In 1870, Flix Lpez began cultivating blue weber agave from the fields of the San Jos del Refugio Hacienda, situated in Jalisco, Mexico. Since then, expert jimadors have been nurturing the crop at the hacienda, which ultimately came to be known as Casa Herradura. Today, the agave growing Casa Herradura, which can take up to ten years to mature, grow up 2 meters high and weigh nearly 500 pounds, are descendants of the original agave growing on the estate in 1870. Herradura Seleccion Suprema Extra Aejo Tequila is crafted using agave harvested exclusively from the Casa Herradura estate. Once the agave have been harvested, the heart of the plant (the pia) is stripped away from its leaves using a special knife called a coa and cooked for approximately 26 hours in ovens made of stone and brick. During this cooking process, the once-white pias turn a deep orange color, and reveal an incredibly sweet and intense aroma (the pias are so sweet that chunks of cooked agave are often sold as candy in the street markets of Jalisco). Once the pias have been cooked, they are crushed and then fermented for up to seven days using natural, air-borne yeasts. Then, the wash is twice distilled and the tequila is matured for four years in American white oak casks that were formerly used to mature Kentucky bourbon. As a result of this extra-long aging process, the tequila has an aroma of dark vanilla, rose petals, cinnamon and intense citrus. Complex notes of baked apples, pineapples, citrus, vanilla pods and caramel are exposed on the palate, and give way to a creamy finish that has touches of lingering spices. Herradura Seleccion Suprema Extra Aejo Tequila earned the Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012 and the Platinum Medal at the Spirits International Prestige Awards the same year. In addition, it earned a score of 94 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2014, where it was named the Best Extra Aejo Tequila in the World.

Born in 1952, Old Bardstown was an American Thoroughbred racehorse named after the city of Bardstown, Kentucky. Bred and raced by Calumet Farms, the horse twice won Florida's Tropical Handicap at the Tropical Park Race Track as well as the Widener Handicap at the Hialeah Park Race Track. In 31 career starts, Bardstown had 18 first place finishes, 7 second place finishes and 1 third place finish. By the time he retired at the age of 8, Old Bardstown was one of the top racing horses of his time. Old Bardstown Estate Bottled Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey pays homage to the legacy of the American Thoroughbred. The bourbon is made from a mash of primarily corn, which is milled and mashed before being fermented with Kentucky limestone water. Following fermentation, the wash is distilled before the bourbon is matured for ten years in new, American oak casks. Then, the bourbon is brought to 101 proof before being bottled. Old Bardstown Estate Bottled Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has an auburn-red color, along with an intense aroma of sherry, mint, eucalyptus and copper, somewhat reminiscent of single malt scotch. Notes of nutmeg, caramel, tobacco and chewy leather dominate the palate, and are complemented by hints of malted barley, cherry, and earthy minerals. The finish is medium-long, with touches of fresh herbs, oak and spice. The bourbon earned a score of 95 points from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible, and the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012. 

In 1820, Don Juan Sebastian Serralls emigrated from Spain and arrived in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. After living frugally and saving carefully for many years, Serralls began a small family in the city. Four decades later, his son founded Hacienda Teresa a sugar plantation just outside the city borders. Situated in southern part of Puerto Rico, Hacienda Teresa enjoys generous amounts of sunlight and large flatlands, making it ideal for the cultivation of fresh, juicy sugarcane. In 1865, the Serralls family began distilling the excess sugar cane harvested from Hacienda Teresa into rum. Today, Felix J. Serralls, Jr. a third generation master distiller continues to shepherd his family legacy forward. Don Q Gran Aejo Rum is made from freshly harvested sugar cane, which is crushed before being fermented using a proprietary strain of yeast (the Serralls family has been using the same strain of yeast for over 75 years). Following fermentation, the rum is distilled five times before being matured in American white oak casks. "The interaction of wood and rum matures and mellows the spirit, as well as endows our Gran Aejo with a luxurious golden color," says Serralls. "Our Gran Aejo contains rums aged between 3 and 12 years, creating a balance between sweet and dry that you won't get in other spirits." Once the rums have been aged and blended together, Don Q Gran Aejo Rum is brought to proof with water from the Ro Inabn (in 1898, the family was granted exclusive rights to use water from the river for their rum). The Inabn River travels through Puerto Rico's volcanic mountains and as a result, contributes a slightly earthy and mineral flavor profile to the rum. Don Q Gran Aejo Rum has an aroma of caramelized oranges, citrus zest and herbal vegetables. The aroma gives way to notes of tropical fruits, caramel and vanilla on the palate, and finishes with hints of salty minerals, molasses and coconuts. The rum has won numerous awards, including the Double Gold Medal at the Beverly Hills Competition in 2013 (where it was named "Best in Show"), the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences and the Platinum Medal at the 2013 Sip Competition. In addition, it earned a score of 96 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2014, which named it the Best Rum in the World.

