$25 - $50 Spirits

Barbara Chapman, La Bourbonessa:

Take a perfectly balanced, gentle bourbon (86.6% proof) redolent of vanilla, sugar and the rich notes of ripe berries, present it in a heavenly lyre-shaped bottle adorned with a pair of wings, and you’ve created a whiskey worthy of the angels’ envy. This warmly copper-hued bourbon is a work of art, conceived by the late, legendary distiller Lincoln Henderson and his son, Wes. The Hendersons were creative pioneers in the now-widespread practice of finished bourbons. Angel’s Envy Port Finish is blended in small batches of 8-12 barrels at a time, typically aged up to 6 years before the additional finishing time of 3 to 6 months in 60 gallon French oak ruby port wine barrels imported from Portugal.

The result is subtle luxury. Angel’s Envy is smooth, light and plainly so delicious it’s bound to please bourbon drinkers from newly minted bourbonites to seasoned aficionados. You’d be wise to have a bottle of Angel’s Envy wing its way to your bourbon shelf. After all, everyone deserves a sip of heaven.

Producer Description

Our bourbon starts with the native Kentucky climate and soil in which our corn and rye are grown, and a pristine limestone watershed rich in calcium and magnesium. These local ingredients are distilled and aged for four to six years in American white oak barrels. Because we want to create a genuinely unique spirit, we age it for three to six additional months in hand-selected port casks to create an exceptionally smooth and nuanced bourbon.

Critic Notes

Wine Enthusiast 98 Points | A beautiful, mouthwatering newcomer to the whiskey scene. Named for the "angel's share," the portion that evaporates from the barrel during the aging process, this golden amber spirit is finished in Port barrels, which explains those juicy red-fruit notes that slide into the long finish. Look for orange peel, vanilla and roasted nut flavors, too.

Producer Description

Its orange is unmistakable, a vibrant color that lights up your toasts and adds extra joy to the moment. Everything else is brought to the table by the inner lighthearted spirit of Aperol Spritz: the same spirit that spontaneously gather people together and sparks nothing but good vibes.

This spirit is also contagious: it's difficult to hold back from enjoying a toast with friends, one orange sip at the time. Perfect matches with food. Your aperitif moment just turns into perfection when enjoying your Aperol Spritz with some snacks and appetizers that effortlessly match.

The aperifit ritual born in Veneto sees the Aperol Spritz served with some traditional snacks called ''cicchetti'', small dishes that usually include tiny sandwiches, plates of olives and tiny portions of local dishes. Although, throughout the years Aperol Spritz became a versatile drink suitable to different type of food and moments, from a quick toast after a long day to those relaxed brunches we'd all love to have on a Sunday morning.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 90 Points |  Among the canon of Italian spirits, Aperol and the Aperol Spritz cocktail are classics, available at a growing range of America's best bars. The lurid red hue is recognizable from across the room. It's light on every count-in terms of alcohol content, sweetness level and texture. The gentle sweet-bitter profile goes down easy-especially when lightened with bubbles.

Producer Description 

2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold Medal Winner

One can never have too much Rye, so Redemption High Rye Bourbon recipe approaches the upper limit of allowable Rye grain in a Bourbon mash bill. Aromas of light vanilla, red berry fruitiness and a slight hint of oak. On the palate, spicy, woody, and minty notes. Fennel-like notes of light licorice and black pepper from the Rye. The finish is long and smooth with a nice spice from the high Rye content.

Mash Bill: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Grand Marnier-or "GrandMa," as some cocktail geeks gleefully shorthand it-remains one of the classics. Although it's Cognac-based, it's a versatile match for other spirits, too. The liqueur is extremely aromatic, with lots of sweet and bitter orange notes exploding out of the glass. Look for a warm, honeyed flavor and a nice burst of orange peel and spicy cinnamon and ginger on the long finish.

Producer Description 

Bright topaz colour with gold and amber tints. Complex nose of orange flowers, combined with scents of candied zests and toffee. Bitter orange flavours that the cognac enhances with nuances of orange marmalade and hazelnuts. The finish is long and harmonious. Producer Description.

Producer Notes

One of life's most pleasurable indulgences, Baileys Original Irish Cream is the sweetest meeting of fine Irish whiskey and spirits, Irish dairy cream, and rich chocolate and vanilla flavors. The result? Complete deliciousness. Drink neat over ice, shake into cocktails, drizzle over ice-cream, bake a Baileys-tastic cake – perhaps even share it if you have to – Baileys Original Irish Cream equals pure, unadulterated pleasure. Go on, you know you want to!

