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Wenneker Genever Islay Cask Finish

36%, aged (about a year) in Islay whisky casks. This is like combining two of my favorite drinks into one! Well, not really. If you age rectified spirit in a cask, it still won't become a distillate. But look at what they write:
Colour: Bright light gold
Nose: Barbecue smoke, light vanilla, and grassy notes
Body: Smokey bacon, liquorice, juniper, lemon pie
Finish: Spicy, lemon peel, and lingering sweetness

Dreamers... Okay, the color is plausible. But to perceive all the rest, you need either an extraordinary imagination or a complete lack of conscience.

Nose: A "marine" theme, through which you can barely discern the scent of juniper and a slight alcoholic note. Very fresh, unexpectedly pleasant, but rather indistinct.
Taste: A distinct raisin sweetness, but without being cloying. A tart, somewhat musty ginger-spice note dominates the taste. The finish is closer to citrus, but again, everything is very blurred, unclear, and immature. Most likely, besides the sweetness, spice, and "mustiness," nothing will be memorable.
Despite its smoothness, savoring this drink is pointless. In the end, it's in the same price range as ordinary London Dry gins. I wouldn't say it's a bad drink; on the contrary, the producers approached the creation responsibly. This is evident in everything, from the hand-signed labels to the smooth taste and aroma of the genever. But, perhaps, it's not for me. Although I won't rule it out. Genevers are an interesting topic; after the dry, tart, and intensely cold natives of Albion, sipping a sweet, silky Dutch genever is like a kiss of spring.
What's good is that you can smoke while drinking it. Especially Scottish blends. And that's great because there's no alternative – everything else overpowers the taste of tobacco.
8/10

For obvious reasons, I won't go into detail, but I'll give you a general overview. A light, slightly sweet beer with a mild fruity-wheat flavor and citrusy freshness. A quintessential wheat ale, perfect for hot weather.
9/10

"Idunn's Immortality" by "Mjolnir"
I've never been a fan of cider, but I've been familiar with the Mjolnir brewery for a long time, and we see them often at reenactment festivals. They used to have a mediocre light mead and an excellent, strong dark one. A couple of years ago, at Rusborg, they had a good light one and a not-so-good dark one, and a decent beer. Now they've changed their design, and I unexpectedly came across this bottle in a supermarket – why not try it?[br][/br]There's not much to say here. The smell and taste unmistakably reveal a homemade fermented beverage – either you're a true reenactor, and it's a definite "YES!", or you live in the refined world of the twenty-first century, and you're already feeling nauseous. Seriously, although the intense, sweet honey flavor and aroma have been replaced with a fresh, sour-sweet, and rather weak apple flavor, the essence remains the same, and the choice is a matter of personal preference. It costs about the same as a good imported beer, maybe a little less. In general, I can't say anything about comparing it to other ciders, but the drink itself is not bad, but not for everyone. 7/10.

Added 48 minutes later
Chevalier d'Anthelme

14%
2018
Blend: Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Cinsault.
Young, even very young... Why did I buy it? First, I respect Syrah-Shiraz. Second, there are only a little over 600 bottles. Third, it has the Simple wine shop's label.
Nose: the first association is berry jam. Not alcoholic, not sour, with notes of raw earth, mushrooms, herbaceousness, and, very faintly, unaged tobacco and black pepper.
Taste: very dry, quite tannic. The main thing is the spicy notes of bitter herbs, secondarily – tobacco, spices, black berries, graphite. It's easy to drink, the wine is "rounded," the tannins don't stand out, and the taste is quite balanced, but it dries out the mouth a lot. The taste is muted; lovers of fruity-berry bouquets will hardly like it, but I like this dry and strong character.
Verdict: France is a force to be reckoned with. I can't remember a single frankly unsuccessful French wine, but Spain and, especially, the New World have often disappointed me. This wine is no exception: rich, strict, strong – what more could you want? For this price – nothing. 8.5/10

I thought you preferred something stronger... Well, thanks for the recommendation, maybe I'll be able to use it in about five years.

Lately, my digestive system hasn't been doing so well, so I'm trying to minimize my consumption of strong drinks. Especially with these periods of fasting and sleep deprivation, I can't handle even 300 grams anymore.

Green tea in tea bags with apple and mint.

Shouldn't you be drinking some kind of oat-based beverage?

Don Florencio Tarragona
Reserva 2014

13%
Tempranillo 85%, Garnacha 15%
Color: clear, transparent garnet. Perfectly red – no hint of purple or brown hues. A very elegant wine.
Nose: sweetness of fresh pastries combined with vanilla, white raisins, and a distinct condensed milk aroma. Unfortunately, it is very, very weak and muted. You have to imagine it.
Taste: *fresh, quite "moist," not tannic, and not acidic. It gently tingles on the tongue, like soda. Combined with the dominant fruity-herbal notes, this evokes associations with lemonade... Again, very soft, no hint of alcohol, but it lacks saturation. The bouquet features pear, white currant, pine needles, some vague herbal and spicy notes, but all of this is indistinct, "phantom-like," and requires great concentration to detect. Otherwise, it's just lemonade.
Finish: medium intensity, apple-coriander. Pleasant, unexpectedly bright after the nose and taste, but very short-lived.

Conclusion: a pleasant wine, more feminine than masculine, very drinkable, with an unusual bouquet. Unfortunately, it is very, very pale. After finishing a glass, you wonder: "Was there even wine? Maybe there wasn't any wine at all?" – it is so unremarkable. A wine that should simply be drunk, and not overly scrutinized. You can smoke while drinking it, or you can drink a bottle without any snacks in half an hour. Perhaps this is its best use. But it is definitely worth its price (less than 600).
7+
7 for softness, + for originality

Don Florencio Tarragona
Gran Reserva 2012
I don't know why, but it cost less than the younger one. To be more precise, the price tag was similar, but at the checkout, they charged me 450 for some reason – of course, I didn’t argue. In general, I think that this bottle is under some kind of curse because the strangeness hasn’t ended yet – when I opened it, the cork first crumbled from a light touch and then went completely inside... What will happen when it is drunk? Well, never mind, let's go.