Nestled 1,000 feet high in Scotland's Monadhliath Mountains, Tomatin Distillery, founded in the 15th century, is a pinnacle of Scottish heritage. The Tomatin 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, crafted from plump Scottish barley, undergoes a meticulous process overseen by Master Distiller Douglas Campbell, with over 50 years at Tomatin. Distilled twice in unique copper-pot stills, the whisky matures for 15 years in ex-bourbon casks before an 18-month finish in Spanish oak casks from Oloroso Sherry. Notable accolades include the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold Medal and the 2013 World Whiskies Awards' "Best Highland Single Malt (13-20 Years of Age)," along with a 96-point rating at the 2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

Situated along the Grampian Mountains in the Highlands region of Scotland, Dalwhinnie Distillery was founded in 1897 by John Grant, and was originally named Strathspey Distillery. In 1898, Grant declared bankruptcy and sold the distillery to AP Blyth, who renamed the distillery Dalwhinnie. The name, which roughly translates to "meeting place"in ancient Gaelic, is a reference to the cattle farmers who would pause at the distillery on their journey south to the cattle markets in Crieff and Falkirk. Dalwhinnie Single Malt Scotch Whisky is made exclusively from freshly harvested, plump barley, which is milled and mashed with water sourced from Lochan an Doire Uaine (meaning "Loch of the Green Thicket"). The pure spring water, which travels through local peat before reaching the loch (the loch itself is situated 2,000 feet above sea level), imparts a soft yet subtle complexity to the whisky. Since no other distillery may legally use water drawn from Lochan an Doire Uaine, no other distillery is able to replicate the unique, malty-sweet taste of Dalwhinnie Single Malt Scotch Whisky. After the barley has been milled and mashed, it is fermented in the distillery's original, wooden washbacks. While wooden washbacks are more expensive and difficult to maintain as compared to stainless steel washbacks, they absorb a portion of the heat generated during fermentation, and thus, enable a slower and longer fermentation process. Following fermentation, the wash is distilled twice, first through Dalwhinnie's copper-pot wash still, and then again through its copper-pot spirit still. Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky was distilled before being matured for approximately fifteen years in oak casks. After its initial maturation, the whisky was double-barreled, or finished, for an additional year in casks that were formerly used to mature Oloroso sherry, before it was finally bottled. The whisky has an aroma of fresh orchards, honey and soft spices that open up to notes of malt, sweet grapes, heathered spices and honey on the palate, and lead to a long finish with touches of oak and vanilla.

In 1936 Thompson Willett founded Willett Distillery. Today, the tradition continues. The Willett family legacy lives on in Willett Pot Still Reserve. 

Awards 

San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2008: Gold Medal for taste, and the Double Gold Medal for design.

Aged: 8 & 10 Year

Tasting Notes

Nose: Vanilla lemon cake.

Palate: Balance of caramel, vanilla, spices and citrus. 