Producer Description 

Cointreau has won more than 300 international awards ever since its birth. In the 19th century, Cointreau became the essential ingredient of many classic cocktails, including The Original Margarita, The Cosmopolitan, and The Sidecar. 

Producer Description 

Balanced Agave With Apple And Herbal Notes, Slightly Woody on the nose, fine Agave, herbal and green apple notes. With a medium to full bodied spirit with warm, slightly astringent finish.

Expert Review 

Wine Enthusiast 96 Points | The full bodied, spicy aroma offers delicate notes of juniper berry oil citrus, orris, coriander and caraway seed. Palate entry is mildly peppery, floral and fruity; at midpalate the flavor profile focuses more on oils and juniper. A unique and great gin.- 96-100: Classic/Highest Recommendation 

Producer Description 

On the nose, this gin has a fresh aroma of juniper, cardamom, and coriander, with a flavor profile including earthy tones and lemon.

The flavors of Plymouth gin are best enjoyed over ice, with tonic, and a garnish of citrus, but also goes well in a range of classic cocktails, from Gin Martinis to Gimlets. Synonymous with the British Royal Navy, Plymouth gin is produced in the oldest working gin distillery in England.

Producer Description 

Johnnie Walker Red Label is currently the world's best-selling Scotch Whisky. It's known for its bold and characterful taste, that's shines through even when mixed. It's a flavour the Walker family has never compromised on.

The Walker family have used their knowledge of Scotland's Malts to create a blend that has universal appeal. This has played a pivotal role in Red Label becoming one of the world's favourite Scotch whisky's. It's developed for an export market that has a taste for long, refreshing drinks. Red Label can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or combined with a favourite mixer.

Producer Description 

Sipsmith has gained world renown for this traditional London dry gin, which is one of the only gins in the world to be produced using the one-shot method. By overloading the still with botanicals, rich flavors develop upon the first distillation.

Bursting with fresh citrus, floral aromas and a harmonic blend of dry juniper and orange marmalade, this is the quintessential expression of a classic London dry gin and perfect for mixing up a cocktail or sipping neat.

Producer Description 

Lillet Blanc is a medium color white wine aperitif from France, made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes.

The nose is of honey and orange and a hint of mint. While the nose may lead you to expect a sweet dessert wine, in fact Lillet Blanc leads with a taste of firm bitterness, which suddenly diminishes, leaving a lingering trace of orange, honey and herbaceousness on the palate. 

Expert Review

92 Points Wine Enthusiast | The rounded bouquet features tropical fruit notes of banana and guava, smells of ripe grapes and kiwi and a subtle spiciness. The palate entry is luscious, gently fruity and keenly acidic; midpalate flavors include kiwi, white grapes, raisins, and a vegetal quality. Finish is ripe, delicately spiced, and delicious. An old favorite.

Expert Reviews

92 Points Wine Enthusiast | Delicious but fiery, this nine-year-old small-batch Bourbon offers deep toffee aromatics and bold flavor. On the palate, look for relatively dry flavors: leather, cedar, dried orange peel. A splash of water softens the profile to bring out more vanilla, honey, even a touch of chocolate.

90 Points Whisky Advocate | Knob was one of the first bourbons I had when I started taking whiskey seriously, and it’s still a kicker. No-nonsense, flint-hard nose: slickly-polished oak furniture, cinnamon stick, cracked rye, wet cornmeal, hard candies. Bang! A lean whiskey that gets in your mouth and explodes with rye spice and cinnamon candy, a sharp wedge that opens you right up. The finish echoes: oak, a dying fire, clean and almost crisp. Emphatic, bright, and swift. Value Pick

Winemaker Description 

The original that started it all, Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is still made to exacting standards. Knob Creek is aged to fully draw out the natural sugars in its charred white oak barrels. This exceptional, full-bodied bourbon strikes the senses with an oak aroma, a sweet, woody, full-bodied, almost fruity taste, with a long, rich finish. Created to reflect the flavor, strength, care, and patience that defined whiskey before Prohibition.

Knob Creek is perfect neat or on the rocks with one or two ice cubes.

Producer Description 

Johnnie Walker Red Label is currently the world's best-selling Scotch Whisky. It's known for its bold and characterful taste, that's shines through even when mixed. It's a flavour the Walker family has never compromised on.

The Walker family have used their knowledge of Scotland's Malts to create a blend that has universal appeal. This has played a pivotal role in Red Label becoming one of the world's favourite Scotch whisky's. It's developed for an export market that has a taste for long, refreshing drinks. Red Label can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or combined with a favourite mixer.

