Review: Captain Morgan Sweet Chili Lime
Captain Morgan Sweet Chili Lime was recently released. A quick glance at the Captain Morgan website shows this is the 20th Captain Morgan product. While there are several Jalapeno Lime flavored spirits, I only know of one chili lime flavored product, Sipsmith Chili Lime Gin. Chile Lime is a very popular flavor for chips with Sun Chips, Lays, Tostitos, and Takis all offering their take on chili lime. There are also over a dozen companies offering chili lime bottled seasoning spice, proving chili lime is a very popular flavor combination. Captain Morgan was first released in the US in 1984. Captain Morgan Chili Lime is made from Carribean sugar cane molasses that is distilled once in a continuous still in St Croix. The rum is aged in oak barrels for one year. A proprietary blend of Caribbean spice and natural flavors are blended before bottling at 70 proof. Read more 
Review: Los 3 Potrillos Tequila Blanco
Los 3 Potrillos Tequila was launched by Vicente Fernandez February 2020. Vicente Fernandez is known as the Frank Sinatra of Ranchera Music. Los 3 Potrillos translates to The Three Foals. With a suggested retail price of $129.99 I would call Los 3 Potrillos Tequila Blanco, a Super Ultra Premium tequila. L3P is distilled at Destiladora Santa Virginia. The history of this family owned distillery starts in 1950 when Don Alberto Franco planted is first blue agave field. In 1957 he harvested his first crop. For the next 30 years his children worked alongside him. After his death in 1987 the siblings continued to plant and harvest their agave fields. In 2003 they founded Destiladora Santa Virginia on the Tepa-Totolan Highway. They named the distillery for their mom and they currently produce tequila for 6 brands, including Sangre Altena. The agave is sourced from the Highlands of Jalisco. While most tequila is double distilled, Los 3 Potrillos is triple distilled. Read more
Review: The Busker Single Grain Irish Whiskey
The Busker Single Grain Irish Whiskey is distilled on an 18th century estate on Irelands ancient east region. The Royal Oak Distillery distills all three styles of Irish Whiskey including Grain, Malt, and Pot Still. While no mashbill is available, all grain used to distill The Busker Single Grain is sourced from within 40 miles of the distillery. Once distilled the spirit is barrel aged in bourbon casks and rare Marsala casks from Sicily’s historic Cantine Florio 1833. After a non-chill filtration it is bottled at 88.6 proof. Read more
Review: Goodnight Loving Vodka
Goodnight Loving Vodka is named after the Goodnight Loving Spring which runs through Co-Founder Tim Osburn’s family ranch. Tim partnered with Gary Crowell to launch the brand November 2018. The pair met through their sons who were both Boy Scouts. Tim and Gary later became Scout leaders. Gary Crowell Co-Founded Deep Eddy Vodka and Nine Banded Whiskey. Good Loving Vodka is made from 100% corn and mineral rich spring water. The minerals are imparted to the water after traveling through miles of underwater rock and limestone. The already produced distillate is proofed with water the Co-Founders source together heading to the ranch with huge jugs and a hose and pump once a month. Once blended it is filtered 6 times through charcoal pods and bottled at their Austin Vodka Company. Goodnight Loving Vodka is a case study in the importance of water vs distillate as the non-descript corn spirit is only a necessary prop. The mineral rich spring water plays lead. Read more
Review: Montagave Blanco Las Rocas
Montagave Tequila was launched by Lucie and John Melvin February 2022. They partnered with Master Distiller Salvadore Rosales Trejo and Cascahuin distillery in El Arsenal to craft their tequila. They start with 100% agave grown in the valley, and deep mineral rich well water. The pinas are brick oven cooked for 72 hours. A roller mill extracts the juice which is fermented with fibers for 96 hours in concrete. After a double distillation in pot stills the spirit rests in a 10 ton custom made concrete egg for 4 weeks. The concrete subtly raises the PH, unlocking layers of minerality, while gentle micro-oxygenation enhances structure. Read more
