You love hanging out downtown with friends, great food, and that clear stuff AKA vodka. But what do you do when it’s the middle of the afternoon and you need to lay low till evening and you’re not too fond of wine? Hangar 1 has the answer you’re looking for.
The genius innovation is rosé vodka. You heard me right. This great refreshing alternative to wine is a mix of a unique blend of Hanger 1 Vodka and California rosé wine. Perfect for drinking with a group of friends in the afternoon and just in time for the sunny days ahead of us!
Hangar 1 works with vineyards and farms to source the grapes and fresh ingredients. Their inspiration for rosé vodka came from the local Golden State wine culture and that’s something they wanted to celebrate. This truly is a first-of-its-kind beverage.
The taste is a bit floral with notes of crisp apple, sweet pea blossoms, and a hint of oak on the nose, with a silky and soft mouthfeel finishing fresh with hints of cranberry. Hangar 1 has provided a few hand-picked recipes here for you to enjoy, including the Rosé Spritzer.
From The Crown Royal Blender’s Series, Bourbon Mash has been all the talk around town. This Blended Canadian Whiskey is aged in a combination of ex-Bourbon and new charred American Oak Barrels. The result? A richly layered, perfectly balanced whiskey with the complexity of a bourbon and the signature smoothness of Crown Royal.
This bottle is a great gift for a Crown Royal Collector though. Why? Well if you’re keeping up than you would know that technically, they can’t call this a bourbon. Even though promotional materials clearly stated “This is NOT a bourbon,” the bottle’s label say’s Bourbon and that’s an infringement.
Crown Royal was forced to pull the bottle and re-label it; however, a couple states including Indiana, we’re fortunate enough to receive a shipment of the Crown Royal Bourbon Mash with the original label! Meaning this bottle is a rarity.
Bourbon is a distinctive product of the US and declared by US Congress in 1964 and signed by President Lyndon B Johnson. NAFTA contains a section where Canada agreed to recognize Bourbon Whiskey as a distinctive product of the US. The law states that the word “bourbon” shall not be used to describe any whiskey-based distilled spirits not produced in the United States.
If you’re a Crown Royal collector or just have a thing for the rarities, stop by Payless Liquors and get your bottle of Bourbon Mash before we run out! You can also reserve a bottle here.
There aren’t many spirits as unique as this one. Henry McKenna is the longest aged, bottled-in-bond, single barrel bourbon out there to date! It all started when Henry McKenna, an Irish immigrant, adapted his family’s traditional recipe to work with the grains he found in Kentucky around 1837. The result? A PERFECTLY balanced bourbon.
The mash bill of this product is 75% corn, 13% Rye and 12% malted barley.This 10-year-old single barrel bourbon has won numerous awards and accolades including Double Gold in the 2014 WSWA Spirits Tasting Competition. As well as, Double Gold in the 2015 SF Spirits Competition and Gold in the 2016 World Whiskey Awards.
To be considered a Bottled-in-Bond whiskey must be a product of one distillation season and one distiller at a single distillery. The product must also be aged in a federally bonded warehouse under the supervision of the government for at least four years, and it must be bottled at exactly 100 proof. Additionally, the bottled-in-bond label must clearly identify the distillery where it was distilled and where it was bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Color – Warm, Golden Amber
Aroma – Vanilla, Caramel, Oak & light Herbaceous notes
Peggy Noe Stevens has achieved no small feat. Bridging the gap for women in a gentleman’s world of bourbon, she has worked her way up as the first female master bourbon taster in the world, the founder of Bourbon Women’s Association and first and foremost, an expert in hospitality and global marketing.
You hear these titles, but do you know what it takes to get there? How does one become a master bourbon taster? It requires more than just a taste for bourbon. One has to be able to recognize the little nuances between brands, identify precise proofs, hundreds and hundreds of different flavors, and of course, defects. Her taste palate is just one touch point on a list of impressive achievements.
Peggy founded the Bourbon Women’s Association. This membership group was designed for educational, networking, and charitable purposes that strive to preserve the heritage that surrounds the making and responsible enjoyment of bourbon. She noticed that among her friends, many have a genuine interest in bourbon and she made it possible for women in 22 states, Canada and Australia to explore their interest and connect with like-minded women. Read Peggy’s full biography here.
We’re extremely excited to have Peggy Noe Stevens join the Indiana Historical Society and us at Indy’s Premier Bourbon Celebration in February. Join us for an extraordinary night of bourbon tasting and learn more about the fine art and nuances of distilling and more. Check out our working list of distilleries attending Indy’s Premier Bourbon Celebration below and Get your tickets here.