Producer Description 

The world's best selling Irish whiskey, originally distilled in Dublin, where John Jameson, a Scottish Presbyterian, founded a distillery in 1780. Jameson's is now one of many whiskeys produced in Irish Distiller's highly versatile Midleton distillery in County Cork.

The Jameson range of whiskeys comprise a comparatively high percentage of pot still spirit, which gives them greater character and complexity then some other Irish whiskeys. The nose offers an interesting combination of floral, orange, toffee, Sherry and spice notes.

Water releases more cooked fruits and a suggestion of linseed. Initially citric in the mouth, along with classic Irish oiliness, more profound notes of Sherry develop, along with fudge, vanilla and spice.

The finish is long, warming and spicy, remaining oily to the very end. Jameson is deservedly a world leader. Irish whiskey at its finest. "

Producer Description 

We start with a mashbill of 95% premium rye and age it for over two years in new charred oak barrels. Once properly aged we bottle it at a bold 92 proof - perfect to stand up on its own in any cocktail or by itself in your favorite glass.

We bottle in small batches which allows us to leave the whiskey in the barrels longer for the most flavor and color. We empty the barrels and filter for particles, cut it down to 92 proof and bottle it immediately so that the most flavor from the barrel makes it into the bottle. We then mark each bottle with the batch and bottle number by hand - 

Expert Review

93 Points Wine Enthusiast | Aromas are sweet and fruitcake-like, with faint cigar smoke. Restrained, subtle flavors of orange peel, cinnamon and leather ride a medium-to-heavy body. The finish is extremely smooth, with a touch of anise.

Producer Description 

San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Gold Medal 2017

Mingling multiple Bourbon recipes is an art in itself. Four original and limited Bourbon recipes have been expertly selected by our Master Distiller at the peak of maturation to create a perfectly balanced Small Batch Bourbon that rewards you with a mellow symphony of rich, spicy flavors along with sweet, fruity aromas and hints of sweet oak and caramel. Finishes soft, smooth and pleasantly long. Best enjoyed straight up, on the rocks or with a splash

On the nose is mellow spice, rich fruit, hints of sweet oak and caramel. The palate is mellow, ripened red berries, dried spice, well-balanced, rich. The finish is soft, smooth, and pleasantly long.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast Superb/Highly Recommended | The bouquet has a dry, grainy aroma which is accented by peppery/spicy scents. The palate entry is surprisingly sweet and corny, considering how dry the aroma is; the midpalate point is deep, corny sweet, sap-like and a bit syrupy. Ends up well and balanced, with a backnote of dried red fruit (raisins, prunes).

Producer Description 

The US*1 expressions, so named to honor Michter’s heritage harkening back to America’s first whiskey company, consist of some of the finest single barrel and truly small batch whiskeys available. Distilled to Master Distiller Dan McKee’s exacting specifications, no US*1 whiskey is ever released until Dan and the Michter’s tasting panel deems it ready.

Michter’s US*1 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 US*1 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 US*1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is nuanced, mellow and earthy. 

Profile: Kentucky whiskey. Fire-charred, new American white oak barrels. Rich caramel with balanced vanilla, stone fruit notes, smoky depth, with an oak finish. 91.4 Proof

Producer Description 

Perfume and clover honey fill the nose. This is deep and rich in structure. Well-integrated elements combine with a high alcohol feel. Still perfumed at the end. Best served neat. Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old is a true Small Batch premium Bourbon, and had that distinction before the term even existed.

Back in the 1700's a Baptist minister by that name actually invented the process of aging whiskey in charred oak barrels. Today, this super premium small batch bourbon remains one of the finest on the market.

Our Professional Review

Oscar Garcia Moncada 67Wine.com | One of my favorite sipping Reposado Tequilas in the market now. Subtle notes of citrus with cooked nopales notes. Great for sipping or mixed in your favorite cocktails. 

Producer Description 

La Gritona Reposado is a subtle and distinctive 100% blue agave tequila distilled by Melly Cardenas at her small distillery (NOM 1533) in Valle de Guadalupe in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. The tequila begins with mature agave grown in the red soil of the Jalisco highlands that has been cultivated at the height of it’s sugar production and is put into our ovens within 24 hours of being cut.

Our agave is baked in our thick-walled earthen ovens for 24 hours and then allowed to rest for another 24 hours before crushing. After allowing the collected liquid to naturally ferment a rate that is only dictated by the surrounding air temperature, we distill our fermented liquid twice. It is then rested in reused American whiskey barrels for 8 months before filtering and bottling.

