Winter is Coming – Johnnie Walker White

November 7, 2018
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In celebration of the final season of the critically-acclaimed HBO series, Game of Thrones, Johnnie Walker is proud to introduce White Walker by Johnnie Walker. The single malt whiskey takes its name from the feared supernatural creatures who inhabit the frozen lands north of The Wall on the fantasy megahit.

This new blend perfectly reminds Johnnie Walker and Game of Thrones fans alike that “Winter is Here.” The limited-edition bottle utilizes thermochromic ink to give fans a frosty surprise message when frozen. With flavor notes like caramelized sugar, vanilla, and fresh red berries, White Walker by Johnnie Walker makes for a delicious serve. The new blend is best-served ice cold, inspired by the White Walkers beyond The Wall.

The limited-edition whiskeys are inspired by the iconic characters and the creative world of Westeros and beyond and are here to tide fans over during their wait for the eighth and final season. Even the most revered Maester couldn’t have predicted a collaboration of this monumental proportion.

“Groundbreaking partnerships continue to be a strategic initiative for Diageo as they foster exceptional creative collaboration and help showcase the breadth of our portfolio. We are very proud to have our collection of single malts and Johnnie Walker, the number one Scotch whiskey brand in the world, collaborate with HBO’s most successful TV franchise to develop these limited-edition offerings for fans to collect and celebrate the final season of Games of Thrones,” said Dan Sanborn, Senior Vice President, Culture and Partnerships at DIAGEO.

“We knew there was fan appetite for a Game of Thrones whiskey and once we saw Diageo’s vision for a way to collaborate together we knew the idea was perfect and the time was now. From the beginning, they understood that we wanted to create something special, and they’ve accomplished that with both White Walker by Johnnie Walker and the single malt collection. We’re confident fans will enjoy sipping these delicious whiskeys as they wait for season eight and beyond,” said Jeff Peters, Vice President, Licensing & Retail at HBO.

Be sure to come in and grab your very own bottle to celebrate the final season!!

Old Forester – 1910 Old Fine Whisky

October 16, 2018
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The fourth and final version in Old Forester’s Whiskey Row series has been released. The 1910 Old Fine Whiskey, a double-barreled whiskey, represents a specific point in Old Forester’s storied 150-year-old history. A fall fire that happened at the distillery in 1910 spurred a happy accident that led to the casking process that led to the Old Fine Whiskey.

Whiskey Row Series

Started in 2014, the Whiskey Row series tells the story of Old Forester’s one-of-a-kind history, highlighting significant milestones and innovations in production along the way. This series includes the 1870 Original Batch, a small batch bourbon pulling from three distinct warehouses, meant to reference founder George Garvin Brown’s original batching process; the 1897 Bottled in Bond, a small batch of barrels from one distilling season, in the same year, aged in a federally bonded warehouse for a minimum of four years; and 1920 Prohibition Style, which represents a barrel strength of the prohibition era when Old Forester was granted one of just ten permits nationally to continue being sold as a medicinal whiskey. The last of the series is the 1910 Fine Old Whisky.

Thanks to a Fire

On one October day in 1910, a fire caused the bottling line to be shut down at Old Forester’s distillery for an extended period of time. To make things worse, there was a vat of mature whiskey waiting to be bottled. Instead of pouring out the whiskey or letting it sit until ruin, the distillers at Old Forester decided to store the vat in new, charred oak containers until the line could be repaired. This resulted in the first documented double-barreled whiskey, which was new for Old Forester and remarkable enough to become a new barreling method.

Today’s Bourbon

In order to replicate the 1910 methods, the distilling team took mature bourbon from their inventory and had it go through a second barreling process in a lightly toasted, heavily charred barrel. I was then bottled at 93 proof. At 93 proof, this whiskey is at the right weight to challenge the other Whiskey Row Series. Popular opinion has the Prohibition 1920 series as the favorite, but with 1910 coming out, there could be a new favorite of the series.

The finished product has aromas of buttercream, sticky toffee, cedar, and apricot, with smooth, well-rounded taste mingling sweet oatmeal raisin cookie and milk chocolate, leading into caramel corn and evolving spice, according to Old Forester’s tasting notes.

