A timeless style of malt whisky, Balcones “1” Texas Single Malt breathes new life into centuries of distilling tradition with classic techniques and ingredients adapted for New World tastes.  Opening aromas bear hints of toffee and overripe fruits. On the palate, layers of toasted malt and honey give way to mellow notes of baked pears and apples. A long finish is accompanied by cinnamon and cloves. Texas made, Texas proud, we hope you enjoy the whisky we owe our success to as much as we enjoy making it.

Tasting Notes

NOSE: ripe, buttered stone fruit, banana and pears; honey and rose water with delicate citrus accents

TASTE: silky and full on the palate; lightly toasted bread with fresh butter and marmalade

FINISH: long finish with lingering toast and burnt sugar notes morphing into rich malt and wood flavors with counterbalancing acidity

Surrounded by the grapevines of nearly 40 different wineries, Finger Lakes Distilling sits high above Seneca Lake in upstate New York's wine country. The architecture of the 5,000 square foot distillery complete with a 15-foot-tall canoe-shaped chandelier and made using reclaimed lumber was inspired by some of Scotland's most prestigious distilleries. Just outside their distillery in Burdett, New York, Brian and Thomas McKenzie Finger Lakes' founders (they swear they are unrelated) are inspecting the holding tanks which store the corn, rye and malted barley used to make McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey. The corn and rye bins, nicknamed Corn-elia and Rye-ella, store grains sourced from local farmers in upstate New York, while the malted barley bin, nicknamed Malt-ilda, stores barley sourced from Canada. After sourcing the grains, the McKenzies grind and mill a mash comprised of 70% corn, 20% rye and 10% malted barley. The mash is then fermented for approximately three days before being distilled inside a 350-gallon, two-ton Holstein copper pot still imported from Germany. Following distillation, the bourbon is aged at 100 proof inside 10-gallon, newly charred American oak casks for approximately 18 months. After aging in the American oak casks, the bourbon is double-barreled, or finished, in used Chardonnay casks sourced from one of the many wineries that surround Finger Lakes Distilling. The Chardonnay casks impart a rich, buttery flavor to the bourbon, and round out its notes of toffee, apricot and cinnamon. "As far as distilling spirits there's nothing more fun than making whiskey," says Brian McKenzie. "There are so many steps to the production from mashing to distillation to the blending stage there so many variables that can affect the flavors. Being a craft distiller, that's what's exciting about it." 

In 1895, Samuele Sebastiani emigrated to the United States from Tuscany. A stonemason by trade, he quarry-mined the hills of Sonoma, California for the cobblestones used to build the streets of San Francisco. For nearly a decade, he worked long hours, lived frugally and saved carefully, and in 1904, Sebastiani purchased enough land in Sonoma to open the doors to Sebastiani Winery. Sebastiani's tireless work ethic quickly made the winery successful, and Sebastiani Winery was the only winery in Sonoma to remain open during Prohibition. Today, August Sebastiani, Samuele's great-grandson, is the President of 35 Maple Street Distillery, the makers of Uncle Val's Botanical Gin. The gin is named after Vaerio Cecchetti, Sebastiani's favorite uncle and a retired physician near Lucca, Italy. "In addition to being a highly regarded doctor, Uncle Val is a great cook and avid gardener," says Sebastiani. The botanicals used in the gin juniper, lemon, sage, lavender and cucumber "are the same as those Uncle Val likes to use in his cooking and grows in his home garden." Awarded an astounding 96 points by The Tasting Panel, Uncle Val's Botanical Gin has a complex yet subtle flavor profile. Sebastiani uses immersion bags (think big tea bags) in order to infuse the gin with the flavors from the botanicals. The immersion bags are steeped in the gin for several hours, although some remain in the gin longer in order to impart a stronger aroma and flavor. The lemon adds a burst of crispy citrus flavor which is balanced by the calming effect of the sage. While the lavender provides for an elegant, refined aroma, the cucumber adds a cooling, subtle freshness. After the gin is distilled five times over, Sebastiani's team filters it using carbon and lava rock (or pumice), which has a porous density that's perfect for filtering gin. After filtration, the gin is brought to proof using naturally sweet spring water from the Cascade Mountains before being bottled and labeled by hand. "Gin was invented in the Netherlands by a doctor, Franciscus Sylvius, who was a professor of medicine in Leyden, Holland, back in the 1650s," Sebastiani says. "He was trying to find a cure-all for kidney and stomach disorders, so he infused juniper berries into distilled spirits. The elixir became so popular that distillers began commercial production and by the end of the 1680s, the Dutch were exporting more than 10 million gallons of gin each year. Gin is the only spirit that started out as a medicine, so it's fitting that we named ours after Uncle Val." 

