Do we ship to you?.
375ml
Bottle:
$32.93
$35.64
6 bottles:
$28.80
Very thick and expressive with golden raisin and molasses notes, followed by peach jam, mineral and spice flavors....
375ml
Bottle:
$44.40
12 bottles:
$42.18
Floral nose. Waxy (candlewax, crayons), then spicy, fruity notes emerge, in particular raisin and plum, becomes more...
500ml
Bottle:
$30.15
12 bottles:
$29.55
A most appealing example of Italy’s most famous dessert wine, displaying molasses and toffee aromas, honey and...
700ml
Bottle:
$36.79
6 bottles:
$36.00
The nose is fragrant, delicate and harmonious. On the palate, this grappa is intense and complex, but with a smooth...
750ml
Bottle:
$82.39
4 bottles:
$81.60
Complex profile with multiple nuances attributable to spicy and fruity notes with hints of vanilla, morello cherry...
700ml - Case of 4
Bottle:
$82.50
Sweet oak and cereal on the nose. Enjoyably elegant on the palate, with rich nutty and floral notes. Richly textured...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.08
$14.82
12 bottles:
$10.45
This luscious dessert wine's deep, dark berry flavors mingle with sweet grape aromas. Bold with a velvety smooth...
![Caffo Grappa Vecchia [Barrique] 750ml](https://www.saratogawine.com/files/images/cached_thumbs/27/27b3f764d9c6078ff71534c6397be9ef.jpg)
750ml
Bottle:
$26.40
12 bottles:
$22.80
Aged in oak for 12 months, this golden grappa edges close to aged brandy territory—although one sip and that grappa...
500ml
Bottle:
$26.94
6 bottles:
$26.40
The lovely result of a long wait. Bright colour with intense golden reflections, balanced bouquet with scents of...
375ml
Bottle:
$27.85
$28.79
12 bottles:
$27.29
Brilliant amber in color, this wine offers seductive, layered aromas of roasted nuts, dried apricots, dates, toffee,...
375ml
Bottle:
$24.94
$25.92
COLOR: Gold color with copper notes
NOSE: Rich, concentrated nose with notes of orange peel, acacia honey and...
750ml
Bottle:
$15.89
$17.09
12 bottles:
$15.57
This French dessert wine is from the beautiful Dordogne Valley. Aromas of apricots, melon and honeysuckle; smooth...
500ml
Bottle:
$18.94
12 bottles:
$18.56
Pale to golden yellow. The heady intensity of wild flowers and fresh fruits (peach, plum, citrus, honey) abound in...
500ml
Bottle:
$41.54
Tasted at the Disznóko vertical in London, the 2013 Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos is an (Aszú) blend of 75% Furmint, 15%...
500ml
Bottle:
$62.90
$65.20
This golden-colored Tokaji has aromas of raw honey, apricot blossom, pear and baked apple tart. Silky smooth upon...
Dessert Wine Grappa Japanese Whiskey Mencia
Like so many of the great spirits of Europe, Grappa was born from a need to make resources go that little bit further, to eke out the last drop of flavor and potential from the crops of winemakers. Indeed, Italian vintners invented Grappa as a way to make use of the pomace - leftover grape skins, stems, pulp and seeds - which remained after the juice was extracted from the fruit needed to make wine. Over the centuries, the process was refined, and the distillation of Grappa became an art in itself. Today, top Grappa producers use a range of state of the art equipment, from continuous stills to pot stills, to manufacture a wide variety of Grappas, each with their own distinct characteristics.
Most of us know Grappa from our local Italian restaurants, where it is commonly served as a digestif. However, in the twenty first century, there is a high interest in unique, boutique Grappas, which showcase the talent of the distillers through a range of interesting qualities. Grappa can be aged in oak, in which case it takes on a beautiful golden color, quite different from the clear Grappas we are most familiar with. The high end Grappas are a world away from the harsh spirit many of us have encountered, and have a smooth, gentle quality which can be nothing short of a revelation.
Whisky might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Japanese fine produce, but over the past one hundred years, this fascinating and multi-faceted country has diligently forged a unique whisky identity which is growing in popularity, and which is entirely its own.
The story of Japanese whisky begins in 1918, when Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland to undertake a tour of single malt distilleries in the Highlands, and bring home a knowledge of whisky and distillation skills. He returned full of inspiration, helped no doubt by his new Scottish wife, and alongside his friend, Shinjiro Torii, set up what would become a successful whisky industry.
Today, the Japanese whisky industry is spread over a relatively small handful of distilleries, which continue to use Scottish techniques and recipes, but with a hefty dose of distinctly Japanese experimentalism. This is displayed most obviously in the barrelling techniques the Japanese use - to create a distinctly Oriental set of tasting notes, native Japanese oakwood casks are used for ageing, alongside casks taken from plum wine producers, which impart a beautiful set of floral flavors to the whisky.
While some distilleries produce some excellent single malts, the majority of Japanese whiskies are blended, which reveals a unique set of flavors and aromas ranging from honeysuckle and orange blossom, to toffee and acetone.