We are upping our spirits game! Check out the new, exciting additions to our carefully curated selections of Gin, Vodka, Rum, Mezcal, Tequila, and Whisky more. Vermouth, Amaro and other goodies will be posted next week. Add something fun to your next order!
GIN
Malfy Rosa, Italy – Flavored Gin
Malfy Gin Rosa is made with the peel of sun-ripened Sicilian pink grapefruit grown in citrus groves on the Mediterranean. The peels are infused with juniper in an Italian grain spirit for 36 hours. Five other botanicals--lemon peel, grapefruit peel, angelica root, orris root, and coriander are used in its production. Additionally, a rabarbaro (rhubarb) distillate is added post distillation giving the gin a pale pink color. Made at the Torino Distillati by master distillers Beppe Ronco and Denis Muni, it is suggested to serve this gin with tonic, lemonade, or Prosecco.
Tasting Notes - Malfy Gin Rosa has a pleasing pale pink hue and comes in strong with bright grapefruit aroma. The citrus flavor on the palate, however, is significantly lighter. The slightly bitter grapefruit notes blend well with juniper, lemon and coriander. It's just as light and crisp as the Originale, and lacks the sugary mouthfeel and taste you might expect from a flavored spirit. Use it in a Collins, Fizz, or with tonic to showcase the citrus flavor. Distiller
St. George Botanivore, California – Modern Gin
Botanivore is aptly named as this gin most certainly is a "botanical eater", 19 different ones to be exact. Sixteen of them are steeped overnight in a neutral spirit to soak and steep. The remaining three--juniper berries, bay laurel, and fresh cilantro--are placed in a basket within the still to have the vapor pass through them. After pot-distillation, this gin is brought down to 45% ABV.
Tasting Notes - The aroma is at once bright and complex with floral, spice, citrus, and anise shining through. There's a citrus flavor quickly followed by the piney juniper, cinnamon, and cardamom throughout. Fresh green herbs are present as well, but delicately so. There is so much going on, that there isn't enough room here to discuss them all. Honestly, this is a gin you could enjoy on the rocks with or without a splash of soda or tonic because of it being a cocktail in and of itself, but it certainly could and should be experimented with in modern cocktail applications. Distiller
The Botanist, Islay, Scotland – Modern Gin
Jim McEwan spent 38 years with Bowmore and held every job there from apprentice cooper to Distillery Manager. In 2001, he left Bowmore to reopen Bruichladdich as their Master Distiller. Along with the dozens of single malt bottlings he created, he wanted to distill a gin that reflects his home of Islay, the island he loves. The Botanist is a gin comprised of 9 standard botanicals and an additional 22 that were hand-foraged from Islay itself--botanicals like apple mint, heather, red clover, and meadowsweet among many others. The gin is distilled over 17 hours in a Lomond Still (a hybrid column + pot still). It is bottled at 46% ABV.
Tasting Notes - With all of the botanicals used, it can take a while to move from nosing to tasting as there is a lot to discover. The key things that will stick with you are a fresh, lemony aroma coupled with spring flowers and a touch of mint. As you taste, the gin is clean and not too oily with more of the lemon floral notes sticking out. The juniper certainly falls to a background player here, but this gin, even with the dozens of botanicals used, doesn't get muddied. This is a gin that would work wonders in a sour or Collins preparation. Distiller
Monkey 47, Germany - Modern Gin
Hailing from Germany’s Black Forest, Monkey 47 is an exotic gin made with a molasses base. The 47 refers to the number of botanicals used which includes such unlikely fruit ingredients like lingonberries, blackberries, and honey pomelo. These are combined with a host of recognizable gin botanicals such as chamomile, sage, angelica, coriander, and a whole array of others. Another anomaly at Monkey 47 is that the distillate is aged in earthenware containers for three months before being brought to 47% ABV with the forest’s celebrated water.
