The Conversation of Glass

Issue No. 87 — June 21, 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: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Brand: Larceny

Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery

Proof: 126.4 (63.2% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Burnished copper with amber legs

MSRP: $55–$65

Mash Bill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley

Barrel Type: New Charred American Oak

Wheated: Yes

Nose: Immediate rush of caramel and toasted wheat, followed by dark cherry and a whisper of orange peel. Beneath those top notes sits a warm butterscotch that deepens with time in the glass.

Palate: Full-bodied and viscous, delivering waves of maple syrup, vanilla custard, and charred oak. The wheat softens the proof remarkably, letting brown spices and baked apple emerge through the mid-palate. A cocoa bitterness provides essential balance.

Finish: Long and enveloping, with lingering butterscotch, leather, and a final exhale of toasted grain. The heat is controlled and warming rather than aggressive.

Bourbon Kit Aromas: Caramel, Butterscotch, Wheat, Charred Oak, Cherry

The Verdict: Heaven Hill's barrel proof wheated bourbon punches well above its price. The lack of age statement belies a maturity and complexity that rewards patient sipping. At cask strength, it's a masterclass in what wheat-forward mash bills can deliver.

Classification: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: Talisker

Distillery: Talisker Distillery

Proof: 91.6 (45.8% ABV)

Age: 25 Year

Color: Deep burnished gold with copper reflections

MSRP: $750–$900

Region: Islands (Isle of Skye)

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Barley

Distillation: Double distilled in swan-neck copper pot stills with worm tub condensers

Maturation: Refill American oak and European oak casks, minimum 25 years

Cask Type: Refill American oak and European oak hogsheads

Peat Level (PPM): 18 - 25 ppm

Chill-Filtered: No

Nose: Maritime peat smoke braided with dried apricot and old leather. Subtle floral rosewater emerges after several minutes, alongside dark honey and a faint medicinal edge that nods to the sea.

Palate: Luxuriously weighted, opening with smoked stone fruit and caramel before pivoting to clove spice and dark cocoa. The peat here is deeply integrated — a memory rather than a shout — while woody tannins provide structure without astringency.

Finish: Exceptionally long, moving from smoky warmth to dried fruit sweetness, resolving in a briny, peppery fade that recalls Skye's coastline.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Smoky, Dried Fruit, Honey, Clove Spice, Cocoa (Dark), Peaty

The Verdict: This is Talisker at its most eloquent — a quarter century of dialogue between spirit and cask. The maritime smoke that defines younger expressions is still present but has been polished into something more nuanced. Worth every penny for those who understand patience.

Classification: Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Brand: Waterford

Distillery: Waterford Distillery

Proof: 100 (50% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Bright gold with straw highlights

MSRP: $75–$95

Mash Bill: 100% Malted Irish Barley (Hook Head farm)

Distillation: Double distilled

Maturation: First-fill American oak, virgin American oak, and French oak casks

Chill-Filtered: No

Nose: Crisp green apple and cut grass lead, followed by honeyed barley and a gentle floral lift. There's an earthy, mineral-driven note underneath that speaks directly to the terroir of the Hook Head farmland.

Palate: Medium-bodied and precise, with fresh peach, vanilla cream, and a malty backbone. Hints of almond and gentle clove spice build through the mid-palate, while an earthy undertone anchors the brighter fruit notes.

Finish: Medium-long with lingering honey, green herbs, and a chalky mineral dryness that begs another sip.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Green (Cut Grass), Honey, Peach, Earthy, Vanilla

The Verdict: Waterford's single-farm-origin philosophy is not gimmick — it's the distillery's entire thesis. Hook Head 1.1 demonstrates how Irish barley, grown in specific soil, can produce a whiskey of real individuality. The transparency of sourcing here is matched by the transparency in the glass.

Classification: Añejo Tequila

Brand: Arette

Distillery: Destileria El Llano

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: 18 Months

Color: Warm amber with caramel edges

MSRP: $70–$90

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave

Cooking Method: Tahona/roller mill hybrid extraction, slow-roasted in brick ovens for 36 hours

NOM: NOM 1109

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Cooked agave sweetness layered with butterscotch, toasted oak, and a ribbon of dark chocolate. Behind the sweetness sits a clean herbal note — dried thyme — that keeps things grounded.

Palate: Silky and well-integrated, with caramel, vanilla, and baked pear giving way to cinnamon warmth and a hint of coffee bitterness. The oak presence is significant but respectful, adding structure without masking the agave character.

Finish: Long and satisfying, with fading butterscotch, gentle pepper, and a final earthy minerality.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Butterscotch, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Coffee

The Verdict: Arette's Artesanal Suave line uses a tahona/roller mill hybrid process that extracts more agave character than pure automation allows. This añejo punches well above its modest price point, delivering barrel complexity that many bottles at twice the cost cannot match.

