Tag Archives: distillery

Bourbon 101

Whether we’re turning neophytes onto bourbon or introducing new finds to long-time aficionados, we at Bottles love talking about bourbon. We love talking about it, writing about it, sipping it, mixing it, discovering new distillers and re-discovering old distillers. We just flat out heart bourbon.

To spread the love to team members that are new to the store, we give them a crash course in the beloved brown spirit. A “Bourbon 101” to prime their palates for the joys ahead.

And given the sheer volume of questions we get in-store about bourbon we’re sharing our primer with you. What follows is meant to give you the basics on what it is and how it’s made. Once you’ve got that down, come in to the store or give us a call for the fun stuff: the flavor differences between styles and producers, which is sweetest, which is strongest, how best to enjoy bourbon and which makes the best Manhattan (just our opinion , of course).

Did we mention we love talking about bourbon?

Cheers!bourbon101_info-color

 

 

Pumpkin Whiskey Cocktail Recipe & Two Tasty Twists on Classics

Looking for the perfect cocktail to make this season?

Here are 3 tasty recipes that you and your guests will love for the fall, Thanksgiving, and beyond.

These all feature a local whiskey distillery, Sons of Liberty Spirits, and are fun twists on cocktail classics. Visit the SOL Spirits website for even more cocktail ideas!

Cheers!

HOP_TONIC

HOP WHISKEY TONIC

This whiskey is dry-hopped like a beer! Woah. It makes for an idea tonic for a beer lover.

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Hop Flavored Whiskey

5 oz Tonic Water

GARNISH

Lemon wedge

DIRECTIONS

Serve whiskey and tonic water over ice. Stir & garnish with lemon wedge.

PUMP_MAN

PUMPKIN MANHATTAN

Sons of Liberty’s Pumpkin Spice Whiskey has won best flavored whiskey in the world. Now that’s a Manhattan.

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Pumpkin Spice Whiskey

1 oz Sweet Vermouth

2 dashes of Angostura Bitters

GARNISH

Luxardo cherry

DIRECTIONS

Stir ingredients in mixing glass with ice. Strain into chilled glass. Garnish with cherry.

RUSSIAN

DARK RUSSIAN

No comment necessary.

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Loyal 9 Dark Chocolate Vanilla Vodka

1 oz coffee liqueur

1 oz heavy cream or half-and-half, lightly whipped

GARNISH

Dust with grated nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Shake vodka and coffee liqueur with ice. Strain into ice-filled glass. Float lightly whipped cream on top of drink. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

 

-ENJOY!

Sons of Liberty Spirits: Craft Whiskey, Vodka & Gin Made in Rhode Island

Sons of Liberty Spirit

It was a warm, early Autumn day a few years back, and some of the staff at Bottles were on their way to Peacedale. We had been speaking with Mike Repucci, founder of the fledgling Sons of Liberty distillery, and he had invited us down to fire up the still and make some whiskey. How could we say no?

Mike explained the Sons of Liberty philosophy to us. If all whiskey starts as beer (true), then why not make great beer and turn it into fantastic single malt whiskey? As he spoke, he let us taste the creamy, cocoa-laced flavors of the raw spirit coming out of the still, and we were hooked.

Mike has continued to innovate since those early days, and has produced an authentic line of Whiskeys, Vodkas, & Gin that have received accolades from all around the globe. We’re so proud to have this kind of home-grown spirit here in Rhode Island, and we’re excited to share Sons of Liberty with you.

Cheers,
–  Liam Maloney

 

THE WHISKEYS

Sons of Liberty Spirits Distillery - Uprising Whiskey

Uprising

The first Sons of Liberty spirit we tasted on that autumn morning. It starts life as a creamy & decadent chocolate stout, and you can taste it in the finished product. Look for light notes of vanilla and caramel, complemented by toasty spice flavors from American & French oak. This is a Scotch drinker’s whiskey.

 

Sons of Liberty Spirits Battlecry Whiskey

Battle Cry

A Bourbon drinker’s whiskey, Battle Cry starts off as a Belgian ale. Utilizing both rye and honey malts, to achieve a balance of dry spiciness & sweet grain flavors, Battle Cry is aged in new American oak before bottling. They also use a strain of Trappist ale yeast to ferment, which adds notes of dark fruits and anise to the dry finish.

