We’re entering somewhat of a renaissance for agave products. As mezcal continues to wow us with its small batches, traditional techniques, and somewhat of a backcountry mystique, more producers seem to be circumventing the certification process. This, in part, is where we’re seeing the emergence of bottlings labeled, “Agave Spirits.”
Read MoreAs a first time visitor to Kentucky I was amazed by the shear scale of production. More amazingly, the most impressive facility is 130+ years old.
Read MoreOur journey through KY continues. We visits one of the biggest and one of the smallest distilleries. A day full of contrast.
Read MoreRecently, I was lucky enough to spend an evening with the owners of L’Encantada who were visiting from Gascony. L’Encantada, with the distinctive orange wax, has become something of a cult favorite among Armagnac lovers. It allowed me to talk to them in detail about their operation and the producers they worked with.
Read MoreOur hunt for Kentucky’s finest continues. We visit Bardstown, once the undisputed Capital of Bourbon, today it’s having a Renaissance. Or maybe it’s a revolution.
Read MoreOur first day in Kentucky took us down south to Bardstown where we visited 5 distilleries and secured over exceptional casks for our discerning customers.
Read MoreA real old fashioned bourbon hunt begins today...
Read MoreOver on our wine blog, On the Trail, we’ve been celebrating Women’s History Month by featuring some of the amazing female producers in the biz, and today we’re shining a spotlight on one from the Spirits side of the equation. Ann Soh Woods is the founder of Kikori, a unique rice whiskey from Japan that’s crisp and super easy to drink.
Read MoreI don't think I've ever seen an Armagnac develop a cult following in the US, but that seems to be happening with the L'Encantada bottlings – and particularly the L’Encantada Lous Pibous. Perhaps you've seen the bottles with the orange wax pop up here and there – K&L has brought in a few barrels as have a few other retailers. Since I was involved with bringing the first casks to the US, I thought I'd tell the story of how it happened.
Read MoreA once in a lifetime opportunity to dine with four of Mexico’s most important figures. These legends of agave are driving a revolution in how we view the complex and historical spirits made from the special plant known by so many different names. We expect it to be one of the best events of the year, but it’s coming up quickly so be sure to reserve your seats ASAP.
Read MoreThere’s travel for work - and travel for play. But often, when working in the booze biz, they tend to overlap. Recently our esteemed Redwood City Assistant Store Manager, Cameron Price, spent his vacation in Bonnie Scotland. And while his trip was for pleasure, much of his time was spent visiting Single Malt distilleries. Lucky for us, he brought back some notes which we can all earmark for our next trip.
Read MoreThere seem to be more and more American whiskeys on the market that are blends of different types of whiskeys from different distillers. In the world of Scotch, it’s pretty easy to determine what a blend is. A combination of two or more single malts from different distilleries is a blended malt and a combination of malt and grain whiskies is a blended whisky. In America, it’s much more complicated. Most people still associate blended whiskey with the budget blends that combine whiskey with neutral spirts, but there are a lot more types of blends out there that are 100% whiskey.
Read MoreFrom the relative security of Pino Bonito to the wild rural distilleries of Rio de Parras, Michoacán continues astonish at every turn. We finished off our special batch of pechuga and finally meet Pedro Ximenez of Mezonte at one of Michoacán’s most legendary mezcaleros.
Read MoreFounded by Pedro Jimenez Gurria in Guadalajara, Mexico, and now part of Suro imports (which also brings us amazing products like Don Mateo de la Sierra, Siembra Azul, Siembra Valles, and Siembra Metl), Mezonte is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that is dedicated to “protect and spread information about traditional mezcales through tastings, videos, texts, academic, biological, cultural, gastronomica aspects, conversations, etc…focused on promoting solely traditional mezcals, especially those from Jalisco and Michoacan.”
Read MoreIt’s Ardbeg Day all over again. The Committee Release of Drum has arrived. It will disappear quickly, so act fast. This years delivery is a wee bit smaller than last years.
Read MoreThe Red Spot 15 Year made it in time for St. Patty’s Day. It’s a miracle!
Read MoreOur first distillery is the exceptional Don Mateo de la Sierra. It’s not just a story about mezcal, but about the place and people who make it. This is the truest form of terroir, a singular product that can only exist in this one place and time due to every variable in question.
Read MoreThe incredible unknown mezcals of Michoacán are going to become more and more important as American’s begin to experience the deep diversity that the category offers. It’s no longer just Oaxaca and Jalisco exporting too quality agave spirits. But, the complex category suffers from a number of complex challenges as it grows. The
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