Reserve Yours

We have a limited supply of this limited-edition whiskey. Be sure to call us and reserve your bottle of this one-of-a-kind series.

Five New Ways to Drink Tequila This Fall

October 11, 2018
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Tequila is a staple for warm-weather cocktails, but that doesn’t mean you need to put this spirit away just because the weather is starting to cool down. Patrón is a very versatile liquor that is made from the finest 100% Weber Blue Agave and is distilled in small batches at Hacienda Patrón distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. Tequila isn’t just for shots; it can be mixed into classics like Mojitos, Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, and Mules.

The Origin of Patrón

John Paul DeJoria and Martin Crowley founded Patrón in 1989. They started the production in Jalisco, Mexico, and later moved into a different distillery in 2002. The name, Patrón, means a charitable or financially supporting person, but the meaning John and Martin preferred for their brand name was “big boss”. The bee symbol on the bottles represents the strong attraction bees have to the blue agave plant.

How is it made?

By law, tequila must be made from Blue Weber agave in the Mexican states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Tamaulipas, Michoacan, and Guanajuato. Since the production process is strictly regulated, tequila can only be labeled and sold by that name if blue agave constitutes over half of the fermented sugars in the drink.

When the agave has ripened they are hand-chopped and the piña, the heart of the plant, is baked in brick ovens. This cooking process softens the piña, making the process of sugar extraction easier. The piñas are then transported to the milling area where they are crushed by a volcanic stone Tahona wheel and a roller mill. This mixture is then fermented for three days, distilled and sometimes aged in handmade barrels. The longer the tequila ages, the more color, and tannins the final product will have.

What are the different types?

There are different classes of tequila but there are only two varieties: 100 percent agave and mixto. Mixto is roughly 51 percent agave, and the rest is made up of water and different sugars during distillation. The general five classes of tequila are Blanco (slightly aged silver or white tequila), Oro (aged for a few months in oak barrels and is gold in color), Reposado (aged at least two months, but no more than a year in white oak barrels), Añejo (aged for a year, but no more than three) and Extra Añejo (aged for three years).

Patrón is great on its own, but with such a wide variety it’s the perfect tequila for almost any mixed cocktail. These flavorful drinks are guaranteed to expand your agave horizons.

  1. Vampiros Cocktail
    • 1 ½ oz. Patrón Reposado
    • 3 oz. Sangrita
    • 1 ½ oz. Citrus-flavored soda
    • ½ Lime, juiced
    • 1 pinch Mexican-style chili powder with lime (such as Tajin fruit seasoning)
      • Fill a highball glass with ice; pour tequila, sangrita, citrus soda, lime juice, and chili powder. Stir to mix well.
  1. Blackberry Sage Paloma
    • 2 oz. Patrón Silver
    • grapefruit juice
    • 4 blackberries
    • 6 sage leaves
    • 2 cane sugar cubes
      • In a large cocktail shaker, muddle blackberries, sage and sugar cubes. Add tequila, grapefruit juice, and crushed ice. Shake well pour into a cocktail glass garnish with sage.
  1. Smoky Harvest Margarita
    • 1 ½ – 2 oz. Patrón Añejo
    • 4 oz. Apple cider
    • 1 oz. Lime juice
    • 1-2 tsp. Agave nectar
    • Cinnamon powder, Sugar, and Kosher salt for the rim
    • Cinnamon sticks and Apple slices for garnish
      • In a bowl mix equal parts cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and coat in the sugar mix. Combine tequila, apple cider, lime juice and agave in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until combined and strain into glass. Garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks.
  1. Reposado Old Fashioned
    • 3 oz. Patrón Reposado
    • 1 tsp. Agave nectar
    • 2 slices Blood orange
    • 1-2 dashes Angostura bitters
      • Muddle agave and orange slices in a cocktail shaker then add tequila and ice. Stir and strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Add bitters and garnish with orange peel
  1. Añejo Manhattan
    • 2 oz. Patrón Añejo
    • 1 oz. Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth
    • 2 dashes Mole bitters
      • Combine everything in a mixing glass with ice and stir. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over a large whiskey cube. Garnish with an orange twist.