 

Hop Whiskey - SOL Spirits

Hop

Brewers have long used a method called ‘dry-hopping’ to add aroma and flavor to their beers. The same method is used here, when Sons of Liberty distills an IPA and ages the finished spirit in oak with whole flower Citra & Sorachi Ace hops. Herbal & aromatic when young (and the perfect choice for a whiskey & tonic), it mellows with age, becoming more minty & oaky. A whiskey for the cocktail enthusiast, that is as good in a gin cocktail as it is in a whiskey-based one.

 

Pumpkin Spice Whiskey by Sons of Liberty Spirits Distillery

Pumpkin Spice

When you think about it, what would make more sense than turning a warming, spice-laced pumpkin beer into whiskey? This is a craft beer & spirit drinker’s whiskey, as the roasted flavors of pumpkin, clove, & allspice are subtle, and secondary to the flavors of the whiskey. Sons of Liberty uses tons of locally grown pumpkins each year, scooping & roasting them all by hand, and carefully aging the finish whiskey on the pumpkin & spice until just the right amount of flavor is achieved. This is a true New England original that we can all be proud of.

 

THE VODKA

Loyal 9 Vodkas

Loyal 9

Loyal 9 is exceptionally smooth vodka, made from corn, and distilled 99 times to achieve a sterling clarity. You’ll often find it in our home bars, where we like it on the rocks with a splash of bitters, or in any number of cocktails.

 

Loyal 9 Mint Cucumber

Loyal 9 Mint Cucumber

Sons of Liberty doesn’t do anything if they’re not going to do it right. So when they say mint & cucumber, they mean it. The base spirit of Loyal 9 is blended with subtle, cooling cucumber, and a fresh blast of mint. It’s very refreshing in a vodka tonic, or when blended with lemon juice & simple syrup.

 

Loyal 9 Dark Chocolate Vanilla Bean

Loyal 9 Chocolate Vanilla

Rather than being a fudgy, milk chocolate kind of vodka, Sons of Liberty continues their style of reserved, appropriately flavored spirits with this expression. Flavors of dry cocoa and a strong undercurrent of real vanilla beans make this vodka the perfect choice for chocolate martinis and white russians.

 

THE GIN

True Born Gin - The Belgian Wheat Act - Sons of Liberty

True Born Gin

True Born is a new staff favorite here at Bottles.  Sons of Liberty starts by making truly excellent Belgian Wheat ale, brewed with lemongrass & coriander. It’s a beer that could stand on its own as is. When distilled, however, and seasoned with a touch of juniper, citrus, & other botanicals, it completely shines in the glass. We like to shake it on ice & strain it into a chilled cocktail glass, where the lemony flavors really shine. It also makes a memorable Negroni, and a very refreshing gin & tonic.

 

 

 

Featuring Bully Boy Distillery!

Bully Boy Distillery in Boston

Located in Boston and owned and operated by brothers Will and Dave Willis, Bully Boy is a New England craft-method distillery you should know.

Will and Dave Willis were inspired by their childhood home and fourth-generation working family farm, where a basement vault of local artisan spirits was discovered roughly 70 years after Prohibition. This inspired the idea for an artisan distillery named after Bully Boy, a favorite farm workhorse. Paying particular attention to the caliber of ingredients used in its product, Bully Boy hand-produces premium spirits, carrying on the tradition of small-batch distilling and emphasizing quality over quantity.

We’re featuring all Bully Boy bottles in-store this winter, just look for our large spirits display. Also, you’re in luck if you’re on a budget, because they are all on sale for $5 off their regular price!

Cheers!

Bully Boy White Rum

White Rum

Continuing Boston’s legacy as the center of rum production, Bully Boy’s signature White Rum is made with Blackstrap Molasses. Using techniques handed down from Cognac distillers, they use a blend of cuts to create white rum that has both depth and a remarkably smooth finish. Enjoy straight up or mixed in your favorite cocktail.

Bully Boy Boston Rum

Boston Rum

Boston Rum grew out of a desire to resurrect the city’s storied history of rum production, which dates back to 1667. Colonial Americans had a healthy appetite for rum, and much of the original spirits were distilled in Boston. Made with blackstrap molasses, Bully Boy Boston Rum has a bold flavor, which is created using deeper cuts on the still. It’s aged in a blend of used bourbon and red wine barrels, and the final product has a fruity complexity, a subtle vanilla note, and a bit of sweetness.

