Maker Notes

Just steps from where Albany's first distillery an 18th-century rum distillery was once located, John Curtin and Rich Sicari, owners and distillers of Albany Distilling Co., are making the region's first local spirits since Prohibition, and are recapturing New York State's rich distilling heritage in the process. A self-described modest operation, Curtin and Sicari proudly craft their spirits one small batch at a time. Their emphasis on local sourcing and production is evident in their collaboration with Death Wish Coffee Co., another Albany-based business which purportedly brews the world's strongest coffee. Curtin and Sicari have been lending their expertise to Death Wish's Barrel Brand, which uses coffee beans aged in freshly-poured oak barrels from Albany Distilling Co., drawing out much of the spirit's flavor. Building off the success of this revolutionary idea, Albany Distilling Co. and Death Wish Coffee Co. have teamed up once again to create Death Wish Coffee Vodka. It seemed like a natural progression, says Curtin. Death Wish Coffee Vodka is made by marrying Albany Distilling Co.'s ALB Vodka, which is made from American corn and distilled six times, with Death Wish Coffee Co.'s cold-brew coffee. The result is a soft, bittersweet vodka with notes of chocolate, honey and coffee beans persisting from the nose all the way through the finish.

In 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth made history when they became the first reigning monarchs to journey across North America, traveling from Quebec City to Vancouver by train. Prior to their arrival, a local entrepreneur set out to craft a whisky that the King and Queen could enjoy in the privacy of their rail car. After sampling over 600 different blends of whisky, and scouring through hundreds of different types of glass, labels and bottles, the entrepreneur created what he believed to be the perfect whisky and called it Crown Royal. At the beginning of their journey, the King and Queen were gifted ten cases of the whisky from Canada to enjoy on their journey. The first release in Crown Royal's new Noble Collection, which honors the brand's regal roots, Crown Royal Cornerstone Blend Canadian Whiskey is crafted from three of Crown Royal's essential whiskies a spicy Canadian rye, a creamy coffey still whisky and a bourbon-style whisky matured in charred American white oak. Just as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth journeyed across Canada via railroad, Crown Royal Cornerstone Blend was transported to and from Crown Royal's storage facilities by train in D barrels (these barrels have already been used for several maturation cycles, rendering them essentially inactive), allowing the pure and exceptional flavor of the blend to shine through. As a result, Crown Royal Cornerstone Blend has a deep sunburst color, and an aroma of candied apples, malt grains and vanilla extract. The palate is filled with robust flavors of shaved nuts, oak, and orchard and tropical fruits, and leads to a memorably soft finish with hints of lemon tart, figs, honey and a woody spice.

In 1895, Masataka Taketsuru the father of Japanese Whisky was born in the small town of Takehara, Japan. At the time, Masataka's family owned a sake brewery, and in preparing to carry on the family trade, Masataka studied chemistry and biology at Osaka Technical High School. After graduating high school, Masataka showed more interest in whisky than in sake and in 1918, he enrolled at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, becoming the first Japanese ever to study the art of whisky-making. While in Scotland, Masataka took chemistry courses during the day while apprenticing at distilleries at night, learning to distill and blend whisky first-hand at some of Scotland's most prestigious distilleries. In 1920, Masataka returned to Japan, and within the decade, had produced the country's first single malt whisky. In 1934, Masataka moved to the town of Yoichi and opened the doors to Nikka Whisky Co. In 1960, as the Yoichi Distillery was reaching capacity, Masataka began searching for another suitable location in Japan to open a second distillery. Following a three-year search, Masataka found a wide forest valley at the junction of the Hirosegawa and Nikkawagawa rivers. The localized humidity from the rivers and surrounding hills, together with the quality of water from Nikkawagawa River, created the perfect location for a second distillery, which he named Miyagikyo. Meticulously crafted at the Miyagikyo Distillery, Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky is a single malt made with 100% malted barley. Once the grains arrive at the distillery, they are milled and mashed before being distilled through copper-pot stills (sometimes called Coffey stills) that were imported from Scotland in 1963. As a result of their age and shape, the stills produce a whisky that is more flavorful and complex than modern column stills. Following distillation, the whisky is matured in traditional oak casks. Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky has an aroma of cinnamon, lemon and butterscotch, which gives way to an intoxicating palate filled with clove, coconut, orange marmalade and oak. The finish is soft, with hints of mint, grapefruit zest and potpourri.

