Review: Tequila General Gorostieta Blanco
Tequila General Gorostieta tequila is named for General Enrique Gorostieta who was the leader of the Cristero Movement, during a Civil War in post revolutionary Mexico in the 1920’s. He led the defense of the Port of Veracruz against the landing of US Naval forces. Luis Torres a trial lawyer partnered with Ana Maria Romero and NOM 1499 to craft this tequila. More recently he has moved his brand to NOM 1414 where Maria was still the Master Distiller for the brand. It is not uncommon for tequila brands to move from one distillery to another but we always try to review the current expression. We acquired our bottle of Tequila General Gorostieta from an online retailer and the bottle we recieved was distilled at their original distillery, Casa Tequilera de Arandas. In breaking news Tequila General Gorostieta is on the move again and will now be distilled at NOM 1579 with a 104 proof blanco arriving soon. Until then here are our thoughts of General Gorostieta Blanco from NOM 1499. Read more 
Review: Sugarfield Vodka
Sugarfield Vodka is crafted at Sugarfield Spirits in Gonzalez Louisiana. They currently produce over a dozen spirits including gin, bourbon, aged rum, spiced rum, and over 10 liqueurs. On a trip to Oregon in 2011 Sugarfield Founder Thomas Soltau fell in love with a family owned distillery devoted to bottling spirits made from Pacific Northwest fruit. Five years later Thomas worked through the LSU business incubator to start what would become Sugarfield Vodka. In 2018 he purchased the land and began distilling on-site in October 2019. He hosted their grand opening January 2020. In 2022 Sugarfield added a winery and cidery. Sugarfield Vodka is the official Vodka of LSU. It is made in small individual batches and distilled from raw cane sugar sourced from Lula Sugar Factory in Belle Rose Louisiana. They pasteurize the turbinado sugar then open air ferment in steel tanks, double distill, and filter before bottling onsite. Read more
Review: Watertown Whiskey
Watertown Whiskey Co-Founder and CEO Mikey Bortone found his love for coconut water while he was a contestant on the TV show Survivor. During his season in Micronesia he and his cast mates had little to eat or drink other than coconuts. He later Co-Founded Watertown Whiskey with longtime friends Steve Cicarelli and Mark O’Donnell. The Watertown name is an homage to their hometown of Watertown Massachusetts. Watertown Whiskey is made from locally sourced 100% rye whiskey, aged up to 2 years. The whiskey is infused with natural coconut flavor from both alcohol and oil based extracts. Watertown Whiskey is bottled in Palm Springs County California. It was launched June 2023 in Southern California and is now available in major Northeast markets and online. Read more
Review: Rider Vodka
Rider Vodka is small batch distilled in Lenexa Kansas at Union Horse Distillery. Union Horse was founded in 2010 by four siblings in the Garcia family. The original name was Dark Horse Distillery but after a lawsuit filed by E&J Gallo on behalf of their Dark Horse wine brand the name was changed to Union Horse in 2016. Besides vodka they craft distill several whiskeys. Rider Vodka is made from 100% Kansas grown wheat. It is distilled six times in a custom 500 gallon column pot still made by Vendome Copper and Brass Works in Louisville Kentucky, and slow filtered before bottling onsite. Read more
Review: Milagro Tequila Anejo Cristalino
Milagro Tequila Anejo Cristalino was just released. Milagro Tequila was founded in 1998 by Danny Schneeweiss and Moy Guindi, two wide eyed college friends. They sought out Master Distiller Pedro Juarez to craft their tequila. Milagro Tequila Anejo Cristalino is made from 100% blue agave from the Highland Region of Jalisco. The agave is slow cooked for 36 hours in traditional brick ovens. The extracted juice is fermented for 72 hours in stainless steel tanks, then distilled in a pot still. A second distillation in a column still follows. The tequila is aged for 18-24 months in American ex-bourbon and French oak casks before filtering through charcoal to a crystal clear color. Read more
Review: Essen House Vodka
Essen House Vodka is crafted at Paradise North Distillery in Green Bay Wisconsin. Tom Felds opened this family operated distillery May 2021. In addition to vodka they currently produce 6 rums, 2 bourbons, a white whiskey and Cherry Bounce described as a barrel aged cherry, sugar, and neutral spirit. Essen House Vodka is made from a 100% corn distillate. It is triple distilled and triple filtered before bottling on site. Read more
Review: Valor Tequila Blanco
Valor Tequila is a female owned tequila founded by Christiane Maertens. Valor Tequila Blanco was released in the US April 2023. 10% of every bottles purchase goes to build prosperity for Jornaleros, Jimadores, and local communities. Hummingbirds play a vital role in pollinating agave plants. The bottles label pairs the hummingbird with the indigenous symbol for balance signifying their purpose to bring people together and balance profit with equity as markers for success. Valor Tequila Blanco is made from 100% agave grown in the Lowlands. The pinas are cooked at low pressure in an autoclave oven. The extracted juice is fermented in open air stainless steel tanks. After a double distillation the spirit is stabilized in stainless steel tanks for two months and oxygenated before bottling additive free, at a slightly higher than standard 82 proof. Read more
Review: Modico Vodka
Modico Vodka is distilled at Montauk Distilling Company. Montauk Distilling Owner Leucio Iacobelli previously founded Hampton Rum Co. in Westfield NY in 2013. He moved and transformed Hampton Rum Co. to what is now Montauk Distilling Company in 2020. During Prohibition rum runners used Montauk located at the end of Long Island New York as a drop off point. It is that history and his love for water and the beaches of Montauk that inspired the Montauk Distilling name. He built the 3000 square foot Montauk Distilling Company in the old Riverhead Firehouse that was build in 1931 and occupied until 2008. They share the building with North Fork Brewery. Montauk Distilling Company currently produces rum, gin, bourbon, and Modico Vodka. Modico is distilled from corn mashes sourced in New York State. The spirit is triple distilled over 63 plates and then charcoal filtered before bottling. Read more
Review: Humano Tequila Blanco
Humano Tequila Blanco was born from a shared vision and desire of 5 veterans in the industry. Humano was just released this month in the US. The Humano name honors the human touch at each step of production. The 100% Blue Weber agave is grown in the Highland Region on 1250 acres of fourth generation family farmland with over 4 million plants in the ground. The entire process from dirt to glass is controlled. The distillery, Destileria La Experiencia in Totolan Jalisco was built on 198 acres. They only produce tequila for 5 other brands including Lo Siento, Ay!AY!AY!, and Buluarte. The hand trimmed agave first undergoes an agave wash to remove impurities before cooking. Some in an autoclave, and some in brick ovens. The extracted juice is fermented with a proprietary yeast in closed stainless steel tanks and double distilled. The tequila is hand bottled, additive free by local families in the region. Read more
Review: Glimmerglass Vodka
Glimmerglass Vodka is crafted at Cooperstown Distillery in Cooperstown New York, the hometown of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Gene Marra founded Cooperstown Distillery in 2013. This is a farm distillery using almost entirely New York state grown grains. They currently produce 6 whiskey’s, rum, gin and vodka. The distillery packages these spirits in standard shaped bottles and also sports themed bottles. Some of these sport themed bottles include a baseball, football, basketball, and golf club shaped bottle. Glimmerglass Vodka is made from 100% premium soft wheat and glacial water from Glimmerglass Lake. It is small batch distilled six times and filtered twice through five feet of activated carbon before bottling. Read more