During the late 19th century, an overwhelming number of distilleries throughout the United States were still not aging their whiskey. As a result, some retailers would add juices and syrups to sweeten the whiskey, while others would add acid and tobacco to give their whiskey its signature, amber hue. In 1870, George Garvin Brown a young pharmaceuticals salesman from Kentucky saw the need for a consistently high-quality whiskey that would remain unadulterated after distillation. After saving $5,500, Brown and his brother opened the doors to J.T.S. Brown & Bro. Distillery and began distilling bourbon. Unlike other distilleries at the time, Brown aged his bourbon, which was named Old Forester, in oak casks and bottled it in a sealed glass bottle to ensure authenticity and quality. Since its introduction in 1870, Old Forester has been on the market continuously, even during Prohibition, when it continued to be sold for medicinal purposes. It is the only bourbon continuously distilled and marketed by the founding family before, during and after Prohibition. This historic recipe was acquired in 1940 by Owsley Brown I, Old Forester Rye features a mash bill of 65% Rye, 20% Malted Barley, and 15% Corn. This high proportion of barley yields a natural fermentation process, and a unique floral character, balancing the sharp, brisk spice of the rye grain. At 100 proof, Old Forester Rye plays beautifully in a cocktail but also stands up boldly on its own. Pick up your bottle today!

In 2006, a group of Rye enthusiasts bought a 500-acre Vermont dairy farm, later the home of Master Distiller Dave Pickerell. After military service and leadership roles, including at Maker's Mark, Pickerell pursued his passion for rye whiskey. Motivated by the historical significance of rye in America, he crafted PiggyBack, a 100% rye with a powerful, spicy profile from six years in oak barrels. This expression, one of Pickerell's final creations, offers a complex, smooth character at 96.56 proof, a tribute to the year of his birth, 1956. Ideal for any rye cocktail, it embodies Pickerell's vision of the perfect aged Rye Whiskey.

Cognac Le Magnifique is made solely from grapes found in the two highest-quality crus (vineyard areas), Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne, located in the heart of the Cognac region. In the Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne crus, the soil consists of a thin layer of clay-limestone covering a deeper layer of limestone and chalk. Grande Champagne features rolling hills, while Petite Champagne features rolling hills, while Petite Champagne is more compact. However, the chalky soil found in both crus provides the optimal growing conditions for aromatic, flavorful grapes. This incredible Levon Magnifique VSOP earned a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2018. 

Levon cognac was established in Cognac Le Magnifique is made solely from grapes found in the two highest-quality crus (vineyard areas), Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne, located in the heart of the Cognac region. In the Petite Champagne and Grande Champagne crus, the soil consists of a thin layer of clay-limestone covering a deeper layer of limestone and chalk. Grande Champagne features rolling hills, while Petite Champagne features rolling hills, while Petite Champagne is more compact. However, the chalky soil found in both crus provides the optimal growing conditions for aromatic, flavorful grapes. This compelling blend is a charming blend of hundreds of eaux de vie aged for at least 10 years, hand-selected from the Cognac region's two finest crus, Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne.

The Featherbone Factory built by E.K. Warren in the 19th century to manufacture women's corsets sits on the banks of Lake Michigan just across the Indiana border in Three Oaks, Michigan. As the factory changed hands in the twentieth century, it became a production site for everything from buggy whips to pickles. Today, it's home to Journeyman Distillery and Bill Welter, Journeyman's master distiller. Welter, who was formerly a banker in Indiana, began his Journey when his family business was sold in 2006. He moved to Scotland, where he began to learn the art of craft distillation from Greg Ramsay (master distiller at Nant Distillery) and Bill Lark (master distiller at Lark Distillery). After returning to the United States, Welter spent time producing and resting whiskey using a prominent organic & kosher distiller's facility in Chicago before opening the doors of his own distillery in Three Oaks with the intention to offer grain-to-glass spirits from day one/drop one. Fondly known as The Whip, Buggy Whip Wheat Whiskey is named after one of the products produced at the historic Featherbone Factory back in the late 1800's.This single-grain whiskey showcases the high quality and terroir of the organic Michigan wheat used to produce it. The 100% wheat provides a soft sweetness and smoothness reminiscent of an Irish whiskey on the palate. Jim Murray gave this incredible whiskey earned 94.5 pts Sensational! in his 2018 Whiskey Bible. 