The term "splinter group" means a subset of people who have broken off from the rest to pursue their own agenda. The Splinter Group as a company is a group of Napa Valley winemakers who have teamed up to finish classic American Whiskeys in ex-Wine casks. The Sinter Group was founded in 2013 by John Wilkinson of winemaker Bin to Bottle and Dave Phinney of Orin Swift Wines. They have since been joined by other experienced oenophiles (wine lovers) in the area, representing decades of experience. As non-distilling producers, they source their aged Whiskeys from established producers across the midwest and southeastern United States and then blend them on site in northern California. The married spirits are finally finished in first-fill Wine casks. They have completed four products to date, including an American Whiskey, Bourbon, Rye, and a Sweet Vermouth. Straight Edge Bourbon is a blend of Tennessee and Kentucky Bourbons aged five, seven, and eight years old. The net mash bill is approximately 70% corn with the balance 17% rye and 13% malted barley. The blend is then finished in local Napa Cabernet Wine casks brining a lush, ripe plum aroma and taste to the traditional Bourbon flavor profile. It has a nice balance and solid mouthfeel and is bottled at 42% ABV. The Wine cask finishing also deepens the color to an antique mahogany hue with hints of red. This Bourbon stands tall on its own as a flavorful sipping Whiskey taken neat or with a few rocks. 

Situated adjacent to the Burn of Rothes in the Speyside region of Scotland, The Glenrothes Distillery was founded by in 1879 by James Stuart, who had previously been employed at The Macallan Distillery. The distillery's history is marred by tragedy in 1897, construction workers who were attempting to expand its capacity started a fire that consumed much of the distillery's equipment and infrastructure. Twenty-five years later, a fire in the distillery's original warehouse caused the loss of 200,000 gallons of maturing whisky. Despite having lost ten copper-pot stills in various accidents since its founding, the Glenrothes Distillery is now a picture of tranquility. The Glenrothes Single Malt Scotch Whisky is made from plump, ripe Scottish barley, which is malted and fermented using water sourced from the Ardcanny and Brauchhill springs (the springs are situated adjacent to the distillery). Following fermentation, the grains are twice distilled through the Glenrothes' copper-pot stills. The stills, which were designed and fashioned to be exact replicas of the original stills installed in 1879, are incredibly tall and uniquely shaped, which contributes to the overall light and sweet flavor of the whisky. After distillation, The Glenrothes' stillmen remove the heads and tails of the distillate and preserve only the "hearts" for maturation (the hearts comprise less than 20% of the entire distillate). The Glenrothes Sherry Cask Reserve Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a blend of rare and limited vintages produced at The Glenrothes Distillery, each aged exclusively in first-fill ex-Oloroso Sherry casks custom-made in Jerez, Spain. These casks cost as much as five times their American ex-bourbon equivalents The Glenrothes Distillery's Malt Master, Gordon Motion, who hand-selects the casks for the Sherry Cask Reserve, believes they are worth it. The whisky has a complex aroma of lemon cake, Christmas cookies, fresh pear and vanilla, which leads to an equally bold palate filled with notes of gingerbread, oak, flan and baking spices. The finish, which is bitter and nutty, is complete with memorable notes of orange zest.

Don Felipe Camarena's family has been distilling tequila in Jalisco since the early 19th century. After his ancestor's original distillery was destroyed and abandoned during the Mexican Revolution, Don Felipe switched gears, selling his prized blue agave to other distilleries. In 1937, he was finally able to open his own distillery, La Altea, which he passed down to his grandson, Felipe J. Camarena. The younger Felilpe was trained as a civil engineer, and many years later in 2007, Felipe followed in his father's footsteps by opening a distillery of his own: El Pandillo. At El Pandillo, Felipe has constructed a series of original machines to optimize energy use and perfect the art of tequila-making. After harvest, Felipe roasts his agaves in a stone oven equipped with steam jets the jets ensure that the agaves are cooked as evenly as possible, cutting down on cooking time and increasing yields. Next, the roasted agaves are ground and pressed in two different machines (once again of Felipe's design) which extract sugars from the plants fibers, making everything more easily fermented into alcohol. Once distilled, the tequila is proofed with rainwater that is collected using a rooftop funnel which Felipe (unsurprisingly) installed himself. Handcrafted by Felip J. Camarena at El Pandillo, Pasote Tequilas pay tribute to the first agave distillers: the Aztecs. The Aztecs were some of the most ferocious fighters in history, and they often celebrated their victories by drinking the sacred agave plant. Pasote Blanco Tequila is bottled immediately after distillation. The tequila is marked by an herbaceous aroma of perfectly roasted agave, similar to celery root and lime. With an exquisitely soft mouthfeel, the palate opens with zesty citrus leading to a combination of salt, jicama, and taro root. The finish is long, clean, and ever so slightly prickly with white pepper. A minerality derived from the rainwater used during distillation anchors the overall taste of this tequila.

