Drew Beard
Scottland’s windswept Isle of Harris produces more than just iconic tweed fabric. Since 2015, the Isle of Harris Distillery, the islands first and currently only legal distillery, has been making an arguably more iconic Scottish product, whisky. Like many upstart distilleries, gin helped to keep the lights on and the stills running while the whisky…
Raj Bhakta wears a lot on his sleeve, including his love for America. It’s no surprise then that his eponymous spirit label is jumping on the 4th of July bandwagon to commemorate America’s 250th birthday with a special bottle. And boy is he pulling out all the stops. Bhakta 1868 America250 Edition is a mix…
Chances are pretty good that there is barbecue in your future this holiday weekend, and Tennessee’s Peg Leg Porker, founded by award-winning pitmaster Carey Bringle, has the whiskey to pair with it. Warning: like the barbecue you’re probably planning to eat, it’s quite the mouthful. The new Spirit of America Limited Edition Summer Series –…
How do you get more bourbon drinkers to embrace American single malt? Virginia Distillery Co. thinks they might have the answer with their latest line extension. The Split Barrel Project is a first of its kind blend of bourbon and American single malt conceived as a gateway to American single malt for those traditional American…
Who doesn’t love nugget ice? Those soft, chewy micro-cubes can turn any beverage into a delicious quasi-slushy. And slushy is arguably the perfect cold beverage consistency. Originally invented for hospital patients (seriously, look it up), nugget ice went mainstream when fast food restaurants like Sonic started promoting it. I distinctly remember my dad going to…
We’ve encountered plenty of movie and rock star-backed tequila brands, from George Clooney’s Casamigos, arguably the tequila that lit the fire for the Hollywood obsession, to Matthew McConaughey’s more recent Pantalones, among so, so many others. What we don’t see as much are celebrity chefs throwing their weight behind a tequila brand. Which, well, is…
Bardstown Bourbon Co. has proven to be one of the more consistent producers of creative, cutting-edge American whiskeys. Nowhere in their generous portfolio is that more evident than the limited-edition Distillery Reserve Series, a thrice annual showcase of some the distillery’s boldest creations available exclusively at their Kentucky outposts and to members of their whiskey…
Michter’s launched its first barrel strength product, Barrel Strength Rye, in 2015 and followed it up not long after with a barrel strength offering of their core US-1 Bourbon. While both Barrel Strength expressions have reappeared over the years (the rye more frequently than the bourbon), Michter’s Toasted series has been the more consistent, non…
Fosforo is joining a growing list of mezcal producers hoping to grab a piece of the much larger tequila market. It’s admittedly a bold move jumping into the overcrowded world of tequila, but brands like Fosforo seem confident that their experience with the more artisanal production methods required of mezcal will set their tequila project…
Memphis-based Blue Note recently added a small batch wheated bourbon to their growing lineup of contract-distilled whiskeys, all of which age in a uniquely humid Tennessee climate near the intersection of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers. The mashbill of 70% corn, 21% soft winter wheat, and 9% malted barley will be familiar to fans of…