After inheriting the family recipe in the late 1980s, Tom Bulleit set out to make his own version of the Bulleit Bourbon. "We have a distilling tradition in the family," says Bulleit. "It seems kind of odd that one would have a family recipe for bourbon, but in our part of Kentucky everyone has one." Today they produce a range of four Bourbons and one Rye Whiskey that have received numerous awards, and have become the Spirits of choice for cocktail drinkers around the world. Bulleit Ten Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from a mash of corn, rye and malted barley. After the grains are harvested, they are mashed and fermented with a unique strain of family yeast. Following fermentation, the wash is distilled through a copper-still before being matured in charred, American oak casks for a minimum of ten years. "I may be biased, but I think Bulleit Bourbon is incredible at its traditional age of five to eight years," says Bulleit. "But it was exciting to see what happened to a select number of barrels aged a little longer. The result was a special expression of our family's bourbon that exceeded our expectations and we knew we had to bottle it and share it with our loyal fans." Bulliet Ten Year Old Bourbon has a dark caramel color, along with an aroma of toasted oak, rich caramel and sweet fruits. The notes of woody spices, cloves and oak give way to hints of dried fruits, light vanilla and spicy rye on the palate, and lead to a long, slightly sweet finish. The bourbon earned a score of 92 points from the Beverage Testing Institute in 2013, and a score of 91 points from Wine Enthusiast. In addition, Forbes Magazine called it "one of the best bourbons." "There's a difference between aging and maturity, and we'll never bottle bourbon until it's ready to reach the customer," says Bulleit.

Founded in 1982 by German-born J?rg Rupf, St. George Spirits is one of the oldest craft distilleries in the United States. The distillery, housed in an old World War II airplane hangar on a former naval base on the edge of San Francisco, is home to Lance Winters, nuclear engineer, mad scientist and St. George's master distiller, and Dave Smith, St. George's chief blender. Winters and Smith, who are widely-known for experimenting with different types of spirits, have a laboratory dominated by a 10-liter test still, which sits adjacent to the glass beakers and graduated cylinders that cover every inch of their counterspace. Next to the dusty chalkboards caked with equations for the conversion of sugar to alcohol and intricate diagrams of molecular structures are bottles of experimental whiskies, vodkas and even an aging balsamic vinegar (it's 14 years old already). After 30 years of producing their own spirits, St. George Spirits has developed a wicked hobby barrel thieving. Breaking & Entering Bourbon is the product of Winters and Smith going deep into the rickhouses of Kentucky's most venerable bourbon distilleries and selecting 300-plus barrels of bourbon to bring back to California. After sampling each individual barrel (which took three months alone) and experimenting with different blends, Winters and Smith settled on a recipe made up of 80 different barrels, each ranging in age from five to seven years. The result is a criminally delicious bourbon with notes of maple, banana, brown sugar and cinnamon. "We like to think of our spirits as parties in a bottle, and the label is the invitation," says Winters.

Situated in the province of Munster, the Cork Distilleries Company was founded in 1877. Two years after it opened its doors, the distillery began bottling its first whiskey, and in 1882, the company hired a young Corkman named Patrick J. O'Flaherty as their salesman. The classic charmer spent 4 decades selling his whiskey in Ireland. Known for his easygoing personality and generosity, he would ensure everybody around him always had a great time and was always buying rounds for the patrons in the pubs he visited, becoming a universally-loved character. The whiskey's original name was soon forgotten with everybody was starting to order "Paddy whiskey". In 1912, the distillery officially renamed the whiskey Paddy Irish Whiskey in his honor. Today, Paddy Old Irish Whiskey is made from the finest malted and unmalted barley harvested from the East Cork countryside, together with water sourced from river Dungourney. It's a triple-distilled blend of grain, malt, and pot-still whiskey, each component contributing an integral part to the smoothness of the finished spirit: a floral sweetness from the grain, toasted biscuit from the malt, and creaminess from the pot-still. Light, balanced, and pure, it has a rich golden color and deep spice, honey, and vanilla notes. It is matured in 3 different oak casks, before being bottled at 80 proof.

Hibiscus is celebrated globally for its medicinal and aphrodisiac qualities. Sorel Liqueur, handcrafted in Brooklyn, adds a modern twist to Caribbean traditions. It blends Moroccan hibiscus, Indonesian cassia, nutmeg, Nigerian ginger, and Brazilian cloves, resulting in a unique, dark-hued liqueur. Sorel's flavor profile, with its bright floral notes and warm spices, has earned high praise, including a 91-point rating from Wine Enthusiast and accolades from the Spirits Review, F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal, and Difford's Guide. Whether enjoyed neat or in cocktails, Sorel's versatility shines.