Don Felipe Camarena's family has been distilling tequila in Jalisco since the early 19th century. After his ancestor's original distillery was destroyed and abandoned during the Mexican Revolution, Don Felipe switched gears, selling his prized blue agave to other distilleries. In 1937, he was finally able to open his own distillery, La Altea, which he passed down to his grandson, Felipe J. Camarena. The younger Felilpe was trained as a civil engineer, and many years later in 2007, Felipe followed in his father's footsteps by opening a distillery of his own: El Pandillo. At El Pandillo, Felipe has constructed a series of original machines to optimize energy use and perfect the art of tequila-making. After harvest, Felipe roasts his agaves in a stone oven equipped with steam jets the jets ensure that the agaves are cooked as evenly as possible, cutting down on cooking time and increasing yields. Next, the roasted agaves are ground and pressed in two different machines (once again ofFelipe's design) which extract sugars from the plants fibers, making everything more easily fermented into alcohol. Once distilled, the tequila is proofed with rainwater that is collected using a rooftop funnel which Felipe (unsurprisingly) installed himself. Handcrafted by Felip J. Camarena at El Pandillo, Pasote Tequilas pay tribute to the first agave distillers: the Aztecs. The Aztecs were some of the most ferocious fighters in history, and they often celebrated their victories by drinking the sacred agave plant. Pasote Reposado Tequila is aged for six months in American ex-bourbon barrels. It has a delicate, fruit-forward fragrance of peach and licorice, leading to a warming palate of peppered pineapple and vanilla. The finish is sweet, clean, and spritzed with a hint of pink grapefruit.

Don Felipe Camarena's family has been distilling tequila in Jalisco since the early 19th century. After his ancestor's original distillery was destroyed and abandoned during the Mexican Revolution, Don Felipe switched gears, selling his prized blue agave to other distilleries. In 1937, he was finally able to open his own distillery, La Altea, which he passed down to his grandson, Felipe J. Camarena. The younger Felilpe was trained as a civil engineer, and many years later in 2007, Felipe followed in his father's footsteps by opening a distillery of his own: El Pandillo. At El Pandillo, Felipe has constructed a series of original machines to optimize energy use and perfect the art of tequila-making. After harvest, Felipe roasts his agaves in a stone oven equipped with steam jets the jets ensure that the agaves are cooked as evenly as possible, cutting down on cooking time and increasing yields. Next, the roasted agaves are ground and pressed in two different machines (once again ofFelipe's design) which extract sugars from the plants fibers, making everything more easily fermented into alcohol. Once distilled, the tequila is proofed with rainwater that is collected using a rooftop funnel which Felipe (unsurprisingly) installed himself. Handcrafted by Felip J. Camarena at El Pandillo, Pasote Tequilas pay tribute to the first agave distillers: the Aztecs. The Aztecs were some of the most ferocious fighters in history, and they often celebrated their victories by drinking the sacred agave plant. Pasote Aejo Tequila is aged for one year in American ex-bourbon barrels, which mellows the flavor of roasted agave for a harmonious aroma of vanilla and sweet coconut. The palate is decadently rich and velvety smooth, tasting predominantly of roasted oranges and cinnamon due to the long aging period. The finish is long, warm, toasty and sweet, but the agave always shines through in this bottle.

