In the 18th century, a Swiss Mennonite farmer by the name of John Shenk settled his family near Pennsylvania's Blue Mountain Valley. Within a few years, Shenk was harvesting more grains that he could sell, and so he began distilling the excess grains into whiskey. Shenk's distillery, which was eventually named Michter's Distillery, became the United States' first distilling company. Just two decades after Shenk opened the doors to his distillery, General George Washington began purchasing Michter's Distillery Whiskey in order to fortify his men as they camped through a long and brutal winter at Valley Forge. Michter's Distillery, as the saying goes, was the whiskey that warmed the American Revolution. The passage of Prohibition in 1919 forced Michter's Distillery, along with nearly every other distillery in the United States, to close. In the early 1990's however, Joseph J. Magliocco teamed up with Richard Newman in an effort to resurrect the brand. "When we set up our whiskey program for Michter's Distillery," says Magliocco, "Dick and I wanted to get back to the "cost be damned' roots and produce the finest whiskey possible. Our goal was to show that whiskey made in the United States could be the equal of great whiskey made anywhere in the world." Michter's Distillery 20 Year Old Bourbon is the brainchild of master distiller Willie Pratt. Pratt, a maturation perfectionist with over forty years of distilling experience, is known as "Dr. No"since he often refuses to bottle aging barrels of whiskey. According to Pratt, whiskey that is aged for over a decade hits a "fork in the road,"and can either become incredible or unpalatable. "One of the barrels we sampled was unbelievably woody," Magliocco says. "And we reject that, we literally sewer it. Willie had another barrel that tasted delicious, but the consistency was like molasses, and we obviously couldn't sell that." Michter's Distillery 20 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon is a sourced bourbon that Pratt realized had hit its peak. The single barrel bourbon has a dark amber color, along with an aroma of coffee, vanilla beans and smoked chips. Notes of spices dominate the palate, and are complemented by touches of milk chocolate, citrus, molasses and caramel. The finish is medium-long, with touches of chewy leather, smoked dates and oak.

Since the time of the Ashikaga shogunate in the 16th century, tiny villages situated along the mountains of Kyushu in southwest Japan have been producing shochu. Shochu is a unique Japanese spirit, typically distilled from barley or potatoes (as compared to sake, which is a type of rice wine), and has a signature earthy flavor. While shochu has been distilled in Japan for over four hundred years, it is only in the past decade that shochu has experienced a resurgence in 2003, Japanese production of shochu surpassed production of sake for the first time. New to market, Mizu Shochu is distilled from two-row barley, which is sown in the early spring and harvested in the summer. After local farmers in Saga, Japan harvest the barley, it is polished, washed, and steamed before tojis (master distillers) Wada-san and Okoba-san begin fermenting the grains. In order to begin fermentation, the tojis add steamed rice that is coated with black koji microbes to the mash, along with a touch of yeast and pure water sourced from Black Hair Mountain. The koji microbes, which release a gentle citric acid during fermentation, impart a distinctive aroma and flavor to the shochu, and bring out the subtle sweetness of the barley. Following fermentation, Mizu Shochu is distilled in a single pass (traditional shochu is only distilled once) and, after being left to rest for at least six months, brought to 70 proof using water from Black Hair Mountain. Much like American law with respect to bourbon, Japanese law prohibits adding any sugars, sweeteners or flavors that affect the taste of shochu once it has been distilled. The higher alcohol content of Mizu reflects its status as a "genshu-style" shochu shochu that allows the tojis to show off their skill and craftsmanship using the finest ingredients available to them, resulting in rare, artisanal shochu a cut above typical shochu. As a result, Mizu Shochu has a robust aroma of cantaloupe and freshly cut grass that is complemented by hints of bananas, raisins and brown sugar. The flavor is smooth and slightly creamy, with mellow notes of fresh, slightly sweet grains that lead to touches of caramel and vanilla on the finish. Mizu Shochu is also known by its full name, Mizunomai (?), which means "dance of the beautiful crane."The shorter form of Mizu is a play on the Japanese word for water, which is evoked by the smoothness and purity of Mizu Shochu. Mizu Shochu is available exclusively through for a limited period of time.

