Forget whiskey, poitín is Ireland’s best kept secret. It’s been knocking around since the 6th century, making it the oldest spirit in the world. Mad stuff.

FACTS & FABLES

First distilled by monks (God bless you lads), the Irish enjoyed their poitín for a thousand years before it was banned by the Brits in 1661. But we’re resilient feckers and poitín never really went away.

It remained part of Irish drinking culture and was given names like Cratur, Mountain Dew, Mountain Tea and Devil’s Spittle. And you always knew a man, who knew a man, that could get you a bottle. Now legal again, poitín can be found on backbars all across Ireland, instead of under the counter.

At Mad March Hare, we use only the finest, locally sourced malted barley and distill three times in small copper pot stills in the traditional way. We then cut the spirit with Irish spring water to 40% ABV resulting in a drink that is full of character and exceptionally smooth. Sláinte!

Unlike a typical 100% malt whiskey, Woodford Reserve is a Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey crafted from 51% malt and aged in new charred oak barrels, making it the malt whiskey for bourbon drinkers.

The base of 51 % malt results in a whiskey that is richly flavorful and complex and amplifies the nutty characteristics found in the original Woodford Reserve.

TASTING NOTES

APPEARANCE: Warm Umber.

NOSE: Soft nutty notes drizzled with light caramel and milk chocolate coat a layer of fruit character (apple, dried fruit, tropical fruit). Hints of brown spice, savory mint and brown sugar mingle with a rich note of freshly milled toasted oak.

TASTE: Dark chocolate and caramel coated nuts are dried out with a dusting of cocoa powder and brown spice. A fruit medley brightens a trace of toasted coconut and rich, bright oak character.

FINISH: Nutty and subtly sweet chocolate malt notes.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 022 is a marriage of two separate and iconic styles of Bourbon: Classily dry and woody Kentucky Bourbon, and floral, herbaceous, and sweet Indiana Bourbon. The final blend was constructed from four separate lots, each with its own nuanced family of flavors. Much like Batches 007, 011, and 013, Batch 022 incorporates the freshness of some carefully chosen, younger barrels to bring a more extensive set of flavors and aromas to the table. 

Tasting Notes

Appearance: An old leather belt with a polished brass buckle. 

Nose: The rye grain is most immediate, presenting as Yellow Chartreuse and expanding in the direction of juniper berry, cream of fennel soup, and angelica. Woven throughout are delicate florals, alternating between elderflower and wintergreen. Gooseberry jam, kiwi and white peach emerge as a subtle fruitiness. Well-integrated oak lays a gentle foundation of Florentine cookie, vanilla toffee and cola. With time, other themes develop, such as sweet beehive and a savory or umami quality.

Palate: A rich entry- oily and sweet. The creamy texture evokes flan and cappuccino. The oak guides the flavor with sweet tea, s’more, and sugar cane. Root beer and cinchona bark ensure the rye spice is not neglected. Meanwhile, the underlying spirit provides honeysuckle, honeydew melon and candied apricot.​

Finish: The sweet tea lingers, accompanied by chicory cafe au lait and Cherry Heering. It fades delicately on rhubarb and peppermint candy.

AWARDS​

San Francisco World Spirits Competition - 2020 - (GOLD)

Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2020 (TOP 100 SPIRITS​, FINALIST (96 POINTS))

Meaning Helmsman in Scots Gaelic, Stiùireadair, is the first Bunnahabhain release to pay homage to the Bunnahabhain Helmsman, who adorns every bottle. But our Helmsman is no mere icon, he is a reminder of our origins, a link to our past, and a symbol of our enduring appreciation of the sea by which we are surrounded.

To create Stiùireadair, our Master Blender has selected first and second fill sherry casks with spirit of varying ages and warehouse locations to construct a dram that truly exposes the coastal nature of the Bunnahabhain single malt whisky, whilst not losing the sherry influence everyone knows and loves in the famous 12 year old.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Amber Gold

Nose: Dried fruit and creamy caramel with hints of brine, vanilla, nuts and a touch of spice.

Palate: Creamy mouth feel with a dried fruit influence, sea salt, creamy caramel with hints of nuts and a gentle spice.

Finish: Long and lingering with hints of dried fruit.

A rare and highly sought-after single malt Scotch whisky that is aged for an impressive 27 years in a single sherry butt cask. This limited edition whisky is bottled at cask strength, which means that it is not diluted with water before bottling, giving it a rich and complex flavor profile.

The Glendronach distillery is located in the Scottish Highlands and is known for producing exceptional single malt whiskies that are aged in sherry casks. The Single Cask Sherry Butt 27 Year is a prime example of this style of whisky, with its deep and complex flavors that are a result of its long maturation period.

On the nose, the Glendronach Single Cask Sherry Butt 27 Year has a rich and fruity aroma, with notes of raisins, figs, and dark chocolate. On the palate, the whisky is full-bodied and complex, with flavors of dried fruit, Christmas spices, and a hint of oak. The finish is long and satisfying, with a lingering sweetness and a touch of spice.

One of the standout features of this whisky is the sherry cask in which it is aged. The cask imparts a deep and rich flavor to the whisky, with notes of dark fruit, nuts, and oak. The 27-year aging process also gives the whisky a smooth and velvety texture that is a delight to drink.

The Glendronach Single Cask Sherry Butt 27 Year is a rare and highly collectible whisky that is sure to impress even the most discerning whisky aficionados. Its limited edition status and exceptional flavor profile make it a prized possession for any whisky collector, while its rich and complex flavors make it a true delight to drink for anyone who appreciates a high-quality single malt Scotch whisky.

