Review: Crown Royal Salted Caramel Whisky
Crown Royal Salted Caramel Whisky was just released. The felt bag included is pumpkin orange. It is a Limited Edition seasonal variety, and one of four flavored whiskies Crown currently produces. The other flavors include Crown Royal Apple, Vanilla, and Maple. They recently retired Crown Royal Honey. Each flavor starts with the signature Crown Royal base that was first created in 1939 as a gift for the King and Queen of England when they became the first reigning Monarchs to visit Canada. Pure water sourced from Lake Winnipeg naturally filtered through the limestone beneath and a grain blend of rye, corn, and barley are used to create Crown Royal. Roughly 80% of the grain used is sourced from Manitoba and surrounding Provinces. Twelve distillation columns produce the fifty whiskies that comprise the Crown Royal signature blend. This is the result of 5 different recipes aged for varying periods of time in either new or re-use charred oak barrels. Once the whiskies have been aged to the blenders satisfaction, they are meticulously blended. Natural flavors are infused before bottling at 70 proof. Read more 
Review: Endless Summer Silver Rum
Endless Summer Silver Rum was released in Florida March 2017, and is now also available in South Carolina. Additional distribution will follow. It is part of Grain and Barrel Spirits Company, which also produces Dixie Vodka, and Chicken Cock Bourbon. Endless Summer is named for the 1964 surf film Endless Summer, and the concept that if one had enough time and money it would be possible to follow the summer up and down the world making summer endless. Their search for the perfect rum lead them to the birthplace of rum, Barbados. Endless Summer is made in Barbados at a distillery located on the beach. It is crafted with rum produced and blended from three different stills, and coral filtered water from a spring garden aquifer. It is bottled at 80 proof with the Endless Summer films original movie poster as it label. Read more
Review: McCleary White Chocolate Irish Cream Liqueur
McCleary White Chocolate Irish Cream Liqueur was just released. It joins the previously reviewed McCleary Irish Cream Liqueur. McCleary is a private label brand made by Robert A. Merry and Co. in Tipperary Ireland. I picked up my bottle at Binny’s in Chicago. The Merrys Distillery produces several other Irish Cream brands including O’Reillys, O’Donnells, Sheelin, and Fennellys. They also create their own line of Merrys Irish Cream Liqueurs. McClearys White Chocolate Irish Cream is made with a blend of Irish cream, aged whiskey, grain neutral alcohol, and natural flavors. Read more
Review: Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka
Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka was introduced in 2008. It is made from American grown organic corn harvested from fertile soil, free of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and chemicals. The Crop Vodka base is distilled in column stills so efficiently that no carbon treatment or charcoal filtering is required. Organic cucumbers grown in the Midwest are infused with the vodka, before bottling at 70 proof. Crop also makes an unflavored Artisanal Vodka, an organic Tomato, and Meyer Lemon flavored vodka. At one time they also made a Spiced Pumpkin flavor. Read more
Review: Platinum 7X Vodka
Platinum 7X Vodka was introduced in 1996. It is made from high quality American corn at Buffalo Trace Distillery. This is the same distillery that crafts Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Van Winkle, and Blanton’s Bourbon. Wheatley, Rain, and Clix Vodka are also produced here. Platinum 7X Vodka is distilled seven times. The first four distillations are in a column still. The final three are in a traditional pot still. Pure limestone filtered water is blended to reduce to 80 proof. Read more
Review: Gubba Silver Rum
Gubba Silver Rum was introduced in 2013 along with Gubba Gold Rum. After visiting St Martin with his wife and tasting delicious Island crafted rum liqueur, I’m guessing Toppers Rhum, Gubba Rum owner Steven Gubb was inspired to create a new different tasting rum. Gubba Rums are crafted using a technique that dates back to the 1800’s. These artisanal organic and naturally infused rums are made from pure organic cane and the finest fruits, spices, and herbs. Gubba Silver Rum is distilled at Dancing Pines Distillery in Loveland Colorado. It is unfiltered and infused with organic coconut. Read more
Review: San Matias Tahona Blanco Tequila
San Matias Tahona Blanco Tequila was launched December 2016. It was created to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the San Matias de Jalisco Distillery. This distillery also produces Corazon Tequila. When Don Delfino Gonzalez started producing Casa San Matias Tequila in 1886 he used a large stone wheel, called a tahona to crush the cooked agave. That same stone wheel is used to craft San Matias Tahona Blanco Tequila. It is made from 100% agave grown for 7-10 years in the red volcanic soil fields of the Highlands. The agave is slow baked in brick ovens for 48 hours and crushed by the same tahona stone used more than 100 years ago. The agave juice is fermented for 72 hours in pine wooded tanks and then double distilled at low temperatures in a 300 liter copper pot still by Master Distiller Rocio Rodriquez. Read more
Review: Grays Peak Meyer Lemon Vodka
Grays Peak Meyer Lemon Vodka is one of 4 spirits in the Grays Peak stable, that includes a straight vodka, and two gins. It is made from premium corn that is small batch distilled five times and charcoal filtered. Pure spring water filtered through a proprietary reverse osmosis process that removes any trace minerals typically found in spring water is blended to reduce to proof. Meyer Lemon flavor is added before bottling at 60 proof. The Meyer Lemon is native to China and it was introduced to the United States by agricultural explorer Frank Meyer who collected a sample on a trip to China. Read more
Review: Tahoe Moonshine Peanut Butter Vodka
Tahoe Moonshine Peanut Butter Vodka is made at the Tahoe Moonshine Distillery located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the California side of the lake, 6200 feet above sea level. Prior to opening the Tahoe Moonshine Distillery, owner and creator Jeffrey VanHee spent time in Costa Rica making rums using molasses as a base for fermenting and infused this rum with mangos, bananas, passion fruit and cinnamon. He also had an apprenticeship at Fat Dog Spirits in Ybor City Florida, and he attended UC Davis through the American Distilling Institute. Peanut Butter Vodka is one of nine spirits currently featured on their website. It is made with their Snowflake Vodka as a base. This vodka is made from California Wild Flower Honey that is fermented to a mead and distilled in a copper still. Creamy organic peanut butter is macerated into the vodka base for 11 days before it is distilled a second time. Read more
Review: Fair Quinoa Vodka
Fair Quinoa Vodka was launched in 2010 by company founder Alexandre Koiransky. The Fair Spirits Company also crafts a rum, gin, and several liqueurs. Fair Quinoa Vodka is the result of a two year joint research project between French Distillers and Andean farmers. Fair Quinoa Vodka is made from grain and organic quinoa grown at over 3000 meters above sea level in fertile volcanic soil in the Altiplano plateau of Bolivia. The Fair Spirits Company respect about 200 rules to make sure they pay farmers a fair price for their quinoa. The quinoa is shipped to the Cognac Region of France where Master Distiller Philip Laclie crafts this vodka. Read more