Situated along the banks of the East River in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Kings County Distillery is New York City's oldest operating whiskey distillery and the first distillery in New York City since Prohibition. There, the distillery's founders Colin Spoelman and David Haskell hand-craft moonshine and chocolate whiskey. A typewriter that Spoelman and Haskell found on a sidewalk in Williamsburg is used to make the labels that adorn their clear, flask-shaped bottles, while a hairdryer (made by Revlon) is used to afix each bottle seal. Handwritten scrawls on a chalkboard keep track of different batches, and mesh laundry bags are used as strainers. Kings County Chocolate Whiskey is made by steeping Kings County Moonshine in artisan cacao husks sourced from the Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory in Brooklyn. The chocolate and moonshine rest together for just over a month, giving the moonshine a deep mahogany color and an aroma of dark chocolate. "It's good for someone who either likes whiskey or chocolate which includes most people, I guess," says Spoelman. "There's not a whole lot else like it out there." The initial flavors of sweet corn are nicely balanced by the subtle notes of rich, bitter chocolate and give way to a smooth and slightly sweet finish. "We make enough to supply some of Brooklyn, some of Manhattan and that's about it," Spoelman says. After visiting their distillery, we bamboozled them into sharing some of their juice with the rest of the country. 

Distilled from rye grain, with a secret recipe of herbs and spices, Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin® is unlike any gin you've tried. Amazingly complex, with a rye base that shines through subtle citrus and cinnamon notes, essences of fresh cut hay, and of course a crisp juniper character.  Together, they make Watershed Gin a fine cocktail mixer.

AWARDS

Gold Medal - Exceptional

– Beverage Testing Institute, December 1, 2016

– Beverage Testing Institute, July 27, 2011

– Matt Colglazier, American Craft Spirits, September 28, 2010

– Forbes, January 31, 2015

– Modern Distillery Age, November 18, 2011

In an age of restless brilliance, Dorothy Parker was a singular sensation. Born in New Jersey, Parker was raised in New York City and rose to acclaim, both for her literary output and as a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table. After a lifetime of work as a critic, satirist and short-story writer, Parker collaborated with Alexander Woollcott to produce an anthology of her work entitled The Portable Dorothy Parker. Parker's is one of only three Portable series that remain continuously in print (the other two being Shakespeare and the Bible). "I've been a devotee since I was 19 or 20 reading Parker in college and I wanted to pay tribute to her, both for everything she's done for me and for New York," says Allen Katz, co-founder of New York Distilling Co. Together with Tom Potter, founder of Brooklyn Brewery, Katz opened the doors to his 5,000 square-feet distillery in Brooklyn (the distillery straddles the neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Greenpoint one door to the distillery opens up to the Williamsburg zip code and the other to the Greenpoint zip code) just one year ago. Much like Dorothy Parker herself, Dorothy Parker Gin is bold and robust, with a hint of sweetness. "While juniper is the backbone of any gin," explains Katz, "we add a number of classic and contemporary botanicals," including orange peel, lemon peel, coriander, green cardamom, sweet cinnamon, elderberries and dried hibiscus petals. After distilling the wash inside a 1,000 liter, Christian Carl alembic pot still imported from Germany, Katz lets Dorothy Parker Gin rest in stainless steel tanks for a few days. "We like to let it rest after distilling it," Katz says, "in order to let the flavors come together and really harmonize." After resting in the tanks, the gin is brought to proof using double-filtered water before each bottle is filled and labeled by hand. The labels, which are adorned with Paker's profile, were designed by Milton Glaser, creator of the iconic "I LOVE NY" campaign. Dorothy Parker Gin has a nose of juniper and peppercorn, and a bouquet of hibiscus, cinnamon, cardamom and elderberries with a touch of sweetness. Dorothy Parker a gin enthusiast herself once remarked, "I like to have a Martini, two at the very most; three, I'm under the table, four I'm under my host!" We suggest you stick to two or three.