The Featherbone Factory built by E.K. Warren in the 19th century to manufacture women's corsets sits on the banks of Lake Michigan just across the Indiana border in Three Oaks, Michigan. As the factory changed hands in the twentieth century, it became a production site for everything from buggy whips to pickles. Today, it's home to Journeyman Distillery and Bill Welter, Journeyman's master distiller. Welter, who was formerly a banker in Indiana, began his Journey when his family business was sold in 2006. He moved to Scotland, where he began to learn the art of craft distillation from Greg Ramsay (master distiller at Nant Distillery) and Bill Lark (master distiller at Lark Distillery). After returning to the United States, Welter spent time producing and resting whiskey using a prominent organic & kosher distiller's facility in Chicago before opening the doors of his own distillery in Three Oaks with the intention to offer grain-to-glass spirits from day one/drop one. Silver Cross Four Grain artisanal whiskey is comprised of four types of grain in equal parts.Distilled in a way to highlight the flavor profile of each grain in the whiskey itself.The Silver Cross name is inspired by a medal that was given out in the early days of the British Open, which would later come to symbolize friendship, tradition, camaraderie and spirited competition.1% of all the proceeds from this whiskey is donated to various golf charities/organizations to teach kids the game of golf and instill in them good core values. This incredible whiskey earned 92 pts from the Beverage Tasting Institute and a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

In 1870, George Garvin Brown was the first to seal his whisky, Old Forester, in a glass bottle. To commemorate his birthday, the First Bottled BourbonTM annually releases a limited edition, vintage-dated expression: Birthday Bourbon. The September 2nd release markets the 23rd limited edition expression. Hand selected by Master Distiller- Emeritus Chris Morris and Master Taster Melissa Rift, this small batch bourbon offers a unique character and flavor profile that will never be replicated.

The 2023 Birthday Bourbon is presented at 96 proof. After showing exceptionally unique character during a tasting panel, the 12-year old barrels were chosen specifically for Birthday Bourbon. The full allotment of product represents barrels that come from the same day of production.

Tasting Notes

AROMA: Bright candied citrus and floral overtones give way to rich turbinado sugar and roasted coffee beans as slight cedar and charred oak round out the nose.

TASTE: Subtle citrus with heavy notes of dark honey, molasses and charred oak.

FINISH: A dry toasty oaked caramel with lingering bittersweet tannins.

The Luzhou Laojiao Distillery is situated in the lush river town of Luzhou, in southwestern China's Sichuan Province. The winemaking traditions of Luzhou spans almost two thousand years, with luminaries such as Guo Huaiyu the creator of big qu baijiu in the fourteenth century and Shi Jingzhang inventor of pit fermentation baijiu in the fifteenth century laying the foundations of this special spirit. The Luzhou distillery is famed for its 1,000-year pit, 10,000-year mash technique involving optimizing the fermentation process that develops flavor over time. In the 1950s Luzhou Laojiao trail-blazed the first modern guide to baijiu production,Luzhou Laojiao Big Qu Spirits, inspiring distillers across China. Baijiu (pronouncedbye-jyo) means white spirits in Mandarin. The secret ingredient in baijiu is qu (pronounced chew), a naturally harvested culture of airborne yeasts and other microorganisms. It makes the taste and scent of every baijiu highly specific to the place it was created. Qu also allows Chinese distillers to ferment and distill grains in a solid state, which creates incredible complexity of flavor. There nearly a dozen distinctive regional styles of baijiu, but there are four major styles: strong aroma, light aroma, sauce aroma, and rice aroma. A balanced and complex spirit, Ming River is the original Sichuan baijiu. Each batch starts with locally harvested red sorghum grain and the purest waters from protected wells. It is fermented in earthen pits with naturally harvested yeast cultures native to Luzhou that impart the distinctive terroir of Sichuan style baijiu. After two months, the mash is unearthed and distilled in small batches using a traditional Chinese pot still. The spirits age for up to two years before the master blender balances them into Ming River's distinctive flavor. The result is an uncompromisingly bold spirit with notes of pineapple and anise with a lingering mellow finish. Perfect neat alongside spicy cuisine or in a cocktail, this baijiu evokes Sichuan with each sip. Pick up your bottle today!

Translating as ‘Rare Cask’ in Gaelic, Casg Annamh is created from a limited number of carefully selected casks. These Spanish oak Oloroso Sherry casks/butts have a significant influence on the non-chill filtered liquid and perfectly complement Aberlour’s distillate flavour, bringing sweet and rich notes. Casg Annamh is a distinctively rich Single Malt providing adventurous malt lovers with the ideal introduction to Sherry cask matured whiskies.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Rich and sweet with fruity notes of tangy orange, glazed cherries, raisins and a hint of ginger. 

Palate: Sweet and fruity flavours of apple and cinnamon crumble and ripe peaches balanced with spicy notes of liquorice and cloves.

Finish: Long and rich. Fruity with a touch of dry spice.