Tasting Notes - Monkey 47 is an exquisite gin that pushes the boundaries of how much and what type of flavor a gin can have. The 47 ingredients build off of each other rather than contradict and the unlikely combination of forest fruit and exotic tones of wildflowers and island spices (especially on the balanced and long, rich finish) create a heady beverage that reveals more upon every sip. Juniper is present, but there is so many other flavors present that it is not nearly as dominant as in many more traditional gins. This is truly one of the world’s most complex gins and although we're sure that it would make wonderful cocktails, one should try it by its self to appreciate the full spectrum of flavors." Distiller
Hayman’s, England - London Dry
Each style of gin from Hayman Distillers follows a different family recipe but is distilled with the same botanical blend: juniper, coriander, lemon peel, orange peel, angelica root, cinnamon, cassia bark, orris root, licorice, and nutmeg. Production of Hayman's London Dry Gin involves seeping the botanicals for a full day before distillation. This classic style of gin was released in 2008 and is bottled at 40% ABV.
Tasting Notes - "The aroma is pretty intense with classic aromas with a bit of sweet spices particularly coriander. The licorice comes through just a touch as you taste. Citrus and cinnamon are the last notes you taste at the finish. This is an all-around use gin, but the sweet spices come through just a bit stronger which play nicely into a berry-based cocktail like a Clover Club." Distiller
RUM
EL DORADO 15 YEAR RUM, Guyana – Aged Rum
El Dorado has been produced at Demerara Distillers Limited since 1992 on Guyana. The 15 Year is a blend of aged demerara rums, some as old as 25 years, made in different styles of stills - Enmore and Diamond Coffey stills, Port Mourant double-wooden-pot-still and Versailles single-wooden-pot-still. The rums are blended and aged in ex-bourbon casks.
Tasting Notes - "This is a smooth, velvety and complex rum that's prime for sipping. Dark roast coffee, milk chocolate, vanilla and caramel are set off by citrus peel and a hint of tobacco. There's a good dose of delicious rummy herbal funk to round it off, ending with a sweet, brown sugar finish." REVIEWED BY AMANDA SCHUSTER
BAYOU RUM, Louisiana – Spiced Rum
Bringing rum production back to its American source, Louisiana Spirits' Bayou Rum is made using state-grown and processed molasses and raw sugar. Their spiced variation starts out as the others, with a pot-still rum made according to their own "sugar house recipe" and triple-filtered spring water. The blend of spices is all sourced from within Louisiana .
Tasting Notes - "Not much spice emanates from the glass, though there is an inviting aroma of butterscotch and root beer. The spices enter the picture on the palate, though, with a subtle blend of baking spice, sassafras, birch, pine cone and more savory flavors such as bayleaf, thyme and rosemary. Though this rum is intended as a mixer, the overall effect is elegant enough that it could be sipped neat or with just a splash of tonic or cola. REVIEWED BY AMANDA SCHUSTER
ROULAISON TRADITIONAL POT DISTILLED, Louisiana – White Rum
New Orleans rum producer Roulaison Distilling launched at the end of 2016—Roulaison is the French-Creole term used for the sugarcane harvest. The distillery focuses on a pre-industrial style of rum, with small batch alembic pot still distillation. They also use 100% Louisiana molasses. The flagship white rum is bottled at 44% ABV.
Tasting Notes -"Find a basket of fruit on the nose, with prunes, apricots, tangerines, and citrus zest. The palate is full bodied and characterful, zesty with peppery spice, pine, menthol, and stewed fruits, as well as just a touch of funk. The finish is light and quick. Just load this right up into a daiquiri and fire away." REVIEWED BY JAKE EMEN
VODKA
ST. GEORGE CALIFORNIA CITRUS VODKA, California – Flavored Vodka
St. George California Citrus Vodka is an offering from one of California and America’s most iconic and historic distilleries. Local oranges from the San Joaquin Valley such as Valencia, Seville, and Bergamot varieties are sourced and are then each macerated separately in non-GMO neutral spirit. Then each maceration is distilled and the three distillates are blended together. A light filtration gives a crystal-clear product.
Tasting Notes - "The effusive nose on St. George California Citrus Vodka brings back happy childhood memories of orange creamsicles and sorbet, but the palate comes on surprisingly dry with no perceptible sweetness. What it lacks is saccharin is made up for with more layers of bright orange and a bit of earthy pith. The finish ends with a faint spice and a hint of drying tannins. " REVIEWED BY JOHN RANKIN
ST. GEORGE GREEN CHILE VODKA, California – Flavored Vodka
The multi-step process required for this vodka starts with filling a still with jalapeño, lime peel, and a non-GMO base spirit which passes through a chamber packed with fresh cilantro. The resulting spirit is then separated into parts and individually macerates with even more peppers: Serrano, habanero, red and yellow sweet bell before being carefully blended back together. Then this concoction is lightly-filtered and still maintains a slight green glow.