Elijah Pepper began distilling Whiskey at the dawn of the American Revolution and during the War of 1812, he built the first log cabin distillery in Versailles, Kentucky. Eventually, he passed the family business on to his son, Oscar, and then on to his grandson, James E. Pepper. Colonel James E. Pepper was one of Kentucky's first Bourbon aristocrats he raced thoroughbreds in the Kentucky Derby, traveled in a private rail car and made famous the Old Fashioned cocktail. Pepper Whiskey is an old fashioned Whiskey, made in the old time way from a formula used for more than 100 years by three generations of the Pepper family, wrote James, in an advertisement dated August 22, 1887. We claim not only to make the oldest but absolutely the purest and best brand of Whiskey made in America, and we invite comparison with any Whiskey of any age. In 1958, after the Whiskey industry fell on hard times, the James E. Pepper Distillery was forced to close its doors. During its tenure, Pepper Whiskey, or Old 1776 Whiskey as it became it known, was a favorite of Presidents Andrew Jackson and Ulysses S. Grant, and was preferred by Daniel Webster, a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts. Before re-launching this iconic brand, says Amir Peay, we did extensive research and spent years collecting and analyzing full, preserved bottles of original Pepper Whiskey. Peay even acquired a letter written by Pepper himself, detailing the exact mashbill and recipe used to create Old 1776. We wanted to pay homage to Pepper's legacy and do our best to recreate the original Pepper Whiskey something that was part of American history, he says. The high-rye mash bill, non-chill filtration and overproof character result in a Whiskey with spicy aromas of crushed pepper, tobacco, barrel char and licorice. The chewy palate is filled with more herbs and spices, particularly cedar, and leads to an exceptional finish with hints of black cherry, charcoal smoke and mild sweetness. "We used the same traditional methods that Pepper championed in order to restore these Whiskeys," says Peay.

Situated along the banks of the East River, Kings County Distillery is New York City's oldest operating whiskey distillery and the first distillery in New York City since Prohibition. Wedged between Williamsburg and Vinegar Hill, Colin Spoelman and David Haskell, the master distillers at Kings County, make hand-crafted bourbon, moonshine, and now single malt whiskey out of the 117-year old Paymaster Building at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. A typewriter the two distillers found on the sidewalk in Williamsburg is used to make the labels that adorn their clear, flask-like bottles, while a hairdryer (made by Revlon) is used to affix each bottle seal. Handwritten scrawls on a chalkboard keep track of different batches, and mesh laundry bags are used as strainers. Kings County Single Malt Whiskey is just like a single malt Scotch except it's made in Brooklyn! The barley is sourced from England and Scotland before being malted with a touch of peat, and open-fermented. Following fermentation Kings County uses traditional Scottish pot stills to double distill the whiskey, which is then aged in their own used bourbon barrels, maturing anywhere from one and a half to four years. Kings County Single Malt Whiskey has an aroma of hay and peat, all the while carried by a palate of honey that leads to a finish of burnt orange peel. Kings County Single Malt Whiskey won the Gold Medal at the American Craft Spirit Awards in 2016, and Kings County Distillery was named ADI's Distillery of the Year in 2016 as well!

Internationally renowned British bartenders Henry Besant and Dre Masso were on a quest to create a tequila diverse enough for bartenders to use in cocktails, and excellent enough to compete with (and surpass!) high-end bottles when drinking neat. They teamed up with Jalisco native Jess Hernandez, who has spent seventeen years perfecting the art of tequila as Maestro at the Destilera Colonial de Jalisco in Los Altos. Hernandez manages every level of production, starting with 100% blue agave planted in ideal growing conditions at 2,100 meters above sea level in mineral-rich volcanic soil. After seven to eight years, the plants are finally ready to be hand-harvested by jimadors. Unlike grapes or wheat, agave plants take nearly a decade to mature, so the soil and growing conditions have a strong impact on the final product. Destilera Colonial de Jalisco employs an entirely full-time, multi-generational, team of jimadors who have passed down the art of agave harvesting for decades. After selecting only the best plants for processing, the agave is roasted in the distillery's own brick ovens for up to three days, before resting in order to retain as much juice as possible for the tequila. After relaxing for a bit, half of the agave is shredded and pressed via a roller mill, while the rest is crushed using a two-ton Tahona Stone. Tahona rolling is a 500-year old method used almost exclusively for the finest tequila. The agave juice ferments for 36 hours and is then distilled in small batches using copper stills. Olmeca Altos Tequila Aejo blends the vibrancy of tequila with the bourbon craft. After maturing in oak barrels for 18 months, the Aejo has a softer aroma, with notes of dried fruit and almonds. With woody notes, vanilla and chocolate flavors, it's a great cross over bottle for bourbon lovers that are looking to explore a bit more. 

Citadelle Original is our very first gin, the French gin par excellence. Dry and structured, it strikes a perfect balance between finesse and intensity. It has been the signature expression of our savoir-faire since 1996.

Citadelle Original offers a rich and complete aromatic palette.