Payless Review – Balvenie Peat Week 14-Year-Old

October 4, 2018
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The Balvenie Peat Week Aged 14 Years (2003 Vintage) is a single vintage bottling, limited and rare by nature. This non-chill filtered expression is bottled at 48.3% ABV and matured solely in American Oak casks, providing a velvety and round taste with woody peat smoke balancing oaky vanilla and honey.

At a time when few Speyside distilleries were using peat in production, The Balvenie decided to distill a batch of heavily peated malt, which was laid down to mature at the distillery in Dufftown, Scotland. Ever since, they’ve dedicated one week each year, named Peat Week, to using 100 percent Highland peat to dry its barley. Instead of coastal elements of iodine, salt and medicinal characteristics associated with Islay peat, Highland peat imparts an earthy, woody smoke note. This means the peat has an unexpected sweetness rooted in the Speyside regional character.

History of Balvenie

The Balvenie distillery is located in the town of Dufftown in the Speyside region of Scotland. It was founded in 1892 by William Grant and was built next to its sister distillery of Glenfiddich. Balvenie is still owned by the Grant family and has had an annual production capacity of 1.48 million gallons. It’s still one of the most traditional distilleries in Scotland as all stages of the whiskey making process happen on site – growing the barley, malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation, coopering and maturation. Balvenie is one of the best-selling single malts in the world and sits comfortably in the Top 10 for sales volume.

Tasting Notes

The color is a golden yellow and the nose is vibrant, fresh, and sweet. There are plenty of peat smoke aromas up front and these create an instant soft earthiness. Combating this are distinct aromas of honeycomb and vanilla, plus a whiff of dried apple and candied lemon.

The palate has its sweeter elements from the nose that hit first. They whiskey feels viscous and full, almost syrupy. There are plenty of honeycomb, vanilla notes, and hints of brown sugar. Underneath the initial taste is subtle hints of green apple, pear and a hint of apricot jam. Warm wood-like spices are everywhere as well. All of this is underpinned by a decent level of soft peat smoke that is never too far away. The finish is long, and the smoke really hits at the end. The sweet notes fade into a drier mouthfeel. The smokiness turns ashier and the warming wood spices grip your tongue and take hold of your throat.

Final Thoughts

It was difficult to know what to expect but it does not disappoint. The whiskey is tasty, balanced and easy drinking, even at the slightly high strength. It would be a good introduction to the world of peated whiskeys for someone too.

Although the peat PPM level is around 30. The smoke seems quite punchy, but it still has some way to go to go fighting with the big heavy Islay malts.

Come Get Yours

Does Balvenie’s Peat Week sound like something you would like to add to your collection? Contact us to reserve this bottle and get a taste of one of Scotland’s most traditional distilleries.

Rhinegeist Cheetah – The Session Beer That’s Hit the Midwest by Storm

September 27, 2018
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“Swift in body and mind, Cheetah sprints ever forward. A blur of pure instinct. Buena Onda. Pure, crisp, clean, blissful simplicity. Savor this moment. All we have and all we need is now. Feel free and therefore you are free.” That statement can be found on every can of Cheetah Lager that comes out the Cincinnati, Ohio, -based brewery.

The idea behind this beer was to create a sessionable lager that was perfect on flavor, but not too dominating to prevent drinking in copious amounts. The beer is 4.8 percent, and as the can says, it’s bright, clean, and simple. There’s an underlying citrus pop to the beer that creates a wonderful summertime/early fall drink that’s refreshing while still holding enough character to keep your palates entertained.

Cheetah is fairly new to the Rhinegeist stable – as in it just came around this summer in a limited fashion. But, this beer struck a cord quickly with Rhinegeist visitors. And by struck a cord, we mean how can we get this beer outside of the brewery.

History Behind the Lager

Being a lager, Rhinegeist’s Cheetah is ahead of the curve as lagers are becoming the next big thing with small to mid-sized craft brews. Breweries are looking to the past and the way things used to be done to draw inspiration for flavor and process. Back in the day, there was no temperature control, so beer would often be allowed to ferment in cool cellars or caves. The beer yeast adapted to this, hence the evolution of the lager strain of yeast – known as Saccharomyces Pastorianus.

More about the beer:

Appearance: Yellow in color, fairly clear. Frothy white head with average retention. Medium carbonation.