Banana Pudding Sippin’ Cream honors a classic southern dessert bursting with flavors of banana, vanilla wafers, whipped cream, and sweet pudding. This cream liqueur offers a deep, rich taste paired with an ultra-smooth finish sure to satisfy the banana-lover in everyone.

Indulge in Sugarlands' Banana Pudding Appalachian Sippin' Cream - A Sweet Delight! | Creamy, banana-infused goodness that will leave you craving for more.

The Shinobu 10 Year Old Pure Malt is meticulously crafted using a blend of malt whiskies sourced from various renowned distilleries across Japan. This blend of carefully selected whiskies is then aged for a minimum of 10 years, allowing the flavors to mature and harmonize over time.

On the nose, the whisky reveals a complex and inviting aroma. Notes of dried fruits, such as raisins and figs, intertwine with hints of caramel and vanilla, creating a captivating bouquet. Subtle undertones of oak and a touch of spice add depth and intrigue to the overall olfactory experience.

Upon tasting, the Shinobu 10 Year Old Pure Malt offers a remarkable balance of flavors. The dried fruit notes continue to shine, accompanied by a delightful sweetness of honey and toffee. Layers of rich vanilla and oak contribute to the whisky's smooth and velvety texture, creating a luxurious mouthfeel that envelops the palate.

The finish of this Japanese whisky is long and satisfying, leaving a pleasant aftertaste that lingers. The combination of fruitiness, sweetness, and subtle spiciness ensures a memorable and enjoyable drinking experience.

The Shinobu 10 Year Old Pure Malt is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the Shinobu Distillery in crafting exceptional Japanese whiskies. Each bottle represents a culmination of years of aging and blending, resulting in a whisky that captures the essence of Japanese whisky-making traditions.

Produced by A.D. Rattray, a family business in Scotland with a history dating back to 1868, this peatier version of Bank Note Scotch combines Speyside and Highland scotches. As a well-balanced and moderately flavored scotch, Bank Note Peated Reserve serves as a good introduction to peat-flavored whiskies, especially for those starting their whisky exploration journey.

This blended whisky has a light brown color, offers a nose of malt grain, peat, and heather. With a mash of 40% malt and 50% grain, it is aged approximately 5 years for each blend in the bottle. 

Forty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, George A. Dickel was born in a rural town in eastern Tennessee. By 1867, Dickel was an established Nashville merchant but moved his family to the city of Tullahoma (situated in south-central Tennessee), where he purchased the Cascade Hollow Distillery. After working tirelessly at the distillery, Dickel declared that his spirits were of equal quality to the finest scotch, and followed in the Scottish tradition of spelling whisky without an "e". While George A. Dickel Distillery was forced to close its doors as a result of Prohibition, it was rebuilt in 1958 by Master Distiller Ralph Dupps. To ensure the whisky's authenticity, Dupps obtained the original manuscripts in which Dickel detailed his unique recipe and distillation processes. Today, Master Blender and distiller Nicole Austin carries on the tradition of excellence that has made Dickel whisky a symbol of quality for over a century. George Dickel Hand Selected is their private barrel program. The sour-mash whiskey employs the Lincoln County Process, which is a type of charcoal filtering that is typical of Tennessee whiskey. This expression was aged for 9 years, then bottled at 103 proof, making for an exceptionally well-balanced single-barrel whiskey. 

Although categorized as a Highland whisky, Ardmore flirts heavily with the South-east peripherals of Speyside, lying boisterously at the foot of the Grampian hills. Big and brash, it is also known for flirting heavily with peat, at least some of the time that is.

Built in 1989 for the purpose of producing single malt for blends, Teacher’s opted to make peated whisky here. This move alleviated the company’s reliance on Islay’s producers of peated whisky to add smokiness to blends – a particularly astute decision, given the growing popularity of Scotch whisky at the time. Today, since the distillery adopted steam during distillation rather than coal fires, two spirit characters are made here, a practice that is becoming increasingly prevalent.

Both spirit styles are produced at separate times of the year, in which the point of difference in production is the Phenol level of the barley delivered to the distillery, i.e. the level of peat used in drying. ‘Ardmore’ is the heavily peated single malt; ‘Ardlair’, or ‘Ardless’ as it’s sometimes known, is the unpeated single malt. Worth noting is that, although each spirit is vastly different in character, because Ardmore and Ardlair are from the same distillery, they can be vatted (or married) together and still be called a single malt. Ardlair can also be labeled as ‘Ardmore Distillery’. A little tricky, but well worth knowing.

Sometimes big, brash, earthy and smoky; sometimes subtle, floral and fruity. A real Jekyll and Hyde distillery. Let your nose prepare you accordingly.

Maker Notes

The "American Spirit" with a unique Vermont twist

Bourbon has become “The American Spirit” in a way that cognac represents France, gin represents England and vodka represents Russia in the hearts of their consumers. We offer our own special Vermont take on the liquid gold so associated with Appalachia. We use only regionally-sourced, non-GMO grains and mature our bourbons on site in the clear, clean air of Vermont.

Our bourbon has a wonderful deep and rich aroma of Vermont-grown corn, smokiness on the palate, and a smooth aromatic finish. Since bringing our bourbon to market in May of 2014, we have been selling it at local farmers markets, the distillery and of course through the Vermont state liquor stores. The response has been overwhelming — we can barely keep it in stock!

Awards
Gold Medal - The San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Silver Medal - WSWA
Bronze Medal - San Diego