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Toyo Bijin Junmai Ginjo — Yamaguchi Prefecture, Chugoku, Japan

Toyo Bijin — “Asian Beauty” — is one of Japan’s most evocatively named sakes, and the story behind it is as memorable as the sake itself. Sumikawa Brewing Company, based in Yamaguchi Prefecture in the Chugoku region of western Japan, was founded by a brewer who named his label in honor of his late wife — a tribute that has since become one of the most recognized and beloved sake brands in the country.

This Junmai Ginjo is brewed from Yamada Nishiki rice — the gold standard of sake rice — and fermented in the Ginjo style at low temperatures. But where many Ginjo sakes lean toward delicate and floral, Toyo Bijin takes a bolder path: this is a very dry sake, famously described as “strong enough to kill a devil.” Assertive, umami-rich, and deeply satisfying.

Clear and luminous in the glass. The nose opens with red apple and a fading whisper of nutmeg spice. On the palate it is full-flavored and bone dry, with a firm structure, pronounced umami, and a long, clean finish. Serve chilled.

• Brewery: Sumikawa Brewing Company, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Chugoku, Japan
• Style: Junmai Ginjo
• Rice: Yamada Nishiki
• Size: 300ml
• Tasting Notes: Red apple, nutmeg spice, pronounced umami, bone-dry finish
• Best Paired With: Yakitori, sashimi, aged cheeses, miso soup, oysters

Named for a beloved wife. Brewed with conviction. A sake bold enough to kill a devil — and elegant enough to honor her memory.

Uka · Black Label Organic Junmai Daiginjo · Japan · 720ml

Clear and bright, Uka Black Label opens with lifted aromas of strawberry and pineapple, followed by a delicate whisper of anise. Its fruit-forward character is balanced by a gentle hint of honey.

Full-bodied yet balanced, it has a silky, luscious texture and a long, lingering finish. A distinctive Junmai Daiginjo to pour when you want a sake with both generous fruit and an elegant feel.

Winemaker Description

Clear, day-bright nectar with aromas of strawberry, pineapple, and a whisper of anise. Full-bodied, balanced, and fruity with a hint of honey. A silky, luscious texture and a long finish.

At a Glance

• Producer: Uka
• Style: Black Label Junmai Daiginjo
• Certification: Organic
• Country: Japan
• Size: 720ml

Bright fruit, honeyed balance, and a silky finish make this a polished expression of organic Junmai Daiginjo.

Kamoizumi Red Maple — Junmai Ginjo Namazume — Hiroshima, Japan — 720ml

The Maegaki family began as rice farmers in Hiroshima, became landlords, and entered sake brewing at the onset of Japan's modern era in 1910. In 1965, Kamoizumi became one of a pioneering group of ten breweries who committed entirely to junmai sake production — at a time when adding brewers’ alcohol to maximize profits was standard practice. Their first Junmai was released in 1971, and few breweries have taken a bolder stance on developing a true house style. Red Maple is their most celebrated expression: a Junmai Ginjo Namazume aged for two years at 5°C, unpasteurized and undiluted, developing rich, layered savory character without losing a sense of freshness. This is sake at a new level of complexity.

The sake balances sweetness, acidity, astringency, and savory depth like no other — a textbook expression of the elusive flavor of umami. Rich and full-flavored on the palate, with bold character and the drinkability that marks true technical mastery. The two-year cold aging builds layers of complexity — earthy, savory, and deeply satisfying — while the namazume (once-pasteurized) process preserves a vibrant freshness that keeps every sip alive. Designed to be enjoyed now or aged further in a cold cellar or wine fridge.

Unpasteurized, undiluted, aged 2 years at 5°C — Junmai Ginjo Namazume from one of Hiroshima's most pioneering sake breweries. Bold, umami-driven, and built for the table.

• Producer: Kamoizumi Brewery, Hiroshima, Japan
• Style: Junmai Ginjo Namazume (Once-Pasteurized)
• Aging: 2 years at 5°C — unpasteurized, undiluted
• Character: Bold, full-flavored, umami-driven, layered savory complexity
• Size: 720ml
• Tasting Notes: Sweetness, bright acidity, astringency, rich umami, earthy savory depth, vibrant freshness
• Serve: Cold, at room temperature, or over a single ice cube
• Cellar Potential: Drink now or age further in a cold cellar or wine fridge
• Best Paired With: Grilled meats, yakitori, aged cheeses, miso-glazed fish, mushroom dishes, full-flavored cuisine

One of Hiroshima's most pioneering breweries, one of Japan's most complex sake expressions — Kamoizumi Red Maple is the benchmark for what bold, umami-driven Junmai Ginjo can be.