13%
Tempranillo 85%, Garnacha 15%
Appearance: The color is significantly darker than in 2012 and has a pink hue on the edge; otherwise, everything is similar.

Nose: All the same baked goods, raisins, and vanilla, but the strange smell of condensed milk now resembles ordinary creaminess, and notes of black and red berries have also been added, primarily raspberry, blackberry, and currant. In general, the nose is now more berry-like than anything else and more distinct. A significant improvement.

Taste: Again, it is similar in its overall characteristics, and even hints of "lemonade" remain, but the bouquet has undergone some changes. Pear and pine flavors have decreased significantly, and berry flavors have come to the fore. The taste is still very soft and balanced, but now much richer. Individual tastes are blurred, but the overall profile is quite good and pleasant.

Finish: Viscous, like bird cherry jam, with a little pear, apple, and spice. Medium length and intensity.



Conclusion: Just a couple of extra years of aging – but what a result! Now this is wine; before, it was lemonade. Of course, temperature also plays a role in perception; I chilled it more strongly then, but there is definitely a noticeable qualitative leap. I recommend it, especially for its price. A solid 8/10

Everyone knows that Russians, in their vast majority, adore brandy, even if they themselves are not aware of it, because their favorite brandies are Armenian "moche" (a derogatory term for Armenian brandy), a domestic analogue of Armenian "moche," and some have even heard of French cognacs. Brandy? What is brandy? We only know cognac and vodka...
Of course, as is often the case, I got carried away, and not all of the mentioned drinks are equally bad. The prices are bad. Cognac VS – the average price is one and a half to two thousand, aged for three years. Cognac VSOP – no less than three thousand, aged up to six years. Cognac XO – from six thousand and up to infinity... Enough is enough! This will tell you how to enjoy a wonderful fifteen-year-old grape distillate without going broke:
Torres 15 Reserva Privada

Color: either mahogany or terracotta. Dark, but very bright, and transparent – in the light, the drink in the glass shimmers with a fiery orange hue. Very noble, the color is both exquisitely dark and bright.
Density is above average.
Nose: open, full of sweet aromas: molasses, dates, black raisins, cinnamon. Behind them are dry oak notes, walnut, orange zest, which prevent the sweetness from turning into vulgar cloying. Slightly sharp, but precisely sharp, not alcoholic. Otherwise, it is very mature and noble, although it does not shine with an abundance of shades.
Taste: smooth, apples, nuts, vanilla, raisins. If you are greedy with sips, it will seem a little sour and sharp, but only a little, otherwise everything is sweet and soft, only slightly lacking in richness.
Finish: it does not stand out in terms of intensity or duration, but it is magnificent in terms of taste. Milk chocolate, caramel, cedar, vanilla... It's a pity, a pity that it fades away before you can discern anything else, but still, the finish is the best part of the drink.

Conclusion: a magnificent drink that will appeal to anyone who has no prejudice against sweet alcohol: soft, easy to drink, very noble, and truly Spanish. I bought it on sale for a little more than one and a half and I seriously intend to stock up. Brandy connoisseurs are humiliating cognac snobs, who are ready to pay the same money to taste a three-year-old Hennessy VS, and then are surprised that this nectar tastes like grandpa's moonshine in the finish.
9+ or 87, but it is difficult to evaluate on a hundred-point scale at first

Lida Kvass.

Lady Killer
With double gin
Female. Even with a double dose of gin, pineapple and passion fruit form the flavor base, and the alcohol is barely noticeable. Drinkable, very drinkable, of course – but lacking character. 6/10
Martinez
Male. Maximum masculinity. The aroma is orange, nothing more, but the taste is pure gin with a signature dry finish, plus citrus, plus spice. The bartender said it goes perfectly with a cowboy hat and a cigarette... Well, I don't know. It reminds me of Prohibition and the Italian mafia... Hmm, and that's not far off! In any case, it's a good cocktail for lovers of London Dry. 8.5/10

The alcohol is barely noticeable. Very drinkable, extremely drinkable.

That's right, how will they celebrate Student Day if they're sober?

It's a great day, a very good day today! Why, you ask?
Because November 10th is the birthday of the last great Duke of the Two Burgundies, Count of Charolais, a great warrior and a true knight, Charles the Bold. On this day, we (I) diligently practice swordsmanship, archery (of course, Burgundian), read the publication "Burgundian Wars," cover the walls with drawings by Graham Turner, and, of course, drink wine. Exclusively Burgundian.
Yes, I do most of this every day, but that doesn't matter.
Laurent Ternynck, 2014
Review coming soon.

Today is not only a day for reserve troops but also Saturnalia, so being sober is simply illegal.

I recently heard from a respected person that the best vodka is the one made in your region. They say you get used to the water. I also recently stopped liking "Morosha" (I was drinking it and just felt disgusted by the sweetness; it's so cloying, as if a tablespoon of sugar is added to each bottle), so the transition to products from the Saransk Distillery happened simply and naturally.
Vodka contains alpha alcohol, water, sugar syrup, and rye malt extract. It smells neutral, not ultra-smooth, but you can indeed detect the rye notes. It drinks perfectly, and it even has a certain taste; it's ideal with snacks. Without snacks, I would prefer "pure" vodka without sugar or other additives, but as it is, it's just right. The best for its price. 9.5/10