Situated along the northern coast of South America, Guyana was colonized by the Netherlands in the early 17th century. Much like other European countries at the time, the Dutch used their settlement's tropical climate Guyana enjoys an average temperature of up to 89.6 F and up to 137.8 inches of rain annually as a source of raw, fresh ingredients that were unable to be harvested on the European continent. In 1658, Guyana began exporting sugar back to the Netherlands and within a decade, farmer's along the Demerara River began distilling their excess cane sugar into rum. By the turn of the century, the tiny Caribbean country had over 300 unique distilleries. Today, Demerara Distillers Co. the last remaining rum distillery in the country pays homage to Guyana's rich tradition of distilling fine rum with El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum. El Dorado Rum is made from fresh, raw sugar cane cultivated in Guyana's rich, alluvial soil. After the sugar cane has been harvested by hand, it is transported back to Demerara Distillery by barge. There, the molasses is fermented with a proprietary strain of yeast specifically designed to control the Brix of the wash (Brix is the measure of dissolved solids in a solution). Following fermentation, the rum is distilled through Demerara Distillers' antique wooden and copper stills (the stills, which are up two centuries old, were used when the country was still a settlement). El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum is matured in bespoke, 45-gallon American oak casks for a minimum of twelve years. The hand-coopered barrels are allowed to mature in a custom-built warehouse, where Guyana's intense heat and tropical climate forces the rum and wood to mingle. Th rum has a smoky, savory aroma, with hints of oak, cinnamon and caramelized oranges. Notes of tropical fruits, banana bread and coconuts dominate the palate, and are complemented by touches of tobacco, cedar and woody spice, and lead to a long, caramel finish. El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum earned the Gold Medal and the title "Best in Class" at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in 2011. In addition, it was named on the "Top 10 List" by the The New York Times. 

Created in 1840, this yellow liqueur is inspired by the Elixir Végétal recipe. It was so popular that Father Garnier, attorney and responsible for liqueurs at the time, subsequently decided to officially name it Chartreuse Jaune and registered the “Chartreuse” mark in 1852. It was a liqueur with a 43 ° content, produced and still made today by the Chartreux Fathers.

TASTING NOTES

An intense yellow color, a fresh and spicy nose.

A soft structure.

Scents of turmeric, citrus and anise.

Floral notes extend the tasting.

In 1837, Henry McKenna emigrated from Ireland to the United States. After spending nearly two decades as a farmer in Kentucky, McKenna founded an eponymous distillery in 1855. At the time, McKenna focused on the production of wheat whiskey (the only crop he was harvesting at the time) and was able to distill enough whiskey to fill one barrel each day. As word of McKenna's high-quality whiskey spread, McKenna was able to triple his distillation capacity, and began experimenting with the production of bourbon. Following his death in 1893, McKenna's three sons Daniel, Stafford and James began operating the business. Today, Henry McKenna Single Barrel 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey honors the rich family tradition and pioneering spirit of the McKenna family. The bourbon, which is made from a mash of primarily corn, is the only extra-aged bottled-in-bond single barrel bourbon available today. Pursuant to the Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897 (27 C.F.R. 5.21), any spirit labeled as "Bonded" or "Bottled-in-Bond" must be the product of one distiller at one distillery during one distillation season. In addition, the Act requires that bonded spirits be aged in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. government supervision for at least four years and bottled at 100 proof. Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey is matured for a minimum of forty Kentucky seasons (ten years) before each bottle is filled and labeled with its batch and bottle number. As a result of its extra-long maturation period, the bourbon has an aroma of warm spices, smoke and burnt caramel. The aroma gives way to notes of chewy leather, chilli peppers and habanero, which are complemented by subtle touches of dried fruits, vanilla and cinnamon. The finish is warm and lush, with bold notes of roasted corn, cloves and woody spices. Since each bottle of McKenna's Single Barrel Bourbon is bottled from a single cask rather than being crafted from a batch of casks, however, each bottle is slightly different and entirely interesting. Henry McKenna 10 Year Old Bourbon was named one of the top 12 spirits ever tasted by Proof66 and was called "magnificent" by Jim Murray, author of the Whisky Bible. In addition, the bourbon earned a score of 90-95 points from Wine Enthusiast. 

"Kirk and Sweeney was the name of a wooden schooner that was best known for smuggling rum from the Caribbean to the United States during Prohibition," says August Sebastiani, President of 35 Maple Street Distillery. Just before it entered the territorial waters of the United States, the schooner would drop anchor and sell the rum to smaller boats which would come up alongside the Kirk and Sweeney. The smaller boats, which were faster and more maneuverable than the boats in the Coast Guard's fleet, would smuggle the rum ashore. As other boats followed suit, the edge of U.S. jurisdiction the line where boats like the Kirk and Sweeney dropped anchor became known as the "Rum Line" and the row of ships waiting to sell rum on the Rum Line were said to be anchored on "Rum Row." Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Old Rum is a rum crafted in the Dominican Republic from raw sugarcane. After being distilled, the rum is aged for twelve years in American oak casks. As a result, it has deep mahogany color along with an aroma of earthy sugar cane and vanilla. The initial flavors of sweet nectar and honey give way to notes of oak and toffee. The finish, which is bold and ripe, ends with a smooth vanilla kick. "Playing off the concept of global navigation," says Sebastiani, "we silkscreened an antique nautical map of the main rum smuggling route around the circumference of the bottle"of Kirk and Sweeney Rum. In addition, the neck of the bottle is hand-numbered with the rum's batch and bottle number, while a photo of the Kirk and Sweeney and the bottle's safety seal are printed to look like authentic nautical brass. "The overall design serves as a reminder of the risk so many were willing to take for a good taste of rum during the 1920s," says Sebastiani. Kirk and Sweeney 12 Year Old Rum earned a score of 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, which named it one of the Top 50 Spirits of 2013, and was called one of the Best New Rums of 2013 by Liquor.com. 