Guy Charlemagne Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs B.C. Origine Les Chétillons — Le Mesnil-sur-Oger 2012

Guy Charlemagne is one of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger’s most revered grower-producers, farming a precious parcel within Les Chétillons — one of the most celebrated single-vineyard Chardonnay sites in all of Champagne. The Charlemagne family tends nearly one hectare across four parcels in Les Chétillons and Les Chétillons de Haut, planted between 1970 and 1991 using massal selections on south- and east-facing slopes. The vines’ roots penetrate deep into exposed chalk, giving the wine its defining combination of concentration, salinity, and mineral precision. B.C. Origine is the estate’s most uncompromising expression: fermented in seasoned oak barrels, with malolactic fermentation completely blocked to preserve acidity and tension, and aged under natural cork — a labor-intensive technique known as tiré bouché liège practiced here since the 1988 vintage. The 2012 spent approximately 12 years on its lees before being disgorged by hand in May 2025. Production was limited to roughly 2,000 bottles — the first time this vintage was offered in a standard 750ml format.

In the glass: lemon oil, crisp orchard fruit, dried citrus, green apple, and white flowers layered with biscuit, almond, toasted bread, green tea, smoke, and subtle reductive notes. The palate is concentrated and sharply defined — fine mousse, vibrant acidity, a powerful chalk-driven backbone — leading into a remarkably long, saline finish of flint, mouthwatering bitterness, and persistent mineral tension. Best served in a white-wine or Burgundy-style glass, not a flute.

Vinous 92 — “The 2012 Blanc de Blancs Les Chétillons is creamy, open-knit and very easy to like. Lemon confit, marzipan, spice and floral overtones capture all the exuberance and radiance of the year.”

• Producer: Guy Charlemagne, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Champagne, France
• Vintage: 2012
• Appellation: Champagne Grand Cru
• Vineyard: Les Chétillons, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
• Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
• Style: Vintage Blanc de Blancs, Extra Brut
• Fermentation: Seasoned oak barrels; malolactic fermentation blocked
• Aging: ~12 years on lees under natural cork (tiré bouché liège)
• Bottled: February 2013 | Disgorged: May 2025
• Production: ~2,000 bottles
• Alcohol: 12.5% | Size: 750ml
• Serve: 48–54°F in a white-wine or Burgundy-style glass
• Best Paired With: Caviar, oysters, lobster, seared scallops, turbot, Dover sole, roasted poultry, aged Comté

A once-in-a-decade release from one of Le Mesnil’s most important growers — 12 years on the lees, ~2,000 bottles, and a chalk-driven precision that only Les Chétillons can deliver.

J. Vignier Aux Origines Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne (2017 Base)

“Aux Origines” — where it all began — is a deeply personal Champagne that honors the roots of the Vignier family’s winemaking history. Produced entirely from Chardonnay grown in Les Simarts, the first vineyards planted by Nathalie Vignier’s grandparents, Marie-Louise and Paul, in the village of Barbonne-Fayel during the 1960s, this is a wine of place, memory, and exceptional craft. The Côte de Sézanne’s clay and sandy soils over chalk yield generous, expressive Chardonnay with both ripe fruit character and the chalky minerality that defines great Champagne. Fermented in stainless steel with full malolactic fermentation, rested seven months on fine lees, then aged a minimum of 36 months in bottle before disgorgement — the result is a Blanc de Blancs of remarkable depth, texture, and elegance.

• Producer: J. Vignier
• Cuvée: Aux Origines
• Grape: 100% Chardonnay
• Region: Côte de Sézanne, Champagne, France
• Vineyard: Les Simarts, Barbonne-Fayel
• Base Vintage: 2017
• Size: 750ml
• Farming: Certified Sustainable (Socofret)
• Vinification: Stainless steel; full malolactic fermentation; 7 months on fine lees; 36+ months bottle aging
• Alcohol: 12.5%

Pairs beautifully with oysters, caviar, shellfish, sushi, delicate white fish, soft cheeses, or light poultry. Serve well chilled.

Crop Harvest Earth Cucumber Vodka — USA

Crop Harvest Earth is an American artisanal spirits brand built on a simple but powerful idea: that the best vodka starts with the best ingredients, grown responsibly from the earth. Crop Cucumber Vodka is crafted from organically grown cucumbers and distilled to capture the authentic, garden-fresh character of the vegetable in its purest form — not a synthetic flavoring, but a genuine expression of the ingredient itself. At 70 proof, it is lighter and more delicate than standard vodka, designed to let the natural cucumber character shine through in cocktails and sipping alike. The result is one of the most acclaimed flavored vodkas on the market, earning top scores from the industry's most respected tasting panels.

