Review: Aviation American Gin
Aviation American Gin takes it’s name from the classic Aviation cocktail. The cocktail is made with gin, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice. Aviation gin is probably best known as Ryan Reynolds gin. The Deadpool star husband of actress Blake Lively acquire the Aviation brand February 2018. Aviation Gin was created by co-founder Ryan Magarian a Seattle bartender, and Christian Krogstad the owner of House Spirits Distillery, based in Portland Oregon. After 30 different blends Aviation Gin was ready for release June 2006. Eight botanicals are used including Juniper, Cardamom, Coriander, French Lavender, Anise seed, Sarsaparilla, and 2 kinds of Orange Peel. The botanicals are placed in nylon sacks and suspended in a pure neutral grain spirit for 18 hours in a macerating tank. The spirit is distilled in a 400 gallon stainless steel still. Only the heart of the run is collected, about 140 gallons. Once complete the spirit weighs in at 142 proof. Pure water is blended to reduce to 84 proof. Now completed the Aviation American Gin goes into a bottling tank with a 6-sprout gravity filler and is pumped into each bottle. Read more 
Review: D George Benham’s Sonoma Dry Gin
D George Benham’s Sonoma Dry Gin was introduced February 2016. This was the first spirit produced by Derek George Benham at Granton Distilling Company. Derek also founded Purple Wine and Spirits in 2001. Benham’s Sonoma Dry gin is made from a neutral grain spirit with twelve botanicals including juniper, peppermint, orris root, grains of paradise, coriander, chamomile, galangal, Meyer lemon, star anise, cardamom, Buddha’s hand, and angelica. The spirit is distilled on a continuous micro-column still custom built by Headframe Stills in Butte Montana. Special botanical baskets individually infuse the aromas and flavors of each botanical in a vapor distillation process. Read more
Review: Glass Vodka
Glass Vodka was launched in 2012 with the opening of the Glass Distillery in the SOHO area of Seattle by Ian MacNiel. Glass Vodka may be best known for its 100% crystal bottle made with a one of its kind stopper. Glass vodka is made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc Grapes. It is distilled in a kettle and column still custom made in Germany. The distillery currently also makes Kona (coffee), Nectar (honey), and Spice (cinnamon) vodka from the Original Glass vodka base. They also produce Gridiron Vodka made from grapes and California Organic Wheat. Read more
Review: Clase Azul Plata Tequila
Clase Azul Plata Tequila is made with 100% organic Tequilana Weber blue agaves grown for a minimum of 9 years. The pinas are cooked in old-fashioned brick ovens for 72 hours. Once cooled they are crushed to extract the juice which is blended with a proprietary yeast and fermented in open steel vats. The spirit is double distilled in copper alembic stills. Water refined in a five step process is married with the tequila. A triple filtration follows before bottling at 80 proof. Speaking of the bottle, over 100 artisans dedicate their time to creating each 14 inch tall Clase Azul bottle, one at a time. Clase Azul had been produced at NOM 1416. It is now produced at Casa Tradicion, NOM 1595. For the record I am reviewing a bottle crafted at NOM 1595. Read more
Review: Trader Joes Cocoa Cream Liqueur
Trader Joes Cocoa Cream Liqueur as the name would suggest is sold at Trader Joes stores. It should not be confused with Crème de Cacao, a liqueur best known as an ingredient in making a Brandy Alexander or Grasshopper. Cocoa Cream is made with real dairy cream and premium spirits by Levecke Corporation in Mira Loma California. Levecke is a private label bottler who also makes Trader Joes Eggnog. Premium spirits is a nice way of saying grain spirits or vodka. Cocoa Cream Liqueur is only available through the holiday season or while supply lasts. Read more
Review: Revel Stoke Peanut Butter Whisky
Revel Stoke Peanut Butter Whisky was just released. If it seems like I just reviewed a peanut butter flavored whiskey you are wrong. I just reviewed two peanut butter whiskeys. While I don’t expect the number of peanut butter whiskeys to eclipse the number of cucumber flavored vodka’s, I do expect more to follow. A quick glance at the Revel Stoke web site shows 10 other varieties including Pecan, Apple, Cinnamon, Pineapple, Maple, Root Beer, Honey, Vanilla, Spiced, and their Original Blended Canadian Whisky. Each variety starts with a base made from a blend of rye, corn and barley malt. It is triple distilled in copper stills and aged for 3 years in charred white oak barrels. It is then shipped to Phillips Distilling Company in Minnesota where natural peanut butter flavors are blended before bottling at 70 proof. Read more
Review: Cutwater Bali Hai Tiki Holiday Spirit
Cutwater Bali Hai Tiki Holiday Spirit is a seasonal Limited release cream liqueur. Cutwater Spirits produces a complete line of spirits at their distillery in San Diego California. Their spirits include Vodka, Gin, Whiskey, Tequila, Rum, and Liqueur’s. They also make a complete line of canned cocktails and a mild and spicy Bloody Mary cocktail mix. In crafting Tiki Holiday they start with the Bali Hai Tiki Gold Rum base that is made from pure cane sugar. Cream, cinnamon, allspice, and natural pineapple and coconut flavors are blended before bottling at 40 proof. Read more
Review: Familia Camarena Reposado Tequila
Familia Camarena Reposado Tequila was introduced in 2010. The Camarena family immigrated to Mexico from Spain in the early 1700’s, pla
nted their first agave fields in 1860, and opened their distillery, Casa Casco Viejo in 1938. The Camarena family currently grow 3 million agave plants at an elevation of nearly 8000 feet. Familia Camarena is made from 100% Weber Blue agave that are slow roasted in traditional volcanic stone horno’s for several days. After a slow fermentation the tequila is double distilled. The Reposado expression is aged for 60 days in both new and used American oak barrels before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: PB&W Peanut Butter Whiskey
PB&W Peanut Butter Whiskey was introduced October 2019. It is made at the Old Elk Distillery in Fort Collins Colorado. The distillery was founded by Curt and Nancy Richardson, the innovators who created Otterbox, and Blue Ocean Enterprises. This distillery also produces Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Dry Town Gin, and Nooku Bourbon Cream. PB&W is made with blended premium whiskey and three different peanut flavors. Little product information about the whiskey used is provided but because it is a blended whiskey I’m assuming it’s not made with their Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey as the base. Read more
Review: Santo Fino Blanco Tequila
Santo Fino Blanco Tequila was created by Rocker Sammy Hagar, Chef Guy Fieri, and Third Generation Master Distiller Juan Eduardo Nunez at the famed El Viejito Distillery. The distillery was founded in 1937. Sammy worked with Juan years ago when they created Cabo Wabo tequila. It is made from 100% Blue Weber agave grown in the Jalisco Highlands. This is the follow up to their successful Santo Puro Mezquila, a blend of tequila and mezcal. Availability is currently limited and no production details have been released, but the three parties involved in its creation warranted some detective work and we were finally able to track down a bottle. Read more