The best new food and drink drops of the year stand out because they take what you thought you knew about eating and drinking and stand it on its head.
Can mashed potatoes be a THC edible? Sure. Can ready-to-drink cocktails actually be good? Why not! Can a barn-burner of a 21-year-old single malt whiskey be from Vermont? It sure can.
Some things about eating and drinking will never change, but all the things that can? This year was about shaking them up.
Glenlivet Twist and Mix Cocktails
Why It Matters: Ready-to-drink cocktails are nothing new, but The Glenlivet is taking the idea in a fascinating new direction: why make your cocktail before you’re ready to drink it?
The Big Picture: You’ve probably tried ready-to-drink cocktails before — and if you’re actually someone who likes their booze, you’ve probably been disappointed by them, too. But The Glenlivet’s reimagined version aims to elevate the concept to new heights by simplifying it into its constituent parts. The idea is simple: the Scotch is in the bottle, the ingredients for the cocktail are in the cap; when you’re ready to drink, just twist the cap, and it launches the ingredients into the whisky, at which point all you have to do is pour. The collection launched with Manhattan and Old Fashioned variants; granted, neither is usually made with Scotch whisky … but considering you get eight servings per bottle, it may be untraditional, but it’s also a killer deal.
Appleton Estate 17 Year Old Legend Rum
Why It Matters: The secret ingredient behind the one, true mai tai returns (in a way) in the form of this 17-year-old limited-run rum.
The Big Picture: If you’ve ever had a mai tai, odds are good you haven’t had a real one. The cocktail was invented by Victor Bergeron, a.k.a. Trader Vic — yes, from the Warren Zevon song — as a way to showcase J. Wray and Nephew 17 Year rum, but that particular expression vanished from the market a few years later. Now, however, Appleton Estate has recreated it, calling it their 17 Year Old Legend rum. Consumed neat, it serves up delightful flavors of caramelized and burnt tropical fruits with a distinctive, pleasant Jamaican rum funk. In a proper mai tai, however, it’s an experience for the ages — one that makes you understand why ol’ Vic was so excited to create it back in 1944.
Dogfish Head Citrus Squall
Why It Matters: Made with grapefruit juice and blue agave nectar, this new brew is, effectively, a blend of a golden ale and a paloma — an innovative intermingling of beer and cocktail.
The Big Picture: The craft beer world is always innovating, but odds are good you’ve never tried anything quite like this double golden ale. (Or perhaps any double golden, considering it’s hardly a popular style in 2023.) Delaware-based Dogfish Head’s Citrus Squall is brewed with agave nectar and grapefruit juice, making it almost like a beer-paloma hybrid. Yet take a sip, and you’ll discover a unique flavor that is reminiscent of a hazy IPA. It’s fun, unorthodox and truly innovative — characteristics we love to see any brewery impart into its beers.
WhistlePig Béhôlden
Why It Matters: The Vermont distillery’s first entry into the single malt whiskey world proves every bit a revelation.
The Big Picture: If someone told you that you were about to sample a 21-year-old single malt whiskey, you’d probably assume it hailed from Scotland, maybe Japan — but not the Green Mountain State. WhistlePig’s The Béhôlden actually traces its lineage across the continent — the original liquid is believed to hail from Canada — but it finishes its journey at the distillery in Vermont, where it enters its bottles at 92 proof. However you describe its roots, though, there’s no arguing about the quality of the finished product: packing flavors that dance from honey to baking spice to oatmeal cookie and (of course) maple, this single malt is one of the best whiskeys we’ve ever tasted. Too bad only 18 barrels worth of it will ever exist.
MIIR New Standard French Press
Why It Matters: A forward-thinking brand improves on a century-old process with premium materials and a unique, coffee grounds-isolating approach.
The Big Picture: While the French press was patented in 1924, the design hasn’t evolved much since Michael Caine raised its profile in the 1965 spy flick The Ipcress File — until now. The New Standard’s big differentiator is a quick-release grounds basket you can surgically extract from the carafe after brewing. We’ve found that not only does it strain like a champ, but because you must add just the right amount of grounds and water for the whole thing to function properly, it actually trains you to brew the perfect cup. MIIR’s sturdy stainless steel vacuum-insulated carafe keeps that java toasty too.
Daniel Weller Bourbon
Why It Matters: The Weller name is well-known in the whiskey world. But with the new Daniel Weller line, Buffalo Trace Distillery is going experimental with its beloved brand.
The Big Picture: If you know bourbon, you probably know the name Weller; its 12-year expression has grown from a mighty bargain to practical unobtanium in recent years. But Buffalo Trace Distillery, which puts out the fabled liquid, sees room for the brand to grow — in the form of an experimental new line called the Daniel Weller Bourbon series. The first installment from the collection, Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat, dropped this year with a $499 MSRP and a fascinating taste courtesy of the aforementioned wheat, distilled to perfection in a E.H. Taylor microstill then aged for just under 12 years. Expect a fresh Daniel Weller expression to arrive every two years … and believe us, we’ll be in line to try them every time they do.
Choices Premium Edibles
Why It Matters: Revolutionizing the THC edibles category, Choices offers a whopping 100+ different cannabis-infused products, ranging from traditional varieties — like chocolates and cookies — to the more unique. Mashed potatoes, anyone?
The Big Picture: Most of us associate weed edibles with classic interpretations: brownies, gummies, butter, etc. However, THC as a food additive is essentially limitless. Sadly, this has not been reflected by the cannabis industry at large. The majority of edible manufacturers still make a select few categories. Choices, a recreational THC brand out of Los Angeles (created by Milk Bar Pastry Chef Casey Shea), seeks to change that and turn the industry on its head. Having launched just last year, Choices already offers over 100 different SKUs covering a range of doses as low as 2.5mg per serving up to 10mg. And they run the gamut of foods, too, including (but not limited to) condiments, confections, drink mixes, popsicles — the list goes on and on. The brand even offers a range of dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan options. Weed edibles have never been so versatile.
