Review: Sinpatch Vodka
Sinpatch Vodka is a true farm to glass spirit crafted in a former dairy barn in Wassaic New York. John Dyson owner of Williams Selyem Winery and his Son in Law Joel Levangia founded the Tenmile Distillery. Sinpatch is named for the road the distillery was build on. Legend has it 300 years ago a local minister once described the area as nothing but a patch of sin due to the gambling houses, brothels, and saloons that populated the area. Tenmile Distillery currently only sells Sinpatch Vodka, and Listening Rock Gin while their first batches of Little Rest American Single Malt Whisky, barrel age. All of the spirits are crafted by Master Distiller Shane Fraser who joined Tenmile after serving as Master Distiller for Wolfburn Distillery, the most northerly malt Whisky Distillery in Scotland. Tenmile is made from locally grown wheat. The spirit is distilled through a pot still and a Coffey still with a special reflux condenser at the top. It is then filtered through activated charcoal made from their own recycled oak whisky barrels. Read more 
Review: Tequila Gran Diamante Plata
Tequila Gran Diamante Plata was launched in 2016 by three business partners Charles Harris, Rafi Hannouche, and David Ayala. The brand received a boast in April 2022 when NBA Allstar James Harden invested in the brand. Tequila Gran Diamante is made from 100% estate grown agave grown in the red rich volcanic soil of Los Altos de Jalisco and artesian well water. The trimmed agave is baked in vertical autoclave ovens at medium high pressure for 14 hours. Once cooled the juice is extracted via a 4-mil press and fermented in a 23,000 liter open stainless steel vat screened to keep debris from blowing in for 4 days. The spirit is double distilled. After resting for 23-25 days in stainless steel vats, Tequila Gran Diamante Plata is bottled. Read more
Review: Big Country Organic Hard Seltzer
Big Country Organic Hard Seltzer was introduced in 2020 with four flavors including Strawberry & Tangerine, Honeydew & Yuzu, Coconut & Papaya, and Blackberry & Grapefruit. They recently relaunched the brand with three new flavors including Passion Fruit & Kiwi, Prickly Pear & Peach, and Watermelon & Pineapple. They kept Blackberry & Grapefruit. Big Country Foods started as an organic cane sugar supplier by Bill Gillies in 2013. In 2020 Bill opened Willards Brewery, the only certified organic brewery in the state of Texas. Ricky Cobia a nationally acclaimed mixologist helped in crafting the organic flavors found in Big Country Organic Hard Seltzer. Each 12 ounce can is made with purified water, organic alcohol fermented with Big Country organic cane sugar, organic flavors, and citric acid. Read more
Review: Blaum Bros Vodka
Blaum Bros Vodka is made at Blaum Bros. Distillery in the historic town of Galena Illinois, once the home of our 18th President of the US, Ulysses S Grant. The distillery was founded by brothers Matt & Mike Blaum who found the only way they could get along together was to drink whiskey with each other. So they decided craft spirits together. They currently produce bourbon, rye, gin, absinthe, vodka, and Hellfyre Vodka, a vodka made with Jalapenos, Habaneros, and black pepper. All of the spirits are milled, mashed, fermented and distilled on site. Blaum Bros. Vodka has been on our radar for sometime due to their unique blend of local wheat and rye. While their website still talks up this unique blend they have moved on from that blend, and now make their vodka from locally grown corn. Read more
Review: Javi’s Ranch Water Grapefruit
Javi’s Ranch Water was recently launched in Texas, Southern California, and the Chicago Market by E&J Gallo, the makers of High Noon Hard Seltzer. If all goes well National distribution will follow in 2023. It is sold it individual flavor four packs in Lime, Grapefruit, and Watermelon flavors. Javi’s is named for the French Bulldog mascot found on each 12 ounce can. Javi’s is what I would refer to as a “real ranch water” as it is made from a 100% Weber Blue agave blanco tequila base. Some canned ranch waters are made with a malt, or fermented cane sugar base. E&J Gallo has jumped into the hard seltzer and tequila markets with both feet as they not only produce the High Noon brand but they own several tequila brands including Camarena, Komos, and Don Fulano. The tequila base for Javi’s comes from Envasadora de Productos Lideres. Sparkling water and natural flavors are blended before canning at 4.5% alcohol. Read more
Review: Tequila Herradura Reposado
Since 1870 Casa Herradura has been hand harvesting and estate bottling the finest tequila. The agave is estate grown and their estate is currently growing over 25 million agave at every stage of maturity. Tequila Herradura introduced the world to reposado in 1974. Before that your options were Mixto or 100% blue agave blanco tequila. Each estate grown agave is hand harvested and sliced in half before they are slow baked up to 26 hours in brick and stone ovens. Once the juice is extracted it undergoes a 100% natural open air fermentation. The spirit is double distilled, than aged 11 months in medium char American oak barrels. A tequila must be aged at least 60 days to be designated Reposado. As you can see Herradura goes far and away above that. Read more