Broken Shed Vodka is a crisp, clean vodka distilled with the purest New Zealand mountain mineral water, spring water, highest-quality sustainable whey, and nothing else. No additives, sweeteners or GMOs. Gluten-free at every stage of the process.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: An initial pure hit of a dominant vanilla aroma, which dissipates into a subtle blend of citrus and freshly-cut southern grass notes.

Mouthfeel: A luxurious sensation that coats the palate, and melts away seamlessly, leaving a smooth yet subtle lingering on the side of the tongue.

Palate: Pristine spring and mineral waters and whey protein distillate is all that we use to make our vodka. This results in a clean taste and luxurious mouthfeel that will impress.

Finish: Smooth, with a touch of warmth, leaving a delightfully pleasant yet concise lingering of flavor on the palate.

In Los Altos, Mexico the heart of Tequila Valley Corzo Distillery has pioneered and patented a distillation process that begins when expert jimadors trim the shoots and stalks from young Highland Blue Weber Agave plants, allowing the plants to focus more of their energy on developing rich and flavorful pias, or hearts. Native to Mexico, Highland Blue Weber Agave plants favor high altitudes and rich, sandy soils. In Los Altos, which is located a mile above sea level and blessed with rich, red soil, Corzo's jimadors harvest the pias at their peak of maturity. After the pias are harvested, they are slowly roasted for five hours in order to extract the their sweet nectar. Corzo uses a longer, slower fermentation cycle as compared to other distilleries, going so far as to play Mozart during fermentation in order to help relax the yeast and provide for a more mellow tequila. After fermentation, the tequila is distilled three times. Corzo's patented distillation process makes large cuts to the distillate to ensure that only the "heart of hearts"is bottled. As a result, each bottle of Corzo Silver takes about 22 pounds agave to make, nearly twice as much as any other tequila! The aggressive cuts also lead to a sweeter, more ripe tequila. Afterwards, the tequila is sparged a process where microscopic air bubbles are introduced into the tequila in order to let it breathe and provide for a smoother taste before being bottled. Designed by Fabien Baron, the French designer whose work includes some of the most iconic perfume bottles of our time, Corzo Silver Tequila's bottle reflects the contemporary style of Mexican architecture. Its strong, rectangular lines and perfume bottle shape hint at the fragrant and full-bodied tequila that are contained inside. If tequila represents the revolutionary spirit of Mexico, Corzo represents Mexico's modern elegance.

In the central valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico, Maestro Alberto Morales a fifth-generation jomezcalero is hard at work managing his family's five stills. The village of San Dionisio, which the Morales' have called home for nearly 150 years, was founded in 1610 and has sat at the epicenter of mezcal country throughout the spirit's existence. Morales, who uses sustainable farming techniques (Wahaka Mezcal is certified organic by the USDA) and traditional production methods, describes his palenque as "a place of respect and harmony, where no arguments or even bad words can be uttered." The Morales' take great pride in the craft of mezcal production, and oversee the entire process from harvest to market.After expert jimadors select espadn agave at the peak of ripeness, the Morales' roast them in earthen pits, which gives the mezcal its signature, smoky flavor. The agave is then crushed using a traditional millstone and distilled by Morales himself. Made using 100% agave, Wahaka Joven Espadn has a slightly sweet finish that belies the smoky, charred flavor of the roasted agave.Incredibly approachable, Wahaka Joven Espadnis Morales' signature mezcal, and won the Silver Medal at the 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the 2011 New York International Spirits Competition. Wahaka Joven Espadn is 100% agave, 100% organic and 100% authentic. Always. 

