The Dry Creek Crossing

Issue No. 99 — July 3, 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: W.L. Weller

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery

Proof: 114 (57% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Deep burnished copper with amber edges

MSRP: $50–$100

Mash Bill: Wheat, corn, malted barley (exact ratios undisclosed)

Barrel Type: New charred American oak

Wheated: Yes

Nose: Immediate rush of butterscotch and ripe cherry, followed by toasted wheat and warm vanilla. A second pass reveals brown spices and a faint caramel nougat sweetness that holds steady.

Palate: Dense and coating on entry, with waves of dark caramel, charred oak, and baking spice. The wheat softness tempers the proof beautifully, delivering cherry compote and a thread of leather that adds structure without aggression.

Finish: Long and warming, with butterscotch fading into charred oak and a lingering echo of dried cherry. The wheat rounds every edge.

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

The Verdict: Weller Full Proof delivers the intensity the wheated bourbon camp has always promised. It is uncompromising at barrel strength yet remarkably balanced — proof that high octane and elegance are not mutually exclusive. A bottle worth the hunt.

Classification: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Brand: AnCnoc

Distillery: Knockdhu Distillery

Proof: 92 (46% ABV)

Age: 18 Year

Color: Polished gold with light amber highlights

MSRP: $90–$120

Region: Highlands

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

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

Maturation: Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, minimum 18 years

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry

Peat Level (PPM): 0

Chill-Filtered: Non-chill filtered

Nose: Honeyed orchard fruit — peach and baked apple — with a clean malt backbone. Soft vanilla and a whisper of floral rosewater emerge with time, grounded by gentle oak.

Palate: Silky and medium-bodied. Waves of honey and buttery pastry give way to dried fruit and a subtle cocoa undertone. A pleasant clove spice note arrives mid-palate, keeping things lively without sharpness.

Finish: Medium-long, with honey, toasted almond, and a dry woody note that closes cleanly. No bitterness, just quiet warmth.

Whisky Kit Aromas: Honey, Peach, Buttery, Clove Spice, Cocoa (Dark), Almond

The Verdict: Knockdhu remains one of the Highlands' best-kept secrets, and this 18-year expression shows why patience at a small distillery pays dividends. It is refined without being polite — there is genuine complexity here, earned through unhurried maturation. A Highland malt that deserves a wider audience.

Classification: Blended Irish Whiskey

Brand: Hinch

Distillery: Hinch Distillery

Proof: 86 (43% ABV)

Age: 10 Year

Color: Rich amber with copper tones

MSRP: $45–$60

Mash Bill: Blend of malt and grain Irish whiskey

Distillation: Triple distilled (malt component) and column distilled (grain component)

Maturation: Aged in ex-bourbon casks, finished in Oloroso sherry casks

Chill-Filtered: Chill filtered

Nose: Dried fruit — raisins and apricot — lead into caramel and toasted almond. A subtle earthiness and a flicker of clove spice add depth beneath the sweetness.

Palate: Medium-bodied and smooth. Honey and vanilla cream sit alongside dried fruit and a light cocoa note. The sherry influence brings warmth without heaviness, and a gentle hazelnut character threads through the mid-palate.

Finish: Medium length, with lingering caramel, dried fruit, and a pleasant woody dryness. Clean and satisfying.

Whiskey Kit Aromas: Dried Fruit, Caramel, Honey, Clove Spice, Cocoa (Dark)

The Verdict: Hinch proves that Northern Ireland's new wave of distilling can compete on quality, not just novelty. The sherry finish adds genuine dimension to an already well-aged blend, delivering complexity that punches above its price point. A sleeper worth tracking down.

Classification: Añejo Tequila

Brand: Pueblo Viejo

Distillery: Destilería San Matías de Jalisco

Proof: 80 (40% ABV)

Age: NAS (minimum 12 months in oak)

Color: Deep straw gold with amber edges

MSRP: $20–$30

Agave: 100% Blue Weber Agave

Cooking Method: Slow-cooked in brick ovens, roller mill extraction, fermented with natural yeasts, double distilled in copper pot stills

NOM: NOM 1103

Additives Free: Yes

Nose: Cooked agave sweetness with vanilla and butterscotch. Subtle oak and a light cinnamon warmth underneath. There is a clean mineral quality that grounds the sweeter notes.

Palate: Pleasantly rich for its price. Caramel and cooked agave dominate the entry, followed by pepper and a hint of dark chocolate. The oak influence is restrained, providing structure without overwhelming the agave character.

Finish: Medium, with lingering caramel, a flicker of pepper, and a dry earthy fade. Honest and clean.

Tequila Kit Aromas: Agave (Cooked), Vanilla, Caramel, Pepper, Earth (Mineral, Soil Notes)

The Verdict: Pueblo Viejo Añejo is the kind of bottle that quietly embarrasses tequilas three times its price. San Matías has been distilling since 1886, and that institutional knowledge shows in the balance here. If you want an everyday añejo that respects the agave without emptying your wallet, this is it.

