Situated in an industrial complex on the outskirts of Denver, Leopold Bros. Distillery is the brainchild of Todd Leopold. After receiving his diploma in Malting and Brewing from the Siebel Institute in Chicago, Todd moved to Germany and began working at the Doemens Academy of Brewers and Maltsters in Munich. Then, he apprenticed at four different breweries and distilleries in Germany, before moving to Kentucky to study distilling. In 2008, Todd, along with his brother Scott, moved back to his parents' home in Littleton, Colorado and opened the doors to Leopold Bros. Distillery. Together, the Leopold Brothers attempt to marry chemistry with poetry and it's working. Leopold Bros. American Small Batch Whiskey is made using a traditional sour mash, which is distilled for an entire day in order to extract the full, round flavors of the locally-sourced corn and rye. After distilling the whiskey twice, Todd brings it to 86 proof before barreling it in charred, American oak barrels. By proofing the whiskey prior to barreling it, Leopold is able to ensure that more of the whiskey comes into contact with the barrel, giving it smoother and more robust notes of brown sugar and molasses. The finest blackberries from the Rocky Mountain region are harvested over the summer, juiced, and blended with their small batch whiskey. The result is a rich spirit with notes of vanilla, raisin, and oak imparted by the charred American barrels. This whiskey is naturally colored by the barrel and blackberry juice, and bottled by hand to maintain the integrity of the sweet blackberries and soft finish. This Leopold Bros. whiskey is proudly made with real fruit, and no artificial preservatives. As such, the fruit will naturally oxidize over time. Enjoy within 60 days of opening if left open at room temperature. To preserve your whiskey longer, place it in a refrigerator for up to 120 days. 

Lineage is a marrying of the traditional Scotch Single Malts that have long been an inspiration to us with innovative approaches to grain and maturation to celebrate Texas provenance. Made from both Scottish and Texas-grown barley and aged in both refill and new oak barrels, Lineage celebrates both old and new traditions.

Tasting Notes

NOSE: Sweet and indulgent, sourdough starter and cream soda, mulled cider, bruised bananas and peaches, tea tree

TASTE: caramelized sweetness, soft oak, manuka honey, chestnuts and hint of red wine reduction

FINISH: late palate builds into the transition to finish, slight prickle with more tea tree, black tea and hint of cinnamon

Matured in American oak and Oloroso sherry casks, this sublime 19 year old whisky is the epitome of an aged Ardbeg. Part of a highly sought-after and collectable Ardbeg series, 19 Years Old Batch 3 is the latest expression. This sublime third batch is, like the bottles before it, is inspired by Islay’s Traigh Bhan beach.

Ardbeg Traigh Bhan masterfully performs the impossible – balancing the lull and crescendo of its intense flavours. However, the story behind this rare aged liquid is what truly sets it apart…

A whisky resigned to the furthest reaches of the Ardbeg Warehouse, Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 Years Old Batch 3 was one of the only spirits in the Distillery’s history to be bottled in the midst of a global lockdown. Having spent months on end behind closed doors, this unprecedented bottling is now ready to come out from the dark… and into the light.

Non chill-filtered at 46.2% ABV.

Color: Rose Gold.

Nose: In this whisky, faint waves of scented woodsmoke mingle with sea spray and pine resin. Wisps of aniseed toffee and sweet lilies follow on the breeze while fresh citrus zest laps over notes of cayenne pepper. With a splash of water, waxy notes and charcoal flow into droplets of classic Sherry and linseed oil.

Palete: A rush of rich, sappy textures is followed moments later by classic sweet smokiness. Tarry rope and treacle toffee plunge the palate into a second wave of soot and aniseed twists. Smoke bobs on the horizon, while smoked brown sugar, walnuts and spices gently dissolve away.

Finish: A long, unhurried finish carries bitter almonds and clove in its wake, before slowly drifting away.