Tasting Notes - "The aromatics of St. George Green Chile Vodka are simply incredible. Layers of pepper spice and capsicum balance off of citrus zest and tangy cilantro. It makes one want to reach for tortilla chips! The plate has a clean entry before building to an intensely hot peppery sensation and then a clean, slightly sweet peppery finish. There is a bit of heat in the mid-palate, but this is not a drink for daredevils only. Make a Bloody Mary for your friends with it and become a local legend." REVIEWED BY JOHN RANKIN
Tru Organic Lemon Vodka, California – Flavored Vodka
These certified organic spirits are free from chemicals from field to bottle, packaged in recycled, recyclable or biodegradable materials. The company plants a tree for every bottle sold to replenish forests. And, of course, all Tru Organic Vodkas are handcrafted, using whole, organic ingredients—not extracts. The Tru Lemon is, like the Tru Straight, made from 100% certified organic American wheat, infused with hand zested organic California lemons for a crisp, clean ripe citrus flavor.
Tasting Notes - One of the few vodkas with a hint of pale yellow tint, as well as a slightly viscous body. The scent is light, natural, and lemon zest-y. The flavors also are on the subtle side, hinting at orange blossom, and tapering to lemon peel on the finish. This vodka would blend particularly well into sour-based cocktails. REVIEWED BY KARA NEWMAN
Bolden Vodka, New Orleans – Unflavored
Bolden Vodka is a premium, European-style vodka produced from grain-to-glass, at Porchjam Distillery, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Bolden Vodka is manufactured from a grain recipe of the finest quality ingredients, containing no additives or neutral spirit. Column distilled to exacting specifications, Bolden Vodka is distilled right the first – and only – time, for a complex and refined experience that may be enjoyed equally at home straight, on the rocks, or in your favorite cocktail.
TEQUILA
OLMECA ALTOS PLATA TEQUILA, Mexico – Blanco
Olmeca Altos is the result of a unique collaboration between master distiller Jesús Hernandez, a team of engineers from Kentucky, and two acclaimed UK bartenders, the late Henry Besant and Dre Masso. The distillery is located 6,900 feet above sea level in the heart of Los Altos. Olmeca Altos is produced using the traditional tahona method with agave from the Highlands - 60% comes from Olmeca Altos' own estates and 40% from third party sources.
Tasting Notes - "The unaged plata has a nice kick of roasted agave on the sweet nose, along with citrus, pepper and brine. The soft palate offers lime, agave and spice with grassy notes. The long finish lingers with more agave, fruit and pepper. Competitively priced and well suited for mixing in cocktails." REVIEWED BY DANIEL DJANG
CORRALEJO REPOSADO TEQUILA, Mexico – Aged
Corralejo is known for its innovative techniques that date back to 1775 when the distillery first began producing tequila in Guanajuato. This reposado is aged 4 months in 3 different types of casks - French, American and white oak - to impart a variety of characteristics to this matured spirit.
Tasting Notes - "There's a lot going on here, and each sip brings a new experience. At times the smoke from the charred American oak, seems at the fore, then the cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and black pepper kick in. Mushrooms do a funky dance before twirling into flavors of dark chocolate and vanilla. Don't you dare turn this into a Margarita - this highly nuanced tequila is meant for neat enjoyment." REVIEWED BY AMANDA SCHUSTER
GRAN CENTENARIO AÑEJO TEQUILA, Mexico – Aged
This añejo tequila from Gran Centenario is a 100% blue agave and aged in new French Limousin oak barrels up to 36 months. It is unusual to see this type of oak used for tequila production and is more typically found used to age Cognac. The agaves used were sourced from Los Altos in Jalisco.
