Review: Embajador Platinum Tequila
Embajador Platinum Tequila is made from 100% Weber Blue agave grown for 8-10 years on their estate located in Atotonilco, in the Highland Region of Jalisco. A portion of the agave is slow cooked in adobe ovens for 30 hours and then rested for 12 hours. Another portion is steam baked in autoclaves. The agave is first shredded. Rollers then squeeze out the juice. The extracted juice ferments in open steel vats for three to five days and is double distilled in traditional pot stills. The spirit rests for 40 days in steel vats before bottling. Read more 
Review: Frankly Organic Strawberry Vodka
Frankly Organic Strawberry Vodka was introduced June 2018 along with Frankly Organic Grapefruit, Pomegranate, Apple, and their unflavored original Frankly Organic Vodka. Each flavor starts with a vodka base made from 100% family farmed organic corn. The vodka is distilled in small batches in Austin Texas and each variety is certified organic by Oregon Tilth. Frankly Organic Strawberry is infused with organic strawberries harvested in California, organic apples, organic turmeric, organic ginger root, organic coconut water, organic lemon juice from Spain, Vermont Grade A maple syrup and natural flavors. Organic fruit and vegetable juice is added for color. 1% of revenue supports animal welfare causes. Read more
Review: Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey
Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey was released in the US March 2015. That is the same year Jack and Stephen Teeling opened the Teeling Whiskey Distillery. This was the first new distillery built in Dublin in over 125 years. Currently they source their whiskey from other distilleries while their own produced whiskey ages. The Teeling family has been crafting whiskey for over 230 years, since Walter Teeling opened his distillery in 1782. Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey is made from 95% corn and 5% barley. The spirit is column distilled and aged for five years in red wine barrels first used to mature cabernet sauvignon in Napa Valley California. Read more
Review: Striped Vodka
Striped Vodka was first released September 2013. It is crafted at the Striped Pig Distillery in Charleston South Carolina. In 1838 the 15-Gallon act was passed which made the sale of alcohol illegal in any quantity under 15 gallons. To circumvent this law a true entrepreneur charged guests 4 pense to see a pig painted in strips. In return the guests were served a free glass of liquor. The Striped Pig distillery takes its name from this ploy to elude the Temperance law. Striped Vodka is made from 100% locally grown corn harvested at Myer’s farm in Bowman South Carolina. The corn is milled onsite at the distillery to exact specifications. It is small batch fermented with carefully selected strains of yeast and distilled five times. The vodka is rested before bottling on site. Read more
Review: 1800 Coconut Tequila
1800 Coconut Tequila was released in 2016. 1800 is named for the first year tequila was barrel aged. 1800 Coconut starts with a 100% Weber blue agave base made from agave grown for 8-12 years. The spirit is double distilled. A special selection of white tequila is blended together for added complexity and character. The tequila is then infused with natural ripe coconut flavor. Read more
Review: Fennellys Cappucino Irish Cream Liqueur
Fennellys Cappucino Irish Cream Liqueur is made by Robert A Merry Company in Clonmel County Tipperary Ireland. Cappucino is one of four varieties of Fennellys I found on the shelf of my local Total WIne and More store. The others include the original Fennellys Irish Cream, Fennellys Peppermint, and Fennellys Mint Chocolate. Fennellys Cappucino Irish Cream Liqueur is made with Irish whiskey, fresh dairy cream, neutral spirits, natural flavors, and caramel color. Read more
Review: The Walter Collective Vodka
The Walter Collective Vodka was introduced the summer of 2016 joining their previously released gin. It is made from spelt, an ancient wheat grain, and triticale, a wheat-rye hybrid developed in Scotland in the late 1800’s. Matt Melaik, founder of The Walter Collective was inspired by his grandfather Walter J Bade to pursue the art and craft of creating spirits. Walter was a former World War II veteran who worked for the Chicago Water Department by day, and at night enjoyed drinking martini’s, listening to music, and painting. It is Walters image that adorns each bottle. Matt Melaik does not have his own distillery, instead he relies on a collective effort to create the finest spirits. The Walter Collective Vodka is crafted by Master Distiller Ryan Hembree at Skip Rock Distillers in Snohomish Washington. The spirit is twice distilled in small batches in a Kothe still, and minimally filtered to retain the flavor of the grain. The vodka is hand bottled on site. Read more
Review: Gold Apricot Vodka
Gold Apricot Vodka was released in November 2018. It is one of two whole fruit infused vodka’s produced by Black Infusions at the Bend Distillery in Tumalo Oregon. The other flavor is Black Fig. For some reason apricot has not been a widely used fruit for flavoring vodka. I’ve only reviewed two. One made by Skyy and the other made by Western Son. Gold Apricot is made from a vodka base of corn, and is distilled five times in a copper column still. The spirit is filtered five times through carbon and again through lava rocks. Pure Cascade mountain water is blended to reduce to proof. Dried California apricots are infused with the vodka base. A light filtering follows to retain the natural apricot flavor and golden color. Gold Apricot is hand bottled in small batches. Read more
Review: O’Donnells Strawberry Cream
O’Donnells Strawberry Cream is produced and bottled by R.A. Merry and Company in County Tipperary Ireland. R.A. Merry creates Irish cream liqueurs and Irish country cream liqueurs for several different brands. They also produce a full line of Merrys Irish Cream Liqueurs for themselves. O’Donnells Strawberry Cream is made from grape wine, cream, neutral spirits, and natural flavor with vegetable juice added for color. O’Donnells is sold exclusively at Aldi Stores. Read more
Review: Gallant Vodka
Gallant Vodka recently arrived at Total Wine and More. With 193 stores in 23 states Total Wine and More is a significant force in the adult beverage market. While they stock all of the most popular brands they also have dozens of brands most shoppers may not have heard or seen before. Some of these brands come from small craft distillers and some come from large private label distilleries. Gallant Vodka is produced and bottled on the banks of the Charente by A De Fussigny. The distillery, A DE Fussigny, dates back to 1814. While this distillery is best know for crafting Cognac, they also distill vodka. One of these brands is Gallant, another is Summum Vodka. Gallant Vodka is made from French winter wheat, and pure Gensac spring water sourced from the Cognac region of France. After the spirit is distilled it is slow filtered for seven days to remove impurities. Read more