THE SPIRIT

Real absinthe. No artificial ingredients, no gimmicks. The first legal American absinthe released after the U.S. ban was lifted in 2007, St. George Absinthe Verte remains one of the most acclaimed and respected spirits in this category. Made from a host of real botanical ingredients, ours is a layered and evocative expression of this beguiling and highly spirituous herbal elixir. And it has a monkey on the label!

Tasting Notes

Nose : Heavy, thickly oaked and complex: some curious barley-sugar notes here shrouded in soft smoke. Big, but seductively gentle, too;

Taste : The delivery, though controlled at first, is massive! Then more like con-fusion as that smoke on the nose turns into warming, full blown peat, but it far from gets its own way as a vague sherry trifle note (curious, seeing how there are no sherry butts involved) - the custard presumably is oaky vanilla - hammers home that barley - fruitiness to make for a bit of a free-for-all; but for extra food measure the flavours develop into a really intense chocolate fudge middle which absolute resonates through the palate;

Finish : A slight struggle here as the mouthfeel gets a bit puffy here with the dry peat and oak; enough molassed sweetness to see the malt through to a satisfying end, though. Above all the spices, rather than lying down and accepting their fate, rise up and usher this extraordinary whisky to its exit;

In May 2010, expert jimadors from the Corazon Distillery began harvesting agave from the rolling hillsides of Arandas, which is situated in the Jalisco region of Mexico. Rather than clear-cutting the fields from the outset, the jimadors employed scientific tools in order to analyze the precise sugar content of the 80 tons of agave plants in Arandas. Once the sugar content had been determined, the jimadors combined agave with a low sugar content (a low sugar content will produce a tequila with a drier, more mineral flavor profile) together with agave with a high sugar content (a high sugar content will produce a tequila with a sweeter and more bold flavor profile) in order to produce a unique blanco tequila. Once the tequila had been produced, it was fractionated and matured in three unique types of casks: casks that had been previously used to mature Buffalo Trace Bourbon, casks that had previously been used to mature George T. Stagg Bourbon and casks that had previously been used to mature Sazerac Rye. Corazon Sazerac Rye Aejo Tequila is aged for 24 months in casks that were previously used to mature Sazerac Rye. It has an aroma of strawberries, butterscotch and toffee, which give way to notes of caramel, roasted nuts, and ripe citrus on the palate. The finish is sharp and bold, with touches of pineapple and agave balancing notes of spicy rye. 

In May 2010, expert jimadors from the Corazon Distillery began harvesting agave from the rolling hillsides of Arandas, which is situated in the Jalisco region of Mexico. Rather than clear-cutting the fields from the outset, the jimadors employed scientific tools in order to analyze the precise sugar content of the 80 tons of agave plants in Arandas. Once the sugar content had been determined, the jimadors combined agave with a low sugar content (a low sugar content will produce a tequila with a drier, more mineral flavor profile) together with agave with a high sugar content (a high sugar content will produce a tequila with a sweeter and more bold flavor profile) in order to produce a unique blanco tequila. Once the tequila had been produced, it was fractionated and matured in three unique types of casks: casks that had been previously used to mature Buffalo Trace Bourbon, casks that had previously been used to mature George T. Stagg Bourbon and casks that had previously been used to mature Sazerac Rye. Corazon Buffalo Trace Reposado Tequila is aged for over 10 months in casks that were previously used to mature Buffalo Trace Bourbon. It has an aroma of oak, caramelized agave and a hint of salty tang. Bold notes of fruits and agave dominate the flavor profile, and are complemented by touches of woody spices, black pepper and cinnamon. The finish is long and warming, with a touch of vanilla.

Since 1989, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers has regulated the supply of Canadian maple syrup in order to ensure that prices remain stable. Maple trees need optimal climate conditions cold nights and temperate days in order to produce sap, which in turn, is used to produce maple syrup. In order to keep prices stable, the FQMSP purchases and warehouses maple syrup in years where trees produce abundant sap, and sells maple syrup in years where production is lacking. It may seem bizarre, but Quebec produces 77% of the world's maple syrup. Tap Port Finished Canadian Rye Whisky is matured for up to eight years in a combination of traditional North American oak casks and casks that were previously used to mature port wine. Once the whisky has matured, it is finished with an aliquot of port wine. "Because Canadian distillers are dealing with a severe shortage of aged rye whisky, Tap Rye Port Finished has been made in a finite, limited quantity," says Michel Marcil. "There will not be another bottling once this small batch is sold out." Tap Rye Port Finished Canadian Rye Whisky has an aroma of red fruits, berries and plums. The aroma gives way to notes of honey, milk chocolate, dates, figs and nougat that are balanced against a spicy backbone. The finish is gentle and slightly sweet, with a hint of citrus, ginger and rye. Pick up a bottle of Port finished Canadian Rye today!