Born from a marriage of traditional tequila making and modern technology, Partida Familia Tequila is made from blue agave nectar sourced near El Cerro, a dormant volcano, in Santiago de Tequila, Mexico. From afar, the rolling hills of agave fields could be mistaken for vineyards in the south of France or Sonoma Valley. Up close, however, you can see the rich red soil, which creates the perfect terrain for maturing the agave plant. With years of experience, jimadors determine exactly when each agave is ready for harvest. Jose Valdez, Tequila Partida's master distiller, holds a Tequila Expert degree from Cultura y Capacitacin del Tequila A.C. (Tequila Culture and Training Association), and is also a certified Tequila Technician from the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (Tequila Regulatory Council). He carefully monitors the entire production process, including the quality of the blue agave. The pias are perfectly ripened with mature, robust sugars, the blue agave is harvested by hand and slowly baked in state-of-the-art autoclaves to preserve freshness and flavor. After the agave has been baked and shredded, Valdez lets the agave juices ferment for nearly two days before twice distilling the tequila. The Roble Fino ("fine oak") series was conceived upon Valdez's visit to Scotland, where he envisioned a partnership between tequila and Scotch single malts. He crafted 3 unique expressions: the Reposado, Reposado Cristalino, and Aejo, which build on the super-solid foundation of their award-winning regular Reposado and Aejo tequilas. These are then finished in Edrington's sherry-seasoned single malt oak casks. The Roble Fino Reposado Cristalino takes the 6-month-old liquid that is aged in ex-bourbon barrels, then adds another two months of finishing in sherry-seasoned single malt oak casks on top of that. It is then filtered naturally to remove the color, preserving the complexity of the double-aged spirit.

Yellowstone National Park was established in 1876, and just a few short years later, the Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey brand would emerge with an equally-rich story. J.B. Dant, legendary distiller and son of J.W. Dant, first began distilling in the late 1800s, using a "log still" instead of the more popular yet more expensive copper pot stills (a log still is made by hollowing out a tree trunk and lining the interior with copper pipes, a cheaper yet still effective way of distilling). As Dant's Yellowstone brand gained popularity in Kentucky, he was able to purchase other nearby distilleries and formalize his process. In the early 1900s, it was through this expansion that Dant began working more closely with M.C. Beam of the illustrious Beam family. Together, Dant and Beam operated their network of facilities as the Yellowstone Distillery and continued to produce Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey for "medicinal purposes" throughout Prohibition. Although the Yellowstone brand changed hands several times throughout the 20th century (first to Diageo and recently to Luxco) and eventually fell out of favor, Luxco, along with the Beam family's new Limestone Branch Distillery, has recently revitalized the brand, unearthing an old Beam family recipe and partnering with Paul and Steve Beam to create a spectacular bourbon that pays homage to the original. The annual Limited Edition series of straight bourbons from Yellowstone has been around since 2015. The blended bourbons are on the experimental side, having been aged in (sometimes re-charred, even multiple times) wine casks, resulting in unique expressions. The 2020 edition is a 7-year-old small-batch affair that was finished in French armagnac casks, imparting the bold, oaky, and sweet bourbon with toffee, butterscotch, and chocolate notes.

The Fukano Distillery stands in Hitoyoshi City on the island of Kyushu, Japan. It was founded in 1823 and is located in the Kyushu mountain region that is famed for its pristine nature and exceptionally-pure water. The first distillery in the Kumamoto Prefecture to mature the traditional Japanese rice spirit shochu in barrels, this process was first put into practice by Chizuru Fukano, the current president's mother. Now in their fifth generation of Fukanos, the distillery is led by Shigeruriku Fukano. Their whisky is produced using a combination of malted and unmalted rice using a pot still. The limited-edition releases see only a few casks bottled each year, which include spirits that have been aged in various oak casks. Distilled, matured, and bottled in Japan, Fukano whiskies are only sold in export markets. The Fukano 2020 Edition is bottled at 81.2 proof and boasts a complex profile with tropical fruit, rice, spices, vanilla, and caramel notes. 