Juniper introduces Citadelle’s signature botanical from the outset, then opens up to bright citrus notes that enhances the juniper berry’s freshness. The finish leans more exotic… long and spicy thanks to touches of pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Established in 1780, during the American Revolution, the Pepper family brand is the oldest brand of whiskey made in Kentucky. The brand was fondly called Old '1776', by its scion, the Colonel James E. Pepper. The award-winning 1776 label was launched in 2012 in partnership with other distilleries to revive the old brand and has since gone on to much acclaim in the world of whiskey.

Sensory Notes

Complex & Flavorful; notes of mint, cloves, eucalyptus, chocolate, & honey. Our most popular whiskey; a great sipper neat or on the rocks, and makes the perfect Old Fashioned or Manhattan.

Awards / Accolades

2021 - Gold Medal; San Francisco World Spirits Competition

2020 - Best Rye Whiskey under $40 - Whiskey Critic, Fred Minnick Blind Tasting

2020 - 91 pts; International Wine and Spirits Competition

2019 - Double Gold Medal; San Francisco World Spirits Competition

2018 - Gold Medal; New York World Spirits Competition

Nestled in a Denver industrial complex, Leopold Bros. Distillery is the brainchild of Todd Leopold. His journey through malt and brewing studies, brewing in Germany, and distilling in Kentucky led to the establishment of this distillery in 2008, in Littleton, Colorado. Leopold Bros. celebrates the diversity of Pre-Prohibition American rye whiskey, offering both Pennsylvania rye with traditional spice and dryness and Maryland rye, known for its fruity and floral character. Leopold Bros.' Maryland-Style Rye Whiskey revives a classic style with meticulous yeast selection and aging in charred American oak barrels, resulting in a unique flavor profile marked by woody rye, vanilla, citrus, and cocoa notes.

A favorite of the founders, our Blanco offers such an incredibly smooth finish and distinct herbal notes that they love to sip it straight. To those who prefer to mix, cocktails never had it so good.

Mars Shinshu is Japan's highest whisky distillery, at 798 meters -just over 2,600 feet- nestled between Japan's Southern and Central Alps. Mars Shinshu is owned by the Hombo family, who have been in the business of distillation for over a century. Whisky became a part of the Mars Shinshu production line up in 1949. In 1984, Shinshu decided to move their southernmost Kyushu distillery to the picturesque alpine Miyada village, where the high altitude and cool climate make for suitable conditions for whisky-making. The whisky is produced from waters that pass through granite rock, this water is high in natural minerals. This whisky is named after Kiichiro Iwai, known as The Silent Pioneer of Japan Whisky, and the former mentor of Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka and Suntory Whisky. Iwai sent Taketsuru to Scotland to learn the art of whisky-making. Taketsuru returned to Japan, presenting a whisky-making report- the Taketsuru Notes- to Iwai. Taketsuru was the first Japanese to learn the art of whisky-making. Mars Shinshu's whiskies continue to be some of the most inexpensive Japanese whiskies on the market, and they are full of high quality character and complex flavor. Iwai Tradition, is a blended whisky, comprised of both single malts, grains, and blended whiskies. The whisky is then aged in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-wine casks, creating a perfect harmony of flavors. Iwai Tradition is a special tribute to Iwai and Japanese Whisky. This is malt driven spirit is truly a reflection of contemporary Japanese whisky. Incredibly balanced, soft and layered. A blending of sherry, bourbon and wine casks with hints delicate hints of peat make for a harmonious whisky that would make Iwai-san proud.

The Volstead Act of 1920 which initiated Prohibition in the USA granted permits to six distillers in Kentucky to continue to bottle bourbon for medicinal purposes. Through one of these permits, Old Forester continued to be produced as medicinal whiskey on Louisville’s famed Whiskey Row. It is the only bourbon continuously sold by the same company that has been available for sale before, during and after Prohibition.

During this time, all whiskies had to be bottled at 100 Proof. With a barrel entry proof of 100, the “angel’s share” would have created a 115 proof whiskey after maturation. To pay homage to this era, Old Forester presents 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon at 115 proof to represent the rich flavor profile this bourbon had nearly 100 years ago.

Tasting Notes

AROMA: An intense medley of cherry preserves, drippy caramel, dark chocolate, thickened maple syrup and seasoned oak spiciness.

TASTE: Dark caramel coats layers of malt nuttiness and sweet graham cracker all warmed by green peppercorn and coriander spice brightened with a hint of cedar.

FINISH: Tart apple crispness gives way to a long smoky finish full of toasted marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker sweetness.