Every step of production takes place under one roof and our facility is overseen by a small staff of locals that work each process from start to finish. We currently bottle an average of 12,500 liters per batch. All of the agave remnants that are left over after production are given to local farmers to use as cattle feed. Our bottles are hand blown with recycled glass in the Guadalajara neighborhood of Tlaquepaque, an hour away from the distillery.

Producer Description 

Producer Description 

Monkey 47 is a batch distilled and handcrafted gin from Germany’s Black Forest. In total, 47 handpicked plant ingredients prepared in extremely soft water from the Black Forest lend Monkey 47 unrivaled complexity and quality. Since its launch in 2010, aficionados, bartenders and connoisseurs the world over have come to appreciate the incredible complexity and harmony. Monkey 47 has been part of Pernod Ricard since 2016.

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Grand Marnier-or "GrandMa," as some cocktail geeks gleefully shorthand it-remains one of the classics. Although it's Cognac-based, it's a versatile match for other spirits, too. The liqueur is extremely aromatic, with lots of sweet and bitter orange notes exploding out of the glass. Look for a warm, honeyed flavor and a nice burst of orange peel and spicy cinnamon and ginger on the long finish. 

Producer Description 

Bright topaz colour with gold and amber tints. Complex nose of orange flowers, combined with scents of candied zests and toffee. Bitter orange flavours that the cognac enhances with nuances of orange marmalade and hazelnuts. The finish is long and harmonious. 

Producer Description 

Heavier and weightier with a marked presence, featuring intense notes of pear, tree fruits, vanilla, and to a lesser degree of nutmeg, cinnamon, and oak.

Lovely warm almost enrobing mouthfeel to it, it is heavy, silky, and weighty like on the tongue. All the elements of a good mixing cognac or a casual sipper.

Producer Description 

Absolut Vanilia was introduced in 2003. Basically because vanilla is one of the most beloved flavors in the world. And it wasn’t long until that fact was reinforced through the instant success of Absolut Vanilia – it is almost equally popular as vanilla itself. 

Expert Review

Wine Enthusiast 95 Points | Offers an intensely bean-like aroma that's assertive and properly bitter; with further time the fragrance turns plumper and sweeter. Palate entry is clean, acidic and bittersweet; by midpalate, the flavor profile displays focused, well-knit tastes of vanilla bean and cocoa bean. Aftertaste is long, semisweet and intensely vanilla-like.                

Producer Description 

Imagining the ultimate single malt whisky for mixing, we worked with top bartenders to craft a sweeter and richer Glenmorangie, perfect for enjoying in all manner of drinks.

To achieve our whisky’s wondrous cascade of taste, we draw on our epic array of casks. And so our freewheeling single malt comes to life, with swirling aromas of pear and vanilla setting the stage for rich orange sherbet and fudge. X by Glenmorangie is wonderful mixed with any flavour you choose (and as you’d expect, it is also delicious neat.

Producer Description 

Renowned for Rye, America's first whiskey, since our founding in 1753, we take production of every barrel of Michter's Rye very seriously.

Our US*1 Rye is made from select American rye grain that is sheared to enable the saturation of more flavor during fermentation. It is then aged in a heated warehouse. This premium rye has hints of light spice, black pepper, marmalade and plum, spicy grain and light caramel.

Producer Description 

Ketel One Botanical Cucumber & Mint is for those who appreciate crisp cucumbers and light tones of fresh garden mint. Each botanical essence is individually and naturally obtained through innovative extraction methods and distillation processes for the freshest, cleanest, most crisp taste possible. 

Producer Description 

With an unforgettably bold, agave-forward taste, this silver tequila delivers a smooth, lively experience that is enjoyable from start to finish.

Crystal clear with hints of silver. Agave-forward tase with citrus notes. The aromas are floral, fruity, and herbal with light citrus notes. Warm with medium body and short, but smooth finish, followed by droness.

Producer Description 

A fresh, fruity nose, with citrusy notes from the lemon verbena and Albariño base, green herbal tones, as well as white fruit aromas and a whiff of sea salt. On the palate, fruit-forward and spicy, featuring white peach and the subtle undertone of juniper, with beautiful balance and a smooth profile.

Expert Review

92 Points Wine Enthusiast | With time in the glass, this gin becomes particularly aromatic, mixing citrus and floral notes. The palate leads with herbaceous sage and bay leaf, leading into a floral exhale—hibiscus is one of the botanicals—tinged with grapefruit peel and lemon verbena.