Born in southern Burgundy, Alexandre Gabriel spent his youth working on his family's farm in central France. His grandfather, a strict disciplinarian, taught Alexandre how to graft a tree, milk a cow and harvest grapes. "For my grandfather, the only wealth is the one from the land," says Alexandre, fondly. After studying at the Macalester College in Minnesota and earning a degree in Lyon, Gabriel began working at Maison Ferrand, one of the oldest cognac houses in France. During his tenure at Maison Ferrand, Gabriel would dispose of used cognac casks by selling them to distilleries in Scotland and the Caribbean. "Our love affair with rum began when we sold the prized casks that once held our Cognac to rum producers, and we fell in love with their product," says Alexandre. Centuries ago, Caribbean rum producers would send casks of rum to Europe and the United States, where the rum would mature before it was bottled and sold to the public. "This is a practice that was done more commonly in the past but has almost disappeared now. We thought who better than Ferrand, with our know-how and exceptional casks, to resurrect this ancient technique." This single cask XO Rum from the West Indies Rum Distillery is matured for one year in Ferrand Cognac casks before being finished in Amburana Casks a unique type of wood found in the forests of Latin America.

Lucky Seven Spirits was founded by best friends Michael Lahalin and John Pals. Both bourbon fans and cinema aficionados, the pair settled on the moniker Lucky 7, named after the legendary Stage 7 of the Warner Brothers lot, where countless classics such as Casablanca were filmed. Since the giant stage got a reputation for producing so many hits, it got the nickname "Lucky Stage 7." The pair sources and blends rare bourbons, only using the finest juice they can find and releasing them as limited editions: 12 YO "The Hold Up," 6 YO "The Jokester," and 12 YO Single Barrel "The Proprietor." They have won several medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, among others. As befits the Hollywood and movie history that permeates Lucky Seven, they have also created a series of short films that accompany each expression. The luxurious decanter bottles include several nods to Old Hollywood, as well as real 22-karat gold. The Lucky Seven 'The Holiday Toast' expression is a limited release that is perfect for the holiday season. This Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey was aged in heavily-toasted new American oak barrels and is bottled at 115 proof. With notes of cinnamon, mulled cider, and baking spices, it's a unique yet serious whiskey that adds a festive touch without being gimmicky.

Mount Gay Distillery is located in Barbados. The brand dates all the way back to 1703 and is said to be one of the oldest rum houses in the world. The distillery, initially named Mount Gilboa, was renamed at the turn of the 19th century, adopting distillery manager Sir John Gay Alleyne's namesake. Today the distillery produces high-quality rum using the best ingredients, which includes coral-filtered water, a combination of naturally-occurring yeast and their proprietary strain. They employ a combination of pot and column stills, blending together the intense aromas and flavors of the first with the smoothness of the second. Over the past 4 decades, they have had 4 Master Blenders, the current one being Trudiann Branker. The spirit matures in American Whiskey, Bourbon, and Cognac oak casks, with others being brought in for various special editions. Mount Gay is home to the largest stock of aged rum in Barbados. Mount Gay Port Cask Expression Master Blender Collection #3 is a small-batch blend of traditional column-still rums that have spent 5 years in tawny port casks and double-distilled copper pot-still rums aged 14 years in American whiskey casks, then finished in tawny port casks for another year. Rich, deep, and complex, it showcases Master Blender Branker's skill and is bottled at cask strength without chill filtration.