We find it hard to do anything halfway. So when we make our Very Special Old Reserve blend, we really go all out. We wanted it to be rich, have a great body, a nice smell, an exceptional taste and leave a nice feeling in your mouth. It was not easy, but we managed to get it done. This well-aged, premium rum has it all - a beautiful mahogany colour, a lovely toffee, vanilla and oak aroma, a taste suggestive of bourbon and vanilla and a warm oak aftertaste. Yes, it is hard work and takes time… but it is worth it.

​

Known as COCKSPUR 12 in select markets.

Born in December 1839, William Grant became a cattle herder at the age of 7 in order to supplement his family's income. As a teenager, Grant apprenticed as a cobbler and a clerk, and in 1866, he joined Mortlach Distillery as a bookkeeper. For the next two decades, Grant managed the affairs at the distillery, while secretly learning the art of distillation. In 1886, he resigned from his position as distillery manager and bought a field beneath the towering shadows of Balvenie Castle, which he eventually converted into Balvenie Distillery. Today, Balvenie Distillery, situated in the Speyside region of Scotland, remains one of the most independent and prestigious distilleries in all of Scotland. Balvenie Single Malt Whisky is made from fresh, plump barley grown on Balvenie Mains, a 1,000 acre farm situated adjacent to the distillery (the farm has been the distillery's source for barley for over a century). After the barley is harvested, it is malted at the distillery with spring water sourced from the rolling Speyside hills that overlook the distillery. During the malting process, the barley is turned up to four times a day in order to ensure that it germinates evenly (Balvenie is the only single malt Scotch whisky distillery that continues to grow and malt its own barley). Once the barley has been malted, it is milled and mashed at the distillery before being fermented using a proprietary strain of yeast. Following fermentation, the wash is distilled twice, first through Balvenie's copper-pot wash still and then again through its copper-pot spirit still. "The most important reason for using a copper still,"explains Dennis McBain, Balvenie's coppersmith, "is that it acts as a catalyst. It removes any sulphur which may be carried over from the fermentation process prior to distillation." McBain, who joined Balvenie Distillery in 1959, is one of the oldest coppersmiths remaining in the industry. In addition, the size and shape of Balvenie's stills the stills' necks have unique boil balls that are nicknamed "Balvenie Bowls" results in Balvenie's signature bold and malty flavor profile. "The size and shape of the boil ball allow for the vapors to mix before continuing up the head,"explains McBain. "That helps make The Balvenie special." The Balvenie 17 Year Old Doublewood Single Malt Scotch Whisky was originally made in homage to David Stewart (Balvenie's Master Blender), who celebrated five decades of working at the distillery in 2012. Following distillation, The Balvenie 17 Year Old Doublewood matured in traditional, American oak casks before being double-barreled, or finished, in European oak casks that were previously used to mature sherry. As a result of spending seventeen years in oak casks, the whisky has deep notes of vanilla, green apple, and toffee. Aroma of oak, vanilla and green apple. Notes of dark fruits, raspberries, toasted almonds, coffee and butterscotch lead to a finish that is deep and lush, with notes of fruits mingled with spices. Balvenie 17 Year Old Doublewood earned a score of 95 points from The Tasting Panel Magazine, which said that the whisky had a "long, smooth toasty finish" that was "elegant." 