The anCnoc 12 year old is renowned the world over. Known as a must-have in any whisky drinker’s collection, it’s light and yet complex. Smooth yet challenging. And each twist and turn delivers a surprise. In fact, this is a dram that has something for everyone.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Gentle amber with a slight yellow hue.

Nose: Soft, very aromatic with a hint of honey and lemon in the foreground.

Taste: Sweet to start with an appetising fruitiness and a long smooth finish. Light yet complex, smooth yet challenging. This is a dram that has something for everyone.

1792 Small Batch Bourbon is sophisticated and complex. A distinctly different bourbon created with precise craftsmanship. Made from our signature "high rye" recipe and the marriage of select barrels carefully chosen by our Master Distiller. 1792 Bourbon has an expressive and elegant flavor profile. Unmistakable spice mingles with sweet caramel and vanilla to create a bourbon that is incomparably brash and bold, yet smooth and balanced. Elevating whiskey to exceptional new heights, 1792 Bourbon is celebrated by connoisseurs worldwide.

This award winning "mosto verde, acholado" style Peruvian Pisco, formerly known as Pisco Portón, is sustainably harvested and hand-crafted at the oldest distillery in the Americas, Destilería La Caravedo, Est. 1684.

Method of Production: Single-distilled to 43% ABV (86 proof) requiring approximately 8 kilos (18 lbs.) of a blend of quebranta, torontel, italia and albilla grapes to produce one 750ml bottle. Distilled from partially fermented grape juice (pure wine--no pomace) and rested a minimum of one year—six months for each varietal and another six months after assemblage--with no additives of any kind: no color, no water, no sugar, no wood flavoring. Distilled through alambique copper pot stills and traditional falca stills.

TASTING NOTES

NOSE

CONDITION: clean and forward

INTENSITY: pronounced

AROMA CHARACTERISTICS: fresh, clean and fruity with hints of melon, grape, white vanilla and honeycrisp apple aromas.

MATURITY: un-aged and rested in stainless steel for one year.

PALATE

ALCOHOL: warming

BODY: full and very viscous

FLAVOR INTENSITY: pronounced

FLAVOR CHARACTERISTICS: rich, warming, full bodied, intense, creamy texture includes characteristics of cinnamon, orange blossom, chocolate and citrus.

FINISH: complex and smooth, long and luxurious.

Provenance

At Tequileña in the eponymous town of Tequila, Jalisco, home to a range of celebrated tequilas, Master Distiller Enrique Fonseca distills agave predominantly grown in and around his highland hometown of Atotonilco el Alto. For this añejo expression, Enrique ages select tequilas initially in used Cabernet Franc wine barrels from the Loire Valley of France for a minimum of 14 months. The tequila is then extracted from the French oak and laid into toasted American white oak previously used to age either Canadian whiskey or Tennessee rye whiskey, for a minimum of 14 additional months, for a truly masterful balance of oak and agave flavors.