Vibes Release Papers
Why It Matters: Using its sizable platform for good, fan-favorite joint rolling papers brand Vibes' latest release maintains the high-quality materials and performance we love while redistributing a portion of the profits to benefit the Last Prisoner Project, a cannabis reform non-profit.
The Big Picture: Vibes is one of the biggest names in rolling papers — and there's good reason for that. Along with being well-made — largely courtesy of their slow-burning yet still easy to roll rice paper makeup — the brand's products are the brainchild of Berner, a Bay Area rapper and the CEO of Cookies (another cannabis-related company). That means these must-haves are created by and for stoners. But the well-known brand took a step into the social justice space with this release. Yes, the papers are as well-crafted as awalys. But the fact that the profits benefit a charity concerned with freeing incarcerated peoples still serving time for crimes that are no longer crimes (like possession of marijuana) means Vibes is putting its money where its mouth is, so to speak. And that is a very good thing for everyone, incarcerated or not.
Storz & Bickel Venty
Why It Matters: This heavy-hitting vape brand's first completely new release in about a decade is a new vaporizer that's also its fastest — and the first with its own adjustable airflow.
The Big Picture: Storz & Bickel is no stranger to innovation, having helped to essentially kickstart the weed vaporizer industry as we know it. But the Venty marks the brand's first major step forward in a long time — one that will likely send ripples through the rest of the industry. This is because the vape in question has a lightning-quick heat-up time of just 20 seconds (nearly half the time of the next-fastest dry herb vape). As if that incredible speed is not enough, the Venty is also the first of the brand's offerings to have an adjustable airflow — meaning you can change how much (or how little) vapor it emits per hit. Package that all in an incredibly precise, portable package and it’s easy to see what makes this cannabis device a technological marvel.
Airhood Wireless Portable Range Hood
Why It Matters: Your range hood is the unsung hero of your kitchen. Or, it would be if it sucked more. The AirHood fixes that problem.
The Big Picture: If you live in an apartment, you may never know the merits of a good range hood designed to temper smoke, odor and that thin layer of oily residue that coats half your kitchen every time you cook. The AirHood aims to change that. Debuting on Kickstarter last year, the countertop range hood (available in both a wired and wireless version) sits on the counter next to your stove, while a fan spinning at up to 5,000 rpm sucks in smoke and grease. Its stainless steel mesh oil filter is removable and its space-age-inspired design fits right into a modern kitchen’s aesthetics.
Our Place Wonder Oven
Why It Matters: Our Place's first foray into countertop appliances cooks sides and small bites faster than your normal oven — and more stylishly, too.
The Big Picture: Our Place took the internet by storm when it released its viral Always Pan in 2019, following up with a bevy of pots, pans and accessories. This year, they finally ventured into countertop appliances with the Wonder Oven — a 6-in-1 cooker that toasts, roasts, bakes, broils, air fries and reheats. Two things set it apart from the myriad alternatives on the market: First, it boasts a steam infusion feature a la the much more expensive Balmuda Toaster, which keeps food like toast from drying out. Secondly, the Wonder Oven looks better than anything else you could put on your countertop. We're sold.
Ember Baby Bottle System Plus
Why It Matters: A brand known for its divisive coffee mugs may have finally found its ultimate niche in baby bottles that heat milk or formula to the perfect temperature exactly when you need it.
The Big Picture: Ember was founded on the premise that people need a coffee mug that keeps coffee or tea at the perfect temperature. We're not here to debate the merits of such devices, only to praise the brand for carrying it technology into the absolute perfect category: baby bottles. The System includes two 6-ounce bottles, a warming puck that you can charge for two feedings, an insulating "Thermal Dome" that keeps milk cold for up to four hours before you warm it up for drinking and various adapters for compatibility with Dr. Brown’s Wide-Neck and Philips Avent Natural nipples. Say goodbye to guesswork and fussy water baths.
Kamado Joe Konnected Joe Grill
Why It Matters: The Konnected Joe isn't just the most technologically advanced kamado you can buy. It might be the most convenient charcoal grill ever made.
The Big Picture: Grilling with charcoal is great. It's also fussy as hell, requiring steps to light the bed, maintain the heat and, ultimately, clean all that dusty ash out. Enter the Konnected Joe, which offers the flavor and heat of your decades-old kettle grill with the convenience and precision of an indoor oven. Like with all grills, assembly and setup here are admittedly arduous. But once you're going, the Konnected Joe requires little more of you than to load up the charcoal and push a button. The main selling point is the grill's ability to autoregulate its temperature like an oven, however, plenty of other features add to the overall convenience like a slide-out ash drawer for easy cleanup and heat deflector that can create direct and indirect heating zones.
Ooni Volt Electric Pizza Oven
Why It Matters: An oven steel will only get you so far. Ooni's first indoor pizza oven soars up to 850 degrees Fahrenheit (in less than 20 minutes) to deliver restaurant-quality pies — without the delivery fee.
The Big Picture: Ooni isn't the first brand to release an indoor pizza oven but it might be the one most poised to popularize the novelty appliance. The Volt is the company's first take on an indoor pizza oven, and it's angled towards apartment dwellers with limited outdoor space — or any cooks who would prefer a seamless pizza experience powered by electricity instead of gas or fire. The Volt gets hotter than its next closest competitor, Breville's Smart Oven Pizzaiolo, and two independently adjustable heating elements allow for maximum control. More often than not, the result is an evenly cooked pizza on the top, bottom and sides, whether you're cooking Neapolitan or New York-style pie.