Tasting Notes - "Brilliant amber in color with flecks of reflective gold. Clove, distinct oak, and white pepper is found on the nose along with caramel and cinnamon. Cooked agave characterizes the initial taste. The mouthfeel is slightly buttery and smooth, leaving a well-rounded, pleasant earthy finish." REVIEWED BY KATRINA NIEMISTO
MEZCAL
REY CAMPERO MEXICANO MEZCAL, Oaxaca Mexico – Joven
Rey Campero Mexicano is produced from 100% Agave Rhodacantha harvested in pine and oak forests at high altitudes. The agaves are roasted in earthen ovens, ground in mule-powered stone mills, fermented in wooden casks and double-distilled in a copper alembic still.
Tasting Notes - "Mexicano opens with a light herbal nose reminiscent of freshly cut grass followed by a palate that emphasizes some sweet fruitiness and a degree of restrained smoke. A bit of bite emerges on the long finish that nevertheless reinforces the spirit's overall impression of velvet suavity." REVIEWED BY RON BECHTOL
BANHEZ MEZCAL, Oaxaca Mexico – Joven
Banhez Mezcal is produced by a co-op families from various villages in the Ejutla district of Oaxaca. They are producing mezcal the same way it’s been done by their ancestors for nearly two centuries using underground wood-fired pits, donkey-pulled tahonas, wooden fermentation tanks, and distillation in copper alembics. At 42% ABV, Banhez Mezcal is perfect for first-time mezcal tasters and works well in cocktails. Banhez Mezcal was the 2017 Double Gold Winner for “Best Mezcal” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Tasting Notes – “Comprised of 90% Espadin and 10% Barril, Banhez 42% is a delightfully mild, floral and fruity (pineapple, banana) mezcal perfect for first time mezcal tasters and wonderful for cocktail innovation”.
YUU BAAL MEZCAL, Oaxaca Mexico – Pechuga
Yuu Baal is a Oaxacan mezcal brand which incorporates mezcal producers from San Juan del Rio, San Luis del Rio, Tlacolula, and Miahuatlan. The name is Zapotec meaning earth (yuu) and fire (baal). The mezcal is made artisanally using a concave stone oven to cook the agaves and a tahona to crush them among other production methods. Yuu Baal Pechuga is triple distilled using fruits and a turkey breast in its final distillation.
Tasting Notes – “Yuu Baal Pechuga is a traditional pechuga mezcal that is made with agave Espadin. Between the second and third distillation, a raw turkey breast is hung in the still and fresh fruits are added as well. This technique leaves this mezcal with a wide range of scents and tastes. It has a nose full of citrus, herbs, fruits, and spices, and tastes of orange, anis, pineapple, and mango. It’s velvety texture carries slight hints of turkey, cinnamon, and mango in the aftertaste.”
WHISKEY
HIGHLAND PARK 12 YEAR VIKING HONOUR, Highland Park/Scotland – Peated Single Malt
In 2017, Highland Park created new packaging and added names to their standard age statement products. Their 12 Year gets the added moniker of Viking Honour. The new labels and bottles will be rolled out over the remainder of 2017. While the bottles and packaging are getting a makeovers, the whiskies will retain their current flavor profiles. Highland Park is renowned for the peat they use and for their exclusive use of ex-sherry casks. The climate on the Orkney Islands is quite windy and sea swept creating a dismal environment for trees. As such, the Orcadian peat bogs have more heather, grass, and plants than those on Islay. Highland Park 12, first released in 1979, uses about 20% 1st-fill sherry casks.
Tasting Notes - "The sweet aroma is very inviting and draws you in closer to inspect the dram. The honey'd and vanilla fragrance takes a turn on the palate replaced by grass and pineapple. A lemon twist or two comes next with the peat smoke just teasing your senses. " REVIEWED BY STEPHANIE MORENO
TEELING SMALL BATCH IRISH WHISKEY, Teeling/Ireland – Blended
After its initial aging in oak barrels, Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey is further aged in casks that previously held Flor de Caña rum. The blended whiskey is currently sourced from Cooley Distillery, a distillery previously owned by the Teeling family now owned by Beam. It is then further matured in Teeling's own warehouses. The Teeling Whiskey Co is expected to begin producing its own whiskey in late 2014. It will be Dublin's only working distillery.
