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

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

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

TASTING NOTES

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

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

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

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

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

AWARDS

Double Gold Medal

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

Gold Medal

– The Good Food Awards, January 19, 2018

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

– American Craft Spirits, September 22, 2010

Silver Medal 

– Beverage Testing Institute, February 24, 2011

– Paste Magazine, November 20, 2017

– Paste Magazine, September 19, 2015

– Men's Journal, September 3, 2014

– Modern Distillery Age, November 25, 2011

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

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

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

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

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

DESCRIPTION
A combination of straight rye whiskey, a pinch of rock candy, raw honey, navel oranges and importantly, Angostura Bitters, it's like drinking the perfect Old Fashioned. Just pour over ice and enjoy. 

TASTING NOTES: Hints of citrus, honey, spice and bitters.

Sunnyslope Nectarine Flavored Vodka is our newest naturally gluten free variety that delivers a uniquely vibrant and refreshing taste. It’s named after the Sunnyslope region of Idaho famed for its fruit orchards and long Idaho summer days. Sunnyslope Nectarine is perfect on the rocks, straight up, or in a signature cocktail.

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

Similar to a peach, Nectarines are a “stone” fruit known for their fresh and crisp taste. They’re grown throughout the warmer temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. 44º North® blends them with smooth Potato Vodka for a rich, natural flavor.

During the 17th century, the Madeira archipelago (situated just 200 miles north of the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa) was the major exporter of sugar and sugar cane to much of Portugal and the remainder of Western Europe. As Algerian pirates began raiding European cargo ships in the 18th century, and Napoleon began plunged Europe into a series of wars, the waters off the coast of the Madeira archipelago became too dangerous, and the production of sugar cane, as well as cachaa a spirit distilled from sugar cane shifted to Brazil. Since then, cachaa has become the most popular spirit in Brazil and the third most-popular spirit in the world. Yaguara Cachaa is crafted by a fifth-generation family of cachaa producers, situated in the heart of Brazil. After the stalks of organic sugarcane grow as high twelve feet on the family's estate, expert farmers tenderly harvest the crops by hand using a machete. Then, the sugarcane is pressed and the resulting pulp slowly fermented using a family yeast recipe that has been passed down for nearly two hundred years. Following distillation, the cachaa is distilled through a 750-liter copper alembic still before being expertly blended together by Master Blender Erwin Weimann, who has over four decades of experience in the cachaa industry. As a result of his expertise, Yaguara Cachaa has a golden green hue, along with an aroma of overripe bananas, papayas and dried apricots. The aroma gives way to notes of chamomile, lentils, limes and lemongrass on the palate, and yields to a finish accented by touches of ginger and crushed red pepper. Yaguara Cachaa is gluten-free and was just released in the United States.

The principal author of the Declaration of Independence and one of the greatest Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson was elected the third President of the United States in 1800. During his tenure, Jefferson authorized the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, dispatched Lewis and Clark westward in order to explore the remainder of the continent and repealed the Whisky Excise Tax. After Jefferson retired from public office in 1815, he often tended to the garden that he had cultivated on his Monticello estate. At the time, it was customary for wealthy farmers, including Jefferson, to distill the excess grains they harvested from their farms into spirits (George Washington was one of the country's largest distillers of rye whiskey). As a result, each farmer's spirits were unique and reflected the local terrior of their farm. Made in collaboration with Chef Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia and Milkwood restaurants in Louisville, Jefferson's Chef Collaboration Straight Whiskey pays homage to the spirits Jefferson distilled over two centuries ago. "We started to think about what foods would pair well with bourbon," says Trey Zoeller, Jefferson's founder and master blender. "When we started to think about pairing whiskey with some dishes from Chef Lee's cookbook pork dishes, spicier dishes, and his fried chicken particularly it really came together." Crafted from a blend of straight bourbon and rye whiskies, Jefferson's Chef Collaboration has an aroma of cherry, dried citrus and oak that gives way to notes of buttered biscuits, peaches and tart apples on the palate. Subtle touches of rye bread and spicy oak tannins linger, and lead to a finish accented by touches of citrus and cloves. We have only a handful of bottles of this whiskey available.