Tasting Notes

Color: rich amber

Nose: butterscotch, citrus, baking spices, vanilla

Palate: toffee, walnut candy, custard, orange zest, dark chocolate

For over a decade, Jacob Lustig managed the tequila and mezcal portfolio of the largest liquor distributor in the United States. Lustig has had a lifetime of experience in the tequila industry: as a child, his family moved back and forth between San Francisco and Oaxaca, Mexico. Later, as a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Lustig studied the history of the Mexican liquor business. "My passion for nuanced and unique agave spirits began in southern Mexico during the early 1990s," says Jacob, "when I renovated a centuries-old Oaxacan mezcal distillery after concluding an intensive study of regional mezcal distillation and its myriad production configurables." As the manager of a tequila and mezcal portfolio, "I was able to work closely with over forty of Jalisco's finest tequila distilleries." Seleccin ArteNOM Tequila is the first and only company authorized by the Tequila Regulatory Council to bottle tequilas from different distilleries and release them under a single brand name. "A prevailing regulation in the tequila industry specifically prohibits the bottling of any brand in multiple locations, in order to assure aficionados consistent flavor and quality in their preferred mark," says Jacob, but after years of working with the Tequila Regulatory Council, Jacob was granted permission. Gratefully, the Seleccin ArteNOM Tequilas are now being applauded in both Mexico and the United States. ArteNOM Seleccion de 1414 Tequila Reposado is produced in Arandas, Jalisco (elevation: 5,400 feet) by master distiller Jos Manuel Vivanco at the Destileria El Ranchito. Vivanco is a fourth generation distiller his great, great grandfather began cultivating agave in the highlands of Jalisco just after the Mexican Revolution. Vivanco ferments his estate-grown agave using a natural indigenous-yeast that is found in and around his distillery. After twice-distilling the agave, Vivanco ages the tequila for four months in white American oak casks that were previously used to age bourbon. Seleccion de 1414 Tequila Reposado has notes of mature agave and banana bread, followed by a long, smooth finish with notes of honey, citrus and vanilla. Seleccin ArteNOM Tequila is the only project of its kind. 

Elijah Pepper began distilling whiskey at the dawn of the American Revolution and during the War of 1812, he built the first log cabin distillery in Versailles, Kentucky. Eventually, he passed the family business on to his son, Oscar, and then on to his grandson, James E. Pepper. Colonel James E. Pepper was one of Kentucky's first Bourbon aristocrats he raced thoroughbreds in the Kentucky Derby, traveled in a private rail car and made famous the Old Fashioned cocktail. "Pepper Whisky is an old fashioned whisky, made in the old time way from a formula used for more than 100 years by three generations of the Pepper family," wrote James, in an advertisement dated August 22, 1887. "We claim not only to make the oldest but absolutely the purest and best brand of whisky made in America, and we invite comparison with any whisky of any age." In 1958, after the whiskey industry fell on hard times, the James E. Pepper Distillery was forced to close its doors. During its tenure, Pepper Whiskey, or "Old 1776 Whiskey" as it became it known, was a favorite of Presidents Andrew Jackson and Ulysses S. Grant, and was preferred by Daniel Webster, a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts. "Before re-launching this iconic brand," says Amir Peay, "we did extensive research and spent years collecting and analyzing full, preserved bottles of original Pepper Whiskey." Peay even acquired a letter written by Pepper himself, detailing the exact mashbill and recipe used to create Old 1776. "We wanted to pay homage to Pepper's legacy and do our best to recreate the original Pepper Whiskey something that was part of American history," he says. James E. Pepper 1776 Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from a mash of approximately 62% corn and malted barley, and 38% rye. After distillation, the bourbon is aged for a minimum of four years in new, American oak casks. As a result, it has slightly sweet hints of vanilla, toffee and caramel, that subtly compliment notes of baking spices, spicy rye and oak. James E. Pepper 1776 Bourbon Whiskey earned Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2013. "We used the same traditional methods that Pepper championed in order to restore these whiskies," says Peay. 

Situated in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Ransom Distillery sits on a 40-acre farm just outside Sheridan, Oregon. The distillery, which opened its doors in 1997, was named after the funds required to start the business. "I had always wanted to start my own business," says Tad Seestedt, owner and master distiller at Ransom Spirits, "and I thought that Ransom was an appropriate name in that its definition is buying your freedom or independence with money. The money I had to borrow from the bank to start the business was my Ransom." Ransom Spirits' Old Tom Gin is a revival of the gins fashioned during the mid-19th century — the golden age of American cocktails. The recipe, which Seestedt developed in collaboration with famed historian and mixologist David Wondrich ("a living iPod of drink lore and recipes," according to The New York Times), actually begins with the distillation of whiskey. After mashing and fermenting malted barley, Seestedt distills the wash through his custom-designed 150-gallon copper pot still. Next, he infuses a separate grain-based distillate with a secret recipe of herbs and botanicals, including juniper, orange peel, lemon peel, coriander seed, angelica root and cardamom. The malted barley and grain-based distillates are then married together in the chamber of Seestedt's still and then distilled together. After distillation, Old Tom Gin is aged for 3-6 months before being brought to proof and bottled by hand. Old Tom Gin has initial notes of orange and lemon, which are wonderfully balanced by herbal undertones. The subtle, rounded flavors of the juniper, grains and hint of oak provided by the aging process add complexity and intrigue, and are followed by a malty, slightly sweet finish. Old Tom Gin earned the Gold Medal at the International Review of Spirits Competition and earned a score of 93 points from the Beverage Testing Institute. In addition, it earned a Gold Medal and the title "Best of Category" at the American Distilling Institute Competition in 2013.