In 1908, Don Jose Varela Blanco, a young Spanish entrepreneur, opened the first sugar mill in Pes just five years after Panama seceded from Colombia. With the encouragement and help of his three eldest sons, he began distilling spirits in 1936 in the same town where it all began. Today, Luis J. Varela, Jr. is the third generation of the Varela family running the company. "Our brand is the expression of our long and passionate quest to produce the finest aged rum in the world," Varela says. While rum is aged across different regions of the world, the rum distilled in Pes is uniquely flavorful due to the climate in Panama.The tropical rainfall, humid days and breezy nights add character and personality to the development of the rum.In addition, the Varela family controls the entire rum-making process from grain to glass they grow, hand-pick and hand-harvest their own sugar cane, distill it into rum and age it in used, bourbon white oak casks in Pes.Their commitment to making the finest rum in the world earned them a gold medal at the 2009 Ministry of Rum Tasting Competition and a double gold medal at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Distilled in a four-column still and aged for a minimum of seven years, Ron Abuelo Anejo 7 Aos has a nose of toffee and butterscotch and notes of vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and oak. "Abuelo means grandfather in Spanish, and the old man image on our labels reflects the essence of this brand: heritage and tradition," says Varela Jr.

Hidden down a dark alley in a former chop shop, skilled men are quietly violating one of Evanston's founding principles: Prohibition. In the 19th century, Frances Elizabeth Willard was elected President of the Chicago Woman's Christian Temperance Union and embarked on a decade-long crusade to prohibit alcohol in the United States. Willard worked tirelessly; as President of the WCTU, she traveled roughly 30,000 miles per year and gave an average of 400 lectures each year for an entire decade As a result, Evanston remained a dry town for over 100 years. 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, Hletko and his team of master distillers distill Few Single Malt Whisky in the heart of Evanston, Illinois. Few Single Malt Whisky is crafted exclusively from malted barley. Unlike traditional single malts, however, the whisky is crafted using both cherry wood smoked barley (this imparts a sweet, slightly smoky flavor) and unsmoked two-row barley. After distillation, the single malt is matured in custom-made oak barrels from Minnesota. "The cooper I eventually chose to make our barrels won 24 out of 25 categories at a spirits competition I visited," Hletko says. "I'm no math major, but that's the cooper I want to make our barrels." As a result, the single malt has an aroma of fudge, vanilla and salted caramel. Notes of turmeric, cherry, espresso beans, honey and graham crackers dominate the palate, and lead to a finish with hints of apples, oak, smoke, cinnamon and caramel.

Situated under the steps of the St. Bride's Church on Fleet Street, the City of London Distillery is the first distillery to be commissioned within the City of London in over two centuries. The distillery was founded in 2012 by Jonathan Clark and Jamie Baxter, who set out to pay homage to the thousands of distilleries in London that had suffered and were ultimately shuttered due to England's repressive regulatory and tax regimes. City of London Dry Gin is a handcrafted gin that is made using two stills and seven unique botanicals. The stills, which were constructed by Carl GMbH, are nicknamed Clarissa (a Carter Head still) and Jennifer (a classic pot still) are "the heart of the operations of the distillery," says Clark. In addition, the botanicals using during distillation juniper, coriander, angelica, liquorice, orange, lemon and grapefruit create a sublime gin that has touches of zesty citrus, pink grapefruits and licorice. City of London Dry Gin earned the title "Master" at the Gin Masters Competition in 2014. 

The Irishman. Premium Irish Whiskey. Exceptional character. Championing Irish Single Malt. The recreation of age-old recipes to create unrivalled expressions. For a new generation of whiskey enthusiasts.

Always Single Malt focused – whether championed in blends or pure Single Malt expressions. Always enriching the flavour, lengthening the depth, refining the smoothness. After all, everything comes back to the whiskey. It’s our pride and our focus. Every one a true original, triple distilled to leave a lasting impression.

A tip of the hat to Ireland’s Golden Era of Irish Whiskey. Learning from the past to create the future. Redefining Irish Single Malts. Single Malt – that’s our heart.