Tasting Notes - "The nose is aromatic and filled with creamed corn, honey, and gentle, ever so slight, notes of banana cream and coconut flakes. Moving on to the taste profile, the tropical notes fall by the way side and presents a creamy and slightly slick whiskey with barrel spices, lemon, and more honey. The proof helps to wrap up the dram in a tidy bow and you are left with a pleasant warm finish." REVIEWED BY STEPHANIE MORENO
THE STREET PUMAS, Scotland - Blended
Brooklyn-based importer, PM Spirits has just launched The Street Pumas, a line of premium well spirits. The line includes vodka, London dry gin, and rum, with a blended Scotch whisky that is currently crossing the ocean as we speak. For his first line of custom spirits, founder Nicolas Palazzi collaborated with celebrated comic book artists and writers to create a complementary graphic novel that would double as labels for the bottles. Set in the near future, Nicolas and his team are portrayed as booze-slinging badasses determined to deliver killer juice no matter the obstacle. The one-liter bottles depict a different scene from the comic adventure, highlighting the gang’s battle against the forces of THEY.
Tasting Notes – “This lean, edgy whisky has a pale straw hue and mild scent that mingles saline, vanilla and smoke. It's superlight on the palate, almost feeling like it will float away, and mixes light smoke with floral freshness, finishing with ginger and cinnamon sparks. Adding water tilts the balance back toward vanilla sweetness, though the alcohol heat remains fairly intense.” KARA NEWMAN
LARCENY SMALL BATCH KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, Larceny /Kentucky – Bourbon
Larceny Small Batch is a brand extension of Heaven Hill's Old Fitzgerald line. According to their story, back in the day, John E. Fitzgerald used his privilege of holding the keys to Pappy Van Winkle's bonded warehouse, where the Old Fitzgerald bourbons were kept, to steal the best casks for himself. These became known as the "Fitzgerald Barrels." Larceny is a wheated straight bourbon made from a blend of selected barrels made in honor of this legend. It bears no-age statement and is bottled at 92 proof.
Tasting Notes - "Larceny is a very solid, classic bourbon for the money. Banana bread aromas (bananas, sugar and nuts) on the nose with more oak spice on the tongue. It's more on the sweet side of the bourbon spectrum, but still enjoyable, and doesn't finish too hot." REVIEWED BY AMANDA SCHUSTER
PINHOOK BOURBON, Millville/Kentucky – Rye
Every fall Pinhook releases a new bourbon and rye, each of which is connected to a promising young thoroughbred horse. The whiskey in each release is the best expression of our barrels at that moment in time, and we blend and proof each release to be as unique as the horse on the label. The result is an annual vintage of Pinhook Bourbon and Pinhook Rye that become instant collectibles. And while it is impossible to know if the horse on the bottle will go all the way to the Kentucky Derby, there is no gamble on the quality of what's inside. The Bourbon N Rye release is the first edition of straight rye whiskey produced by Pinhook. The traditional mashbill has over 24 months of barrel age and was blended and proofed by Sean Josephs at Castle & Key Distillery in Millville, KY.
Tasting Notes - This straight rye whiskey has bright aromas of fresh apples, licorice root and cinnamon stick that give way to a deep and rich palate of brown sugar, candied black licorice, vanilla bean, raisins and dried apricot. NOTES FROM PRODUCER
PINHOOK BOURBON WAR 4Y VERTICAL SERIES, Millville/Kentucky
Every year, Pinhook releases a new bourbon and rye, each connected to a promising young thoroughbred. The whiskey in each release is the best expression of our barrels at that moment in time, and we blend and proof releases to be as unique as the horse on the label. The Vertical Series is a one-time opportunity to follow a group of barrels, all filled within months of each other, as they age. Over the next 9 years, Pinhook will select 150 bourbon barrels and 50 rye barrels to be blended and proofed creating the most balanced expression for the vintage. Join us on the journey beginning with our inaugural 4 Year old bourbon and collect and enjoy the Vertical Series in annual releases from age 4 to age 12. The Rye Vertical Series will begin in the spring of 2020.
Tasting Notes – “Proofed at 98, this straight bourbon whiskey has a bright nose of tropical fruit, butterscotch and cedar leading to a rich and vibrant palate of dried fig, cocoa, roasted peanut and clove.” NOTES FROM PRODUCER