It's like taking a walk in the vegetable garden. The nose is lightly vegetal with white floral notes — the aroma of the earth, the savoriness of the green skin, and the fleshy, crunchy, juicy core of a freshly-picked cucumber. On the palate, it is clean and crisp with authentic cucumber character and a light, spa-like freshness. A brininess on the finish leaves a friendly open door for creative cocktails. Delicious on its own or as the key ingredient to a remarkable Bloody Mary, cucumber lemonade, or simply with club soda and a slice of fresh cucumber.

Tasting Panel 95 — "Cucumber is all grown up in this artisanal flavored vodka. The aroma of the earth, the savoriness of the green skin, and the fleshy, crunchy, and juicy core. A brininess on the finish leaves a friendly open door for creative cocktails."

Wine Enthusiast 91 — "This cucumber-flavored vodka may put you in a spa-like mood. Light but authentic cucumber and white floral aromatics — clean, crisp, and refreshing."

• Producer: Crop Harvest Earth, USA
• Style: Flavored Vodka — Cucumber
• Base: Organically grown cucumbers
• ABV: 35% (70 proof)
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Fresh cucumber, white floral, vegetal, earthy, crisp and clean, briny finish
• Best Served: Neat, over ice, or in cocktails
• Cocktail Pairings: Cucumber lemonade, Bloody Mary, cucumber martini, club soda with cucumber slice, gin & tonic riff

The benchmark cucumber vodka — Crop Harvest Earth is organic, artisanal, and one of the most refreshing spirits in the glass.

Expert Review- Vintage 2023

Christina Pickard of the Wine Enthusiast writes 93 Points | Lime leaf, waxy citrus, white peach notes and a hint of honey open this Clare Valley Riesling. The combo of dryness, cheek-sucking, orange peel acidity and chalky texture makes for a somewhat austere wine solo, but pair with a creamy goat's cheese or seafood risotto and watch it shine. 

Producer Description 

Originally a pastoral run dating back to 1839, and originally named Wolta Wolta, Jim Barry purchased the land for The Lodge Hill Vineyard in 1977 as he was sure it would “produce some of the best Riesling in the Clare Valley.” Situated at 480 meters above sea level and situated on the Eastern Ranges of the Clare Valley, the grapes at our Lodge Hill Vineyard are exposed to concentrated bursts of sunlight and cool nights which encourage slower ripening. This helps deliver beautiful natural acidity and citrus characters that ripen early because of the small crop it produces. Gentle pressing and a rapid move into the fermentation allows the natural fruit flavors to be preserved.

Aromas of fresh lime, spice, citrus blossom, white peach, and nectarine skins open on the nose. In the mouth, the lime flavors take center stage commanding attention on entry. The fruit is fleshy with considerable weight and framed with a refreshing driving acid. A lot of wine!

The Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak is the cornerstone expression of one of Scotland's most celebrated distilleries — a whisky that has defined the benchmark for sherry-matured single malt Scotch for generations. Crafted entirely in hand-picked, seasoned Spanish oak sherry casks from Jerez, this is a whisky of remarkable depth, warmth, and consistency.

On the nose, rich mahogany tones give way to aromas of dried fruits, toffee, and warming ginger, with a gentle undercurrent of clove and sherry sweetness. The palate is full and generous — layers of concentrated caramel, butterscotch, and custard unfold alongside ripe apricot and a subtle citrus lift of orange peel. The finish is medium-long, spiced, and satisfying, with a lingering touch of sherry oak and sweet wood.

"Look for a rich butterscotch scent and a hint of fresh apricot. On the palate, this Sherry-matured single malt layers on concentrated caramel, butterscotch and custard, finishing long and spiced on a hint of orange peel."
— Wine Enthusiast, 93 Points

Details

Distillery: The Macallan
Region: Speyside, Scotland
Age: 12 Years
Maturation: Spanish Oak Sherry Casks (Jerez)
Style: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Bottle Size: 750ml

Tasting Notes

Nose: Dried fruits, toffee, ginger, sherry, clove
Palate: Caramel, butterscotch, custard, apricot, orange peel
Finish: Medium-long, spiced, sherry oak sweetness

Pairing Suggestions

Dark chocolate, aged cheddar, smoked almonds, or a classic charcuterie board. Equally exceptional neat or with a single drop of water to open the nose.

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Long Island iced tea
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Margarita
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Tequila Sunrise
Gin Martini
Kamikaze