Review: Van Der Haute Eggnog Wine Based
Van Der Haute Eggnog Wine Based is the companion to the spirit based Van Der Haute Eggnog, our top rated adult eggnog. While it’s a little past the peak of Eggnog Season, Mid-January is a great time to pick up a bottle of eggnog at a reduced price. I picked up this bottle at a 75% discount. VDH Eggnog Wine Formula is made with an orange wine alcohol base with real dairy cream, eggs, and holiday spices. The Original Van Der Haute Eggnog is made with spiced rum, and brandy. Both are produce in Mira Loma California by La Vecke Corporation, one of the worlds largest spirit producers. Van Der Haute is sold at Albertsons and Safeway grocery stores. Read more 
Review: Jackscrew Vodka
Jackscrew Vodka is crafted at Wolf Point Distilling in Chicago Illinois. Wolf Point takes its name from where the North, South, and Main branches of the Chicago River meet. After four years of planning Pavlos Dafnis and Victoria Polvino opened their distillery in the Industrial Kenzie Corridor November 2021. They currently also produce bourbon, gin, flavored vodka, and moonshine. Each is named for a Chicago Landmark or tale from the city’s past. Jackscrew Vodka is named for one of the boldest architectural and engineering feats of the 19th century. In the 1800’s Chicago’s elevation rested at the shores of Lake Michigan preventing natural drainage. Swamp like conditions developed and triggered a series of plagues that claimed the lives of roughly 6% of the population. In the 1850’s engineers established a city wide sewer and storm system that required the cities infrastructure to be physically lifted 4 to 14 feet higher requiring jackscrews to be synchronized in movement. By 1860 in just 5 days engineers raised more than half a city block using 6000 jackscrews. Jackscrew Vodka is produced from sourced GNS made from a blend of corn and wheat. A small head cut is made and the spirit is run through multiple charcoal filters before bottling. Read more
Review: Proper Twelve Irish Apple
Proper Twelve Irish Apple was just released. This is not the first apple flavored Irish whiskey. Paddy Devils Apple, a cinnamon apple flavored Irish whiskey, and Mickey Finn Irish Apple were both launched several years ago. Flavored whiskey and Irish Whiskey are two of the fastest growing spirit segments. Jameson has had success with the release of Jameson Cold Brew, and Jameson Orange, and Crown Royal Regal Apple is the worlds second best selling flavored whiskey, only trailing Fireball in yearly depletions. Irish Apple joins the original Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey which launched September 2018 and is already the fourth best selling Irish Whiskey. Connor McGregor worked with Distiller and Master Blender David Elder at The Old Bushmills Distillery in creating Proper Twelve. Connor sampled 100 blends before deciding on the final product. Three years after launching Proper Twelve, Connor and his business partners sold the majority stake to Proximo Spirits for $600 million. Proximo already controlled 49%. Not a bad return on investment. Proper Twelve is made with a sweet Irish grain spirit blended with single malt Irish Whiskey. It is triple distilled and reduced to proof with fresh spring water. Proper Twelve Irish Apple is made with the Proper Twelve whiskey base and natural apple flavors. For every bottle sold a donation is made to first responders around the world. Read more
Review: Lo Siento Tequila Blanco
Lo Siento Tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave grown and distilled at the family owned and operated Destileria La Experiencia. Some tequila distilleries produce over 100 different brands. Only three brands are made here. Lo Siento translates to I’m Sorry. Lo Siento was founded by Ryan Tierney with initial distribution in Los Angeles. Lo Siento is now available in the Nashville Tennessee market. Lo Siento is the official tequila at Geodis Park, the largest soccer specific stadium in the US and home to Nashville Soccer Club of the MLS. For those living outside of LA and Nashville Lo Siento is available for sale online direct from Lo Siento, I picked mine up at http://lovescotch.com Read more
Review: Cathead Vodka
Cathead Vodka is distilled from corn in a 500 gallon still, and charcoal filtered six times. It is crafted at Cathead Distillery in Jackson Mississippi. The distillery was built and founded by friends and blues fans, Austin Evans, and Richard Patrick in 2010 in a 4000 square foot warehouse. In 2015 they moved to a 20,000 square foot facility in downtown Jackson. Cathead Vodka was their first product. They now produce 10 spirits including Cathead Honeysuckle and Cathead Bitter Orange Vodka, 3 gins, and 4 bourbons. At one time they also made Cathead Pecan Vodka. Cathead recently released a line of canned vodka cocktails in 8 different varieties. Cathead donates a portion of sales to non-profits that contribute to the regions arts and crafts. Read more