Classification: London Dry Gin

Brand: Tanqueray

Distillery: Cameronbridge Distillery

Proof: 94.6 (47.3% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Crystal clear

MSRP: $30 - $35

Style: London Dry

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, angelica root, liquorice, cassia bark, lavender, lemon peel

Base Spirit: Neutral grain spirit

Distillation: One-shot distillation in copper pot still

Nose: Sharp juniper pine note gives way to bright lemon zest and a floral lift of lavender. Beneath that, earthy angelica root and a peppery warmth anchor the bouquet. Complex and inviting without being overly perfumed.

Palate: Crisp attack of juniper — both resinous and herbaceous — followed by coriander seed warmth and a gentle cassia bark spice. The mid-palate reveals a subtle orris root creaminess that rounds out the citrus brightness.

Finish: Medium-long, with lingering pine, a whisper of liquorice, and a clean peppery fade.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Pine), Lemon, Lavender, Angelica, Coriander, Peppery

The Verdict: A limited revival of an archival Tanqueray recipe that predates the modern London Dry style. Bloomsbury dials up the juniper and botanical complexity while keeping the trademark Tanqueray structure. It's an education in what London Dry can be at its most articulate.

Classification: Overproof White Rum

Brand: Hampden Estate

Distillery: Hampden Estate Distillery

Proof: 126 (63% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Water white with faint opalescence

MSRP: $25–$35

Base Ingredients: Blackstrap molasses

Distillation: Pot still distillation with extended natural fermentation

Nose: Explosive tropical fruit — overripe banana, pineapple, and mango — riding on top of a funky ester backbone. There's a distinct note of nail polish that resolves into fresh citrus and wet stone. Not for the faint of heart, but thrilling.

Palate: Aggressively fruity and bold, with banana and tropical fruits dominating. Beneath the esters, there's a surprising molasses sweetness and a hint of roasted nut. The high proof carries these flavors without burning, delivering remarkable length across the palate.

Finish: Long and persistent, with lingering tropical fruit, a touch of spice, and a clean minerality that cuts through the funk.

Rum Kit Aromas: Tropical Fruits, Banana, Molasses, Citrus (Generic), Nut (Almond/Coconut)

The Verdict: Rum Fire is Hampden Estate's most unapologetic expression — a high-ester, unaged pot-still rum that captures the full spectrum of Jamaican funk. At this price, it's one of the great values in spirits. Essential for serious daiquiris and rum punches, but also deeply rewarding neat for those who appreciate the conversation.

Classification: Premier Grand Cru Classé B

Brand: Château Canon

ABV: 14%

Primary Varietal: Merlot

Blend: 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc

Vineyards: Limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion, 34 hectares

Maturation: Hand-harvested, gravity-fed, fermented in temperature-controlled concrete vats with gentle extraction

Color: Deep garnet with violet rim

MSRP: $100–$140

Nose: Dark cherry and blackcurrant lead, woven with violet and fresh rose petal. Behind the fruit sits a layer of crushed limestone, cedar, and a faint hint of dark chocolate. Restrained and precise.

Palate: Silky and concentrated, with ripe cherry, blackcurrant, and a saline minerality that defines Canon's limestone terroir. The tannins are polished and fine-grained, carrying flavors of toasted oak and dried herbs through a long, elegant mid-palate.

Finish: Exceptionally long, with lingering cedar, cherry, and a chalky dryness that calls for another sip.

Wine Kit Aromas: Cherry, Blackcurrant, Violet, Cedar, Toasted

The Verdict: The 2019 Canon is a benchmark Saint-Émilion that demonstrates what Right Bank Merlot-dominant blends can achieve on limestone plateau soils. Under Chanel's ownership, the estate has quietly risen to produce wines that rival its more famous neighbors. This needs time — drink 2028 through 2045 — but already speaks clearly.

Classification: AOC Sancerre

Brand: Domaine Vacheron

ABV: 13%

Primary Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Vineyards: Les Romains, silex soils, Sancerre

Vinification: Hand-harvested, whole-cluster pressed, spontaneous fermentation, aged on fine lees

Color: Pale gold with green glints

MSRP: $40–$55

Nose: Precise and lifted, with green apple, white grapefruit, and a flinty mineral strike. Beneath the citrus sits a subtle floral note — almost like crushed white flowers — and a thread of dried herbs.

Palate: Taut and focused, with razor-sharp acidity carrying flavors of gooseberry, green apple, and citrus peel across a lean, textured mid-palate. A chalky, mineral-driven quality emerges late, adding depth and length to what could otherwise be a simple Sauvignon Blanc.

Finish: Long and persistent, with lingering citrus, a saline edge, and a clean herbal close that feels distinctly of its terroir.

Wine Kit Aromas: Apple (Green), Citrus (Generic), Gooseberry, Green (Cut Grass), Floral (Rose)

The Verdict: Jean-Dominique and Laurent Vacheron farm biodynamically, and the results show in this parcel-specific bottling from silex soils. Les Romains consistently delivers one of the most mineral-driven, terroir-transparent Sancerres available. This is Sauvignon Blanc as intellectual exercise — precise, vital, and deeply satisfying.

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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.

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