Review: Hermosa Casagave Silver Tequila
Hermosa Casagave Silver Tequila is crafted by Master Distiller Augstine Sanchez at Destilera Leyros S.A. Hermosa is a Spanish word that translates to beautiful. Hermosa Casagave Silver is made from hand selected and hand harvested 100% Tequilana Weber Blue agave grown for 10 years in volcanic soil from the dormant Volcan de Tequila in the Highland region of Jalisco, 1200 meters above sea level. The spirit is double distilled in small batches using half the energy, and 60% of the water used at other distilleries. The pure spring water used in every step of production is drawn from natural aquifers that are over 200 feet deep. PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING REVIEW IS FOR HERMOSA CASAGAVE SILVER TEQUILA. We recently received a message from their producer that they changed everything about this tequila except the Hermosa name. It is currently produced at Tequilas Las Americas NOM 1480. The new formula includes organic agave. It comes with a new name and bottle design. This will prevent confusion when tequila shopping. The new name is Hermosa Organic Tequila Silver. Early feedback is the new formula tastes even better than the original. We hope to get our hands on a bottle soon and we will share our thoughts. Read more 
Review: Our/Detroit Vodka
Our/Detroit Vodka was the second member of the Our/Vodka family. Our/Vodka was started by six entrepreneurs in Stockholm Sweden in 2011. Our/Vodka is a global family built by local partners in cities around the world. Our/Detroit is a collaboration between Pernod Richard and local partners Kate Bordine and Catherine Kelly. Currently there are seven city members including Berlin, Amsterdam, New York, London, Los Angeles, and Miami. More are in the development stage. Each location starts with a raw wheat distillate sourced from Ahus Sweden. Each distillery then adds their own local ingredients. Our/Detroit is made in Hubbard-Richard, a neighborhood in Southwest Detroit in a building that once housed Bagley Billiard Center, and later a liquor store. After several years of neglect the building was rehabbed to give life to this micro distillery. Our/Detroit Vodka adds a corn based ethanol sourced from Hiram Walker just across the Detroit River in Canada. This is re-distilled with the raw wheat distillate and then blended with Detroit city water before hand bottling onsite in a 375 ml squat beer bottle shaped container, topped with a metal crown cap. Read more
Review: Pickers Pineapple Vodka
Pickers Pineapple Vodka is one of three flavored vodkas crafted at Pennington Distilling Company in the Historic Nations neighborhood of Nashville Tennessee. The other flavors include Blood Orange and Blueberry. The distillery was established in 2011 and was originally named Speakeasy Spirits. Whisper Creek Tennessee Sippin Cream is the distillery’s flagship brand. They also produce Pennington’s Flavored Rye Whiskeys, and Davidson Reserve Fine Tennessee Whiskey. Pickers Pineapple starts with a vodka base made from non GMO corn and is distilled 11 times in a 32 foot state of the art Vendome column still that features 48 plates to remove impurities. Once distilled the spirit is filtered four times and then blended with pure Tennessee limestone water to reduce to proof. Real fruit and natural flavors are infused before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: The Pogues Irish Whiskey
The Pogues Irish Whiskey was launched July 2015, and is named for the Celtic Punk band formed in Ireland in 1982 by front man Shane MacGowan. While I’m more familiar with the music of Irish rockers Thin Lizzy, U2, and The Cranberries, The Pogues have been named as a source of influence with several US grown Celtic punk bands including the Boston bred Dropkick Murphy, and LA’s own Flogging Molly. The Pogues Irish Whiskey was developed and blended by Barry Walsh and Frank McHardy at West Cork Distillers. Most of the mashing, fermenting, and distilling equipment at this distillery was handcrafted onsite. The Pogues is a blend of 50% 10 year old single pot malt Irish Whiskey finished in sherry casks, and 50% 5-7 year old grain whiskey aged in bourbon barrels. Read more
Review: Libre Pineapple Tequila
Libre Pineapple Tequila is one of seven flavor infused tequilas made from a 100% Weber Blue agave base at Tequila el Viejito, a distillery with 80 years of experience producing the highest quality tequila. The other flavors include Melon, Red Pepper, Mango, Cinnamon, Mint Chocolate, and Cucumber. The agave is grown for 8-10 years in the Highland Region before it is hand selected and cut into quarters and brick oven cooked. It is double distilled in stainless steel and copper stills. Purified well water is blended onsite to reduce to proof. Natural flavors including pure cane sugar are infused before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Grey Goose La Vanille Vodka