Working list of distilleries attending the IHS Bourbon Celebration
Let your New Year’s Eve be full of laughter and champagne, as it should be! Champagne, Bubbly, Sparkling Wine, whatever you want to call it has been the drink of celebration dating back to the 16th century! Champagne visually and symbolically represents the overflow of abundance and joy.
So, is New Year’s even a thing if you aren’t drinking a glass of bubbly?? Payless Liquors says no. Whether you’re spending the whole night out at the bars, having a house party, or a quiet night with a couple people, champagne cocktails are the ideal way to ring in a new year.
Here are two quick and easy champagne cocktail recipes that will entrance all your co-partiers.
Classic Champagne Cocktail:
The classic champagne cocktail has been raved about. It’s a solid choice if you’re worried about making something that everyone likes.
Place ¾ teaspoon sugar into the bottom of a champagne flute
Top with about 8 shakes of Angostura bitters.
Add Champagne until full
garnish with a lemon peel
Unicorn Mimosa
The Unicorn Mimosa is the route you want to go if you’re looking for something more fun. This cocktail radiates New Years with its Sparkling Rim.
Dip Champagne flute into water
Rim glass with edible glitter.
Add three scoops sherbet
Add 1 ½ ounces vodka
1 ½ ounces champagne
garnish with rock candy
If you don’t know what champagne you want to use in your Bubbly New Year’s Cocktail, here’s a quick guide on how to pick out the best bubbly.
If Christmas Day comes and you realize you’re gonna need something strong to deal with all the Christmas Chaos, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. There will be 10 Payless Locations open on December 25th! See Below:
We have the Ultimate Pappy 23 Year Set! Only the most careful and expensive distilling method can be used to create a whiskey as special as this one. These barrels were carefully selected from the heart of the warehouse for an added three years of aging.
This set includes 1 bottle of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 23-year and 1, 23-year barrel head signed by Julian Van Winkle III himself!
Enter to win the right to purchase this rare set by answering the following question correctly: How many gallons of bourbon is lost in making 3 gallons of 23-year Pappy?
There are more ways to get high-quality moonshine than that local guy at the bar in the middle of nowhere. Believe me when I say that, i’ve come across moonshiners in country bars that make and sell it out of there home. Thanks to Ole Smokey Distillery getting your hands on the authentic stuff is as easy as heading to your local Payless!
Ole Smoky was actually the first licensed distilleries in East Tennessee, and is now one of the most frequented tourist spots in the Smoky Mountains. When it comes to moonshine, there’s a plethora of flavors to choose from. Ole smoky produces a wide variety of different flavors and proofs. Some of their most popular products include: Original Moonshine (100 Proof), White Lightnin (100 Proof), Moonshine Cherries (100 Proof), and Apple Pie Moonshine (40 Proof). You can view a complete list of their flavors and proofs here.
The Original Moonshine is for those wanting the authentic moonshine experience. This product is a combination of 80% corn and a top-secret ingredient. The result is a high-octane and extremely bold flavored moonshine! Some of the flavored Ole Smoky products make for great cocktails and they even shared a list of recipes on their site for inspiration.
We are offering a number of Ole Smoky tastings across various locations in Indianapolis through December. Be sure to check out our events calendar to find the most convenient location for you! And, there’s another thing we are extremely excited about and thats Moonshine Minis! If you aren’t sure what flavor is for you, you can pick up a few different 50mL jars to decide. Moonshine Minis also make the best stocking stuffers and gifts for co-workers and bosses. Go on now, get yourself a Party in a Jar!
“If you are looking for moonshine that tastes great, but is capable of sterilizing hospital equipment, you need Ole Smoky in your life.”
What the key to a great anything? A true commitment to craftsmanship and artistry. That’s what Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is all about. The story of this bourbon is one you’ll have to pull up a chair for. Are you ready to unlock the secrets of this iconic bourbon?
Stitzel-Weller Distillery
Blade and Bow is manufactured under the Diageo umbrealla. Diageo dedicated this bourbon to the craftsmanship of the historic Stitzel-weller Distillery, where Blade and Bow is aged and non-traditionally blended and partially distilled from. The Stitzel-Weller Distillery encompasses a lot of bourbon history. In fact, this is the site where legendary Julian (Pappy) Van Winkle made his mark.
Stitzel-Weller was originally owned by the company that owned and operated Guinness, United Distillers. They shut the distillery down in 1992. Eventually Guinness merged with Grand Metropolitan to form Diageo and Diageo reopened the facility in 2014 to keep it’s legend alive. Each bottle of Blade and Bow contains actual distilling history of Stitzel-Weller.