Introducing the Lagavulin Offerman Edition 11 Year Rum Cask Finish Release 2024 Scotch Whisky, a distinct and limited offering that marries the renowned Lagavulin character with a unique twist. Aged for 11 years and finished in rum casks, this expression embodies the essence of craftsmanship and innovation. With its rich, smoky flavors complemented by the subtle sweetness from the rum casks, this release promises a truly memorable tasting experience. Crafted in collaboration with actor Nick Offerman, known for his affinity for Lagavulin, this release is a celebration of both tradition and creativity. Seize the opportunity to savor this exceptional whisky and indulge in its complexity and depth.

"We are one of the smaller houses in Cognac and produce a small percentage of what the major houses do," says Francois Le Grelle, the Managing Director at the House of Hine. "For us, it's not about growth it's about maintaining the highest level of quality." Founded in 1817, the House of Hine has been in the same family for six generations. In 1791, Thomas Hine the company's founder left his native England in order to learn the art of making cognac. Today, nearly 225 years later, his great-great-great-great grandson, Bernard Hine, oversees the 297-acre Hine Estate. Situated on the banks of the River Charente, the estate benefits from a south-facing aspect, which maximizes the grapes exposure to sunshine and heat. In addition, "we only work with Grande and Petite Champagne where the soils are very chalky," explains Eric Forget, Hine's Cellar Master. "Hine's finesse comes from the terroir." H by Hine VSOP Fine Champagne Cognac is a blend of more than 15 cognacs made from the finest crus in France. After the grapes are harvested and fermented, they are distilled with their fine lees, which helps maintain the richness and structure of the cognac. Following distillation, H by Hine VSOP is aged in fine-grained wood sourced from northern France. "We prefer oak from the north of France because it has a finer grain which gives greater delicacy and less toast," says Forget. In addition, "we don't age too much in new oak as the wood flavors can dominate and hide the fruity and floral elements of the wine." H by Hine VSOP Fine Champagne Cognac is aged for a minimum of four years, and is Hine's most floral cognac. It has a scent of jasmine with a hint of redwood, which gives way to notes of iris, vanilla and carnation. Delicate and aromatic, it finishes with gentle notes of white grapes and a hint of apricots and cinnamon.

Banks Rum is named for the botanist Sir Joseph Banks, an adventurer who sailed with Captain Cook in the mid 18th century. The 5 Island blend is composed of 21 rums from 5 different islands - Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados, and Java, each lending their own unique style, flavors and character. The final formula was created by Master Blender Arnaud de Trabuc, who uses a combination of pot-stilled and column-stilled rums, charcoal filtered for clarity.

TASTING NOTES

"This super funky rum is clear, however the depth of flavor would suggest otherwise. It manages to reveal the rich, blackstrap molasses of the Jamaican rum, mixed with the earthiness of Guyanese, the fruitiness of Barbados, the bitterness of Batavia Arak from Java and the lightness from Trinidad rum to smooth it all out. The flavors are strong and rich, allowing it to be sipped neat, but it's a favorite with bartenders because of its flavor impact in cocktails."

This Heaven Hill Distillery original is named for the famed Bernheim Distillery here in Louisville. 7-Year-Old Wheat Whiskey, Bernheim Original is the first new style of American Whiskey to be introduced since Prohibition. Aged for 7 years in our traditional open rickhouses, Bernheim’s mellow taste is refreshingly smooth when served straight or in cocktails.

Tasting Notes

Color: Bright Amber

Aroma: Mildly sweet; hints of vanilla and honey

Taste: Hints of toffee, berries, and spice

Finish: Toasted oak; elegant and warm

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, Kentucky Vintage Bourbon is an authentic Kentucky straight whiskey. Bottled at a robust 90 proof, the bourbon has a golden chestnut color, along with an aroma of oranges, lemons, clovers and honey. Notes of ginger, caramel apples, roasted nuts and creamy vanilla dominate the palate, and give way to a finish accented by hints of almonds and black pepper. Kentucky Vintage Bourbon won the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and earned four stars from F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal. With its combination of age, taste and proof making it an unparalleled value, Kentucky Vintage Bourbon is one of the best kept secrets on the whiskey market.

Johnny Drum Private Stock Kentucky Bourbon is a premium whiskey crafted in small batches to honor the legacy of its namesake, a Kentucky farmer who distilled excess corn after the Civil War. Known for its smooth character and quality, it has earned recognition, including a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Tasting notes
The nose is sour apple, vanilla, and oak. The palate is a snowball rolling over fruits, vanilla, and spices, mixing them all together into a well

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.

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.