Built in 1869 with an iron frame and a wooden hull, the Cutty Sark is a British clipper ship that was designed to transport tea from from China to London. At the time of its construction, the tea trade was intensely competitive and substantial bonuses were paid to ships that arrived in London with the first tea of the year. As a result, the Cutty Sark was engineered to be one of the fastest ships in the world, logging a maximum speed of 17.5 knots. The ship's name was derived from the nickname of Nannie Dee, a witch in Robert Burns' poem Tam o'Shaner. Cutty Sark Scotch Whisky is produced by Edrington of Glasgow, whose main offices are fewer than 10 miles away from the birthplace of the clipper. Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition pays homage to Captain William McCoy, who smuggled Cutty Sark whisky into the United States during Prohibition. His reputation for dealing with unadulterated liquor (at the time, many bootleggers mixed their spirits with other liquids in order to increase yield) gave rise to the Cutty Sark being referred to as "The Real McCoy." Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition Scotch Whisky is crafted from a blend of the finest single malts and top-quality grain whiskies available in Scotland, including whiskies sourced from The Macallan and Highland Park. Once the whiskies were identified, they were married together in hand selected American oak casks and then brought to 100 proof before being bottled. As a result, the whisky has a golden honey color, along with an aroma of ripe citrus, orange zest and fragrant spices. The aroma gives way to notes of toffee, creamy vanilla, pepper and coffee beans on the palate, and leads to a finish accented by touches of oak spices and sweet fruit. "This blend is created with exact precision as Captain McCoy himself would approve to celebrate the 80th anniversary of such a significant era," says Kirsteen Campbell, the distillery's Master Blender. Pick up a bottle today!

Established in 1836 on Recherlich Farm in Scotland's Speyside, Glenfarclas Distillery has a storied past. Bought by John Grant in 1865, it's now run by George S. Grant, the sixth generation owner. Known for its traditional methods, they use direct-heated stills for their acclaimed Glenfarclas 17 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Crafted from barley steeped in water from Ben Rinnes mountain, this whisky matures for 17 years in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks from Spain. Its profile boasts butterscotch, cherries, honeyed oak, and a finish hinting at vanilla and coffee. Honored with a 93-point score from Wine Enthusiast, the Beverage Testing Institute, and a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

In 1751, Severo Arango Y Ferro journeyed from Spain to the port city of Cartagena, situated in northern Colombia. Ferro had been sent to Columbia by the King, and was asked to establish and oversee commercial trading activities between Spain and its American colonies. Ferro proved himself to be an able and ruthless statesman and under his leadership, the city of Cartagena became a hub of economic activity and the most important port for the Spanish fleet in the Americas. Ferro's strength and power also earned him the nickname "Dictador." Dictador was partial to a variety of rums that were being distilled in the Caribbean at the time, many of which passed through Cartagena on their way to Spain. In 1913, over 150 years after Ferro initially arrived in Colombia, one of his descendants established Destileria Columbiana. Today, the distillery honors the legacy of its founding ancestors with Dictador Rum. Dictador XO Perpetual Solera System Rum is crafted from virgin sugar cane juice, which is fermented and then distilled through an antique alembic copper still. Following distillation, the rum is aged solera aged through a series of casks that were previously used to mature bourbon. As a result, Dictador Perpetual has an aroma of butterscotch, toffee, espresso beans and milk chocolate that gives way to notes of tropical fruits and citrus on the palate. The finish is long and complex, with sweet notes of caramel and vanilla mingled against spicy touches of pepper and oak. Dictador Perpetual also earned the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012.

In 1751, Severo Arango Y Ferro journeyed from Spain to the port city of Cartagena, situated in northern Colombia. Ferro had been sent to Columbia by the King, and was asked to establish and oversee commercial trading activities between Spain and its American colonies. Ferro proved himself to be an able and ruthless statesman and under his leadership, the city of Cartagena became a hub of economic activity and the most important port for the Spanish fleet in the Americas. Ferro's strength and power also earned him the nickname "Dictador." Dictador was partial to a variety of rums that were being distilled in the Caribbean at the time, many of which passed through Cartagena on their way to Spain. In 1913, over 150 years after Ferro initially arrived in Colombia, one of his descendants established Destileria Columbiana. Today, the distillery honors the legacy of its founding ancestors with Dictador Rum. Dictador XO Insolent Solera System Rum is made from the virgin nectar of raw sugar canes. Once the nectar has been fermented, it is distilled through a stainless steel alembic still and solera-aged in casks that were previously used to mature Jerez and Port. Solera aging is a process that has generally been reserved for aging cognacs, ports and sherries. It involves filling a series of casks at different intervals over a long period of time. As rum from the oldest cask is emptied and bottled, the cask is re-filled with an equivalent amount of rum from the second-oldest cask in the solera. This cascading effect continues until the youngest cask in the solera is filled with new rum. As a result, no cask in the solera is ever fully emptied. In addition, as the younger rum cascades through the solera, its average age and complexity gradually increases over time. As a result of this aging process, Dictador Insolent has a deep mahogany color, along with an aroma of honey, caramel, dark chocolate and wood tannins. Notes of rich brown sugar, milk chocolate and dried fruits dominate the palate, and lead to a finish accented by touches of papaya, bananas, cloves and vanilla. Dictador Insolent earned the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2012.