Aroma: Light sulfury aroma quickly dissipates to a moderately-low grainy/cereal aroma. No esters, very low hop aroma.

Taste: Medium-low malt flavor, light cereal, grain, and cracker-like notes. Low hop bitterness, dry finish. No esters.

Mouthfeel: Light body, medium carbonation, low astringency, no alcohol warmth.

Overall: A clean, crisp, yet flavorful craft lager that falls squarely in the Rhinegeist wheelhouse.

Avery Brewing Company: Go Play IPA

September 19, 2018
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Avery Brewing Company, a pioneering craft brewery known for its all-encompassing obsession with beer, has introduced its Go Play IPA – a new year-round beer. Avery Brewing crafted the Go Play IPA as a celebration of those who do their thing, regardless of what it is, with the same all-in obsessive enthusiasm that they have for beer.

The Go Play IPA sports – as quoted by their website – juicy, tropical, and dank aromas, fueled by dry-hop additions of Vic Secret, Idaho 7, and Simcoe hops. The addition of sodium and potassium and the near-sessionable 5.5% ABV make Go Play the perfect beer to handle hot days without having to compromise on flavor.

Creating a Sessionable Beer

Taking cues from the Michael Gose playbook, Avery Brewing Company applies the rounded salinity of that sour ale to the crowd-pleasing IPA. Activated with electrolytes and a sensible alcohol content, the Simcoe, Vic Secret and Idaho 7 hop fueled IPA brings a refreshing and hydrating beer vibe to athletics.

Adam Avery, Founder and CEO of Avery Brewing Co., said that this beer was the beer he’d been dreaming of creating for years. Outside of running the Boulder, Colorado, brewery, Avery spends a lot of his time rock climbing and mountain biking. He wanted to create a beer that was light and refreshing but didn’t skimp out on flavor. Typically, to create a sessionable beer that can be drunk on a warm day and not be incredibly dehydrating, it needs to be beyond light and borderline flavorless.

For Avery, this proposition was unacceptable. Like most people, living an active lifestyle needs a beer to tag alongside. Taking cues typically found in sports drinks, Avery concocted an IPA that not only felt refreshing but was also full of flavor.

The Taste

Go Play IPA reaches more sessionable IPA status while ultimately becoming a pale ale with a stronger hop tilt. Dry, crisp and refreshing throughout, the beer closes with the promised and rounded salinity that plays lightly on the finish for a snappy texture but slightly fuller taste with a medium-long grip of hop bitterness on the throat.

Pale, golden, and hazy, the frothy ale draws in the nose with a host of tropical fruit, citrus, and herb. Gentle sweetness carries a nutty, lightly honied and caramelized taste that brings thoughts of trail mix and graham cracker. With the mineral-rich ale splashing against the middle palate, its refreshing tone takes hold with a hop-centric demeanor. Papaya, passionfruit and red grapefruit rise first, with orange, apricot and a strong herbal contingency coming in a moderately bitter late palate. A light briny solution intertwines with impressions of fruit juice for a hint of Pedialyte in the finish.

Be sure to stop by any of our locations and pick up a 12-pack of Go Play IPA today!

Knob Creek Rye Single Barrel Review

September 17, 2018
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If you ask the average or casual whiskey drinker about rye whiskey, they will likely never have tried it outside of a cocktail, or say they are not a fan, without ever really having tried it for themselves. While bourbon has dominated the American whiskey market for years, rye whiskey has made a huge comeback over the past few years, and there does not seem to be any end in sight. Dating back to the days of prohibition, it was rye that was the original grain of choice by American whiskey makers, not corn. It wasn’t until after prohibition ended that corn took over and became the grain of choice, making bourbon whiskey America’s choice spirit. This was in large part due to corn being far less expensive, and in the end far easier to work with. By the 1990’s, rye whiskey had an afterthought and was being ignored by most whiskey drinkers. It wasn’t until the early 2000’s that craft whiskey started to enter the market, and the cocktail craze started to emerge that rye was “rediscovered”, and the demand for rye started to once again grow. That’s about the time many of the bigger distillers took notice, including Jim Beam.

