Category Archives: SPIRITS

Spreading the Love; Wine and Whiskey Tastings

So far, 2025 has been the year of monthly wine and whiskey tastings, plus the second installment of a something we call ‘Gin’Mas’ around these parts. I’ve been a frequently invited volunteer at one of the local long term care … Continue reading

Posted in Chardonnay, Grenache / Garnacha, Red, red wine, Savagnin, Spain, SPIRITS, Vernaccia, Whiskey/Whisky | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

9 Late Llama Wine Posts

Back in 2013 when I started this blog (has it been that long?), I did so because I needed to get faster and better at recording WSET tasting notes in anticipation of Diploma exams. My theory at the time was … Continue reading

Posted in BC, Burgundy, France, Italy, OTHER, RED, Red, SPIRITS, WHITE | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Peated Single Malt Whisky, Distillery Smoked – Sugar Kelp Infused Peat, Portuguese Red Wine Barrique, Macaloney’s Island Distillery, The Peat Project, Single Cask Series, Saanich, BC, Canada, 46% abv., C$109.99

It’s rare to taste and cover a world-first in whisky innovation – but recently, I attended the launch of a Peated Single Malt Whisky smoked with sugar kelp-infused local peat which was just that.  Macaloney’s Island Distillery has created a … Continue reading

Posted in OTHER, SPIRITS, Whiskey/Whisky | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Gin, Lady Trieu, Hoi An Spice Road; The Lab Series, Edition 1, Nguyen Nguyen Distillery, Cu Chi, Vietnam, 43% abv., 700 ml., US$50

We took a trip recently to Vietnam – I highly recommend this country as a place to travel to.  The people are extraordinarily gracious, the food is almost uniformly delicious everywhere you go, and the country is incredibly beautiful. There’s … Continue reading

Posted in gin, OTHER, SPIRITS | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lumette! (non-alcoholic distilled spirit), Sheringham Distillery, Sooke, BC, Canada, 0% abv, 750 ml, C$35.99

I am waiting for some surgery, so decided to look into substitutes for that early evening cocktail I’ve grown to love. Once the orthopaedic surgeon comes calling with a date, I’ll need to change up a few deeply ingrained habits! … Continue reading

Posted in Non-Alcohol Distilled Spirit, OTHER, SPIRITS | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Unruly Gin, Wayward Distillation House, Courtenay, BC, 43% abv, 750 ml, C$52+

I love Gin.  Gin, gin, gin.  Gin is fun.  It’s tasty.  Generally, gin makes me giddy and yes, glad. This one is no exception to the rule I tend to follow for handcrafted, artisan spirits. Made from 100% BC honey … Continue reading

Posted in British Columbia, gin, SPIRITS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Unruly Vodka, Wayward Distillation House, Courtenay, BC, 40% abv. 750 ml, C$48+

Look, I’ll be honest with you.  Most vodka is not worth writing about.  It’s the easiest spirit to make, most of it’s remarkably neutral, and the cost paid by the consumer lies mainly in the expensive marketing associated with the … Continue reading

Posted in British Columbia, SPIRITS, vodka | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Krupnik, Spiced Honey Liqueur, Wayward Distillation House, Courtenay, BC, 40% abv, C$35, 375 ml

It’s that time of year again when everyone pleads, “Help! What kind of wine do I buy to go with my turkey/ham/duck/hot dog?”  There are a million or so of these articles circulating on line, but if you’re truly stuck, … Continue reading

Posted in British Columbia, Nalewki - Krupnik, OTHER, SPIRITS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Seaside Gin, Sheringham Distillery, Sooke, BC, Canada, 43% abv, C$46

It’s not often that I write about spirits on Winellama.  In fact, when I took the WSET Diploma, I balked at having to take a course on spirits.  In the end, it was the course I learned the most from … Continue reading

Posted in BC, gin, OTHER, SPIRITS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rum, Premise, 10 years old, Single Blended Rum, Foursquare Rum Distillery, Barbados, 46% abv (92 proof), US$30

A long, long time ago when in university, I made a critical error about the amount of mixer required to combine with spirits when I drank an entire mickey of some nondescript, cheap white rum with only two measly cans … Continue reading

Posted in Barbados, Rum/Rhum, SPIRITS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments