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76 / the tasting panel / may 2018 Publisher's PICKS Kelly Fleming Wines 2014 Big Pour, Napa Valley ($90) This proprietary red from Kelly Fleming features 81% Cabernet Sauvignon from her Calistoga estate; also blended in are 11% Malbec and 8% Syrah from Napa Valley. Inky, deep, and brooding with concen- trated black fruit seasoned with pepper, this is an ageworthy wine boasting sweet tobacco, bitter- sweet dark chocolate, and black tea. 92 Eighty Four 2014 Malbec, Napa Valley ($48) One of the best Malbecs from California, this wine is inspira- tional for its ripeness, freshness, fine acidity, and balanced fruit richness. The aromas begin with more of a moodiness: dark cedar and earth as well as tobacco and forest floor. The palate is lifted and the fruit cascades in a bright, juicy flow. The wine was created by Doug Shafer and Winemaker Elias Fernandez, who began collaborating in 1984—hence the name. 95 SPIRITS New Amsterdam Apple Vodka, USA ($15) A nose remi- niscent of a caramel green apple is the initial appeal of this new flavor from this premium brand. The cocktail-inspired taste profile of a crisp, juicy, just-bit-into-it fruit stays with you for a long time without any cloying aftertaste—in fact, it's the aftertaste that's extremely pleasant and less sweet on the tongue than apple juice itself. Distilled five times, this 70-proof vodka speaks the truth. 92 E. & J. GALLO Hangar 1 Rosé Vodka, USA ($30) Using a blend of Petit Verdot and White Meritage wines, Hangar 1 continues its grapes-and- grain distillation program from its distillery in Alameda, California. While the brand's straight vodka is made from a grape distillate, the rosé expression ratchets up the creativity. Aromas include peach blossom, sweet cherry, and wet stone while the palate brings out flavors of rhubarb, white tea tannins, and spiced cedar. The mouthfeel is lean and has a minerally finish. 90 VOGA Vodka, Italy ($40) Red and black berry fruit greet the nose—a pleasant whiff of freshness. On the palate, finely- grained peppery spiciness unfolds in tandem with a satiny mouthfeel. This is a sipper's vodka crafted from southern Italian semolina wheat, with water sourced from the Alps. The spirit is filtered through Nebbiolo grapes and distilled five times. 92 ENOVATION BRANDS, INC. Glen Grant 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland ($77) Joining the 12- and 18-year-old expressions, this is the newest release from this Speyside single malt distiller. This batch-strength beauty is 100 proof, but you wouldn't know from the delicate aromas of honeyed orange and peach tart. The full mouthfeel (thanks to non- chill filtering) starts with a roar of white pepper and nutmeg but soon purrs along with dried apricot, toffee, and spiced pear. The finish of lime-tobacco and walnut is decisive and clean. 94 CAMPARI GROUP Papa's Pilar 24 Dark Rum, USA ($47) This limited-release, 86-proof rum is named after Ernest "Papa" Hemingway's yacht, the Pilar. The "24" represents the spirit's 24th solera taste profile in its artisanal blend, with seven hand-selected rums up to 25 years old incorporated in this blend. After solera aging in bourbon barrels, Port wine casks, and Spanish Sherry casks, the pot and column-distilled rum was further aged in Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks for approximately 30 days. With its deep auburn hue, the inviting nose speaks of fine English toffee and candied orange peel. Beyond that confident nose, the palate brims with refinement. Notes of date nut bread, pekoe tea, walnuts, dark chocolate, and grilled peaches swim in luxurious liquid satin. 94 HEMINGWAY RUM CO. Springfield Manor Lavender Gin, USA ($45) Pungent notes of—you guessed it—lavender exude from this gin handcrafted in Thurmont, Maryland, not far from the presidential Camp David retreat. Awarded "Best Flavored Gin" at last year's San Francisco World Spirits Competition, this 90-proof spirit could be likened to a picnic in the fields of southern France. A hint of blue fruit and vanilla complete the palate. 93 PHOTO: BRIAN GRAY