Review: Javi’s Ranch Water Lime
Javi’s Ranch Water was recently launched by E&J Gallo, the makers of High Noon Seltzer. It is currently only sold in Texas, Southern California and the Chicago market. It is available online throughout California and Illinois. The original ranch water cocktail was invented in West Texas and it was made with 100% agave blanco tequila, Topo Chico mineral water, and fresh lime juice. Ranch Water has also become very popular in canned form with some making theirs with tequila and some with a malt or sugar alcohol base. Javi’s Ranch Water is made with 100% agave blanco tequila, sparkling water and natural flavors. It is currently sold in individual flavor 4 packs. Today we are reviewing Lime. Watch for our thoughts on Javi’s Ranch Water Grapefruit, and Watermelon on future posts. Read more
Review: Molly’s Strawberry Irish Cream
Molly’s Strawberry Irish Cream was just launched in the US as a Limited Edition release, joining Molly’s Original, and my personal favorite flavored Irish cream Molly’s Coconut. Molly’s also makes Molly’s Pumpkin Spice as a Seasonal Limited Edition. Strawberry is the third most popular flavor of ice cream sold in the US, making strawberry a logical choice for a new Irish cream liqueur. There are over 100 Irish Cream and Irish Country creams sold today. Only a few distilleries produce all of these brands. Molly’s is crafted by the largest family owned producer of Irish Cream at their own state of the art plant in the heart of Irelands Dairyland. This total control allowed Molly’s the opportunity to produce countless versions of Strawberry Irish Cream before selecting this one. Just like the other Irish creams in Molly’s family, one third of each bottle of Molly’s Strawberry Irish Cream consists of fresh Irish cream. When I say fresh, 48 hours earlier the cream used to craft Molly’s was still in the grass fed cows. Aged Irish Whiskey, the finest Irish spirits, and natural strawberry flavor complete the ingredient list. Read more
Review: Mummy’s Milk Hard Seltzer
Mummy’s Milk Hard Seltzer was just introduced. It was released by Denver Underwear Company Shinesty. While some may point to this as proof hard seltzer has finally jumped the shark, I would argue that happened years ago. Shinesty partnered with Eliqs Brew Company to produce this Halloween themed hard seltzer. I would describe Shinesty as a fun loving underwear company. As proof their underwear comes with a promise of a “truly hair-raising experience unless you’ve recently waxed”. While their underwear is novelty in nature, their quality is premium. Getting back to the hard seltzer, it is sold in 12 packs through the Shinesty website. The flavors include Frankenstein’s Monster-Lime, Jack O’Liquid-Mango, and Ghost Spit-Black Cherry. Each can has a fun explanation of how it was produced. In crafting Frankenstein’s Monster the brewmaster scoured cemeteries for the freshest products, then added a whole bunch of lime to balance the rotting flesh taste. Mummy’s Milk Hard Seltzer is “Best Served Colder Than a Witches Tit”. Read more
Review: Ole Smoky Pumpkin Spice Cream Whiskey
Ole Smoky Pumpkin Spice Cream Whiskey is now available as a Limited Time seasonal release. This is another sign we have entered fall. Living in the Midwest the temperature has dropped and leaves have fallen. The football season has begun and the baseball season is nearing completion. Halloween Trick or Treat candy displays arrived a month ago, and Costco has transitioned from Key Lime Pie to Pumpkin Pie. There is no food product that signifies fall more than pumpkin. Turkey has a day. Pumpkin has a season. But lets be honest while Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Muffins and some Pumpkin Beers are made with real pumpkin, pumpkin spice is the real flavor of fall. It’s Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Spice Cheerios, Pumpkin Spice Twinkies, Pumpkin Spice Oreo’s, and believe it or not Pumpkin Spice Spam. Some even feed their best friends Pumpkin Spice Milk Bone Dog Biscuits. None of these products have any real pumpkin. Fall is also Prime Time for cream liqueurs as more cream liqueur will be consumed in the next few months than the rest of the year. Ole Smoky Pumpkin Spice Cream Whiskey, is both pumpkin spice flavored and a cream liqueur. Ole Smoky is best known for its Moonshine, they currently produce 32 different varieties. They also craft 17 different flavors of whiskey. Ole Smoky Pumpkin Spice Cream Whiskey is made from a 100% corn whiskey base that is barrel aged for 2 years. Milk, cream, soy, natural and artificial flavors are blended before bottling at 35 proof. Read more