Monica Uhm

Westchester County, New York

Writer at Drinkhacker

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Articles

The (G)interview With Astraea Spirits Founder and Master Distiller Danielle Leavell

Dec 25, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm

Danielle Leavell is the creative mind behind Astraea Spirits, where she’s both the Founder and Master Distiller. Astraea is a one-of-a-kind spirits brand that’s completely owned and run by women. They make delicious organic gins that are inspired by the rich botanicals and scenery found in the Pacific Northwest. Notable achievements mark Leavell’s journey to gin.
Review: 2XO The Sneakerhead Blend

Dec 12, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm

2XO has just released The Sneakerhead Blend, the fifth in its limited small batch Icon Series. As noted in previous coverage, the series’ monikers are very personal to the Master Distiller Dixon Dedman’s world. The Kiawah Blend is a reference to his childhood retreat in South Carolina, The Pheonix Blend refers to new beginnings, The Innkeeper’s Blend is related to his experiences operating an inn, and The Tribute Blend pays homage to his parents.
A Visit to Great Jones Distillery

Nov 2, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm

It’s an unusually chilly and drizzly grey evening in late August in the Big Apple and as we walk along Broadway north of Houston, a golden glow illuminating from a streetfront window inviting us into a wonderland with a geometric display of alchemy. We’ve approached Great Jones Distillery and its three-floor homage to the gilded age in New York City. Drinkhacker has taken a tour previously, of sorts, having reviewed their core lineup of whiskey releases in 2022.
Review: Lost Lantern Summer 2024 Single Cask Releases and More

Aug 31, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm

Vermont-based Lost Lantern first launched their bourbon-focused series Summer of Bourbon in 2023 with a simple message that “great bourbon now comes from all over the United States.” They’re back in 2024 with another exclusive bourbon lineup for the summer (which is also on the heels of this year’s Spring 2024 series featuring whiskeys more broadly). There are a total of nine releases in the 2024 roster which spans quite an ambitious chunk of the country and its independent distilleries.
Review: Watershed Distillery Bottled in Bond Bourbon, Apple Brandy Finished Whiskey, and Old Fashioned

Aug 5, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm

Earlier this year, we tried our first bourbon from Watershed Distillery. Today we step back to the prologue with a few tamer releases — their bonded 4 year old Straight Bourbon Whiskey and an interesting blend of their straight bourbon with bourbon that has been finished in apple brandy casks. Rounding out today’s trio is their RTD Old Fashioned in a bottle. Let’s start the tour.
Review: Pinhook Kentucky Bourbon Cask Strength 5 Years Old 2024

Jun 24, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm

Pinhook is a non-distilling producer of ryes and bourbons and has been on a steady clip of releases since 2014, albeit somewhat an uneven and quizzical one. After a run of limited releases, Pinhook only then began building a stable of core expressions. (Spoiler alert: Horse racing analogies abound, both in their marketing and from yours truly in this review).
Review: Frank August Bourbon

May 24, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm

Have you already heard of Frank August? Then you are at least a few steps ahead of this writer; I recently came across it at my brother’s house, where he’d brought a bottle home from BevMo strictly based on the staff recommendation. This usually incites an involuntary raising of eyebrows, but the bottle is sleek and gorgeous and it was hard to resist cracking it open to give it a once over for Drinkhacker.
Review: Watershed Straight Bourbon Uncut Unfiltered

May 20, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm

Ohio-based Watershed Distillery has been making spirits since 2010, though this will be the first time Drinkhacker has taken a tasting tour of their bourbon. Today we have their barrel proof “Uncut Unfiltered” straight bourbon whiskey; not having experienced their staple bourbon expressions, we’re just diving into the deepest end. This release is aged for 4 years in Ohio-made char #5 barrels, which I found to be an interesting proposition.
Review: 2XO The Kiawah Blend

May 11, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm

Dixon Dedman and his 2XO Icon Series have rapidly become one of those must-watch release stories since launching in 2023. Drinkhacker has kept studious pace from the get-go with each of their three limited release blends to date: The Pheonix Blend, The Innkeeper’s Blend, and The Tribute Blend. The backstory and profile of this new venture has been covered in previous reviews, so we’ll just dive into the latest and greatest that brings us here today.
48 Hours in Louisville and Kentucky Bourbon Country, 2023

Jan 3, 2024 | drinkhacker.com | Monica Uhm |Freddie Johnson

Despite a long-standing bourbon affinity, my inaugural Kentucky bourbon tour only occurred this past November by interloping on my friend Kate Snow’s vacation plans to do the same. With a few more travelers, our eventual group of 10 represented the extreme points across the booze spectrum from “I only drink beer” to “I detect a high-rye mashbill.” Our trip was equal parts advanced planning and winging it once we arrived; the formula worked out for us. Here are some highlights.