Situated along the banks of the River Derwent on the island of Tasmania, Sullivans Cove was the site of one of Britain's first penal colonies in Australia. In 1804, at the order of the Governor King of the British settlement of New South Wales, Lt. John Bowen transported some of the most heinous British criminals to Sullivans Cove, which eventually developed into the city of Hobart. Hobart was the perfect penal colony the area's dense forests required a huge labor force in order to establish a settlement, and its isolation and inaccessibility ensured there was no escape. Today, the island of Tasmania remains of one the most isolated and natural places on earth approximately 37% of the island is protected as natural reserves. Sullivans Cove Single Malt Tasmanian Whisky is made from barley grown exclusively on the island of Tasmania. "The island's deep red basalt soil, pure water and mild temperatures result in a barley that is perfect for distillation," says Patrick Maguire, the distillery's founder and master distiller (his ancestors were convicts that were imprisoned on the island). In addition, the island has one of the oldest and strictest quarantine programs in the world, ensuring that the barley remains untainted. Once the barley has been harvested, it is malted at the Cascade Brewery by Roger Ibbott, who has over four decades of experience malting barley. The malted barley is then mashed and fermented at Sullivans Cove Distillery using a unique strain of yeast developed specifically for the production of Sullivans Cove Whisky. Then, the wash is twice-distilled through a handmade copper-pot still. "The real trick is to cut the run short, so that only the sweetest, best flavors and purest alcohol from the heart of the run is captured", says Macguire. "It's not the most sensible approach by an accountant's standards, but then it's a good thing that we are not accountants!" Following distillation, Sullivan's Cove Double Cask Single Malt Whisky is matured in a combination of American oak casks that were previously used to mature Jim Beam (two-thirds) and thirty-year old French oak casks that were previously used to mature port (one-third). After maturing for eleven years in each cask, the whiskies are married together, brought to proof and then bottled. Sullivan's Cove Double Cask Single Malt Whisky has an aroma of soft spices and vanilla, which lead to notes of cloves, rock candy and pear. The well-rounded and smooth finish has a touch of oak and milk chocolate. The whisky earned the Gold Medal at the World Whisky Masters in 2011.

Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon is finished in port wine casks for an award-winning spirit. We guide each batch’s conditioning, blending our handcrafted bourbon in small batches of 8 to 12 barrels at a time.

It’s typically aged for up to 6 years. While we lose about 5% of the spirit each year to evaporation, or “the Angel’s Share,” what’s left behind after we’re done is truly worthy of envy.

Once it’s deemed ready, we finish our bourbon in ruby port wine casks, which adds subtly distinct flavor nuances that enhance the whiskey without challenging it. Our port finishing process lasts between three to six months, depending on taste.

We use 60-gallon ruby port barrels made from French oak and imported directly from Portugal. This creates a whiskey of unprecedented smoothness, sweetness and balance.

Appearance: Gold color laced with reddish amber hues, nearly copper in tone

Nose: You’ll detect notes of subtle vanilla, raisins, maple syrup and toasted nuts

PALATE: Vanilla, ripe fruit, maple syrup, toast and bitter chocolate

FINISH: Clean and lingering sweetness with a hint of Madeira that slowly fades

Absinthe, which is a spirit traditionally derived from grand wormwood, anise and fennel, has a long and colorful history. While its origins remain unclear, the use of medicinal wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt. In the 18th and 19th centuries, absinthe was distributed by the French Army to its troops as a cure for several digestive diseases, including dysentery and tropical fever. When the troops returned home, they brought their taste for absinthe with them. Spurred by the temperance movement and winemakers, absinthe eventually became associated with hallucinogenic effects. One critic claimed that absinthe would "make you crazy and criminal,"and that it would "provoke epilepsy and tuberculosis." In 1905, Swiss farmer Jean Lanfray murdered his family after consuming considerable quantities of wine, brandy and two glasses of absinthe. While Lanfray had a history of alcoholism, Swiss teetotalers seized the moment and passed a referendum making absinthe illegal. Similarly, absinthe was prohibited in the United States for nearly a century; from 1912 until 2007, absinthe was not allowed to be consumed on American soil. Corsair RED Absinthe is a unique interpretation on the classic green spirit. "Our company got going about the same time the U.S. ban was lifted, so it was one of those things where we said we could make a little and people would come and want to know about it," says Andrew Webber, the co-founder of Corsair Artisan Spirits. "It's one of the most uncommon absinthes made in the world, so people have found use for our product, and it has its own uses in mixology." Corsair RED is made using traditional absinthe ingredients, but is tweaked with some unusual additions, including citrus, tarragon, dragon wormwood (a relative of grand wormwood) and red hibiscus flowers. "We think of a good spirit as something like a musical chord made up of several notes," says Webber, noting that Corsair originally envisioned creating a more traditional absinthe. "Our early batches were missing a note in the chord. But when we added hibiscus, everything clicked." The hibiscus flowers give the absinthe its unusual red color, and add a floral note to the palate that is complemented by tangy citrus, herbal undertones and a spicy, peppery finish. Once the absinthe has been distilled, each bottle is filled, labeled and boxed by hand Corsair's small operation has no mechanized components. "We make less in a year than a big distillery spills in a day," says Clay Smith, Corsair's distillery manager. "Our products are extremely small batch, meaning that our largest run is 550 bottles."

