Review: Tuyo No. 1 Tequila Blanco Cristalino
Tuyo is the world’s first complete line of only Cristalino tequilas. Each is sold in a beautiful 375ml Swarovski crystal bottle. Tuyo translates to “yours”. Celia Maestri developed Tuyo at Casa Maestri. It is made from 100% agave grown in both the highland and lowland regions. Each of their four expressions are aged in 10 year old bourbon barrels. Tuyo No.1 Blanco for 30 days, Tuyo No. 2 Reposado 6 months, Tuyo No. 3 Anejo 16 months, and Tuyo No. 4 Extra Anejo 3 years. They are carbon filtered and refined before bottling. Today we are reviewing Tuyo No. 1 Tequila Blanco Cristalino. Read more 
Review: High Ground Vodka
High Ground Vodka was released April 2024. It is crafted at Minden Mill Distilling in Minden Neveda. The distillery was built in a 114 year old former flour mill, and 104 year old creamery which was once the largest butter producer on the West Coast. Christopher Bently spent $130 million and 5 years on renovation and construction before opening Bentley Heritage Distillery in 2019. He closed the distillery in 2022 and it was sold to Bill Foley, owner of Foley Family Wines and the Las Vegas Golden Knights NHL Hockey Team in 2023. Bill hired Josheph O’Sullivan as Master Distiller. Bill had served as Master Distiller at both Clear Creek Distillery and Hood River Distillers previously. High Ground Vodka is made from estate rye grown near the distillery and pure Sierra Nevada water. It is distilled in custom Carl stills at the distillery sitting 4725 feet above sea level. Read more
Review: Tequila Don Ramon Platinum Plata
Tequila Don Ramon Platinum Plata is one of three tequila expressions released by Don Ramon March 2021 in the Don Ramon Platinum Collection. All three are distilled from 100% blue agave grown for 8 years in the Highland region. Mexican singer Luis Miguel acquired a significant portion of the brand in 2023. Maestro Tequilero Jesus Reza cooks the agave in an autoclave and the extracted juice is open air fermented while classical music plays to help control the movement of the yeast. A double distillation follows before bottling unaged. Read more
Review: Fireball Yule Nog
Fireball Yule Nog was just released. This is different from Fireball’s non-alcoholic Holiday Nogs sold in your grocer’s dairy aisle each holiday season. If you haven’t tried Fireball Whisky where have you been? Fireball Whisky is the fifth best-selling spirit in the US, trailing only High Noon, Tito’s, Smirnoff, and Crown Royal. Originally launched in 1985 as Dr. McGillicuddy’s Fireball Whisky by Seagram, Sazerac later acquired the brand and in 2006 they shortened the name to Fireball Whisky. Fireball Whisky is made with Canadian Whiskey, cinnamon flavoring, and sweeteners. While no ingredient list is available, Fireball Yule Nog, is made with real cream. It is bottled at half the octane as the Original Fireball 33 proof, compared to 66 proof. Read more
Review: Black Bear Rye Vodka
Black Bear Rye Vodka was launched August 2019 by Victor Matthews. The 1889 on the bottles label refers to the 130 year old family recipe used to craft the vodka. Black Bear Distillery is a family owned distillery built at 7800 feet in Green Mountain Hills. Victor is a fifth generation Master Distiller. The first legal distiller. Victor is also a Master Chef. Black Bear also makes a bourbon and a golden rum. Black Bear Vodka is made from a majority rye in a mash that includes malted rye, raw rye, corn, and wheat. After a long fermentation it is double distilled in a 20 foot tall single pot still. Read more
Review: The Lost Explorer Tequila Blanco
The Lost Explorer Tequila was launched April 2024. It follows the successful release of The Lost Explorer Mezcal. David de Rothschild and Thor Bjorgolfsson founded the brand. They started their jouney making mezcal on the ancestral Miztec land in Valles Centrales Oxnard with Maestro Mezcalero Don Fortino Ramos, March 2020. They currently produce Espadin, Tobala, and Salmiana Mezcal. They partnered with Maestro Tequilero Enrique de Colsa and Destileria el Magnifico to craft their tequila. Enrique previously worked at Don Julio where he was their Master Distiller. The Lost Explorer Tequila Blanco is made from 100% agave grown in the Lowland region. The agave is cooked in stone brick ovens. The extracted juice is fermented with Champagne yeast in stainless steel tanks, double distilled and bottled additive free. Read more
Review: Tattie Bogle Vodka
Tattie Bogle Vodka is crafted at Arbikie Distillery, a family owned farm distillery. Brothers David, Iain, and John Stirling are the driving force behind the distillery they founded 2013. The Stirling Family has been farming in Scotland since 1660, and for 4 generations at Arbikie Highland Estates. Tattie Bogle is made from Maris Piper, King Edward, and Cultra potatoes grown on the Fiddler Field and harvested in March and April. Tattie Bogle is the ancient Scots name for potato scarcrows. Tattie Bogle Vodka was the first spirit they released in 2014. They currently produce several gins, ryes, and vodkas in their solar powered distillery. It is distilled by Master Distiller Kirsty Black in a copper pot still, and 40 plate column still. Arbikie supports MND24 to help find a cure for Motor Neuron Disease. Read more
Review: Tequila Volteo Blanco
Dallas Cowboy Quarterback and the NFL’s highest paid player Dak Prescott, has partnered with Zamora Company with a Founder level investment to launch Tequila Volteo. Volteo translates ” to turn things around”. Proceeds from sales go to Prescotts Faith Fight Finish Foundation to empower individuals, families, and communities to find strength through adversity. Volteo joins Martin Miller Gin, Yellow Rose Whiskey, San Cosme Mezcal, Licor 43, and Fercullen Irish Whiskey in the Zamora spirit portfolio. Volteo is made from 100% organic weber blue agave at Destilera de Piedra. The agave is cooked in stone brick ovens. The extracted juice is fermented open air without fibers while classical music plays. The spirit is double distilled in stainless steel pot stills and bottled additive free. Read more
Review: Village Vodka
Village Vodka is crafted at The Village Garage Distillery in Bennington Vermont. The distillery was built in a former tractor dealership that opened in 1948 and later became the Bennington Town Garage for 50 years until a new facility was build in 2018. The Village Garage Distillery was Co-Founded by Glen Sauer and Matt Cushman. Their families farmed in the area for eight generations. Ryan Scheswohl is the lead distiller. Ryan previously worked for 5 years as the Lead Distiller for Bluecoat Gin. Village Vodka is made from grain neutral spirit and Vermont grown rye. It is distilled on a Vendome Copper & Brass Works Still and reduced to proof with water from Bolles Brook, a natural stream in the Woodford Mountains. Read more
Review: Tequila Confianza Blanco
Tequila Confianza is a family owned tequila made from 100% Weber Blue agave grown in the southern part of Los Altos. The tequila is distilled at Feliciano Vivanco in Arandes Jalisco. The agave is chopped and cooked in brick ovens for 24 hours then rested for 24 hours. The juice is roller mill extracted then fermented in stainless steel vats without fiber for 5-9 days while classical music plays. The spirit is double distilled in copper pot stills and reduced to proof with deep well water. Read more