Review: Hard Truth Peanut Brittle Bourbon Cream
Hard Truth announced the release of Hard Truth Peanut Brittle Bourbon Cream October 21, 2022 on Facebook. Initially only sold at the Hard Truth Distillery in Brown County Indiana, it is now available in the 18 states Hard Truth is distributed. Hard Truth currently crafts 20 spirits including rye, vodka, gin, rum, bourbon, with three spirits made with fresh Wisconsin Dairy cream. The other two are Toasted Coconut Cream, and Maple Bourbon Cream. HT Peanut Brittle Bourbon Cream is made with Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Real Wisconsin Dairy Cream, and natural peanut flavor. It weighs in at 30 proof, slightly less than the 34 proof Baileys tips the scale at. Read more 
Review: OYO Stone Fruit Vodka
OYO Stone Fruit Vodka is crafted at Middle West Spirits in Columbus Ohio. Middle West was founded by Brady Konya and Ryan Long in 2008. They released their first spirit, OYO Vodka in 2010. They currently produce Rye, Whiskey, Gin, Bourbon, and several Vodka’s. OYO Stone Fruit Vodka starts with the original OYO Vodka base made from Non GMO soft winter wheat grown in Ohio. It is small batch distilled once on a custom Kothe Still and it is unfiltered. Ripe Montmorency Cherries, Sweet Yellow Peaches, Apricots, Almond Extract, Hibiscus, and Wildflower Honey is infused before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Cuidado Tequila Blanco
Cuidado Tequila Blanco is one of a dozen spirits produced by Mile High Spirits. Mile High partnered with Casa Maestri in creating Cuidado Tequila Blanco. Casa Maestri currently produces tequila for 167 different brands of tequila including 21 Seeds, Agavales, Cincoro, El Hefe, El Padrino, Hussong, Nosotros, Siempre, and Sparkle Donkey. Cuidado is made from 100% Blue Weber agave in Jalisco Mexico. It is double distilled and delivered to Denver at 110 proof where is cut with filtered Rocky Mountain water, and bottled at 80 proof in downtown Denver at the Mile High Spirits distillery. Read more
Review: Hard Truth Cinnamon Vodka
Hard Truth Cinnamon Vodka is one of over 20 spirits crafted in Nashville Indiana in a state of the art 18,000 square foot distillery surrounded by 325 acres of native forest, they opened in 2017. Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka. It is sourced from the inner bark of several tree species. There are four main types of cinnamon. Hard Truth does not publish details as to which cinnamon type they use in crafting their cinnamon vodka. The vodka base is made from 100% wheat and is distilled on a Vendome Copper & Brass distilling system. It is infused with two natural sources of cinnamon and lightly sweetened with pure cane sugar. Caramel color is added before bottling at 60 proof. Read more
Review: Compoveda Tequila Blanco
Compoveda Tequila is the Private Label brand of online tequila retailer Sip Tequila. Sip Tequila was launched by Chris Barbin, Keith Antoon, and Lori Csaszak January 2018. They also partnered with Master Distiller Alberto Partida to created Compoveda Tequila Extra Anejo at Tequilera Puerta de Hierro. The Compoveda Family of tequilas now include a Rosa, Reposado, and Blanco expression. Compoveda Blanco is crafted by Master Distiller Sergio Cruz at Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados in Arandas Los Altos Jalisco. It is made from 100% blue weber agave grown in the Los Altos region, double distilled in copper stills, and oxygenated prior to bottling. Priced at $65 Compoveda Blanco is an Ultra-Premium tequila sold primarily online at siptequila.com Recently they have expanded distribution to brick and mortar stores and we have seen Compoveda on store shelves in the Chicago market at select Binny’s Beverage Depot, and Woodman’s locations. A portion of all proceeds supports Isla Urban, dedicated to water sustainability in Mexico communities through rainwater harvesting. Read more
Review: Old New England Pumpkin Spiced Nog
Old New England Pumpkin Spiced Nog joins Cinnamon Spiced Nog, and Classic Eggnog in the Old New England family of Holiday nogs. They are produced by M.S. Walker. M.S. Walker was founded in Boston Massachusetts in 1933. They are now a 5th generation family owned wine and spirits importer, distributor, and spirits bottler. Their connection with eggnog dates back to 1985 when they acquired Overbrook Eggnog Company. Old New England Pumpkin Spiced Nog is made with 100% dairy from local dairy farmers, rum from Puerto Rico, French Brandy, 4 years old Kentucky Bourbon, Canadian Blended Whiskey, natural and artificial flavors, caramel and certified colors. Read more