Whisky Advocate’s Artisan Whiskey of the Year – The whis- key that put us on the map.

We use three individually smoked malts (cherrywood from Wisconsin, beechwood from Germany, and peat from Scotland) to craft this deep and complex whiskey. Using 3 distinct smokes provides consistent and balanced smoke from nose to the pallet and throughout the finish.

Corsair never uses artificial flavors or colors, achieving superior flavor and color through quality malted barley, innovative distillation and small barrel maturation.

 Tasting Notes

Smoke and notes of cherry pervade the palate, finished by a slight brininess from the mossy peat. Pot distilled then aged in new American charred oak, Triple Smoke has the sweetness of an American whiskey with the rich smoke of an Islay single malt scotch.

Barr Hill Vodka is our tribute to the hardworking beekeepers. In late summer, we take delivery of hundreds of barrels of their pure raw honey. Their season’s work is what makes our vodka truly special. Our recipe depends on two simple principles: we never heat the honey prior to fermentation and we never distill more than twice. Our technique preserves the wild yeast and the rich aromatics of nectar - delivering the floral depth of wildflower fields straight to your glass.

Bull Run Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a notable expression that exemplifies the craftsmanship and dedication of the Bull Run Distillery, located in Portland, Oregon. This small-batch bourbon is a testament to the distillery's commitment to producing exceptional spirits with a focus on quality and attention to detail.

Crafted using traditional methods and carefully selected ingredients, Bull Run Straight Bourbon Whiskey offers a captivating experience for whiskey enthusiasts. The mash bill is composed of a combination of corn, rye, and malted barley, creating a well-balanced flavor profile that showcases both sweetness and spice.

The aging process is a critical component in the creation of this bourbon. Bull Run Straight Bourbon Whiskey is carefully matured in charred American oak barrels, allowing the spirit to develop complexity and depth over time. The interaction between the whiskey and the wood imparts rich flavors, including notes of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak.

Upon tasting, Bull Run Straight Bourbon Whiskey reveals its full-bodied nature and smooth character. The palate is greeted with a harmonious blend of flavors, combining the sweetness of corn with the spiciness of rye, while hints of dried fruits and baking spices add layers of complexity. The whiskey's well-integrated oak influence and balanced mouthfeel contribute to a satisfying drinking experience.

Bull Run Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or as the foundation for classic bourbon cocktails. Its exceptional quality and craftsmanship make it suitable for savoring moments of relaxation or for sharing with fellow whiskey enthusiasts.

Named after a dark, mystical owl represented in ancient Mexican folklore, El Buho Mezcal represents a new breed of agave spirits. Mezcal is often referred to as the grandfather of tequila because it's centuries older, but that's not completely accurate tequila is made from blue agave near Tequila, Mexico, while mezcal can be made from agave grown elsewhere in Mexico. El Buho Mezcal, made from agave grown in Oaxaca, Mexico the birthplace of mezcal is produced by a fifth-generation family of mezcal distillers. Near the El Buho farm in Oaxaca, espadin agave plants that are nearly a decade old are hand-selected by expert jimadors who determine exactly when each plant is perfectly ripened and ready to harvest.The hearts of the agave, or pias, are then slowly roasted in a stone pit fire between Oaxacan earth and local mesquite for an entire week, before they are crushed under a tahona (a stone mill). After the resulting mash is fermented, it is double pot distilled in the same alembic still that the first generation of El Buho Mezcal producers used. Crisp, smooth and incredibly approachable, El Buho is a mezcal without pretense. In Oaxaca, the locals say para todo mal, mezcal, para todo bien, tambin.It means for everything bad mezcal; for everything good, too. 

