Cardinal Spirits Pride Vodka ($24.99)
Bloomington, Indiana
From the producer:
"​Cardinal Spirits Vodka is fermented and distilled on site in Bloomington, Indiana from white grapes. 

This is not your average tasteless, odorless vodka. It has character by design. A very light entry, a full rich body, and a bright floral finish. We distill to 190.5º proof rather than blowing all of the flavor out at 192, leaving some of the grape aroma and flavor in the spirit before its final charcoal filtering.

It's some of the best vodka around, and many people have told us it's the only vodka they'll drink straight.

Here’s the deal with Pride Vodka: 10% of proceeds from each bottle goes to LGBTQ orgs in your community like @lgbtcenternyc and @btown_pride! A bottle of vodka won’t solve the world’s problems, but it will directly support the LGBTQ community, and that’s a damn good start."

From me:
​This is a special bottling of Cardinal Spirits' signature Vodka, which is distilled from grapes and drinks as smoothly as any I've ever had. It earned 93 points from Wine Enthusiast and Triple Gold at the Micro Liquor Spirits Awards. This vodka is super versatile, and it passes my test: can I sip it neat? They aren't just slapping a rainbow on the bottle for a month, either: all year they put their money where their mouth is. 

Etsu Japanese Gin ($38.99)
Hokkaido, Japan
From the distributor:
"It is with great pride that Asahikawa distillery made this unique gin on the Northern island of Hokkaido in Japan. The main botanicals – green bitter orange peel, coriander, licorice and angelica root – macerate for more than 24h in neutral cane spirit distilled thanks to a copper still with a swan neck to 83% vol. It is then diluted down to 43% vol with water sourced from the Taisetsu Mountains and filtered through charcoal for optimal purity.

NOSE : Floral & vegetal, notes of citrus fruits with yuzu persistent
PALATE : Fresh and well-balanced, peppers with hints of green teas and berries
FINISH : Sansho pepper ending on yuzu aromas"

From me:
The minute I tasted this, it became one of my top three gins ever (#1 is Ki No Bi, also from Japan). The flavor is complex, but approachable. While I could drink this from the bottle with a straw, social grace and my liver dictate that I don't. This is perfect for sipping or a very dry Martini. I'd only add tonic if it were something like Q Original--neutral flavor and low sweetness. This gin might make you swoon, so be warned.

Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin ($34.99)
Purcellville, Virginia
From the producer:
"Paying respect to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, in which our beloved Catoctin Creek does flow, this gin is a bit of a watershed itself.

Distilled from rye grain, with a secret recipe of herbs and spices, Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin® is unlike any gin you've tried. Amazingly complex, with a rye base that shines through subtle citrus and cinnamon notes, essences of fresh cut hay, and of course a crisp juniper character.  Together, they make Watershed Gin a fine cocktail mixer.

Try it with the traditional tonic and a slice of lime (or a Meyer Lemon, for a real treat!). Or mix it into your favorite summertime refreshers."

From me:
I love this distillery, so I'm happy to have a second product from them. This gin is a great example of how the base spirit (and the grain from which it's made) can influence the flavor and texture of the finished product. Rye imparts a little earthiness and roundness, while the botanicals give the gin a nice lift. I really like this with almost any tonic, and I think it would also make a great Martini. If you like to "vote with your dollar,"  for progress, this distillery is solar-powered, uses organic grain, is LGBTQ-supportive, and the master distiller is a woman. 

Oola Waitsburg Barrel-Finished Gin ($35.99)
Seattle, Washington
From the producer:
"We’ve woven together thirteen Gin botanicals with 2 months and 28 days of oak aging in freshly emptied Waitsburg Bourbon casks. The result is a complex yet delicate spirit with layered aromas of warm baking spices, honey and herbaceous juniper. On the palate, soft maple sugar, toasted brioche and cream evolve into a vanilla finish. No sugar is added to this spirit, but a natural, pleasant sweetness comes from the mash of soft white organic Washington winter wheat. It is a nuanced, lyrical spirit with beautiful floral elements and a deep, rich wood influence."

From me:
If you are not usually a gin drinker, this might be for you. If you like brown spirits, this might be for you. If you like to flip the script on gin cocktails, this is definitely for you! The aging adds smoothness and a rounder flavor profile than typical gins, making this good for sipping as well

Principe de los Apostoles Mate Gin ($30.99)
Argentina
From the producer:
"Within the realm of New World Gins, Apóstoles differs greatly from the classic winter flavors of London Dry. We present a nuanced profile that is more tropical and indigenous to the Southern Hemisphere incorporating our Argentine botanicals such as Yerba Mate, Pink Grapefruit, Peppermint and Eucalyptus. 

When the Jesuits arrived in the Provence of Misiones they quickly found that the Mate leaf would produce a high quality tea and began to plant hundreds of acres. Mate soon became the national beverage of Argentina with Misiones the original plantings. We honor our land by incorporating fresh Mate leaves into our Gin.

Distilled in 200 liters batches in a German copper still, Apostoles is as craft as it gets. We macerate each botanical separately in a wheat alcohol base. The fresh leaves of Yerba Mate, Eucalyptus and Pink Grapefruit skins are macerated for 24 hours in stainless steel containers. Same for the Juniper and Coriander. The peppermint is macerated only for 2 hours. We then blend all the macerations and distill the blend. The result of the distillation is bottled and numbered by batch."