Knob Creek Rye is a product of Jim Beam and is an extension of their Knob Creek line. While the standard Knob Creek Rye has been on available since 2011, their single barrel rye’s are new to the market and is providing consumers with a true drinkable, yet affordable high proof premium rye product. Knob Creek was one of the first “premium bourbons” products Jim Beam brought to the mass market back in the 1990′s, along with other now staples like Basil Hayden, Booker’s, and Bakers. All of those offerings were bourbons though, so as the demand for rye continued to grow, Knob Creek Rye was born. Now some 7 years later the demand for higher proof rye’s has increased, and thus Knob Creek single barrels rye’s have (finally) come to be.

Payless was fortunate enough to get in early to this new offering and was given the opportunity to select from several premium offering of this high-proof rye. A select panel of bourbon tasting experts unanimously selected the same rye barrel, identifying it as a clear cut above the rest, and now this special hand selected single barrel rye whiskey is available exclusively for Payless customers.

Nose

Sweetwood jumps out of the dram, followed quickly by those traditional rye spice notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, & even some clove that one comes to expect in a rye whiskey. There is dried orange peel, and a pleasant vanilla mid-note that slowly opens up to allow in some dried black cherry, and notes of black pepper. There is complexity here that starts your taste buds to get very excited to take the next step.

Pallet

A silky texture presents with sweet caramel and wood leading the way. Swiftly entering are strong notes of sweet candied apricot and orange. There is a strong vanilla mid-pallet, with a balancing under-note of some subtle almond mixed in. Oakwood notes mix with soft hints of leather enter as the heat from the proof announces itself. There’s a nice spice that is present throughout to provide that kick you look for in a rye whiskey, but never fully extinguishes an ever-persistent sweetness that presents itself from start all the way through the finish. Joining the party late are some subtle notes of ginger and black pepper that present themselves at the very end.

Finish

A long, spice filled finish provides complexity and a firm backbone, yet is still sweet and extremely drinkable. While there is a punch of heat, that is to be expected from a near cask strength product (single barrels are 115 proof, while recent cask strength releases were just 119 proof), but don’t let that scare you. This hand-selected barrel provides an array of mouth-watering flavors that lay on the tongue from front to back and sparkles with enjoyable bursts of spice, vanilla, caramel, and ripe fruits. This is a drink that can be enjoyed neat, or will rock out any cocktail of your choice. This is a rye not to be passed on if you are lucky enough to find one.

September Special – Crown Royal Salted Caramel

September 12, 2018
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Seagram’s first introduced Crown Royal in 1939 to celebrate King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visiting Canada and it remained a Canadian only product until 1964. The beverage giant Diageo acquired the Crown Royal brand in 2000 when Seagram’s was dissolved and since then there have been numerous versions and variations of the original released. Like most Canadian whiskey it’s a blend of different grain whiskeys of various ages.

This version to come out of the Crown Royal brand is Salted Caramel.  The idea behind this was to infuse a blend of Crown’s best whiskeys with the subtly salty-sweet taste of indulgent salted caramels – imparting lush, creamy notes that compliment the richness of flavors that come out of the master-blended casks.

The Presentation

Crown Royal has a rather unique presentation. Their definitive crown-shaped bottles came from when Seagram’s introduced the Crown Royal brand to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Salted Caramel is no different. Like every bottle of Crown Royal, it gets treated to the signature crown-shaped bottle. This bottle though comes in a decorative display box and caramel-colored display bag with drawstrings.

In the Tumbler

Like most Crown Royal variants, Crown Royal Salted Caramel has an amber, almost copper color to it. When swirled in a tumbler, it has a thick-like look and feel to it that is consistent with most flavored spirits that have added sweetness to them. The aroma that billows out of the glass presents a pleasant, light maple syrup. Mixed with the maple syrup are aromas of wood and grain from the cask as well as hints of vanilla.

The Taste

The initial delivery brings a flavor of maple and caramel forward with a subtle peppery spiciness from the oak and grain. The spiciness carries a light touch of black pepper and orange-peel zest. The added sweetness of the caramel gives the spirit balance and cancels out the heavy oak and grain taste that comes with non-flavored whiskeys. The mixture of flavors provides an even balance on the taste buds that will leave you pining for more.