Founded as a dry community, Evanston, Illinois was the birthplace of the Women's Temperance Movement and home to Frances Elizabeth Willard, an influential protagonist in the story of Prohibition. As the Temperance Movement approached a boiling point, abstinence slowly began to creep across the country and Willard and her league of temperance supporters turned Evanston into a stronghold. For over 100 years, Evanston remained a dry town. It wasn't until Paul Hletko, owner and master distiller at Few Spirits, began lobbying the town that the antiquated laws were lifted. "I'm the vice president of the PTA at my kids' school and I coach their soccer and T-ball teams," Hletko says. "People around town know me and what I'm about, which is handy when you're looking to change 100 years of laws." Today, hidden down a dark alley in a former chop shop, Hletko and his skilled team are producing another batch of Few Spirits American Gin. The gin is crafted from a mash of corn, wheat and unmalted barley, which are infused with eleven unique botanicals, including juniper, citrus lemon and orange peel, Tahitian vanilla, cassia, grains-of-paradise and home-grown hops. As a result, the gin has a bold citrusy flavor profile, with notes of spicy ginger and earthy botanicals that complement a subtle hint of juniper. Once the botanicals have been infused, the gin is bottled at 80 proof. Few American Gin earned the Silver Medal at the International Review of Spirits Competition in 2011, and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012.

Situated over 1,000 feet above sea level in southwestern Guatemala, the Ron Zacapa Plantation enjoys generous amount of sunlight and mineral-rich, volcanic soils, making it ideal for the cultivation of fresh, raw sugar cane. There, expert farmers many of whom have been tending to the land for decades carefully analyze the sugar cane as it matures on the estate, harvesting only the canes that contain high levels of sucrose and fiber and low levels of impurities. While most rums are made using molasses, which is a byproduct of refining sugar cane, Ron Zacapa Rum is made using virgin sugar cane honey. The virgin sugar cane honey is extracted from the first pressing of raw sugar cane harvested on the Zacapa Plantation, and lends a luxurious, smooth texture to the rum. Once the honey has been extracted, it is fermented with a unique strain of pineapple yeast before being distilled through a single column still lined with copper. Following distillation, Ron Zacapa XO Solera Gran Reserva Especial is solera-aged through a series of casks that were previously used to mature bourbon, sherry and Pedro Ximenez wine. Solera aging is a process that has generally been reserved for aging cognacs, ports and sherries. It involves filling a series of casks at different intervals over a long period of time. As rum from the oldest cask is emptied and bottled, the cask is re-filled with an equivalent amount of rum from the second-oldest cask in the solera. This cascading effect continues until the youngest cask in the solera is filled with new rum. As a result, no cask in the solera is ever fully emptied. In addition, as the younger rum cascades through the solera, its average age and complexity gradually increases over time. Ron Zacapa XO is crafted from a marriage of rums that have been solera-aged and are up to twenty-five years old. In addition, the rum is finished in French oak barrels that were previously used to mature cognac. As a result, the rum has an intense mahogany color, along with an aroma of leather, burnt caramel, roasted nuts and orange zest. The aroma gives way to notes of tobacco, cherries, chocolate, dates and figs on the palate, and leads to a long, semi-sweet finish accented by notes of raisins, vanilla and cinnamon. Ron Zacapa XO was named one of the Top 10 Spirits of the Year by Gayot, and was named the Best Sipping Rum by Gear Patrol. In addition, it was named one of the Ten Best Choices for National Rum Day by Forbes.

Zacapa XO is a unique balance of complex aromas and flavors resulting from the exclusive blend of reserve rums. We hand-select rums aged between 10 and 25 years in the “Sistema Solera.” Older and younger rums are then blended as they age in a sequence of barrels that previously stored robust American whiskeys, delicate Sherries, fine Pedro Ximénez wines and finished in French oak casks which previously aged Cognac. Zacapa XO is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks and pairs beautifully with dark chocolate and desserts.

TASTING NOTES

NOSE: Balance of mature toasted oak, burnt caramel, dry roasted nuts, marzipan and orange peel with a delicate fruit deep note at the end.

TASTE: Balance of sweetness, fruit, spice and spirit. Long, smooth and sweet with dark cherry, chocolate, date, prune with sweet oak spices of clove, vanilla and cinnamon.

FINISH: Lighter notes of dried mango, raspberry and ginger on the finish.

Our most popular whisky!  Roundstone Rye® is a very unique rye whisky, made completely from scratch at our distillery in Purcellville, Virginia.  This pre-Prohibition style rye whisky is made from 100% rye grain, sourced locally when available.  It is mashed, fermented, distilled and aged completely in our distillery, before bottling it at a very sippable 80 proof.  Aged in new charred white oak casks for a period of around two years, the whisky is smooth, woody, with that full-bodied fruity-nutty grain flavor typical of a Virginia rye whisky. Roundstone Rye has a delicious woody taste, with notes of caramel, rich butter toffee, and just a hint of lemon in the nose.

