-
Continue reading →: Continuing My Gin Exploration Journey with Virginia GinsI’m continuing my exploration of gins with a host of Virginia-produced spirits. *Mt. Defiance Distillery – Gin Nouveau *Vitae Spirits Modern Gin *MurLarkey Imagination Gin *KO Distilling – Battle Standard 142 American Dry Barrel Finished Gin (rested in ex-bourbon barrels for 6 months) *KO Distilling – Battle Standard 142 American…
-
Continue reading →: Glassware & Aroma Profiles – One of My Favorite Things About SpiritsOne of the things I enjoy most about spirits, other than sharing and discussing them with other enthusiasts in moderation, is nosing them and parsing out what aromas I can pick up and what they remind me off from my memory bank of aromas and flavors that I’ve experienced up…
-
Continue reading →: SHORT REVIEW: Cazcanes Nuestras Raíces Still Strength Blanco Agave SpiritNuestras Raíces (“Our Roots”) is a limited release from Cazcanes, a well-made and very premium-priced tequila brand, produced by master distiller Humberto Alvarado at his home distillery, Agave La Magdalena de Mexico, located in the tropical dry forest of Jalisco, La Estancita. It is neither a tequila nor a mezcal…
-
Continue reading →: New Bottle Highlight Series: Elijah Craig Small Batch – Ryder Cup Limited Edition 2025 Bourbon & Coming Full Circle with BourbonReleased as a special limited edition for this year’s Ryder Cup and to honor the state of New York, the Elijah Craig Small Batch – Ryder Cup Limited Edition 2025 was aged first in 53-gallon charred American White Oak barrels and then is finished for 8 weeks with toasted sugar…
-
Continue reading →: American Single Malt Whisky Samples for a Scotch PersonI’m continuing to share some American single malt whisky samples with a colleague at work who loves peated scotch. Samples shared up to this point include: *Courage & Conviction Signature Single Malt *Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask *Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask *Courage & Conviction Double Cask Reserve *VDC Port…
-
Continue reading →: Operation “Beyond Beam White Label” Continues – Full Proof & Double Oaked EditionThe sample sharing with my work colleague who loves Jim Beam White Label and Single Barrel continues. My “theme” of most, though not all, of these samples is to introduce him to cask finished bourbons, stave finished bourbons, and double oaked bourbons. I’ve also thrown in some straight bourbons not…
-
Continue reading →: New Bottle Highlight Series: Deep Creek Reserve Straight Bourbon WhiskeyMade entirely of Virginia-grown grains (corn, rye, wheat, & barley) with the malting of the barley being done in Charlottesville, Deep Creek Reserve Bourbon is not age stated but is a minimum of 3-5 years old. It is brought to bottling proof (90 proof/45% ABV) using purified local water and…
-
Continue reading →: New Bottle Highlight Series: Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask American Single Malt – Nancy Fraley Special BatchNamed after whisky master blender Nancy Fraley, perhaps currently best known currently for her work with Still Austin and Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend, this special batch of the Virginia Distillery Company’s Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask was distilled in August-September 2016 and put into 8 cuvée casks (225 liters) that…
-
Continue reading →: SHORT REVIEW: Storywood Añejo TequilaStorywood is a very unique tequila brand that fuses the mixed heritage of its founder, chef Michael Ballantyne who was born in Scotland, raised in Texas, and has a mother from the San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico. After opening a whisky bar in his mother’s hometown, he was…
-
Continue reading →: Spirits Sample Share: Introducing a Colleague to Finished WhiskiesOne of my favorite things to do with spirits is sharing them with other folks – it’s what spirits are for and how they’re best enjoyed in moderation. The “theme” of this round of samples for a work colleague is finished whisky, primarily bourbon but also one rye. He enjoys…
Documenting my journey into agave spirits along with a smattering of other spirits after many, many years away – This blog is meant to take note of this journey including tasting notes, bottle photography, and other related topics.
Agave Spirits+ Journey 