What’s happening in wine and whiskey this week:

This Week’s Unicorn Review Stories

🍷 Vicki Denig wrote about why the Hautes-Côtes sub-region of Burgundy is a wine region to watch, and why interest in the area and its grapes has grown over the past decade.

🥃 Chasing down bottles of whiskey to collect can be a daunting task, but Ted Simmons wrote this handy guide on how to navigate this world and the new school of collectible whiskeys to look out for.

New Bottle Releases

Michter’s 10 Year Bourbon ($195)

Michter’s 10 Year Bourbon is back for 2026. Although it skipped a year in 2022, this whiskey has been an annual (and highly anticipated) release for some time now. The Michter’s team always says that it is more focused on the liquid being ready when it’s ready over meeting an age statement, and that seems to consistently be the case with each release.

Ardbeg 10 Cask Strength ($90)

Fans of this Islay distillery finally got what they’ve been asking for—a cask-strength version of the core 10-year-old single malt. This whisky is made up of cask-strength single malt aged in ex-bourbon barrels, some of which was entered into casks undiluted as opposed to the slightly proofed down new make spirit that is usually used. It’s bottled at 61.7 percent ABV, and is a really good addition to the lineup—but it’s limited, so grab a bottle while you can.

Unicorn Whiskey Pick of the Week

Frank August CASE STUDY: 06 | LEGACY RESERVE | 6 BARREL BATCH ($125)

The title of this bourbon is lofty. Look at the stylization, all those capped words, the dividing lines, and the whole concept of a “case study” in terms of whiskey. The thing is, as has been so often the case when it comes to Frank August, it’s also a really good bourbon that has been thoughtfully crafted and is arguably worth its elevated price tag. And here’s why.

Frank August has only been around for a few years, but has impressed whiskey fans in its short life with some really excellent bourbon and rye releases, all of which come in very nicely designed bottles. The sources of the whiskeys are not revealed, but that doesn’t really matter because the quality of these small-batch releases is top-notch. And that includes the new Case Study 6, part of an ongoing series that is meant to explore the art of blending. This release combines six-barrel batches of Kentucky bourbon aged for eight, nine, and ten years respectively, sourced from three of the “state’s most storied legacy distilleries.” What are those? We don’t know, but given the age of the whiskeys and the language used here, one can make some assumptions.

Wherever they were distilled and whatever the mashbills might be, the resulting blend is excellent. This is clearly a well-aged bourbon from nose to finish, with a depth of flavor and classic notes of vanilla, maple, creme brulee, butterscotch, and burnt orange peel on the palate. There are also layers of spice and some charred wood notes that keep it from becoming overly sweet, and at just over 109 proof there’s a richness to the mouthfeel and some heat on the finish.

Based on its name, Legacy Reserve seems like it’s focused on where the whiskey originated, or at least the deep history of bourbon distilling that defines the state of Kentucky. But for me this whiskey is all about where it ended up—in a superb blend from one of the top small non-distiller brands you can find in a very crowded field.

Unicorn Wine Pick of the Week

Habit Wines 2024 Santa Ynez Valley Coquelicot Vineyard Cabernet Franc ($35)

Jeff Fischer doesn’t really need a wine label. An actor with a background in voiceover work, Fischer has supplied the voice for a cartoon character named Jeff Fischer for more than 20 years on the Fox animated series American Dad. The cartoon Jeff Fischer bears a striking resemblance to the actual Jeff Fischer, but a younger, dimmer version who happens to smoke a lot of weed.

Fischer has loved wine since he was a teenager, and spent years making it as an amateur before finding his happy place in Happy Canyon. That’s located in the Santa Ynez Valley, a sub-region of Santa Barbara County that, in the right hands, can be the source of exuberant wines with a sunny disposition. Fischer founded Habit Wines in 2007 and splits his time between L.A. and an Airstream in Los Alamos for an enviable double life.

Habit Wines are habit-forming. Stripped of brawn or bombast, Fischer’s wines stand out for their energy, their lithe structure, and their lively movement on the palate. Usually hovering around 13% ABV, the wines possess a current of acidity that feels like a mild and exhilarating electric charge. In their directness and immediacy, they seem to channel the spirit of the Loire Valley.

His 2024 Cabernet Franc is a textbook example. From the organically farmed Cocquelicot Vineyard, which sits between Happy Canyon and Ballard Canyon in the Santa Ynez Valley, the Habit Cab Franc smells of purple flowers and purple fruit in equal measure, with a hint of green herb that lends an edge. The flavors are, like the vineyard, sunny and warm, with a juicy, plummy core of fruit, like just picked plums warmed by the sun. At 12.7% ABV, there’s plenty of acidity to elevate the finish. Chill a bit and serve on your next patio hang.