Review: Viva Mexico Blanco Tequila
The Vivanco family has been farming agave fields for 5 generations starting in 1929. Feliciano Vivanco and his five sons established Viva Mexico/El Ranchito in 1994. Their distillery now named Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados currently produces tequila for 37 brands including Alma Del Jaguar, Artenom Seleccion de 1414, Denada, Gran Dovejo, Lost Lore, Siempre, and Yeyo. Viva Mexico Blanco Tequila is made from 100% blue agave grown in Arandas Mexico. The pinas are slow cooked in masonry ovens for 48-50 hours. The extracted juice is fermented with yeast in stainless tanks while classical music plays for 120-200 hours, depending on the weather. The spirit is double distilled in copper stills. Read more 
Review: Medoyeff Vodka
Lee Medoff and Christian Krogstad Co-Founded House Spirits and released Medoyeff Vodka in 2004. Medoyeff Vodka is a salute to Lee Medoff and his Russian family heritage. Lee Medoff is a third generation Oregonian. His Grandfather Alexander Medoyeff eventually settled in Oregon after leaving Russia in the Russian Revolution. Lee started as a brewer at McMenamins before co-founding House Spirits. Their first spirits were Medoyeff and Aviation Vodka. In 2010 Lee left House Spirits and started Bull Run Distillery bringing Medoyeff Vodka with him. Medoyeff Vodka is distilled from 100% corn and pure spring water from the Cascade Mountains. Read more
Review: Alto Canto Blanco Tequila
Alto Canto Tequila was launched May 21, 2024. Alto Canto translates to high song. Founder Daday Suarez and Master Distiller Juan Reyes spent five years building their distillery, Tequila El Rocia. At 9000 feet above sea level this single brand distillery is the world’s highest tequila distillery. Alto Canto is made from 2 ingredients, 100% organic agave grown in the Highlands, and mountain spring water. The trimmed agave is roasted in a masonry oven for 72 hours. The pinas are macerated by tahona and the extracted juice is open air fermented with fibers in oak fermentation tanks with endemic yeast. After 80 hours a second spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurs. The spirit is double distilled in small copper alembic stills. The tequila then rests for 45 days in white oak containers before bottling. Read more
Review: Dirty Devil Vodka
Dirty Devil Vodka bills itself as the worlds 1st hyper-oxygenated spirit. It was created and launched in Quebec February 2019 by founder Francois Tremblay. Dirty Devil is made from 100% non-GMO corn grown in Ontario Canada and hyper-oxygenated water. It is distilled 5 times and filtered 3 times then rested for 6 weeks before bottling. So what makes the water so special? It starts with Canadian spring water that first undergoes a reverse osmosis filtration. The purified water is speed chilled to 4 degrees celsius then placed in a plasma reactor changing the molecular structure of the water locking 5 times the normal amount of oxygen into the water. Read more
Review: Black Sheep Tequila Blanco
The Black Sheep Tequila story starts when Rodolfo a Mexican born fifth generation agave farmer and his friend from Tennessee, Jason Charles reunited in Arandas Mexico. The result is Black Sheep Tequila which was founded in 2000. It is made from single estate 100% Weber blue agave grown for 7-10 years on 400 acres they own, and Rodolfo manages in the Highland region. Black Sheep Tequila is distilled at Integradora San Agustin where the agave is slow baked in brick stone ovens. The extracted juice is fermented in the wild in open air wooden vats where it is heated and cooled for 3 1/2 days. It is then double distilled in small capacity copper pot stills. Read more
Review: Tommyrotter Vodka
Tommyrotter Distillery was founded by Bobby Finan and Sean Insalaco. It opened July 2015 in a 116 year old factory in Buffalo New York, in the historic hydraulic manufacturing district. They produced vodka, gin, and bourbon on their 2700 square foot production floor before closing the distillery in 2024. The distillery takes its name from the Tommyrotter’s Club a brand of rebellious artisans in the early 20th century who sought adventure mischief and inspiration. Tommyrotter Vodka is made from 100% New York grown corn. It is distilled six time followed by a 3 stage filter with layers of charcoal, gravel and sand. Read more
Review: El Ateo Blanco Tequila
Most tequila in the world comes from agave grown in Jalisco. El Ateo is made from 100% family estate agave grown on fields Don Luis Villalobos first planted in 1953, in Romita Guanajuato. Guanajuato is one 5 states agave can grow on to be called tequila. El Ateo was founded by the son and grandson of Don Luis, Luis Angel Villalobos, and Luis Villalobos. It is distilled at the family owned Plantaciones Tequilana in Arandas Jalisco. El Ateo is the single brand this distillery makes. Some distilleries produce tequila for hundreds of different brands. El Ateo is small batch distilled starting with hand selected weber azul agave with a very high 39 brix count. The agave is cooked in stone brick ovens and once cooled, tahona crushed. The extracted juice is fermented in open air stainless tanks and double distilled. The tequila is proofed with deep well water and aerate before bottling. Read more
Review: Vo Vodka
Vo Vodka is crafted at SONO1420 America’s Maritime Distillery. Ted Dumbauld a former Navy veteran founded the distillery in 2019 after experimenting with hemp based whiskey recipes. They currently produce several whiskeys, Blaze Cinnamon Bourbon, Sindica Gin, and Vo Vodka. The distillery is built in an 1800’s industrial building steps away from the Long Island Sound. February 4, 1919 the Connecticut State Senate by a vote of 14 to 20 failed to ratify the 18th amendment making Connecticut the first of two states to defeat Prohibition. The distillery is named for its location in SOuth NOrwalk CT with a tip of the hat to the vote of 1919. Vo Vodka is distilled from a blend of cane and corn. Read more
Review: Lagrimas del Valle Plata Tequila El Chiqueno
Lagrimas del Valle is a vintage single ranch tequila. Each vintage of Lagrimas is harvested from a single field. W.L. Lyons Brown III the founder of Lagrimas and Altamar Brands collaborated with the Rosales Family of Tequila Cascahuin. Master Distiller Salvadore Chava Rosales Trejo is a fourth generation distiller with a family history dating back to 1904. El Chiqueno is their second vintage. It is crafted from 100% blue agave harvested in 2022 with an average brix of 32%. The agave is grown at an elevation of 1260 meters south of the Rio Santiago near Amatitan. This field is adjacent to Palo Verde, their first vintage which was made with 100% agave with an average 35% brix. The agave is cooked in masonry steam ovens. A traditional stone tahona crushes 30% of the cooked agave. The extracted juice is fermented in wood fermentation tanks. A steel roller mill extracts the remaining 70% and that nectar is fermented in stainless steel tanks. After a double distillation, deep well water is blended before bottling at a higher octane, 92 proof. Read more
Review: Newport Craft Vodka
Newport Craft Vodka is no longer produced at Newport Craft Distilling Co. Very little information is available about this vodka so when we had the opportunity to pick up a bottle of vodka produced by this distillery we assumed we would receive a bottle of their flagship White Squall vodka. Well, you know what they say happens when you assume. The history of NCD starts in 1999 when Brent Ryan and Derek Luke founded Newport Storm Brewery. In 2006 they were granted the first distilling license in Rhode Island since 1872. Brendan O’Donnell led an investment group the acquired the company in 2017, and in 2019 they rebranded as Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling Co. Unlike their current vodka White Squall, which is distilled from 100% corn, Newport Craft Vodka was distilled from 100% cane sugar. Read more