Michter’s US1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is made from a carefully selected mashbill that features the highest quality American corn. It is then matured to the peak of perfection. Truly “small batch” each batch of our US1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is batched in a holding tank sized to fit a maximum of twenty full barrels, leaving no margin for “blending out” imperfection and thus necessitating excellence from every barrel. Reflecting the spirit of the Bluegrass State, Michter’s US1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is nuanced, mellow and earthy. Michter’s US1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is also available with personalized Fort Nelson Select labeling at Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery.

TASTING NOTES

Rich caramel with balanced vanilla, stone fruit notes, smoky depth, with an oak finish

In the 18th century, John Shenk, a Swiss Mennonite farmer, settled in Pennsylvania's Blue Mountain Valley. He worked tirelessly and harvested more grains than he could sell locally. Shenk decided to distill the excess grains into whiskey, establishing Michter's, the first distilling company in the United States. Prohibition in 1919 led to the closure of Michter's and other distilleries. In the early 1990s, Joseph J. Magliocco and Richard Newman revived the brand, focusing on creating exceptional whiskey. Michter's US*1 Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey is crafted from plump rye grains, fermented, distilled, and aged in charred American oak barrels. The heat-cycled warehousing process enhances the mingling of whiskey and wood, resulting in marmalade and light caramel notes.

Michter's Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey is the limited, overproof version of their Single Barrel Rye, with a bold aroma of butterscotch, golden raisins, and vanilla. The palate offers flavors of morning toast, maple syrup, and fresh fruit, followed by a spicy finish with hints of mint, cinnamon, and honey.

Distilled from a unique blend of thoroughbred grains from the Northern Neck of Virginia; 2/3 rye, 1/3 barley, hand-malted and kiln-dried with applewood and cherrywood smoke. Double pot-distilled at a low 150 to 160 proof to enhance the fruitiness and matured in ex-bourbon barrels with progressive infusions of toasted apple wood and oak chips.

TASTING NOTES

Color: Copper and Macintosh apple

Nose: Sensual aromas of butter roasted chestnuts, clay, dried apple and pickling spices, rye grain sacks

Palate: Silky, with dried fruit and nuts, medium-to-full body, warm and inviting

Finish: Honeyed rye toast, peppery spice, cola, fig and mineral rich

Non-chill filtered. 45% ABV/90 proof

Wonderfully balanced with a great combination of creamy, spicy and subtle understated smoke perfect for all applications and occasions. A great crossover for inquiring bourbon drinkers.

Tasting Notes

Nose : Distinctly confidant liquorice-bourbon notes with near perfect bitter-sweet balance; burnt honeycomb and toffee also abound;

Taste : Outstanding richness and sheen to the enormous barley-oak sweetness; again there is a big bourbony cut to the cloth with all the liquorice and molassed sugar normally associated; but the barley adds that extra dimension;

Finish : Long, wonderfully layered oak offering variations of a sweet dry theme; a touch silky with some cream toffee at the death;

Crop Organic Spiced Pumpkin Vodka is crafted exclusively from USDA-certified organic grains grown in the American Midwest. Once the grains exhibit the perfect combination of plumpness and ripeness, they are harvested by expert farmers who refuse to use artificial fertilizers, pesticides or chemicals. Rather, these farmers control weeds by creating old-fashioned prairie fires, and rely on native birds and bats to consume insects in their fields. As a result, their farms are lush, complete ecosystems that flourish with all types of wildlife. Once the grains have been harvested, they are mashed and fermented at Crop's distilling facility in Minnesota. Then, the wash the liquid that remains following fermentation is distilled as many times as necessary in order to remove any impurities or unwanted flavors. That is, the vodka is distilled to taste rather than a specific number of times (the distillation process is so efficient that no carbon treatment or charcoal filtering is required). Following distillation, the vodka is macerated in a secret recipe of herbs and spices, including fresh pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon. As a result, it has notes of brown sugar and caramelized fruit that are complemented by notes of molasses, cloves and cinnamon. The finish is well-balanced, with slightly sweet notes of pumpkin that are accented by notes of pepper and warming spices.

Brooklyn Gin was created to bring a fresh, vibrant flavor to elevate your favorite cocktail. We use fresh citrus, hand crushed juniper berries and oldschool production techniques for the freshest tasting gin. It takes a little more time and effort, but we believe you can taste the difference in every sip.