From me:
This is the first premium gin to be made in Latin America, and the ingredients reflect the land, the history, and the culture of Argentina. When I tasted this gin, I knew I had to introduce it in my store. A truly unique spirit, its flavor is nuanced and complex, though mint is clearly present. This makes excellent cocktails, though if I'm having it with tonic, I'm leaving out the lime and adding a little muddled mint or even a touch of mint simple syrup. 

​Glendalough Wild Irish Gin ($34.99)
County Wicklow
From the producer:
"To make this extraordinary gin, we forage wild plants in the mountains around the distillery. What we pick goes fresh into the still within hours of foraging. 

All the plants are sustainably picked by our full time forager, every day we distill. We take a lot of care that we don't adversely effect the areas we find them in. That means sometimes using scissors rather than picking to make sure roots aren't pulled, or maybe skipping a few before picking the next one, or finding different patches of the same plant, to make sure an area isn't over-foraged.

Our aim is to leave no trace that we were ever there. It's harder work but worth it to keep the mountains beautiful and wild.

Then these wild botanicals are painstakingly slow-distilled to tease out delicate flavours, in very small batches of less than 250 liters. Some go in the pot, and some are hung in a basket to let vapors extract their essential oils. The cut-points are decided batch by batch, by smell and taste (never timed or automated) as if each batch is the first.

This brings the flavour of our Wild Gin to a whole other level. The knowledge, experience and man-hours in each bottle are what make this liquid so special."

From me:
The first time I tried this Gin, I fell in love. It's one of my top three of all time, and it's also my house go-to. I love that the botanicals are hand harvested from the wild, and that they go into the still fresh, rather than dried. I think that informs the delicacy of the flavor. Do watch the video found here.

Writers' Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey ($40.99)
County Carlow
From the producer:
"Writers’ Tears is a unique vatting of Aged Single Pot Still and Single Malt whiskey. Distilled entirely from Pot Still and Malt, without Grain, this is a truly special Irish whiskey. Writers’ Tears is triple distilled, non-peated and matured and aged in American Oak bourbon casks. A gold Medal winner at the International Spirits Challenge in London and one of the highest rated Irish Whiskeys in Jim Murray’s Iconic 'Whiskey Bible' 'Altogether a very unusual Irish Whiskey, a throwback to the last century where spiced Pure Pot Still whiskey was married with Floral Single Malt' – Jim Murray . It has also been added to Ian Buxton’s publication '101 Whiskeys to try before you die.'

Nose:
Flashes of apple with hints of vanilla and honey over a distinctively pot still base.
Palate:
Gently spiced with a burst of ginger and butterscotch with background notes of toasted oak.
Finish:
Long Elegant finish with subtle notes of milk chocolate and almonds."

From me:
This is the first Irish Whiskey that really made me take note. It's easy and mellow with a depth of flavor that will leave you satisfied. I like that it's a family-owned business, and that they are committed to maintaining the integrity of their product. Put down the Jameson and pick up the Writers' Tears!

Prizefight Irish Whiskey ($43.99)
County Cork
From the producer:
"When Flor Prendergast decided to create a whiskey, he brought in his American friend and spirits maverick, Steven Grasse, who had an idea that required a transatlantic collaboration: whiskey from Ireland, finished in rye barrels from America. They formed Pugilist Spirits to bring this idea to life, with whiskey distilled and aged in West Cork, Ireland and rye barrels sourced by Grasse’s own Tamworth Distilling in the U.S.

Inspired by the Irish-American connection, Grasse had the idea to call the whiskey Prizefight. The brand tells the incredible stories of the Irish who came to America and became the greatest fighters of their day. Each bottle commemorates the boxing legends who came with nothing and fought for everything.

Prizefight is a collaborative Irish whiskey, distilled and aged in Ireland, and finished in American rye casks. The result is incredibly complex whiskey, a smooth and mellow spirit that packs a punch but never burns.

Prizefight is a blend of 10-year-old malt and 4-year-old grain, finished in rye barrels for 6 months.

Tasting Notes: Fresh and clean with fruit, floral, and spice notes. Sweet and refreshing up front, followed by a subtle hint of bitterness and a spicy finish."

From me:
I like the transatlantic approach that the producers use for this Whiskey, and as a lover of Rye, I definitely appreciate the spicy note on the finish. The prizefight to which the name refers was between Yankee Sullivan and John Morrissey, which is notable for our area because Morrissey was one of the founders of Saratoga race track. Pour a glass and drink a toast to Ireland, to scrappy fighters, and to the legacy of John Morrissey!

West Cork Distillers Glengarriff Bog Oak Cask Whiskey ($39.99)
County Cork
From the producer:
"West Cork Distillers’ Glengarriff Collection of Irish whiskeys are single malts aged for 4 years in sherry casks before being finished in barrels that have been charred using natural fuel sources obtained from the iconic Glengarriff Forest in Southern Ireland. Each barrel is prepared using a proprietary charring device that was hand-built by West Cork Distillers with the guidance of a local fifth-generation blacksmith. Each of these special release whiskeys delivers a unique flavor profile that embodies the innovative spirit of West Cork Distillers.

Bog Oak Charred Cask:
Aroma - Spice, dried leather with a sweet dried fruit undertone 
Taste - Intense spice, malt and cracked pepper 
Finish - Spice, nutmeg and long lasting malt"

From me:
This will be the most unusual Irish Whiskey you'll taste. There's an earthy undertone to the flavor that I find really compelling, and there's more smoke than you might be used to from Ireland. I would call this the wine drinker's/Scotch lover's/cigar smoker's Irish Whiskey. The method for imparting this flavor profile is also unique: rather than smoking the malt, the barrels used at the end of the aging process are charred using a bog oak fire. The result is both light and earthy.