What’s happening in wine and whiskey this week:

This Week’s Unicorn Review Stories

🍷 It’s the holidays, and that means it’s time for bubbly—but instead of Prosecco or Champagne this year, give Cava a try.

🥃 Terroir has long been a part of the wine conversation, but some tequila brands and producers are going all in on the concept as well.

New Bottle Releases

Chattanooga 2025 Vault Series

This is the third annual release of the Vault Series from Tennessee craft distillery Chattanooga Whiskey. This year it includes three different experimental cask finishes—apricot brandy, tequila, and Sauternes. These were all previously available as much shorter cask finishes, but these new whiskeys were left to mature for a few years in each specific barrel type. 123-132 proof; SRP $47

Rare Character Hurst Knoll

This small brand is known for releasing some very collectible barrel-proof whiskeys, but this new expression is much more attainable and approachable (not to mention affordable). Hurst Knoll is a seven-year-old, 101-proof rye whiskey that is designed for mixing into cocktails, but would not be a bad choice to sip on either. 101 proof; SRP $60

Foursquare Mark XXIX: Mandamus

Barbados distillery Foursquare is one of the best in the business, releasing rum under its own label and producing for various independent bottlers. This new rum is a blend of pot and column-distilled spirit that was aged for 16 years—10 in ex-bourbon barrels and six in port pipes—before being bottled at high proof with no sugar or coloring added. 114 proof; SRP $160

Unicorn Whiskey Pick of the Week

Kings County Empire Rye

Kings County was the first distillery to operate in Brooklyn when it started making whiskey back in 2010. Since then, the distillery has come a long way, getting a great deal of acclaim in the craft distilling world (and beyond) and expanding its lineup to include some very interesting whiskeys, some of which are bottled at extremely high proof. The latest release arrived last summer—Empire County Rye, a new member of the core portfolio.

The qualifications for Empire Rye, a category that was established in 2017, are as follows: the whiskey must be made from at least 75 percent grains grown in New York State, meet the qualifications of straight rye whiskey, and be distilled in New York. Empire Rye, obviously, meets all of those. It’s made from 80 percent Danko rye grown in New York, and 20 percent English malted barley, and bottled at 90 proof after being aged for a minimum of three years.

This is a very unique rye whiskey, and very different from what you might expect if you’re used to Kentucky style "just-legal" rye or MGP’s 95/5 rye. There’s a great deal of chocolate on the palate, along with big notes of fruit and spice that balance out flavors of nutmeg, vanilla, and some oak. This leans towards the younger side, for obvious reasons, but it’s a really good example of the path that Kings County has embarked upon over the past 15 years, and a great rye to use in your next Manhattan. 101 proof; SRP $69

Unicorn Wine Pick of the Week

Racines NV Sta. Rita Hills Grande Reserve

Imagine this—the dream team of Etienne de Montille and his winemaker Brian Sieve, of the great Volnay (Burgundy) house Domaine de Montille, teaming up with the scion of the Champagne Pierre Peters, Rodolphe Peters. Their California project, Racines, in the Sta. Rita Hills, is very much hitting its stride, especially now, bolstered by M. Peters’ contribution—a sumptuous sparkling wine program.

This Grande Reserve NV, 100% Chardonnay, draws from four vineyards (Wenzlau, Sanford & Benedict, La Rinconada, and Bentrock). It is an elegant affair, reminiscent of the Champagnes of the Peters house, which always show a grand, golden fruit richness, tethered to an almost wispy salinity—one of the terroir hallmarks of the Sta. Rita Hills. Add it to the bottles you’ll be pouring for the holidays. SRP $65