Review: Texas Ranger Peanut Butter Whiskey
Texas Ranger Peanut Butter Whiskey is crafted at Rebecca Creek Distillery in San Antonio Texas. Rebecca Creek Distillery was founded by Steve Ison October 2009. Enchanted Rock Vodka was the first spirit they released in 2010. They currently produce 6 Enchanted Rock flavored vodka varieties, They also produce Rebecca Creek Whiskey, Texas Ranger 1823 Blended Whiskey and 3 flavored whiskey varieties including Peanut Butter, Coconut Pecan, and Peach. Each of the flavored whiskeys start with the Texas Ranger Blended whiskey base. This base is described as a Canadian style whiskey. It is made from sourced whiskeys blended and reduced to proof with pure limestone filtered Edwards Aquifer water. The whiskey is finished with a proprietary chill filtration process. Natural flavors including real peanuts are blended before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Ashuelot Vodka
Ashuelot Vodka is triple distilled from locally grown apples and potatoes and blended to proof with mountain spring water. It is crafted at New England Sweetwater Farm and Distillery located on the banks of the Ashuelot river in Winchester New Hampshire. Ashuelot is pronounced ash-will-it. After his mother passed away in 2010 and left her 50 acre farm to him, Robert Patton-Spruill decided to invigorate the town instead of selling the farm. Robert had great memories of spending his childhood summers learning the craft of distilling from his grandfather, so he purchased a 100 year old former hardware store for $135,000 and spent another $250,000 renovating the property. Since 2015 this family owned distillery has been producing vodka, gin, whiskey, rum and moonshine. In 2020 sisters Alisa Lawrence and Nilaja Young along with their spouses purchased NESW from their cousin Robert Patton-Spruill. Read more
Review: PM Spirits Tequila Blanco
PM Spirits Tequila Blanco is distilled by Master Distiller Juan Antonio Gonzalez from Grupo Tequilero who worked with Jose Luis Gutierrez in crafting the tequila. PM Spirits describes themselves as an uber small operation importing and distributing geeky spirits in the US. Their current portfolio includes cognac, armagnac, calvados, mezcal, brandy, sherry, bourbon, gin, and rhum. In my eyes their most famous brand is Frapin Cognac. PM Spirits Tequila is made from 100% estate grown blue weber agave grown for an average 6 years with a brix count of 35. The agave is slow cooked for 40 hours in a single oven. Once extracted the juice is fermented with a proprietary yeast and double distilled in a 3500 liter copper pot still. The first distillation lasts for 8 hours and the second 16 hours. Once complete the 110 proof spirits is reduced to 80 proof using demineralized water. The tequila rests for 15 days in bourbon casks prior to bottling. Read more
Review: Knucklenoggin Peanut Butter Whiskey
Knucklenoggin Peanut Butter Whiskey is the 31st Peanut Butter flavored whiskey we have reviewed. Every time I think we are catching up, three new peanut butter whiskeys are released. Knucklenoggin Peanut Butter is one of three flavored whiskeys created by Master Distiller Ricardo Gamarra. Knucklenoggin Salted Caramel was first when it was introduced March 2020. Peanut Butter was launched July 2021, and Kettle Corn is the newest flavor. Ricardo Gamarra is probably best known as the Master Distiller behind AsomBroso Tequila. Knucklenoggin Peanut Butter is made from a blend of aged whiskeys carefully selected. Natural Peanut Butter flavors are infused before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Canerock Rum
Canerock Rum is produced by Maison Ferrand, the makers of the Plantation Brand of rum. It is made from rum sourced from two iconic Jamaican distilleries, Long Pond and Clarendon. Long Pond has been distilling rum since 1753. Clarendon since 1755. The sourced rum includes a blend of pot still and column still rum aged up to 3 years in charred American oak barrels from Clarendon, and traditional pot still heavy rums aged 5 to 10 years from Long Pond. The rum is blended and individually infused with Caribbean coconut, Dried Madagascar vanilla pods, and Jamaican wild ginger. Once complete the rum spends a few months in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks before bottling at 80 proof. Read more