Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch Whiskey Dufftown, Scotland 40% ABV I picked up this triple malt Scotch whiskey from Trader Joe’s. The company’s been around since 1887, and this spirit takes its name from a medical condition that men used to acquire from working the malt press. I imagine it wasn’t fun to deal with, but
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Trader Joe’s Grande Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir 2011 Napa, California I tasted this wine before purchasing it at Trader Joe’s, and I’m glad the sample convinced me to get a bottle. Its rich, medium-bodied boysenberry digs into me and won’t let go. The nose has a fleeting burst of fig newton, but is otherwise lackluster.
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2011 Green Fin Cabernet Sauvignon California In the tradition of Trader Joe’s wine, the exact region in California these grapes hail from is murky, but that’s all part of the mystery, right? This Cab smells of berry and nothing else. Thin- to medium-bodied, barely there sweet anise and leather notes come out right away then
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La Ronescina Pinot Grigio Collio, Italy This white wine smells mildly of cantaloupe, but no other scents jump out at me.  That’s probably because it’s extra chilled, which dulls the aroma — my bad. It tastes dry at first, but a sweetness swells up in the middle of the glass. The notes are vanilla with
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