Holmes Cay is an independent bottling company from New York City. Founded by New Yorker rum aficionado Eric Kaye in 2019, they focus on finding the very best rums and bottling them at cask strength. Kaye used to work as a producer and music composer for film, TV, and commercials, but has also been an avid diver for decades. His favorite pastime brought him into contact with fantastic rare Caribbean rums. He felt he needed to share these with his fellow Americans, which is how Holmes Cay came to be. Passionately standing behind the tradition and honor that is an integral part of rum, Kaye hopes to bring incredible as-of-yet-unknown unadulterated cask-strength rums to the US, introducing spirit-lovers to the best-kept secrets of the rum world. Their very first release Holmes Cay Barbados 2005 fittingly came from the legendary Foursquare Distillery in Barbados. The Holmes Cay Barbados 2009 Port Cask Rum is another one from their fruitful collaboration with Foursquare. "The Barbados 2009 Port Cask is our first edition with secondary maturation. The secondary aging complements and highlights the existing character of the spirit," says Kaye. Distilled in 2009, it's a blend of column and pot-still rum that was aged 8 years in Barbados, then 2 years in the UK in ex-bourbon barrels, before being finished in port casks for another year in New York State. Bottled at 112 proof, only 2 casks of this 11-year-old cask-strength rum were produced. 

The Glenfarclas distillery is a family business in its truest sense, having been in the hands of the Grant family for 6 generations. The distillery, which started its operations before 1791 and was first granted a license in 1836, was bought by John Grant in 1865. Grant, a well-known cattle breeder, first leased the distillery to his distant cousin John Smith. When Smith left in 1870 to start the Cragganmore distillery, John's son George took over. In 1890 George died only a year after his father, and left the distillery to his widow and two sons, John and George. George's sons, George S. Grant and John P. Grant incorporated Glenfarclas as a private limited company in 1947, and a few years later George was appointed the chairman of the company, staying at the helm for 52 years. The early years of George's tenure were marked by rapid growth and expansion, with the production doubling due to high demand from blenders. In the late 1960s, demand for whisky started to decline, and Glenfarclas lost its biggest client. George made the wise decision to put aside more stock for the distillery's own bottling instead of relying heavily on the demand from blenders. This resulted in the distillery now having an abundance of aged stock, and their warehouses currently hold casks of the past seven decades. Now the distillery is run by the 5th and 6th generation of the family, still faithful to the vision of creating the finest Highland single malt whisky in the Speyside way. With over 150 years of experience in the family, the distillery produces a traditional Highland malt with a heavy sherry influence using artisan methods handed down through generations. Glenfarclas is one of the few distilleries using direct fired stills, and their six stills are the biggest in Speyside. The spirit is distilled twice before being put in casks, which are kept in traditional dunnage warehouses. Glenfarclas's 10-year expression is aged in the finest European oak casks used once for Oloroso sherry, which are personally picked by John Grant at a family-owned bodega in Spain. The youngest of the eight whiskies in the distillery's aged range has a depth and finish you would expect from a much older drum.

The Glenfarclas distillery is a family business in its truest sense, having been in the hands of the Grant family for 6 generations. The distillery, which started its operations before 1791 and was first granted a license in 1836, was bought by John Grant in 1865. Grant, a well-known cattle breeder, first leased the distillery to his distant cousin John Smith. When Smith left in 1870 to start the Cragganmore distillery, John's son George took over. In 1890 George died only a year after his father, and left the distillery to his widow and two sons, John and George. George's sons, George S. Grant and John P. Grant incorporated Glenfarclas as a private limited company in 1947, and a few years later George was appointed the chairman of the company, staying at the helm for 52 years. The early years of George's tenure were marked by rapid growth and expansion, with the production doubling due to high demand from blenders. In the late 1960s, demand for whisky started to decline, and Glenfarclas lost its biggest client. George made the wise decision to put aside more stock for the distillery's own bottling instead of relying heavily on the demand from blenders. This resulted in the distillery now having an abundance of aged stock, and their warehouses currently hold casks of the past seven decades. Now the distillery is run by the 5th and 6th generation of the family, still faithful to the vision of creating the finest Highland single malt whisky in the Speyside way. With over 150 years of experience in the family, the distillery produces a traditional Highland malt with a heavy sherry influence using artisan methods handed down through generations. Glenfarclas is one of the few distilleries using direct fired stills. The six stills at Glenfarclas are the biggest in Speyside. The spirit is distilled twice before being put in casks, which are kept in traditional dunnage warehouses. Glenfarclas's 12-year expression is aged in the finest European oak casks used once for Oloroso sherry, which are personally picked by John Grant at a family-owned bodega in Spain. This multi-award winning expression, bottled at 43% ABV, is an excellent introduction to the distillery style for those who enjoy a sherried whisky.

