brick Distillery in Salt Lake City in 2013; one of five distilleries operating in the state, its Roofraiser Vodka (inspired when the distillery's roof had to be raised to fit the 28-foot vodka column still) is crafted from organic wheat and rye farmed on the Utah-Idaho border. Christensen calls Roofraiser a "unique vodka," explaining that "unlike typical vodka, it's got a round, viscous mouthfeel, and you can definitely taste the wheat and spicy rye with black pepper on the end." Roofraiser Vodka sends up heady scents of vanilla bean and soothing, soft, and creamy white bread. Sumptuous texturally, this spirit exudes jasmine and baking spices from start to finish. 92 —M.M., July 2017 DENTED BRICK DISTILLERY BEST VALUE New Amsterdam No. 485 Gin ($14) New Amsterdam may be a com- pany known for its vodka, but its gin—which received 95 points from The Tasting Panel last year—brings the flavor at an incredible price point. A Western-style gin made with botanicals of anise, coriander, juniper, angelica, orange, lime, and vanilla, its base is five times distilled and cut with reverse osmosis–filtered water. New Amsterdam No. 485 Gin's citrus-forward flavor profile makes it a winner in any gin cocktail or sipped neat: but at this price, why not both? The exotic floral notes play well with sugared lemon and an orange-anise-sweet musk aroma, which may be angelica root. The palate is creamy, with lilac, cucumber, caraway seed, red fruit, vanilla bean, and a hint of cherry. The juniper is threaded throughout and makes a neat—and beauti- fully complex—character. 95 —M.M., June 2017 E. & J. GALLO Usquaebach An Ard Ri Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland Usquaebach Old Rare 2014 Blended Scotch Whisky, Scotland Usquaebach Reserve Premium Blended Scotch Whisky, Scotland Valentine Mayor Pingree Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years, USA VALENTINE DISTILLING Valentine Mayor Pingree Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years, USA VALENTINE DISTILLING Valentine Liberator Old Tom Gin, USA VALENTINE DISTILLING Valentine Vodka, USA VALENTINE DISTILLING Van Gogh Pineapple Vodka, Netherlands 375 PARK AVENUE SPIRITS Van Gogh Vodka, Netherlands 375 PARK AVENUE SPIRITS Virus Vodka, USA Wansas Tequila Añejo, Mexico Wansas Tequila Reposado, Mexico West Cork Distillers Single Malt Irish Whiskey Port Cask Finish Aged 12 Years, Ireland M.S. WALKER West Cork Distillers Single Malt Irish Whiskey Rum Cask Finish Aged 12 Years, Ireland M.S. WALKER West Cork Distillers Single Malt Irish Whiskey Sherry Cask Finish Aged 12 Years, Ireland M.S. WALKER Wheatley Vodka, USA BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY WhistlePig FarmStock Rye Whiskey, USA Whistling Andy Pink Peppercorn and Pear Gin, USA Wild Moon Lavender Liqueur, USA HARTFORD FLAVOR COMPANY Wild Moon Lime Liqueur, USA HARTFORD FLAVOR COMPANY Wild Turkey Rare Breed Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof, USA CAMPARI AMERICA Wódka Vodka, Poland YEARBOOK MOST SURPRISING Diplomático Planas Rum ($29) With its crystal-clear color, Diplomático Planas Rum passes for a young, mellow, and sweet spirit. But once it's tasted, its surprisingly intense flavor profile immediately conveys the nuances imparted by its six-year aging process, which is overseen by expert blenders and distillers. Produced in Venezuela's Planas Valley at the foot of the Andes mountains, the house of Diplomático represents generations of rum- making experience and owes its top-quality sugarcane to pure water, fertile soil, and nurturing tropical conditions. Clear, smooth, and delicate nose; silky and clean with elegant notes of vanilla and sugarcane. Balanced and supple with a creamy texture and a long, rich finish. 92 —A.D.B., April 2017