Classification: Dry Gin

Brand: Scapegrace

Distillery: Scapegrace Distilling Company

Proof: 82 (41% ABV)

Age: NAS

Color: Clear with a faint golden hue (from tangerine peel and saffron botanicals)

MSRP: $55 - $65

Style: Dry Gin

Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, tangerine peel, lemon peel, saffron, nutmeg, chamomile, vanilla, and others

Base Spirit: Neutral grain spirit

Distillation: Single-shot distilled in a copper pot still

Nose: Bright citrus — lemon and tangerine — over a foundation of classic juniper pine. Coriander seed provides a warm spice bridge, with a gentle floral lift from chamomile and a trace of vanilla.

Palate: The juniper asserts itself cleanly, then gives way to grapefruit pith and a peppery mid-palate. There is a savory herbal undertone — almost like dried thyme — that gives the gin an unexpected depth. Nutmeg warms the back of the palate.

Finish: Medium, with lingering citrus peel, juniper resin, and a dry peppery warmth that fades cleanly.

Gin Kit Aromas: Juniper (Pine), Lemon, Grapefruit, Coriander, Peppery, Nutmeg

The Verdict: Scapegrace Gold takes the solid bones of the Classic expression and adds just enough exotic botanical complexity to merit the upgrade. The New Zealand water source is immaculate, and the distillation is precise. It works equally well in a G&T or a more structured cocktail. A genuine find from the Southern Hemisphere.

Classification: Aged Clairin (Rhum Agricole-style)

Brand: Clairin

Distillery: Distillerie Faubert Casimir

Proof: 104.0 (52.0 % ABV)

Age: 30 Months

Color: Light amber with golden edges

MSRP: $55–$75

Base Ingredients: Fresh sugarcane juice

Distillation: 100% pot still

Nose: Wild tropical fruit — overripe banana and mango — layered with grassy cane juice and a distinct funk. There is a roasted quality underneath, almost like toasted coconut, with a mineral backbone that keeps it honest.

Palate: Vibrant and untamed. The agricole grassiness meets caramel and toffee from the oak aging, while tropical fruits carry through from the nose. A peppery spice and light leather note emerge mid-palate, adding complexity to the exuberant fruit character.

Finish: Medium-long, with lingering banana, toffee, and a dry agricultural earthiness. The funk stays present but never overwhelms.

Rum Kit Aromas: Banana, Tropical Fruits, Agricole, Toffee, Leather

The Verdict: Faubert Casimir's clairin stands apart from conventional rum in the same way natural wine diverges from industrial bottlings — it is terroir-driven, wild-yeast fermented, and deeply connected to its place. Thirty months in oak tames the spirit just enough to reveal hidden layers without dulling its essential wildness. This is rum for the curious.

Classification: Les Baux de Provence AOC Rouge

Brand: Domaine Hauvette

ABV: 13.5%

Primary Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache

Vineyards: Estate vineyards in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, limestone and clay soils

Maturation: Biodynamic farming, natural yeast fermentation, minimal sulfur at bottling

Color: Deep garnet with violet rim

MSRP: $40–$55

Nose: Dark cherry and blackcurrant with a pronounced herbal garrigue note — thyme, rosemary. A floral lift of violet and a subtle earthy quality evoke the dry limestone hillsides of the Alpilles.

Palate: Concentrated and structural, with blackcurrant, cedar, and a firm tannic framework. There is a savory, almost gamey quality in the mid-palate, offset by ripe cherry fruit and a whisper of toasted oak. The minerality is persistent.

Finish: Long and dry, with cedar, violet, and a lingering blackcurrant that refuses to quit. The tannins resolve gracefully.

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

The Verdict: Dominique Hauvette farms biodynamically in one of Provence's most arid, sun-hammered appellations, and her Cornaline cuvée channels that stress into concentrated, terroir-specific wine. This is not easy-drinking southern red — it is structured, cerebral, and deeply place-specific. Give it air and time.

Classification: Rías Baixas DO

Brand: Zárate

ABV: 12.5%

Primary Varietal: Albariño

Blend: 100% Albariño

Vineyards: Old-vine estate parcels in Val do Salnés, granitic soils

Vinification: Hand-harvested, whole-cluster pressed, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, aged on fine lees

Color: Pale straw with greenish reflections

MSRP: $20–$30

Nose: Immediate hit of citrus — lemon curd and grapefruit zest — followed by white flowers, green apple, and a distinctive saline mineral note. There is a subtle herbal quality, almost like crushed mint leaf.

Palate: Crisp and taut, with vibrant citrus acidity carrying green apple and melon. The granite-derived minerality gives the wine a textured, almost chalky mid-palate. A hint of honey on the back palate adds complexity without weight.

Finish: Clean and persistent, with lingering citrus, a saline edge, and a final flicker of green apple. Refreshing and moreish.

Wine Kit Aromas: Citrus (Generic), Apple (Green), Melon, Honey, Mint

The Verdict: Zárate's old-vine Albariño from the Val do Salnés subzone is a masterclass in site-driven white winemaking. The granitic soils and Atlantic proximity give this wine a tension and mineral depth that mass-market Albariño rarely achieves. At this price, it is one of the most compelling values in European white wine.

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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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