Classically Simple – The Perfect Old Fashioned

August 23, 2018
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One of the most recognized drinks in the stable of cocktails, the Old Fashioned is as iconic as it is delicious. This deceptively simple cocktail is made up of three ingredients – a ton of whiskey, sugar, and bitters. This drink is about as basic as it gets but can be made wrong if the maker doesn’t understand the purpose of each ingredient and how they mesh together.

Whiskey

Most Old Fashions, if made correctly, are about 80 percent whiskey. You can’t skimp on this either. It’s literally the foundation of the drink. There’s much debate when it comes to the correct whiskey and the real answer is…the one you like best. Taste is subjective. Go with what you enjoy most.

Simple Syrup

Tradition would say to use a sugar cube but we ain’t go time for that! Plus, sugar cubes are a pain to find and they don’t dissolve all the way, so you end up having grains of sugar floating in your drink which looks awful. Skip that crap and go with a rich simple syrup. It’s easy to make and it can last forever. Combine 2 parts sugar and 1-part water in a pan. Set the heat to low and stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved, don’t let the syrup boil though.

Bitters

Bitters are made by concentrating the flavors of spices and tree bark in alcohol. So, remember, when you pick up your classic bottle of Angostura, a little goes a long way. Two to three drops are all you need. Any more and you’ll begin to overpower and cover up all but the most aggressive flavors in the whiskey you choose which will make for a terrible-tasting drink.

Orange Peel

Don’t forget your orange peel. This simple addition to your Old Fashioned makes a world of difference. With a vegetable peeler, peel a two-inch slice of orange skin over your drink so the oils that fly off from the peel fall into your drink.

Welcome to the world of Old Fashions.

Elements of an Old Fashioned

Whiskey: Both rye and bourbon offer different flavor profiles. Bourbon is slightly sweeter and rounder, whereas rye introduces a peppery bite. Either way, you’ll want something high in proof (over 100) as this extra alcohol will stand up to the dilution from melting ice. Try Knob Creek, W.L. Weller Antique, Booker’s, Old Grand-Dad, Baker’s, Wild Turkey 101, Wild Turkey Rare Breed or Rittenhouse.

Glass: The Old Fashioned is one of the few drinks in existence that has a glass named in its honor. The ideal glass should be between eight to 10 ounces, with a thick heavy bottom.

Ice: This is a sipping cocktail, but you don’t want that expensive booze turning into a watery mess. Avoid small cubes and pick up rubber molds or invest in an ice sphere.

Sweetener: While simple syrup works well, other options are to sub in honey, maple syrup or agave nectar. But, make sure to dilute these with equal parts water.

Bitters: There are dozens of new bitters on the market. The best, however, is still the most common: Angostura. Two healthy dashes will do the trick. Chocolate or walnut bitters work well in this drink if you can find them. I also like Dale DeGroff’s pimento bitters.

Technique: The most balanced Old Fashioned is made by stirring the drink with ice for about 20 to 30 seconds and then straining that mix over fresh ice.

Garnish: Orange twist, lemon twist or both.

Rum, Rum and More Rum!

August 16, 2018
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With the month of August in full swing, it’s time to take a step back, regroup and conquer the final dog days of summer. For those who don’t know the meaning of the dog days of summer and just think it’s a Florence and the Machine song, the dog days of summer are considered the hottest part of the summer season – basically when the heat comes on full steam and you can’t go outside for more than a minute without breaking a sweat.

So, there’s only one thing left to do. Make rum drinks and pretend you’re on an island with a cool breeze. Now, rum has been steeped in romanticism thanks, in part, to its association with pirates in the Caribbean (Not Pirates of the Caribbean though Captain Jack Sparrow questioning where’s the rum has helped too).

History of Rum

For the time being, no one is currently sure when rum was invented. Scholars believe that it was more than likely created by the Malay people thousands of years ago as an early drink called brum. The first known distillation of rum took place during the 17th century on various sugarcane plantations located in the Caribbean. According to many oral traditions of the Caribbean, it is stated that the first rums were created in Barbados – though new evidence has emerged that suggests Brazil and Sweden both had their own versions of rum.

Popular Drinks

Enough of the history lesson. Let’s get to some drinks that you can make with rum.