In 1876, John D. Willett one of Kentucky's original bourbon aristocrats transferred his interest in the Willett & Frenke Distillery to his sons-in-law, Benjamin Mattingly, and Thomas Moore. Mattingly and Moore continued to operate the Willett & Frenke Distillery together until 1881 when Mattingly finally sold his stake in the company to a group of investors. Within a few years, Thomas Moore acquired complete control over the distillery and eponymously renamed it. Moore would continue to operate the distillery for another five decades until he was ultimately forced to close his doors at the onset of Prohibition. Today, the Barton 1792 Distillery operates on the same site as the historic Tom Moore Distillery and continues to use the same methods that Moore used over a century ago when distilling his own bourbon. 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from a mash of corn, rye, and malted barley. While the use of corn in the bourbon's recipe adds classic notes of buttered bread, biscuits and roasted nuts, the heavy use of rye in the bourbon's mashbill yields a more complex and full-bodied whiskey. After the grains are harvested, they are mashed and fermented before being distilled through a copper-pot still. In 1897, the Bottled-in-Bond Act revolutionized the quality of American whiskey. Carrying on that tradition, this well-aged bourbon from barrels all filled during the same season was bottled at exactly 100 proof for a bold taste and lingering finish - a testament to the Bottled-in-Bond Act established over a century ago.

Freeland Bourbon pays homage to the South, and to Grandma Freeland, the namesake of Freeland Spirits. Soft caramel, vanilla and spice dance into the whiskey from charred American oak barrels. A final rest in Oregon’s Elk Cove Pinot Noir barrels adds an element of Pacific Northwest terroir. Blended with precision by our Master Distiller, Molly Troupe, to achieve balanced texture and harmony of flavors.

ABV: 46%

Finish: long and velvety

Mash Bill: 70% corn, 20% rye, 10% malted barley

Taste: Rounded and smooth, soft caramel and baked berries layered with vanilla bean, cocoa and spice

Aroma: Toffee, marmalade, smoked pecan and clove

Color: Rich mahogany

Freeland Spirits Gin is small batch crafted using a unique blend of traditional heat distillation along with vacuum distillation, which allows us to use fresh, Pacific Northwest ingredients. Fresh herbal essences of rosemary, mint and crisp cucumber lift the nose. Grapefruit and lemon peel brighten the brisk juniper and bold spice. Pink peppercorn, coriander and star anise mingle with 10 additional dried botanicals in the copper pot still.

ABV: 45%

Finish: lingers with complexity

Taste: Layered spice balanced by freshness, strikingly smooth texture, rounded body

Aroma: Garden herbs, vibrant spice, citrus bursts, floral hints, spruce undertones

Port Finish – World’s Best Rye Whiskey

Awarded as the World’s Best Rye Whiskey at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

We finished our Straight Rye Whiskies in the finest European and American Port barrels. The result is a perfect blend of plum, cherry, and baking spices that conclude with a full, dry finish. This exceptional whiskey should be savoured and shared.

Tasting Notes

PALATE: Bold black cherry jam with dark fruits. A dry finish complimented with a touch of smooth caramel.

PROOF: 101.2 (50.6% ABV)

AGE: 4 - 5 Years

Crafted from select corn, barley, and a hint of rye, each small batch of Alamo Black Label Bourbon is aged to perfection in brand new American Oak Barrels.

Our recipe was designed to produce a bold bourbon, rich with sweet notes, and a smooth finish for a unique bourbon to enjoy on it’s own, or fashioned into a great cocktail.

Dovetail is blended to highlight some of our favorite flavors. Woody bourbon; terroir driven Dunn Cabernet; toasted French oak; Late Bottled Vintage Port pipes; black strap molasses casks; all working in tandem to create a buttery and deep whiskey as unique as it is delicious. 

TASTING NOTES

Appearance: Rose gold with highlights of worn copper.

Nose: Opens with mature aromas both sweet (canelé, panna cotta, crème de noyaux) and savory (walnut oil, leather). This is followed quickly by a vast array of fruit derived both from the spirit (smoked apricot, grapefruit peel) as well as the cask treatment (sloe gin, damson jam). The aroma is high toned, pungently floral and herbaceous, with subtle, balancing pops of minerality.

Palate: Darker (cocoa, molasses, burnt marshmallow) and spicier (cola, nutmeg, Tellicherry peppercorn) than the nose, an effect well-complemented by the cask treatment and rendered more complex by the savory and herbaceous themes running throughout.

Finish: A sweet and elegant signature of rose jelly, chestnut honey, and Pineau des Charentes that also features hazelnut, eucalyptus, and Corsican mint.