Review: Elevate Vodka
Elevate Vodka is one of several spirits crafted at Mile High Spirits in the Denver Ballpark Neighborhood. It was originally distilled on a glass still, but it is currently distilled on a custom German built Arnold Holstein copper still. Following the same formula as Tito’s, Elevate is distilled 6 times from 100% corn. Mile High Spirits sources locally grown Colorado corn. Once distilled the vodka is proofed with pure filtered Rocky Mountain water. When the last drop is gone, bring the bottle to their downtown Denver tasting room for a drink on the house. Read more
Review: Patsch Tequila Blanco
Patsch Tequila Blanco was launched in the US July 2021 by Martin Schapira and Steven Davis. After a decade long search for a tequila that was equal parts quality and flavor the two friends spend months visiting distillers until they arrived at Tequila Las Americas and fell in love with what has become Patsch Tequila. This additive free distillery crafts some of our highest ranked tequilas including Hermosa, IXA, Don Abraham, 123 Organic, and El Sativo. Patsch is German for “smacked in all the right ways”. It is crafted from 100% organic blue weber agave grown for 7 years in the valley of Jalisco. Once trimmed and cut in half the pinas are brick oven roasted for 24 hours. The agave then cools for 12 hours with the oven doors open. The juice is extracted using mechanical roller mills and then fermented naturally without any yeast for 72 hours. After a double distillation the tequila is hand bottled in a unique hand blown glass bottle with a glass knuckle handle and spiked cap. Read more
Review: Ole Smoky Amaretto Whiskey
Ole Smoky Amaretto Whiskey is one of 16 flavored whiskies produced at the Ole Smoky Distillery in Gatlinburg Tennessee. Ole Smoky is probably best known for the 32 flavors of Moonshine they produce, but they also produce flavored whiskey and canned cocktails. The other flavored whiskeys include Salty Caramel, Salty Watermelon, Mango Habanero, Tennessee Mud, Cookies & Cream, Cinnamon, Peach, Root Beer, Bourbon Ball, Pumpkin Spice Cream, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry Lemonade, and Pear. Each of these start with a 100% corn whiskey base that is barrel aged for 2 years. Ole Smoky Amaretto Whiskey is made with a blend of toasted almond and sweet cherry flavor and their corn whiskey base. While their other flavored whiskeys are bottled at 60 proof, and the Ole Smoky whiskey creams 70 proof, Ole Smoky Amaretto weighs in at 56 proof. Read more
Review: Drumshanbo Sausage Tree Irish Vodka
If the red bottle doesn’t get your attention sitting on the liquor store shelf next to the other brands clear vodka bottles, the name, Drumshanbo Sausage Tree Irish Vodka will. First of all the bottle is red. The vodka is colorless. The vodka is also unflavored. Irish vodka and gin have grown in popularity as more Irish Whiskey distilleries open and they need a source of income while their whiskey is barrel aged. The Shed Distillery was founded in 2014 by P.J. Rigney in Drumshanbo Co. Leitrim. In April 2015, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin was their first product released, but it was not their first product produced. The first was Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, but the whiskey needed to be barrel aged. They currently also craft Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin with Sardinian Citrus. From the curious mind of PJ Rigney Sausage Tree Vodka starts with Irish grain. The grain is distilled on a German built two column copper still handcrafted by Arnold Holstein. Sausage tree fruit, and Irish nettle are added before distilling again. Few production details are provided but it is bottled at 86 proof. Sausage Tree’s grow in Africa and are named such because of the sausage shaped fruit that grows on the tree. These fruit are poisonous to humans if consumed raw, but they are edible raw for some animals. Sausage fruit is a popular ingredient in African beer. Drumshanbo Sausage Tree Vodka was introduced March 2018 in Dusseldorf Germany. Where else would a vodka distilled in Ireland with African grown sausage tree fruit be launched. Read more