Mai Tai

Perhaps one of the more known of the Tiki cocktails, the Mai Tai was created as a way to showcase the flavors of a good-quality rum. Your creation shouldn’t be neon-colored or overly sweet. If made properly, it should have a deep amber hue and allow for the rum to shine through the complimenting ingredients.

To make this drink, you need to add the ingredients below to a shaker filled with crushed ice.  Shake vigorously until the shaker is well-chilled and frosty on the outside. Pour (unstrained) into a double Old-Fashioned glass.

Ingredients

¾ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
¼ oz. Rock Candy Syrup (2-parts sugar, 1-part water)
¼ oz. Orgeat Almond Syrup
½ oz. Orange Curacao
2 oz. Premium Aged Rum

Garnish – 1 lime rind and a fresh mint sprig

Pina Colada

This sweet cocktail made with rum, coconut cream or milk, and pineapple juice, is usually served either blended or shaken with ice. Two bartenders from Puerto Rico lay claims to creating the drink but either way, Puerto Rico’s national drink tastes wonderful.

To make this drink, Pour coconut cream, pineapple juice, and white rum into a blender or shaker with crushed ice, and blend or shake very well until smooth. Pour into chilled glass, garnish with pineapple wedge and/or a maraschino cherry.

Ingredients

4 oz. spiced rum
4 oz. coconut milk
1/3 cup fresh pineapple chunks
splash of pineapple juice (at your discretion)
1 cup of ice
2 maraschino cherries

Garnish – Maraschino cherries and a slice of pineapple

Daiquiri

The granddaddy of all rum drinks, the Daiquiri has gone from the pride of Havana to an unloved extra on the back of some Senor Frog’s table menu. The reason being – people associate it with adult slushies, spring breakers, and god-awful hangovers. Which is a shame, because a daiquiri is a simple, delicate blend of rum’s sweetness with a raw taste of sugar and lime juice. It’s a balancing act of flavors that most get wrong – queue the adult slushy.

To make this perfectly, add all the ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a lime twist.

Ingredients

2 oz. light rum
¾ oz. fresh lime juice
¾ oz. demerara sugar syrup

Garnish – Lime twist

Come on in

Be sure to stop by any of our locations to stock up on your favorite rums. Remember, drink responsibly. Always have a driver available if you’re going anywhere, and be safe.

August Hot Item – Crown Royal

August 8, 2018
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When it comes to Canadian whiskey, Crown Royal literally takes the crown. It’s been the best-selling Canadian whiskey for some time in the world market and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. You can find it anywhere from fine restaurants, on airplanes and the shelves of any liquor store you stroll into.

History

Crown Royal can trace its lineage back to 1939 when Seagram’s introduced a new product to honor a visit from Britain’s monarchs, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. The story goes that Seagram’s had tried hundreds of variations – around 600 to be exact – before settling on a concoction that was deemed worthy. Once the right blend was found, Seagram’s bottled it in a quilted crown-shaped bottle and packaged it in a purple pouch. The pouch was purple because it is a color long associated with royalty.

With its production facilities in Gimli, Manitoba, Crown Royal is now owned by spirits giant Diageo. Every bottle of Crown contains some combination of five different whiskeys, aged in a variety of new and used casks. Like keys on a piano, these whiskeys give blenders a different note that either plays harmony with each other or emphasize a taste.

Serving Suggestions

Round and soft, this is an unchallenging, easy-drinking whiskey that may leave “serious” drinkers bored, but sure makes a great highball. It’s also enjoyable in a crystal tumbler neat or on the rocks.

Nose

Faint notes of vanilla and fresh, out-of-the-oven lemon bread. There isn’t really a scent of alcohol here like other blended whiskeys.

Palate

A sip of Crown will introduce gentle vanilla and honey notes. “Delicate” in a word is a great way to describe how these flavors intermix with each other. Tasters will also note a faint oak in the background, which is thanks to the aging process in the casks.

Finish

The finish on Crown is light, balanced, and almost too easy to drink prompting some more sips. There isn’t the typical burn of a heavier bourbon.

This August, we will be featuring Crown Royal as our hot item of the month. Stop by and pick up a bottle for yourself for $23.99 for a 754ml bottle.