AWARDS​​

BEST SPECIAL BARREL-FINISHED WHISKEY at the Ascot Awards - 2021

DOUBLE PLATINUM at the ASCOT Awards - 2021

BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY at the John Barleycorn Awards - 2021

DOUBLE GOLD at the John Barleycorn Awards - 2021

CHAIRMAN'S TROPHY at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2020

TOP 100 SPIRITS (97 POINTS) at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2020

Double Gold (96 POINTS) at the New York International Spirits Competition - 2020

Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition - 2019

Gold (Whiskey: Barrel Finished category) at Whiskies of the World - 2019

Whisky Advocate rating of 90

Traverse City Whiskey Co. was founded by Chris Fredrickson, Jared Rapp, and Moti Goldring. Fredrickson discovered his great-grandfather's whiskey distilling patents in the 1920s. This was the catalyst behind the passion project. The brand now has an extensive lineup. Distilled from a mash of corn, rye, and malted barley, this bourbon is amber and elegant. Traverse City Whiskey Co. Straight Bourbon is aged for 4 years in new American oak. This dram delivers warm vanilla and a little heat. Perfect for sipping neat, and shines in any signature craft cocktail.

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. This first Cask Strength Pinhook release was bottled at 115.3 proof and has a deep and bright nose of Creme Brle, orange zest, and toasted coconut, which sets the stage for a rich and harmonious palate of pralines, brioche, cocoa, and candied cinnamon. Pinhook Bourbon Country Cask Strength won Gold at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

In 1988, near a scenic stream called Lithia Creek in Ashland, Oregon, Jack Joyce and Bob Woodell, fraternity brothers at the University of Oregon, opened the doors of Rogue Brewery. For fifteen years, Rogue Brewery brewed beers such as Dead Guy Ale, Dad's Little Helper and Brutal IPA under the tutelage of John Maier, Rogue Brewery's brewmaster. Then, with the addition of Master Distiller John Couchot in 2003, Rogue Spirits was born. Couchot, who earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry at Evergreen State College in Washington, was a professional chemist for six years before jumping ship to make spirits. They take pride in all their whiskeys being handcrafted. This starts at the selection of grains, brewing, and distilling, then ends with aging and bottling. All Rogue's spirits are made from ingredients off their own Rogue farms and Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey is no exception. It's a handcrafted limited single malt whiskey distilled in small batches. It is aged for three years, spending the first in new Oregon Oak barrels and the remaining 2 in stout Oregon Oak barrels that used to hold their own Rolling Thunder Russian imperial stout. Combining the spice and citrus with deep and dark tones from the stout, it's single malt and bourbon, walking hand in hand.

Kentucky Owl was founded by Charles Mortimer Dedman, a local pharmacist, in 1879. After marrying his wife, Dedman was given a large parcel of land on the banks of the Kentucky River, as a wedding gift from his adopted father who was a local town judge. C.M. Dedman Distillery was established here on the banks of the Kentucky River, producing "The Wise Man's Bourbon" under Distilled Spirits Plant Designation "No. 16," one of Kentucky's original distilleries and part of a booming industry. Kentucky Owl achieved much success and production continued until Prohibition halted distillation. The family-run facility was no match for the "forces of teetotalism, temperance and eventually, the Feds" (producer). In 1916, Prohibition left several local distilleries with ample reserves of bourbon. As for Kentucky Owl, approximately 250,000 gallons of bourbon were left over in various stages of aging. Today these reserves would be worth about $40 million in inventory. After Federal agents descended on the Dedman's distillery, the bourbon was seized and shipped up the river by barge to the state capital in Frankfort for "safekeeping" in a warehouse. Currently Kentucky Owl is in the midst of designing a stunning state-of-the-art distillery park with rickhouses for aging, a bottling center, as well as a vintage dinner train to stop on the property. Kentucky Owl Park will be built at Cedar Creek Quarry in Bardstown. The 420-acre site will boast beautiful lakes with crystal clear, limestone-filtered water that will be used in our whiskey production. The Stoli Group has turned to the world-renownedShigeru Ban Architects to oversee the project. Bottled at 96.4 proof, Confiscated delivers notes of floral gardenia and honeysuckle, along with grape, red apple, orange cuties, wet banana bread and toasty sourdough bread crust on the nose. The palate is reminiscent of graham crackers, toffee, muted sweet cinnamon spice, and fresh-squeezed orange juice balanced with white grapes and finishing with a hint of cayenne.

"I'm an avid whiskey lover," says Darek Bell, master distiller at Corsair Artisan Distillery in Kentucky, "but I do think whiskey could be better. Different. More interesting. More imaginative". Bell, a graduate of the Bruichladdich Distilling Academy in Islay, Scotland, is a mad scientist and a notoriously experimental distiller. Since opening its doors in 2009, Corsair Artisan Distillery has received numerous accolades and awards, including being named the 2013 Craft Distillery of the Year and 2013 Innovator of the Year by Whisky Magazine. Wildfire is Corsair's very first grain to glass whiskey, crafted from barley grown, malted, and smoked at a rural Tennessee farm in Bell's Bend. Wildfire is 100% hickory-smoked, which gives it a unique flavor profile and smooth mouthfeel. Launched in 2015 Wildfire has quickly become one of our most popular whiskeys.