Issue 037: The Grain of Truth - Honesty in the Glass

Issue No. 37 — May 2, 2026

Your daily discovery of 8 exceptional wines and spirits

In This Issue

Bourbon Scotch Whisky Irish Whiskey Tequila Gin Rum Red Wine White Wine

Classification: Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Brand: Belle Meade

Distillery: Nelson's Green Brier Distillery

Proof: 108.3 (54.15% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Rich copper with burnt orange edges

MSRP: $55–$70

Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 21% Rye, 9% Malted Barley

Barrel Type: New charred American white oak

Nose: Upfront butterscotch and toasted pecan give way to ripe red apple and a whiff of dried corn husk. A secondary wave of leather and brown spices emerges as the glass opens, with faint floral carnation underneath.

Palate: Full-bodied entry with dense caramel and charred oak that frames a core of rye spice and dark cocoa. Mid-palate, maple syrup sweetness surfaces alongside chewy tobacco leaf. The high proof carries without burning, distributing flavor evenly across the tongue.

Finish: Long and warming with lingering charred oak, pecan, and a dry rye-spice fade. A final echo of vanilla anchors the close.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Butterscotch, Charred Oak, Pecan, Brown Spices, Caramel

The Verdict: Belle Meade Reserve is Nelson's Green Brier at its most confident — proof-forward bourbon that never bullies the palate. The mash bill's corn-rye balance is on full display, making this an ideal study in how high proof can amplify rather than obscure complexity.

Classification: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Craigellachie

Distillery: Craigellachie Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: 13 Year

Color: Bright gold with pale straw edges

MSRP: $55–$75

Region: Speyside

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley

Distillation: Copper pot stills with traditional worm tub condensers

Maturation: First-fill and refill American oak ex-bourbon casks

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon American oak

Peat Level (PPM): Unpeated

Chill-Filtered: No

Nose: A striking sulfurous meatiness gives way to ripe peach and honey, with toasted almond and a wisp of green cut grass. The nose is unconventional for Speyside — heavier, more textured, demanding attention.

Palate: Waxy and full on entry, with malt sweetness yielding quickly to clove spice and a distinctive earthy minerality. Mid-palate brings buttery cereal notes alongside dried fruit. A woody oak backbone provides structure without dominating.

Finish: Medium-long, with smoky undertones and lingering honey. The earthy, slightly phenolic character persists as a savory farewell.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Peach, Honey, Malt, Clove Spice, Earthy

The Verdict: Craigellachie 13 is Speyside's contrarian — a malt that wears its worm-tub-condensed character like a badge of honor. It trades polished elegance for muscular honesty, rewarding drinkers who appreciate texture and funk over refinement.

Classification: Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Brand: Kilbeggan

Distillery: Kilbeggan Distillery

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Pale gold with green-tinged highlights

MSRP: $35–$45

Mash Bill: Malted and unmalted barley

Distillation: Triple distilled in copper pot stills

Maturation: Ex-bourbon American oak casks

Chill-Filtered: No

Nose: Freshly cut grass and green apple open with bright energy, followed by honeyed cereal and a subtle floral rosewater note. A faint earthy quality lingers beneath, grounding the lighter aromatics.

Palate: Creamy and medium-bodied, with buttery malt leading into vanilla custard and a touch of clove spice. The unmalted barley announces itself as a peppery, slightly oily texture that distinguishes this from standard blends. Cocoa develops late.

Finish: Medium length with lingering green herbal notes and a clean, woody close. The pot still spice hangs on pleasantly.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Green (Cut Grass), Buttery, Honey, Clove Spice, Vanilla

The Verdict: Kilbeggan's single pot still release is a quiet revelation — proof that this ancient distillery's revived copper stills can produce spirit with genuine character. At this price, it's one of the best introductions to the pot still style available.

Classification: Blanco Tequila (100% Agave)

Brand: Siembra Azul

Distillery: Feliciano Vivaldo y Asociados (NOM 1414)

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: Unaged

Color: Crystal clear with silver brightness

MSRP: $35–$50

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave (Highland, Arandas)

Cooking Method: Brick oven cooked, roller mill extraction, natural fermentation

NOM: NOM 1414

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Bright cooked agave sweetness mingles with citrus zest — lime and grapefruit in equal measure. Beneath that, a clean mineral earthiness and a whisper of fresh grass keep things honest. No perfume, no tricks.

Palate: The entry is silky with sweet roasted agave and white pepper, transitioning into herbaceous mint and thyme notes at mid-palate. A distinct minerality gives the liquid weight beyond its proof. Clean and precise throughout.

Finish: Medium, with lingering agave sweetness, a flash of black pepper, and a dry mineral fade that invites another sip.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Citrus (Lemon, Lime, Orange, Grapefruit), Earth (Mineral, Soil Notes), Herbal (Mint, Thyme, Eucalyptus), Pepper

The Verdict: Siembra Azul Blanco is a transparency project in liquid form — co-founded by tequila educator David Suro specifically to showcase terroir and traditional production. It delivers highland agave character without distraction, making it an essential reference blanco.

Classification: American Gin

Brand: New York Distilling Company

Distillery: New York Distilling Company

Proof: 88 (44% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear

MSRP: $30–$40

Style: American Gin

Botanicals: Juniper, elderberries, hibiscus, cinnamon cassia, citrus peel, coriander, orris root

Base Spirit: Corn and malted barley neutral grain spirit

Distillation: Single-shot pot distillation in a 1,000-liter copper still

Nose: Juniper leads with a resinous, woody quality, immediately trailed by bright grapefruit citrus and elderberry. Cinnamon cassia bark warms the background while a delicate floral rose note weaves through. Complex without being cluttered.