Jesse James Single Barrel – America’s Outlaw Bourbon

July 24, 2018
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Craft whiskeys, bourbons, and ryes are seeing an increased rise in popularity in the U.S. From drinking-age millennials to retired Baby Boomers, the craft drink movement is growing by double digits. Born out of the south – in particular, Kentucky and Tennessee – these style drinks still have the aura of an American outlaw and bootlegger which is perfectly embodied by the craft whiskeys of the Jesse James America’s Outlaw line of whiskeys.

Born in the Hills of Tennessee

Born from the creative brains of Jesse James Dupree, best known for being the frontman of Jackyl and creating the Full Throttle Saloon tv series, the bourbon is made to honor the notorious and legendary American outlaw, Jesse James.

The bourbon itself is aged for 3 years in American oak prior to bottling and is said to be made in accordance with what they claim are standards of the 18th century southern states. The Full Throttle Distillery in Trimble, Tennessee, revitalized the sleepy town of fewer than 700 people and has generated jobs and tourism that was key in pulling the town out of financial hardship and back on the map.

The label itself is commissioned by Jesse James Dupree, who claims that having been “personally responsible for millions of gallons of beer and whiskey” over the years, he created his own label for beer and whiskey.

“Bourbon is a very personal thing,” said Dupree. “Brown liquor isn’t just a brand or a process—it really becomes very special to every person in a different way. I love that our bourbon is so revered by so many people since we make our spirits for everyone who busts their knuckles all week working hard for every dollar. Everything we do is in honor of them and is our way of providing bourbon and Tennessee whiskey that is not commercial but is authentic through and through.”

Embodying the Outlaw Spirit

Made in the spirit of America’s true outlaw, this 80-proof bourbon is old-time charcoal mellowed. Aged in oak casks for a minimum of 36 months to develop an incredibly smooth and full-bodied character for the outlaw in you.

Stop by one of our stores and pick up a 1.75L bottle of Jesse James America’s Outlaw Bourbon for $26.99. We have his whole selection available at all our stores.

Basil Hayden’s Two by Two Rye – The Best of Both Worlds

July 17, 2018
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With a unique blend of two Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskies and two Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskies, Basil Hayden’s Two by Two Rye offers a keen taste on the best of both worlds for whiskey drinkers – spiciness from the rye complimented by the sweet finish of bourbon.

The Mix

Balanced by 5-year-old Kentucky straight rye, a 7-year-old “high-rye,” and a mixture of a 13-year old and 6-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon, the result is a unique whiskey that stands above the rest in the blended category. It remains approachable by most to taste at a modest 80-proof.

This limited run by Basil Hayden’s is complimenting their growth in the super-premium bourbon market. Basil Hayden’s has seen a surge in popularity as of recent. This surge has prompted growth and a popular following – one of the fastest growing brands out of the Beam Suntory.

“Basil Hayden’s has always been known for its distinctive spicy finish, so innovating in the rye category continues to be an exciting venture for the brand, especially as interest in the category grows exponentially,” said Rob Mason, vice president of marketing at Beam Suntory. “While Basil Hayden’s Two by Two Rye upholds our trademark spice and approachability, this blend also challenges the status quo and encourages fans to discover the versatility of rye.”

Best enjoyed sipping neat or on the rocks, Basil Hayden’s Two by Two is a bold golden honey color. Aromas of rich caramel and brown sugar are perfectly balanced by a top-shelf feeling from the rye profile. Put together, the Two by Two offers a smooth, medium-bodied experience.

Reserve Your Own Bottle

This is the second genre-bending whiskey to come out of the Basil Hayden’s distillery this year. Earlier, they released their Dark Rye which mixes Canadian and Kentucky ryes with port wine. Basil Hayden’s will continue to create one-off blends such as their Two-by-Two. To reserve your very own bottle of Basil Hayden’s Two by Two, fill out one of our reservation forms and stop by one of our stores to add more to your collection.

Drinking Facts

  • Aroma: Rich caramel and brown sugar aromas with a sumptuous, woody rye flavor profile
  • Body: Smooth, medium-bodied
  • Taste: A balanced blend of sumptuous rye and brown sweets with an ample woody accent
  • Finish: A pleasant, long lingering warmth
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