Sitting alongside its 11s series counterparts, this Ten Year Old brings a subtler, more mature dimension to the otherwise youthful exuberance of the .1, .2 and .3 spirits. While we deliberately keep the barley influence forward in the .1 and .3 editions, our .2 and Ten Year Old editions introduce cask influence at varying ends of the Octomore age spectrum. While the malt for our Octomore Ten Year Old is initially higher in PPM, the influence of those 5 extra years results in a calmer, deeper spirit.

TASTING NOTES

CHARACTER: Grown up Octomore, relaxed and refined, with age we lose some of the vitality but develop a sense of calm and deep complexity.

AROMA: Wonderful Bouquet of Peat and fruit. Nectarine and citrus fruits with hints of pineapple and mango, a depth of rich sweetness and complexity. Vanilla and oak sugar, nutty and vibrant. With age the fruit comes through so well, and the depth of flavour is wonderful, more exotic fruits and that citrus and minerality character which is the DNA of our spirit.

TASTE: Wonderful salty tang on the lips, leading into a viscous and honey like texture. Beautiful fruit notes and sweet oak make this a joy to hold on the palate, the peach, ripe pineapple and mango, dried apricot and peach notes are beautifully weighed against the smoke and oak, the extra age and combination of casks bring a level of maturity to this expression of Octomore that gives a new dimension to our understanding of this exceptional single malt

FINISH: Oak driven, coconut, tobacco, vanilla, then smoke. The time in the cask has calmed the smoke, both through the phenols lowering naturally over time and the influence of the oak becoming greater.

COLOUR: Gold.

Triple distilled then matured for over eighteen years for a refined whisky. The result: a refreshing Lowland Single Malt whisky with the added infusion of ripe citrus and green tea, the warmth of toasted almonds and the signature smooth, delicate Auchentoshan taste. Expect a deep golden summer barley colour to each glass of this Single Malt. What gives whisky its colour? Our careful and methodical maturing process over the course of 18 years. As the Single Malt comes into contact with the barrel, a new colour and flavour profile is created over time.

TASTING NOTES

TO THE EYE: Expect a deep golden summer barley colour to each glass of this Single Malt. What gives whisky its colour? Our careful and methodical maturing process over the course of 18 years. As the Single Malt comes into contact with the barrel, a new colour and flavour profile is created over time.

TO THE NOSE: Fresh tobacco leaf, then some sweetness, layered with a hint of caramelised sugar, green tea and almonds. 

TO THE TONGUE: A smooth whisky taste with a floral freshness and a burst of sweet barley at first. This gently ebbs, revealing a tangy zestness of Auchentoshan whisky. The palate is left alive and refreshed. 

TO THE END: A long, lingering well balanced Single Malt. A dram that invigorates the senses. 