Crystal Head Vodka is produced by Globefill Inc., situated in Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. The company was founded and created by Dan Ackroyd and artist John Alexander, the artist who created the distinctive glass skull that the Vodka is bottled in. The company prides itself on being free from additives, unlike most vodkas in the industry. The vodka is filtered a hefty seven times through Herkimer diamonds, giving it an incredibly smooth flavor profile. Dan Aykroyd and John Alexander designed the bottle to symbolize life, reflecting power and enlightenment. Crystal Head Vodka is distilled from Ontario "peaches and cream" corn before being mixed with pristine glacial water from Newfoundland. The Herkimer stones that the vodka is filtered through are said to have healing properties, but it also imparts a distinctive vanilla sweetness to the Vodka that is enhanced by a spicy kick. The finish is lingering with an intense vodka burn. Crystal Head is bottled without additives, glycerol, citrus oils, sugars, or enhancers. The impressive Crystal Head Onyx is a different beast. Crafted with blue weber agaves from a single source in Mexico, it's blended with that pure Newfoundland water for a super-clean and sweeter finish. It's a luxurious black skull-shaped bottle with a matching embossed cap. Onyx is a tribute to the human journey, the dark crystal supposedly possessing the power to absorb negative energy. A different vodka, it features green notes, earthiness, and sweetness that comes from the agave. The vodka is filtered the same way as their other expressions and contains no additives. 

In today's rum market, a considerable amount of products suffer from deceptive marketing, ambiguous age statements, and the inclusion of additives, largely due to the lenient regulations governing the spirit. Myrtle Bank, an independent bottling company, is on a mission to introduce top-notch rum to consumers while prioritizing transparency. The name pays homage to the Jamaican Myrtle Bank Hotel, a majestic historic structure constructed in the 1800s. Once the focal point of Kingston's social life in the 1920s and '30s, this hotel inspires the creation of Myrtle Bank rum.

Distilled at Jamaica's Worthy Park Estate, this rum is crafted using local molasses, cane juice, and crushed cane stalks from the Jamaican highlands. The high-ester mash undergoes natural fermentation over two to three weeks, utilizing natural yeast from the cane stalks in two fermenters. The distillation process takes place in a traditional Scottish Forsyths copper-pot still. The rum is then aged for a full decade in the United Kingdom, benefiting from a climate conducive to extended maturation, which minimizes tannin extraction from the wood and reduces evaporation.

Throughout its aging process, the barrels impart tropical fruit, banana, oak, vanilla, and cocoa notes to the rum. In line with their commitment to transparency, Myrtle Bank refrains from adding coloring or sugar, and the spirit is bottled at cask strength (120 proof) to preserve its full flavor. Distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2020, this single-estate, single-cask rum is a distinctive and intricate choice, certain to satisfy aficionados of Jamaican rum.

The heritage of OPIHR Spices of the Orient Gin is firmly rooted in the ancient Spice Route. Traditionally merchants would travel thousands of miles along the route, trading exotic spices and botanicals from distant lands.

OPIHR Spices of the Orient Gin is crafted with a selection of exotic hand-picked botanicals, carefully chosen by OPIHR’s Master Distiller, including spicy Cubeb berries from Indonesia, Black Pepper from India and Coriander from Morocco.

