Review: Cole Swindells Peppermint Moonshine
Cole Swindells Peppermint Moonshine was released October 15, 2018. Cole Swindell is a country music singer songwriter. Cole got his start when he moved to Nashville and for three years he sold merchandise for Luke Bryan and wrote songs on the road. Several of these songs were written for Luke Bryan. He also co-wrote Florida Georgia Lines, “This is how we roll”, with Luke Bryan. Cole now writes songs for himself. Cole has seven #1 singles and he has written 10 #1 hits. Cole Swindells Peppermint Moonshine is produced at Sugarlands Distilling Company in Gatlinburg Tennessee. It is made from a moonshine base of 51% white corn and 49% cane sugar. The moonshine is distilled in a 250 gallon pot still with four columns. Natural peppermint flavors are infused before bottling at 100 proof. Read more 
Review: Café Agave Spiked Cold Brew Coffee
Café Agave Spiked Cold Brew Coffee was recently launched in five states including California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, and Oregon. Additional distribution will follow. Cold brewed coffee follows the long list of beverages including cider, iced tea, soda, and seltzer that are now also sold spiked with alcohol. Café Agave’s flavors include Caffé Mocha, Salted Caramel, Vanilla Cinnamon, and Espresso Shot. Company founders Mark Scialdone and Ami Lynn Bakshi founded the company in 2016 and they also produce a line of spiked cream liqueurs. Each Café Agave Spiked Cold Brew Coffee variety is made from a premium cold brew dark roast Arabica Columbia coffee steeped for 12 hours and spiked with a unique alcohol formulation of grape wine, real dairy cream, agave syrup, sugar, and natural flavors. Café agave is produced in Cold Springs Minnesota at Monarch Custom Beverages and sold in four packs of 6.3 oz. cans. Each can weighs in at 25 proof, with 149 calories per 100ml serving. By comparison RumChata is bottled at 27 proof and Baileys Irish Cream has 327 calories per 100ml serving. One can of Café Agave contains 38mg of natural caffeine. This is about half as much as a comparable sized cup of coffee. Read more
Review: Pinnacle Pumpkin Spice Vodka
Pinnacle Pumpkin Spice Vodka is a seasonal Limited Edition vodka recently released by Beam Suntory. In 2012 Pinnacle launched their first seasonal vodka flavor, Pinnacle Pumpkin Pie. At one time Pinnacle offered 5 fall and winter seasonal vodka varieties. To say Pinnacle has been a little slow producing new flavors is an understatement. Since July 2015 when Pinnacle introduced Pinnacle Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka they have only created Pinnacle Strawberry and Pinnacle Pumpkin Spice. The vodka base is made from French grown wheat and pure French spring water. The spirit is distilled five times at Distillerie de la Tour in France. The vodka is shipped to Frankfort Kentucky where natural and artificial flavors are infused before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Angostura 7 Year Old Rum
Angostura 7 year old rum is distilled in Trinidad at Trinidad Distillers. The House of Angostura dates back to 1824 when Dr. Siegert perfected the formula for aromatic bitters to use in his medical practice in Venezuela. In 1875 the family business moved to Trinidad. Angostura 7 Year Rum is made from molasses, and is fermented with the same proprietary yeast strain used since 1947. The rum is distilled in a five column continuous still. A blend of both heavy and light rum is aged a minimum of seven years in once used American oak bourbon barrels. The spirit is then filtered, and blended before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Western Son Gulf Coast Lime Vodka
Western Son Gulf Coast Lime Vodka was released June 2018. This is one of eight vodka varieties produced at the Western Son Distillery in Pilot Point Texas. They also produce 2 gins, and a new line of canned cocktails. Western Son Lime is made from yellow corn. It is distilled ten times through a 20 foot column still and then quadruple filtered. Water filtered through reverse osmosis is blended with the spirit to reduce to proof. Natural lime essence and natural flavors are blended with the vodka base before bottling at 60 proof. Read more
Review: Ciroc VS French Brandy
Ciroc VS French Brandy was released in New York City June 18, 2018. The brandy was initially rolled out to 8 US cities. While Ciroc is known worldwide for their vodka, that vodka is crafted with French grapes. Lets review. Ciroc Vodka is made in France, with French grapes, by Master Distiller Jean-Sebastien Robicquet, at Maison Villevert, his 500 year old family distillery. Ciroc VS French Brandy should surprise no one. Ciroc VS is also crafted by Master Distiller Jean-Sebastien Robicquet, and starts with French grapes grown in the South of France. Ciroc Vodka is made from Ugni Blanc and Mauzac Blanc grapes. Ciroc VS Brandy does not currently identify the type or region of the grapes used. Ciroc VS is distilled in Alembic copper stills and aged in French oak. It is then blended using exceptional aged brandies and bottled at 80 proof. Read more
Product Review: Shots Box
Shots Box is the ultimate monthly craft liquor subscription box. Priced at $39.99 each month subscribers will receive 10 liquor samples and a recipe card. The current months selection includes spirits from Suerte Tequila, 2 varieties of Adelaides, Deaths Door, Rum Haven, Broker’s Gin, Sipsong Spirits, Molinari, Barenjager, and After Six Vodka. JC Stock CEO and co-founder of Shots Box states the companies goal is not only to help consumers discover new brands, but also offer local distilleries the opportunity to reach a wider audience. Shots Box also offers full size bottles for sale. Read more
Review: Appalachian Dark Chocolate Coffee Sippin Cream
Appalachian Dark Chocolate Coffee Sippin Cream was introduced November 2016. It is one of six rum cream flavors in the Sugarlands Distilling Company line of Sippin Cream, cream liqueurs. Sugarlands Distilling Company also produce several moonshine, rum, and whiskey varieties. If you are ever in or near Gatlinburg Tennessee I would highly recommend a visit to their distillery and sampling room. Appalachian Dark Chocolate Coffee Sippin Cream is made from a dairy cream liqueur base, blended with rum and flavors of dark chocolate and medium roast coffee. All six of the Sippin Creams are blended and bottled in their Gatlinburg Distillery at 40 proof. Read more
Review: Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey is produced at the Kilbeggan Distillery in County West Meath. Matthias McManus established Kilbeggan’s first distillery on the banks of the River Brosna in 1757. When production at the Kilbeggan Distillery was ceased in 1953, the town came together to save the whiskey that built the town. The town continued paying the annual distillery fee with the hope that someday it would reopen. In 1983 the town purchased the distillery and then rebuilt the shuttered distillery with the help of skilled local tradesmen who provided their service, free of charge. John Teeling who had a vision to rescue some of the famous old Irish whiskey brands and distilleries that had been mothballed during the previous 50 years acquired the distillery, and rebuilt the brand. The distillery and Kilbeggan brand were later sold to Beam in 2011 for $95 million. Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey is double distilled and aged in bourbon barrels for a minimum of four years. Read more
Review: Kirkland Eggnog Liqueur
Kirkland Eggnog Liqueur is produced by Levecke Corporation in Mira Loma California for Costco. It is made with real dairy cream, whiskey, spiced rum, brandy, and French vanilla. It is sold exclusively at Costco in 1.75 L plastic bottles, and priced at a $9.99. Levecke is a private label distillery that produces dozens of spirits including the previously reviewed Trader Joes Eggnog Liqueur. Read more