Founded in 1994 by Harold Currie, the Arran Distillery is one of the last remaining independent distilleries in Scotland. "The reason the distillery was built on the Isle of Arran," says James MacTaggart, Arran's master distiller, "was because there is a very good water supply here. In fact, it was tasted and it was decided that it was probably one of the best water supplies in Scotland for making whisky." When the distillery was finally completed in 1995 construction was halted for nearly a year when a pair of Golden Eagles built their nest near the distillery it became the first legal distillery on the Isle of Arran in over 150 years. Arran Single Malt Whisky is made exclusively from unpeated Scottish barley, which is malted and then fermented using a proprietary strain of yeast. Once the barley has been fermented, the wash is distilled twice first through Arran's copper-pot wash still and then again through Arran's copper-pot spirit still. The stills were custom designed, says MacTaggart, and "shaped to allow the lighter vapors to come up through the stills." As a result, Arran Single Malt Scotch Whisky has an appreciably softer and more delicate flavor profile as compared to other Scotch whiskies. Arran Single Malt Whisky Port Cask Finish was matured for approximately eight years in traditional oak casks. Following its initial beauty rest, the whisky was finished in used Port casks sourced from Portugal. Much as with Arran Sauternes Cask Finish, the whisky was closely monitored by Arran's master distiller in order to ensure that the whisky was well-balanced yet bold. The whisky has a reddish-bronze color, along with an aroma of red fruits, roasted nuts and vanilla spices. The palate is layered, with touches of fruits and spices complementing notes of cinnamon, apples and raisins, and leading to a sweet, honeyed finish.

In 1778, the HMS Resolution, commanded by Captain James Cook, made landfall on the island of Kaua'i, the oldest island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Cook was the first European to visit the Hawaiian islands, and his sailors undoubtedly exhausted from a long and arduous journey are believed to have introduced the concept of rum to the Hawaiians. Within a few years, Hawaii's first successful sugar plantation was established near the town of Koloa on the island of Kaua'i. "In many ways, this is where it all began," says Robert Gunter, master distiller at Koloa Rum Corporation. Each Koloa Rum is made exclusively from raw sugar cane crystals, which are grown on the island of Kaua'i. The island's rich, volcanic soil, along with its temperate climate, produce naturally flavorful and dense sugar cane. In addition, unlike most distilleries which use molasses in order to produce rum, Gunter only uses raw sugar cane crystals, which contain naturally higher concentrations of sucrose and minerals. "It just creates a better rum," says Gunter. After purchasing the sugar crystals from the Gay & Robinson Sugar Plantation (situated on the western part of the island), Gunter ferments the sugar using a proprietary strain of yeast he sourced from Guadeloupe, an island in the French Caribbean. "Never underestimate the importance of yeast in producing a quality rum." Following fermentation, the wash is twice-distilled through Koloa Rum's vintage, 1210-gallon, hybrid copper pot and column still. The still, which was originally manufactured in Pennsylvania shortly after World War II, was previously used to distill bourbon in Kentucky. During distillation, Gunter forces the alcohol vapors to pass through the column's seven plates. As the alcohol vapor rises, it is stripped of impurities and becomes more concentrated. In order to create Koloa Gold Rum, Gunter infuses the rum with carmalized sugar following distillation. Koloa Gold Rum has a vivid golden color, along with notes of sugar cane, candied apples, maple and vanilla that lead to a caramel finish. The rum earned the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012 and at the International Rum Festival in 2013. In order to create Koloa Spice Rum, Gunter infuses the rum with carmalized sugar, natural vanilla and a proprietary blend of herbs and spices following distillation. Golden wheat in color, Koloa Spice Rum has hints of allspice, cinnamon and cake, and finishes with a touch vanilla. The rum earned the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012, and the Bronze Medal at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival in 2011. In order to create Koloa Dark Rum, Gunter infuses the rum with a completely unique set of herbs and spices, which gives the rum its signature deep mahogany color, and contribues notes of crme br?le, vanilla and caramelized oranges to the rum. Koloa Dark Rum earned the Gold Medal at the Miami Rum Renissance Festival in 2011, where it was named "Best in Class." Once each rum has been infused with the requisite ingredients, Gunter brings the rum to proof using water sourced from Mt. Waialeale, one of the wettest spots on earth. "The water is captured during rainfall and is slowly filtered through layers of volcanic strata before reaching these vast, underground aquifers," says Gunter. "That's what adds the unique taste and mouthfeel to our rum." Once the rum is brought to proof, each bottle is filled and labeled by hand.