Palate: The entry is dry and juniper-forward, with herbaceous waxiness developing into coriander seed and a musky orris root depth. Citrus peel — lemon and grapefruit — brightens the mid-palate. The texture is clean and slightly oily, carrying flavors efficiently.

Finish: Medium length, drying out with lingering juniper pine and a peppery, spice-tinged close.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Woody/Resinous), Grapefruit, Cassia Bark, Floral (Rose), Coriander

The Verdict: Named for the sharp-tongued literary wit, Dorothy Parker gin has the same quality: nothing wasted, everything deliberate. It bridges London dry structure with American botanical creativity, and at this price point, it over-delivers consistently.

Classification: White Blended Rum

Brand: Foursquare / Hampden Estate

Distillery: Foursquare Distillery & Hampden Estate

Proof: 94 (47% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Water-white with brilliant clarity

MSRP: $22–$30

Base Ingredients: Molasses (Barbados) and Molasses (Jamaica)

Distillation: Blend of Barbadian column still and Jamaican pot still distillate

Nose: Bright tropical fruits — banana and pineapple — jump out alongside a clean sugarcane freshness. Underneath, funky Jamaican pot still esters wrestle with Bajan column still elegance. A hint of vanilla and coconut rounds it out.

Palate: The palate is surprisingly full for an unaged rum, with agricole-like grassy sugarcane notes giving way to ripe tropical fruit and a flash of citrus zest. The Hampden contribution adds oily texture and a savory depth, while Foursquare's component keeps things clean and focused.

Finish: Medium, with lingering banana and a dry, slightly spiced close that avoids any cloying sweetness.

Rum Kit Aromas: Tropical Fruits, Banana, Vanilla, Coconut, Agricole

The Verdict: A collaboration between Richard Seale and the Hampden Estate team, this rum exists to prove that white rum can be a serious spirit. It succeeds. Equal parts funky and refined, it stands alone or elevates any rum cocktail it touches.

Classification: Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico DOCG

Brand: COS

Distillery: Azienda Agricola COS

ABV: 13%

Primary Varietal: Nero d'Avola

Blend: 60% Nero d'Avola, 40% Frappato

Vineyards: Estate vineyards in Vittoria, southeastern Sicily, on calcareous clay and sandy soils

Maturation: Spontaneous fermentation in buried terracotta amphorae, no added sulfites at fermentation, minimal intervention

Color: Translucent ruby with garnet edges

MSRP: $25–$35

Nose: Bright cherry and wild strawberry dominate, with dried rose petals and a savory herbal underpinning. There's a subtle earthiness — volcanic soil and dried herbs — that anchors the fruit without darkening it.

Palate: Medium-bodied and elegantly structured, the palate delivers tart cherry and berry fruit with a streak of citrus acidity. Mid-palate brings gentle toasted spice from the amphora aging, along with a hint of mint. Tannins are fine-grained and unobtrusive.

Finish: Medium, with persistent cherry and a mineral, almost salty close that recalls the Sicilian terroir.

Wine Kit Aromas: Cherry, Floral (Rose), Berry (Generic), Mint, Citrus (Generic)

The Verdict: COS was fermenting in buried terracotta amphorae before it became fashionable, and this Cerasuolo di Vittoria shows why the method endures. It's Sicily's only DOCG red expressed in its purest form — no oak distraction, just Nero d'Avola and Frappato in transparent conversation.

Classification: Meursault AOC

Brand: Domaine Roulot

Distillery: Domaine Roulot

ABV: 13%

Primary Varietal: Chardonnay

Blend: 100% Chardonnay

Vineyards: Multiple village-level parcels across Meursault on limestone and marl soils

Vinification: Whole cluster pressed, fermented in French oak with indigenous yeasts, aged on fine lees with minimal bâtonnage

Color: Pale gold with green reflections

MSRP: $95–$130

Nose: White flowers and citrus peel — lemon and grapefruit — open the nose with restrained elegance. Beneath sits a core of crushed hazelnut and wet stone minerality. A faint honeyed quality emerges as the wine warms, with toasted brioche in the background.

Palate: Taut and precise on entry, with vibrant acidity framing flavors of green apple, citrus zest, and a subtle buttery richness that never tips into heaviness. Mid-palate reveals toasted almond and a chalky minerality that lengthens the wine. The oak is invisible — present only as texture.

Finish: Long and resonant, with citrus and stony minerality persisting through a clean, mouthwatering close.

Wine Kit Aromas: Citrus (Generic), Apple (Green), Buttery, Toasted, Honey

The Verdict: Jean-Marc Roulot's village Meursault is a masterclass in restraint. Where others in this appellation lean into oak and richness, Roulot pulls back, letting the limestone speak. The result is Meursault stripped to its essence — no veneer, just truth.

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Robert R. Mohr, CPA, CGMA, WSET Level 3, WSG Certified Spirits Specialist — author of America's Spirit, Scotland's Spirit, Ireland's Spirit, The Ultimate Northern Italian Wine Journey, The Tequila y Mezcal Revolution, The Definitive Pocket Guide to Chablis, The Definitive Pocket Guide to the Côte d'Or, and Strategic Tuning. Published author of the Aroma Academy Tequila/Mezcal and Distiller's training kits.

The Still & The Vine is a daily publication of the School of Wine and Spirits.

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