Solera Style Aging System
At the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, Blade and Bow uses a unique solera style aging system. Another name for this process is fractional blending. This aging involves a pyramid or tier system of barrels that always feed to the bottom barrels.
Blade and Bow is made using a five barrel solera system. The bottom or #5 barrel contains some original bourbon distilled in the early 90s. They say the trick is to never dump more than half of the barrel. So when barrel #5 is dumped for bottling, barrel # 4 is used to refill barrel #5. Then barrel #3 fills up #4 and so on until barrel #1 is used to fill barrel #2. That’s when a whiskey that is not currently in the system is used to fill barrel #1.
Diageo says all of the bourbon used to produce Blade and Bow is at least 6 years old.
The Five Key Symbol
The true symbol of Blade and Bow, from its name to is bottle, is a key. This bourbon was named after the anatomy of a key. Blade refers to the long section and Bow is the end or ornamental part. Originating from Stitzel-Weller is their five key symbol, which always had a strong presence at the distillery.
The five key symbol stands for the five steps of making bourbon: grain, yeast, fermentation, distillation, and aging.
The design of the Blade and Bow bottle encompasses the five key ways of doing things. with six sides, five are dedicated to the bourbon making process and one is left for labeling.
Tasting Notes
Nose: You can easily identify the grain, oak, and dominating vanilla aromas. There are small hints of toasted coconut and “alcohol punch”.
Taste: The first thing one notices is a sweetness described as vanilla fudge and coconut macaroon. Then you’ll taste secondary notes of cinnamon and baking spices. But wait, thats not all. As the dominating flavors subside, you’re left with flavors of oak, toasted almonds, apricot preserves. Peppermint and milk chocolate also appear.
Finish: Despite the intense taste, the finish is short and abrupt.
An expert review on Distillers.com said, “This bourbon packs a surprising amount of flavor into an approachable and easy drinking whiskey.”
You can taste Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey at our Holiday Tasting Saturday, November 4th between 1:00 and 4:00pm! 14580 River Road, Carmel, IN 46033.
Did you know that not all tequilas are genuine tequila? In order to be considered genuine, a tequila must be made with 51% blue agave juice. There are many tequilas out there that aren’t truly genuine. Take Jose Cuervo for example, only contains the bare minimum, 51% agave.
The best tequilas are 100% blue agave, and that’s Corazon Blanco Artisinal Edition. If you actually do get your hands on a bottle of this, you’ll be a lucky one! There were only 60 bottles produced!
Corazon has been releasing its Expression Del Corazon, and Blanco Artisinal Edition is the second expression released. Made with 100% blue Weber agave with its Brix (sugar content) measured before harvest, instead of traditional clear cut.
This expression rested for 60 days in stainless steel bins. It is usually unaged, and bottled straight after distillation at 80 proof. But, the technicalities aren’t the best part of this premium, limited-edition tequila, the flavor profile is.
Nose: Cooked Agave, Herbal citrus, Aniseed and unique notes of Green Apple.
Taste: Sweet, soft mint, eucalyptus, with a slight tang and an impressive agave bite.
Finish: Long, lingering, and smooth.
There really is nothing quite like the tastes of nature and that’s what is so special about this artisanal tequila. The smooth and fresh flavor profile that ranges all the way from sweet to dry and spicy. I mean really think about it. Have you ever had a tequila that you would describe as sweet?
To all tequila enthusiasts out there, this might as well be a collectible. A bottle you save for that perfect occasion and enjoy like no other tequila.
Interested in trying to find a bottle for yourself? You can fill out a request here. Cheers!
Peggy founded the Bourbon Women’s Association. This membership group was designed for educational, networking, and charitable purposes that strive to preserve the heritage that surrounds the making and responsible enjoyment of bourbon. She noticed that among her friends, many have a genuine interest in bourbon and she made it possible for women in 22 states, Canada and Australia to explore their interest and connect with like-minded women. Read Peggy’s full biography 
Mountains. When it comes to moonshine, there’s a plethora of flavors to choose from. Ole smoky produces a wide variety of different flavors and proofs. Some of their most popular products include: Original Moonshine (100 Proof), White Lightnin (100 Proof), Moonshine Cherries (100 Proof), and Apple Pie Moonshine (40 Proof). You can view a complete list of their flavors and proofs 
This bourbon was named after the anatomy of a key. Blade refers to the long section and Bow is the end or ornamental part. Originating from Stitzel-Weller is their five key symbol, which always had a strong presence at the distillery.
