Liquors

We first “discovered” Smugglers’ Notch Moroccan Rose & Grapefruit Flavored Vodka during a recent trip to Manchester, Vermont when we visited the Smugglers’ Notch Distillery Tasting Room and fell in love with this excellent vodka. Owned by father and son Ron Elliot and Jeremy Elliot, the distillery was founded in 2006, and has been winning awards ever since they launched their first vodka in 2010. The result is a delicious vodka with subtle, underlying notes of rose and grapefruit that…

Wheel Horse Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey made in Owensboro, Kentucky is an award-winning Rye that was awarded 94 points at the New York International Spirits Competition and took home a gold in the San Francisco Spirits Competition. While Rye must contain a minimum of 51% rye, Wheel Horse Straight Rye Whiskey goes well beyond that with a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. The result is smooth and delicious with a slightly spicy kick that works well…

Cocktailians and Mixologists will want to include a visit to the Hartford Flavor Company’s Distillery the next time they plan a visit to Hartford, Connecticut. Founded 10 years ago by Creatrix, Lelaneia Dubay, the woman-owned distillery located at 30 Arbor Street, has a diverse line of exceptional Hartford Flavor Company Vodkas, Wild Moon Liqueurs, and Wild Moon Botanics Liqueurs. With flavors like Raisin Fig Vodka, Sour Cherry Vodka, Lavender Liqueur, Cucumber Liqueur, Rose Liqueur, Birch Liqueur, Sumac Liqueur, and Sage…

Steel 43 Vodka from San Antonio, Texas is gluten free, and made from 100% corn in small batches in copper pot stills. We found it to be a delectable vodka that will not break the bank, and an admirable component for our hand-crafted cocktails, Luxury Experience – Texas Wine Time, Luxury Experience – Big Red, The Italian Greyhound, and even used it to create a delicious corn-based pudding, Luxury Experience – Corn and Green Chile Pudding with Candied Jalapeños. Imagine…

Bitter cocktails are trending now, and Select Aperitivo, an Aperitif Liqueur from Italy, is perfect for lower alcohol cocktail creations as it is a mere 17% alcohol. Its vibrant red color creates attractive cocktails, and its balanced mélange of flavors of macerated rhubarb roots, juniper berries, and 30 other botanicals, pairs well with a variety of ingredients to create interesting cocktails. Select Aperitivo has been an Italian tradition since the Pilla Brothers created it in Venice in 1920. While you…

Amaro Montenegro Premiata Specialità Liqueur from Bologna, Italy has enchanted palates since its inception in 1885. Made with a secret blend of 40 botanicals, the liqueur has layers of nuanced flavors that work well in both cocktail and culinary recipes. Look for the distinctive green bottle with its unique shape and attractive antique gold label that bears its coat of arms. Serve chilled over ice as an aperitif or as an after dinner digestif. It also works well to bring…

Wheel Horse Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey made in Owensboro, Kentucky is a delectable small batch bourbon that has made bourbon aficionados sit up and take notice. It was awarded 94 by Whisky Advocate and was in its Top 20 Whiskies of 2021. The color is a rich, deep copper color, and the taste delivers all the nuances that one looks for in a bourbon. If you love bourbon, you will definitely want to try Wheel Horse Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.…

We love the taste and nuances of Irish Whiskey and were delighted to “discover” the award-winning Northcross Irish Whiskey distilled in Ireland in copper stills and aged in ex-Bourbon, Oloroso Sherry casks, and American Oak. This impressive Irish Whiskey is delectable sipped on its own neat, served over ice or with a wee bit of water, or used in a variety of cocktail and culinary recipes. Bottled and imported by Latitude Beverage Company, look for the elegant dark green and…

Could there be any better job than being a spirits’ judge? We lent our spirits knowledge as well as our palates to act as judges for the 25th anniversary of the Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition held on Saturday, November 4, 2023, in the Magnificent Room at The SoNo Collection in South Norwalk, Connecticut! Over the course of four hours, we, along with our fellow judges, tasted products in assigned categories in a blind tasting, with winners…

If you are looking for a delicious lower-alcohol choice, Thompson’s Cider Mill Hard Cider crafted in small batches from a proprietary blend of heirloom and antique apples at Thompson’s Cider Mill in Croton-on-Hudson, New York is a fabulous choice. Their award-winning ciders come in 9-flavors, in dry and semi-dry styles. Thompson’s Cider Mill Hard Cider Antique Apple Blend Semi-Dry, only has 7% alcohol by volume, is delicious to drink on its own and is also delicious in cocktails. In addition…