The botanicals in Opihr Gin make the journey to their final destination, the oldest distillery in England, where quality gin has been traditionally distilled, using the same London Dry Gin method, since 1761. Here the botanicals are married with fine English spirit to produce an exotic oriental spiced gin.

TASTING NOTES

This intense, exotic spiced gin exudes the character of the Orient, incorporating hand-picked botanicals from along the Ancient Spice Route.

Aroma: A rich and robust gin with a smooth perfume and sharp bursts of citrus. Key notes of cumin and cardamom provide a warm, earthy background balanced with grapefruit peel.

Taste: Soft camphor, some sweetness and Oriental spices create a warm mouth feel that lingers but does not increase intensity.

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. Every fall Pinhook features an annual vintage of Pinhook Bourbon and Pinhook Rye, each of which is inspired by a thoroughbred horse. Each blend is as unique as the horse on the label. "Pinhooking" refers to an old Kentucky term for purchasing young thoroughbreds, holding them until they mature, and selling them when they are ready to run. Successful pinhooks much like whiskey are made on instinct, experience, an appreciation of quality, and a little luck. Pinhook bourbons and ryes are handcrafted to reflect the richness of the Kentucky soil and the character of its beautiful horse country. The Bourbon Vertical Series is an annual-release series that follows 1,350 MGP bourbons through their aging process up until 12 years of age. "It will be exciting to follow the maturation of both rye and bourbon over the course of 9 years and understand how each style of whiskey progresses individually as well as in comparison to the other," says Master Blender Sean Josephs. The War 5YO Vertical Series is crafted from a mash bill of 75% corn, 20.5% rye, and 4.5% malted barley. The Bourbon War Vertical Series 5 Year Old is a straight bourbon that's bottled at 104 proof, its additional year of maturation brings more dark fruit and caramel notes, as well as hints of smoke. The second in the series, it's a blend of 150 barrels that were aged at Castle & Key. It's named after a thoroughbred colt.

Every now and then, Garrison Brothers releases one of the most highly-coveted bourbon whiskies in America: Cowboy Bourbon. This was the American Whiskey of the Year in Jim Murray’s 2014 & 2017 Whisky Bibles. It’s the ultimate ambrosia. Unlike the Small Batch, Cowboy Bourbon comes from Dan and Donnis’ favorite barrels. They’re set aside for a couple of years for further maturation and the liquid is bottled at cask-strength, uncut and unfiltered.

TASTING NOTES

Inviting aromas of sweet pipe tobacco, full-grain leather and fresh-baked banana nut bread. Floral opening notes of wildflower honey and sparkling plum soda. Warm raspberry chocolate pie drizzled with whipped ganache. Chocolate-covered Luxardo cherries paired with fine armagnac for a dessert finish. A velvety-smooth, flawless sipper that packs plenty of 131.3-proof heat.

Situated on a ridge above the banks of the River Spey, the Easter Elchies House has been the spiritual home of The Macallan for over three centuries. In 1820, Alexander Reid sowed the fields surrounding the rented home with barley and established the first licensed distillery on the estate, which he named Macallan after an ancient church that had been destroyed by fire during the 15th century. In the slow winter days, Reid would ferment and distill his excess grains into whisky, which was often drunk straight from the still or sold to travelers passing through the town. Today, the Macallan Estate encompasses 370 acres, 95 of which are devoted to the production of the Macallan Estate's Minstrel barley (a single acre produces about 2.5 tons of barley each year, enough to yield 1,800 bottles of The Macallan). In addition, the distillery contracts with farmers to purchase barley that is low in nitrogen and high in starch, resulting in a rich and oily whisky. After the harvest, the barley is malted and mashed in one of The Macallan's two mash tuns, a process that takes between four and eight hours. Then, the barley is fermented with a specially cultured yeast before being distilled twice through The Macallan's copper-pot stills. The copper comprising the stills acts as a catalyst and enhances the formation of sweet esters while minimizing impurities such as sulfur. In addition, the curiously small stills some of "the smallest stills within the Scotch whisky industry," according to production manager Alexander Tweedie produce a whisky with a heavy, oily flavor. Following distillation, The Macallan distillers remove the heads and tails of the whisky and collect approximately 16% of the spirit to fill into casks for maturation. This "cut," which is among the highest of any Scottish distillery, results in a more full-bodied and richer whisky. The 2020 release of The Macallan Rare Cask showcases the finest sherry-seasoned oak casks that The Macallan Whisky Mastery Team seeks out. The team utilizes their vast knowledge, passion, and skill when selecting these unique casks to craft the distinctive, unique, and complex profile with intense raisin notes and an unparalleled smoothness. Bottled at 86 proof, it's a luxurious expression that showcases the skill of The Macallan's fabled Masters of Wood. Get your bottle today!