In the early 1800's, the State of New York was responsible for the production of more than half of the barley and rye harvested in the United States. The Hudson Valley, which extends from New York City northward through Albany, was the country's original breadbasket and was home to thousands of farms, hundreds of which distilled the excess grains they harvested into whiskey. In the 1930's, the onset of Prohibition forced these farmers to abandon their stills. Today, in a 19th century Georgian mansion situated in the heart of the Hudson Valley, Master Distiller Dave Pickerell pays homage to the New York farmers who produced their whiskey from grains to glass. Pickerell, who graduated from West Point with a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, served in the military for 11 years as a cavalry officer before receiving his Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville. Then, Pickerell served as Master Distiller at Maker's Mark in Loretto, Kentucky for 13 years. There, he was responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of Maker's Mark Bourbon. A former chairman of the Kentucky Distillers Association and a member of the Distilled Spirits Council, Pickerell is an expert nonpareil in the production of whiskey. Hillrock Estate Peated Single Malt Whiskey is one of the first single malt whiskies produced in New York since Prohibition. It is made using barley that is grown exclusively on the rolling fields of the Hillrock Estate. After the barley is harvested, it is smoked over a peat flame for approximately eight hours (the peat used to smoke the barley is imported from Scotland). After the barley has been peated, it is fermented before being distilled through Pickerell's custom-made, 250-gallon copper-pot still. Following distillation, Hillrock Peated Single Malt is aged in American oak casks before each batch is brought to proof and bottled by hand. The whisky has a light aroma of smoke, peat, iodine and sea salt that gives way to rich vanilla and malt on the palate. The finish is long and rich, with hints of honey, caramel and butterscotch complemented by a subtle peaty undertone.

Act 10, Scene 3

ABV: 49.3% Proof: 98.6

High West Distillery was founded in 2006 by David Perkins and his wife, Jane. David, a former biochemist, was inspired to open his own distillery after seeing the parallels between the fermentation and distilling process and his own work in biochemistry during a trip to a whiskey distillery in Kentucky. In 2004, David and his family relocated to Park City, Utah to begin their new venture, where they began distilling in 2007. They chose Park City because of David’s love of the Old West and Utah’s little-known whiskey history.

High West began with humble roots, opening a small, 250-gallon still and Saloon in an historic livery stable and garage. What was once a small operation in downtown Park City has grown to be an internationally-recognized, award winning brand.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Brandied cherries, fig jam, sun-dried raisins, dried orange peel, baking spice, French oak toast.

Taste: Quince paste, strawberry rhubarb crumble, vanilla caramel, molasses, toffee, leather.

How to Enjoy
We recommend that you enjoy this special spirit neat, due to its many layers of complexity, next to a warm fire as the snow piles up on the window sill. It also pairs beautifully with fig cookies!

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 and moonshine out of the 113-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 afix each bottle seal. Handwritten scrawls on a chalkboard keep track of different batches, and mesh laundry bags are used as strainers. Before white whiskey, there was moonshine, otherwise known as whiskey before it is aged in a barrelthough the word can also mean any illegally-made spirit. Kings County Distillery's Moonshine is a corn whiskey made from 80% New York State organic corn and 20% malted barley. It is double distilled and reduced to a smooth, drinkable 80 proof. Bright with a sweet slap of corn, this is a very respectable take on a classic American whiskey.

Colonel Charles Goodnight was a force to be reckoned with when the west was still being won. As an iconic cowboy, he blazed the historic Goodnight-Loving Trail from Texas to Colorado, driving scores of cattle thousands of miles over dusty plains and snow-packed passes. As a Texas Ranger lawman, he doled out vigilante justice to protect ranchers from rustlers and outlaws. But Goodnight had a head for commerce too, building towns as well as businesses. This premium Small Batch Bourbon harnesses the unique character of this legendary man. Unflappable, unforgettable and one of a kind.

Tasting Notes

Rich aromas of vanilla and caramel and flavors of honey, spice, and smoky tobacco