new spirits

Moonshine Tasting at the Standard Hotel

Filed under: Spirits

This week at The Standard Hotel in NYC's Meatpacking District, Moonshine, an eight-week-old brand of clear corn whiskey from a new company called Stillhouse, hosted a tasting for a select group of spirits journalists, led by CEO and co-founder of Stillhouse Brad Beckerman.

Moonshine is an interesting liquor. It's made in small batches in Virginia in a Prohibition-era copper pot still from 100% corn, the traditional ingredient used by both the Native Americans and by bootleggers during Prohibition, and unlike most whiskeys, it isn't aged. Frankly, to the Moonshine folks, the shorter the time between the still and the shelf, the better.

The flavor is highly unusual. Far from the eye-watering "moonshines" you may have tasted in the past (or that vodka your college friend made in the bathtub), the flavor is smooth and well-rounded, and you can definitely taste the corn. The closest thing I can compare it to is the flavor of fresh rum right out of the still -- perhaps because corn has natural sugar -- but it's far, far more palatable. In fact, for an 80 proof unaged liquor, I would say it's an exceptionally well-developed spirit.

Gallery: Moonshine Tasting at the Standard Hotel, NYC

Tags: absinthe, bootleg, cocktails, moonshine, new spirits, spirits, whiskey

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Glenfiddich "Rich Oak" Released

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Glenfiddich has released a new expression, Glenfiddich Rich Oak 14-Year Old. Priced at around $50, the whiskey has been aged in second fill Bourbon barrels for more than 13 years, and finished in new American and Spanish oak.

The effect, as one would expect, is higher vanilla notes than is found normally in Glenfiddich, the number-one single-malt Scotch whiskey in the world. The notes of dried fruit and walnuts shine through as is the case with any Glenfiddich pour.

Tags: alcohol, Glenfiddich, liquor, new spirits, scotch, Scotch whiskey, single-malt whiskey, Speyside whiskey, spirits, whisky

Redcliff American Liqueur

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Does America need its own signature liqueur? The folks at Redcliff think so. Frank Arcella, a former executive of Seagram's and creator of Corazon tequila created the new 65-proof Redcliff American liqueur which is a "combination of 15 secret ingredients." The all-American flavor palate as envisioned by Recliff involves the taste of cola and vanilla. Redcliff is available in a few markets around the U.S. currently and they have plans to roll it out nationwide by the end of the year. It sells for $17.95. Before you dash out and buy a bottle you might want to check out this review from Dave, who recently blogged about his Redcliff experience. He makes it seem pretty scary.

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Tags: alcohol, liqueur, new spirits, redcliff liqueur, RedcliffLiqueur

Hendrix Electric Vodka

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Add another name to the dead celebrity booze list. Hendrix Electric vodka is a "super-premium" vodka created by Distilled Resources, which we mentioned a few weeks ago. In addition to their potato vodkas they also do grain vodkas like this one which uses corn and rye from Idaho and Utah as well as Rocky Mountain spring water which is distilled through four stainless steel columns and then filtered through carbon and crystal. The vodka will be available in May 2006 and pomegranate and habanero flavors are planned for fall.

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Tags: alcohol, celebrity booze, james hendrix, JamesHendrix, liquor, new spirits, vodka