Situated on a ridge above the banks of the River Spey, the Easter Elchies House has been the spiritual home of The Macallan for over three centuries. In 1820, Alexander Reid sowed the fields surrounding the rented home with barley and established the first licensed distillery on the estate, which he named Macallan after an ancient church that had been destroyed by fire during the 15th century. In the slow winter days, Reid would ferment and distill his excess grains into whisky, which was often drunk straight from the still or sold to travelers passing through the town. Today, the Macallan Estate encompasses 370 acres, 95 of which are devoted to the production of the Macallan Estate's Minstrel barley (a single acre produces about 2.5 tons of barley each year, enough to yield 1,800 bottles of The Macallan). In addition, the distillery contracts with farmers to purchase barley that is low in nitrogen and high in starch, resulting in a rich and oily whisky. After the harvest, the barley is malted and mashed in one of The Macallan's two mash tuns, a process that takes between four and eight hours. Then, the barley is fermented with a specially cultured yeast before being distilled twice through The Macallan's copper-pot stills. The copper comprising the stills acts as a catalyst and enhances the formation of sweet esters while minimizing impurities such as sulfur. In addition, the curiously small stills — some of "the smallest stills within the Scotch whisky industry," according to production manager Alexander Tweedie — produce a whisky with a heavy, oily flavor. Following distillation, The Macallan distillers remove the heads and tails of the whisky and collect approximately 16% of the spirit to fill into casks for maturation. This "cut," which is among the highest of any Scottish distillery, results in a more full-bodied and richer whisky. Now in its fourth incarnation, The Macallan Classic Cut 2020 Edition is bottled at a higher 110 proof in order to let the full flavor to shine. This time their Whisky Mastery Team, headed by Polly Logan, explores different cask types for the first time in the series. A combination of sherry-seasoned European oak casks and ex-bourbon American oak casks was used to craft its unique profile that has "a sweet lightness brought by the ex-bourbon oak casks, intertwined with the depth and complexity created by The Macallan’s signature sherry-seasoned oak casks."

Koval, a pioneering Chicago craft distillery since 2008, is the city's first since Prohibition. Founded by Robert and Sonat Birnecker, Koval crafts certified organic whiskeys, brandies, liqueurs, and specialty spirits, bringing Austrian distilling traditions to America. The distillery is named after Sonat's great-grandfather, Koval, and Robert inherited distilling expertise from his grandfather, Robert Schimd.

Koval takes a unique approach to gin production, making all their gins from scratch using organic ingredients and focusing on the heart of the distillate for a cleaner spirit. They handle the entire process from grain to glass, with meticulous quality control, growing and processing their grain on-site.

Their gift pack includes three award-winning gin expressions: Dry Gin, Cranberry Gin Liqueur, and Barreled Gin. The Dry Gin offers a vibrant, juniper-floral profile, suitable for cocktails or sipping. The Cranberry Gin Liqueur pairs well with sparkling wine, and the Barreled Gin adds butterscotch and spice notes after aging in whiskey barrels. All three have received prestigious awards.