Review: Nightbloom 0 Vodka
Nightbloom Vodka was launched 2022 by Eric Brown and David Ross. Nightbloom 0 is one of 4 Nightbloom Vodka varieties. Nightbloom 1 is infused with American ginseng, berries, and dates. Nightbloom 2 is infused with Citrus. Nightbloom 3 is infused with smoked dates. Nightbloom 0 is produced and bottled from organic Colorado grown russet potatoes in Woodbury Tennessee. Short Mountain Distillery is the only distillery in Woodbury TN so it appears it is made there. Nightbloom is distilled once and proofed with limestone filtered Appalachian Mountain spring water. Read more
Review: Tequila G4 De Madera Blanco
The Camarena Family has been distilling tequila since 1937. G4 is named to honor their 4th generation of distillers. The Camarena family has farmed agave fields since 1860 in Los Altos de Jalisco. Felipe Camarena opened Destileria El Pandillo in 2011. G4 De Madera Blanco is one of 3 varieties of G4 blanco tequila. G4 Blanco and G4 Blanco 110 proof are the other two. Each start with 100% Camarena Family estate grown agave. The pinas are cooked in steam ovens built with an extra steamer to cook both the top and bottom evenly for 22 hours. Unlike G4 Blanco which is fermented in stainless steel tanks and proofed with a blend of spring water and rainwater and bottled at 80 proof, G4 De Madera is fermented in pine tanks and proofed with deep well water and bottled at 90 proof. G4 De Madera was launched in 2022, Lote 2 was released in 2023. Lote 3 in 2024. Today we are reviewing Lote 4 released late 2024. Read more
Review: Star Union Vodka
Bob Windy and Jeff Yosowitz co-founded Star Union Spirits in 2016. They built the distillery in the historic Westclox Factory in Peru Illinois. Named after Star Union Products Company. They brewed Star Model Beer from 1845-1966 in Bob Windy’s hometown of Peru IL. Star Union Spirits currently crafts 20 spirits including Star Union Vodka, Brandy, Whiskey, Agave Spirits, Absinthe, Rum, Coffee Liqueur, Rum & Rye, Grappa, and Flavored Whiskey. Star Union Vodka is distilled four times on a custom German built Ulrich Kothe Hybrid pot/column still from 100% locally grown Illinois corn and water sourced from local limestone wells and bottled at 82 proof. Read more
Review: Tierra De Ensueno Tequila Blanco
Tierra De Ensueno Tequila Blanco was launched April 2024 in the US. It was crafted by Tequila Maestro Sergio Cruz and Master Blender Oscar Vasquez. It is made from 100% blue agave estate grown on a 3000 acre estate in the Highlands of Jalisco over 7000 feet above sea level. The trimmed pinas are cut in half removing the cogollo, a cluster of shorter leaves in the pina’s center. They steam cook in stone ovens for 1 to 2 days. After resting for 24 hours the juice is roller mill extracted, then fermented open air in stainless steel tanks with a 3 yeast blend while classical music plays for 3-7 days, depending on the weather. The spirit is double distilled. First in stainless then copper pot stills. The tequila rests in stainless tanks for several weeks, and is finished in extra rare wheated bourbon casks for 14 days. Read more
Review: Kavanagh Coconut Irish Cream
Kavanagh Coconut Irish Cream is one of 8 Kavanagh Irish cream liqueurs currently sold at Total Wine & More stores. While coconut is a very popular ingredient blended with rum both with and without cream, Kavanagh Coconut is only the second coconut flavored Irish cream liqueur sold in the US. Molly’s Coconut also made by Terra Spirits in Bailieboro Co. Cavan Ireland is the other coconut flavored Irish Cream liqueur. Bailey’s and Fennelly’s make a Pina Colada flavored Irish cream liqueur with both coconut and pineapple flavors but if you just what coconut, Irish Whiskey, and fresh cream flavor there are only two options. Kavanagh Coconut Irish Cream is made from fresh Irish cream that goes from cow to bottle in less than 48 hours, fine Irish spirits, Irish whiskey rumored to be distilled at Teelings, and rich coconut flavor. Back in 2020 I reviewed over 30 flavored Irish Cream liqueurs and Molly’s Coconut came up on top so I’m excited to see what Terra Spirits has done with their second coconut flavor Irish Cream liqueur. Read more