Grey Goose La Vanille Vodka was just released for a limited time. Originally launched in 2003 La Vanille was the third flavored vodka Grey Goose introduced. La Vanille was discontinued in 2007. Demand for premium vanilla flavored spirits has grown 40% year over year. No doubt helped by sales of Crown Royal Vanilla, Jim Beam Vanilla, and Ciroc Vanilla Vodka. Cellar Master Francois Thibault was inspired by the original recipe. Does that mean this is not the same recipe as the original Grey Goose La Vanille Vodka? I don’t know. I do know it is crafted from the original Grey Goose Vodka base made from soft winter wheat grown on farms in Picardy, Northern France. The spirit is distilled once using a five column distillation process. Pristine Gensac La Pallue spring water naturally filtered through Champaign limestone in the Cognac region of France is blended with the spirit. The vodka is then filtered through cellulose and carbon. Natural vanilla flavors sourced from vanilla beans harvested in Madagascar are infused with the vodka. No sugar is added. Read more
Review: Our/Los Angeles Vodka
Our/Vodka is a global family of vodkas made in micro distilleries in city centers around the world. Our/Vodka was started by six entrepreneurs in Stockholm Sweden in 2011. Our/Los Angeles Vodka is the sixth release in the series. An electrically heated copper still with a filling capacity of 15.8 gallons is used to distill a raw wheat distillate sourced from Ahus Sweden. This distillate is contant across all of the sister cities. Each micro distillery then adds their own locally sourced ingredients and unique distilling process in crafting their own personal vodka. Our/Los Angeles Vodka starts with demineralized and deionized Los Angeles city water to achieve a pure starting place for the process. The water, high wine distillate from the alembic and rectified spirit which is sourced from Idaho wheat and fermented with a non GMO strain of yeast that is traditionally used in wine making, are blended in a stainless steel agitating tank that has a maximum filling capacity of 132 gallons to achieve the final product. Once blended the bottles are rinsed and filled in a 375 ml. bottle similar in shape to a bottle of Red Stripe beer, then capped with a crown cap on the bottling machine. Read more
Review: Mullins Irish Cream Liqueur
Mullins Irish Cream Liqueur is produced and bottled by Robert A Merry and Co. in Clonmel, County Tipperary Ireland. This distillery not only produces several private label Irish cream liqueur brands including O’Donnells, McCleary, Sheelin, Fennellys, and O’Reillys, they make their own under the Merrys label. Mullins appears to be an Irish cream liqueur sold exclusively at Walmart. It is made with aged Irish whiskey, grain spirits, and fresh dairy cream. Natural flavors and caramel color are blended before bottling at 34 proof. Read more
Review: Los Sundays Reposado Tequila
The idea for Los Sundays was originally sparked by a home made liqueur 3 friends including Mitchell Hayes, Founder and President of Los Sundays found from a street vendor during a trip to Tijuana. After falling in love with this agave based liqueur they started playing with the thought of creating a tequila with similar flavor attributes. Soon after they jumped on a plane, flew to Jalisco, and made their way to the city of Tequila. They developed a relationship turned partnership with a family owned distillery with unique signature distilling techniques that was as passionate about creating this tequila as they were. After a few months of sampling, refining and bringing back bootlegged sample bottles for friends to taste. They found the final ingredient that makes Los Sundays so special, a natural coconut extract, which is added in the last 8 hours of distilling. Not a flavoring syrup, and not added after the fact. This ensures the flavor is subtle yet present and most importantly still allows the agave to be the dominate flavor. Los Sundays Reposado Tequila is made from hand selected sustainably farmed 100% Blue Weber agave grown in both the Highland and Lowland region for between 8-12 years. It is double distilled and aged for 12 months in oak barrels. Read more
Review: Humboldt Distillery Organic Vodka
Humboldt Distillery Organic Vodka is crafted from organic sugarcane and pristine water sourced from a watershed that originates in old growth redwood forests. The spirit is small batch distilled four times. Humboldt Distillery Organic Vodka is free of glycerin, sweeteners, citrus acid or additives. Abe Stevens founded Humboldt Distillery in 2012. They currently also produces a gold rum, spiced rum, and a cannabis infused vodka. All are certified organic. The Humboldt Distillery has increased distribution of their entire product line to now include 12 states. Read more