Roundstone Rye is a superb sipping whisky, a great whisky in Manhattans, or your favorite rye whisky cocktails.

AWARDS

Double Gold Medal

– New York World Wine and Spirits Competition, September 23, 2018

Gold Medal

– The Good Food Awards, January 19, 2018

– F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal, September 2016

– American Craft Spirits, September 22, 2010

Silver Medal 

– Beverage Testing Institute, February 24, 2011

– Paste Magazine, November 20, 2017

– Paste Magazine, September 19, 2015

– Men's Journal, September 3, 2014

– Modern Distillery Age, November 25, 2011

As the first vodka approved to wear the Idaho Potato Commission’s official seal, our naturally gluten free Mountain Huckleberry Flavored Vodka is the ideal spirit for drinking chilled, straight-up, on the rocks, or in an infinite range of signature cocktails.

Mountain Huckleberries are a high elevation wild berry and the state fruit of Idaho. 44º North® Vodka blends them with quality Potato Vodka for a rich, natural flavor.

Our Potato Vodka is naturally gluten free and is distilled using a five-column distillation process from 100% Potato neutral spirits and blended with Rocky Mountain water from the Snake River Aquifer.

For the Willett family, distilling craft whiskey is a family tradition. During Reconstruction, John David Willett the family patriarch began distilling whiskey at the Moore, Willett & Frenke Distillery, which was situated just outside of Louisville, Kentucky. In 1898, his son, A. Lambert Willett who was 15 years old at the time began following in his father's footsteps. Three decades later, Lambert, together with his son, Thompson, purchased a farm on the outskirts of Bardstown, Kentucky, and began construction of the Willett Distilling Company. While the Willett Distilling Company eventually changed its name to Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, the family tradition lives on Even Kulsveen, the current owner of KBD, is Thompson Willett's son-in-law. In keeping with family tradition, Pure Kentucky XO Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an authentic Kentucky straight bourbon. Aged for about twelve years ("XO" meaning "extra old"), Pure Kentucky is bottled at an unusually robust proof of 107, yet is remarkably smooth and drinkable. The bourbon has an intense aroma of sweet vanilla, cedar and oak. The aroma yields to notes of spicy rye, vanilla and maple syrup, with hints of cherry. The slightly salty finish is long and smooth, with continued vanilla notes. Pure Kentucky won the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and is highly recommended by F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal. With its combination of age, taste and proof making it an unparalleled value, Pure Kentucky XO Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey is one of the best kept secrets on the whiskey market.

Situated in Seattle's Capitol Hill Neighborhood, Oola Distillery was founded by Kirby Kallas-Lewis as "a labor of love, intellectual curiosity and commitment to the neighborhood." "All our grains are sourced from two organic farms in Eastern Washington," says Kirby. In addition, the use of wheat in the bourbon's mashbill "allows me to hold back on the corn and add more rye. This results in a more complex, balanced and less overly sweet bourbon."Once the ingredients arrive at the distillery, they are milled and mashed before being distilled through Kirby's copper-pot still. Following distillation, the bourbon is matured in small, American white oak casks that are subjected to large temperature swings of up to 50-70 each day. "The idea is to extract a lot of the influence from the barrel early on in the aging process." After this initial beauty rest, the bourbon is transferred to 53-gallon, American white oak casks that boast an alligator char. The alligator char allows the whiskey to penetrate the wood, which hails from the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, up to a inch. There, the bourbon rests for an additional three to four years. "These casks are then combined to marry together subtle flavors that compliment each other usually two barrels are married together, but sometimes 3 or 4 work best to get to the optimum flavor profile before bottling."Once the barrels have been blended, the bourbon is bottled without the use of chill filtration. "We want the full richness of the nose and flavor profile to stay as intact as possible," says Kirby. Oola Waitsburg Bourbon has a spicy aroma, with touches of cinnamon, ginger and black peppercorn that give way to notes of caramel, vanilla, olives, dill pickles and chutney on the palate. The finish is warm and balanced, with hints of honey and oak spices complementing each other. The bourbon was "highly recommended" by the Beverage Testing Institute, and has a "pleasingly long and mellow finish," according to the Capitol Hill Times. In addition, it earned the Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2013 and the Silver Medal at the Beverage Testing Institute Competition in 2012. Pick up a bottle today!