One of the wines Ken Gargett brought to a recent wine tasting with friends was a sherry, the Equipo Navazos La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada No 80, Bota Punta. Some among you will have no doubt that such a wine demands Grand cru status, while others will be horrified at the thought. And so it was at the dinner. But let’s just talk about sherry for a moment, shall we?
Delamain cognac concentrates, first and foremost, on quality. Ken Gargett finds it hard not to love that. This ancient cognac house might not get the fanfare of some, but its cognacs are very special and a must for anyone who enjoys quality spirits. Find out why here.
Flor de Caña V Generaciones with its amazing balance gives the impression that it is neither dry nor sweet, just absolute dead center. It is, by any standard, one of the finest rums that Ken Gargett has ever sampled. And then there’s that volcano stamp, a story that changed the course of history.
At the 2016 World Whiskies Awards, Teeling Whiskey was awarded “World’s Best Irish Single Malt” and then in 2019 “World’s Best Single Malt.” Ken Gargett takes a look at (and a few drams of) a couple of the company’s wonderful whiskeys and explains what makes them so exceptional.
As well as being a superb bourbon, one of the great advantages of the Master’s Keep premium releases from Wild Turkey is that they are not prohibitively priced (these bourbons are in the vicinity of $150 per bottle), nor are they so limited that you’ll only ever read about them and never see a bottle. These are great bourbons intended for drinking, and Ken Gargett gives us the lowdown.
The Penfolds Grange 2015 is a wine that screams at you, demands that you take notice of it. It is no shrinking violet; it is complex and powerful. For Ken Gargett, this is the least ready of all recent Grange releases. And then there’s the Special Bin 111A Clare Valley Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016. Sublime!
From Ken Gargett’s first puff of the Punch Regional Release 8-9-8, it was clear that this was something seriously special: immediate and rich notes of roasted nuts, toasted biscuits. No issues with youth, no “elbows and knees.” Immaculately balanced from the word go!
The top six Aussie reds? Ken Gargett thinks that most lists would include Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace, and Bass Philip Reserve Pinot Noir, though such is its rarity (and price) that it tends to be more talked about than tasted. But there’s one under-the-radar wine from the Canberra area that should also be on that list: Clonakilla’s sensational Shiraz Viognier.
The Peter Lehmann Masterson Shiraz 2015 is called “the Masterson” in honor of the origins of the company and Peter Lehmann himself. The first release is in magnums only: a total of 1,400 magnums made, 1,000 of them to released at AUD$2,000 each. Ken Gargett rates it 98/100. Find out why right here.
Yamazaki 12-Year-Old from Japan is a whisky that Ken Gargett has loved every time he has had the chance to try it. The bottle he sampled for this piece was actually one from the back of his cupboard, which he has been sitting on for far too long. When a mate saw it, he implored him not to open it. But Ken of course did and shares the experience with us here.