Bully Boy Vodka

Vodka

Bully Boy’s USDA certified organic vodka is made with wheat on a 600 liter copper still. Wheat was chosen as the base for the vodka because it creates a spirit with a subtle sweetness that aids drinkability. Distilled only once, the spirit presents a silky texture and clean, chiseled finish. Enjoy neat or mixed.

bullyboy-whitewhiskey1

White Whiskey

All whiskey comes off the still as a clear spirit; it is the aging process that imbues whiskey with its deep brown hue and oaky taste. A popular spirit during prohibition, white whiskey (moonshine) was manufactured using primitive techniques and inferior ingredients making it harsh and undrinkable. Times have changed. Bully Boy’s USDA certified organic white whiskey is clean and mellow. It’s akin to vodka, but with bolder flavor notes. You can enjoy it neat or use it in place of vodka in your favorite mixed drink.

Bully Boy Whiskey

American Straight Whiskey

Bully Boy’s aged whiskey uses corn, rye, and malted barley as its primary ingredients, and is aged in new American Oak. The corn makes for subtle sweetness, and the high rye content creates a dry spiciness; the flavors are further refined through the barrel-aging process, which imparts both a prominent caramel note and a nutty finish. An excellent sipping whiskey! As with all Bully Boy’s spirits, their American Straight Whiskey is made in small, numbered batches, so you know you are getting a truly unique spirit.

Bully Boy Hub Punch

Hub Punch

Inspired by the original Hub Punch recipe popular in the late 1800’s, Bully Boy Hub Punch, a barrel aged rum infused with fruits and botanicals, revives a historic Boston tradition that was a casualty of Prohibition. Originally concocted at the now defunct Hub Hotel, Bostonians typically enjoyed Hub Punch mixed with soda water, ginger ale, or lemonade. Bully Boy consulted a variety of historical accounts of Hub Punch to craft a spirit that pays homage to the traditional recipe and spirit of the pre-prohibition era Boston. Bully Boy Hub Punch is fruit forward with the botanicals providing tea-like undertones ideal for mixing with both dry and sweet mixing agents.

Learn All About Heaven Hill Distilleries – Small Batch Bourbons, Bottled-in-Bond, and Beyond!

heavenhillIn the spirit of welcoming in the fall season, we are having a new Bourbon Special at Bottles! We’re featuring a wide range of whiskies by Heaven Hill DistilleriesAmerica’s largest independent family-owned producer of Bourbon, who holds the second largest inventory of bourbon in the country. They make great bourbons like Elijah Craig, Evan Williams 1783, Rittenhouse Rye, and much, much more. Below we’ve outlined some of the featured whiskeys from our display. So take a read, soak it in, and swing by the store today and grab a bottle or 5 off our new display!

henrymckenna1 copyHenry McKenna 10 Year, Bottled in Bond 
By law, a Bottled in Bond whiskey must be bottled at 100 proof, aged for a minimum of four years in a government warehouse, and must contain whiskey from a single season of distillery production. Henry McKenna is one of our all­-time favorite whiskies, from anywhere in the world. Bold without being pushy, and deceptively boozy, you’re gonna want Henry in your corner on a night out (or in)!
bernheim1 copy

Bernheim Wheat Whiskey
A straight whiskey that utilizes winter wheat to bring out extremely soft, sweet, slightly herbal flavors. Very good on its own and eminently mixable, this is a truly unique whiskey!
elijahcraig_12yrsmallbatch copyElijah Craig 12 Year
These days, you don’t see a lot of 12 year old Bourbon out there, and certainly not at an affordable price. Elijah Craig 12 is a truly small batch bourbon ­ each batch is blended from no more than 70 hand selected barrels. The result is a clean & bracing whiskey, with clear vanilla & oak notes.
evanwilliams_1783_1 copyEvan Williams 1783
1783 was the year the first official distiller opened in Kentucky, and this Bourbon pays tribute to that Kentucky spirit. A small batch version of Evan William’s Black Label, it’s dry & toasty, with a beguiling zesty & spicy finish.

 

evanwilliams_2004singlebar copyEvan William Single Barrel
Bottled from a barrel aged near the top of Heaven Hill’s rickhouse, where the average temperature is much higher. The resulting whiskey has penetrated deep into its barrel, picking up remarkably nuanced flavors of cocoa, black tea, vanilla, cedar, and a light citrus quality.
evanwilliam_whitelabel1 copyEvan Williams White Label, Bottled in Bond
By law, a Bottled in Bond whiskey must be bottled at 100 proof, aged for a minimum of four years in a government warehouse, and must contain whiskey from a single season of distillery production. This antiquated system helped protect farmers and distillers in the past, giving them a government backed cash crop and tax breaks on warehousing. Now­a­days, it just means good, quality Bourbon.
rittenhouserye1 copyRittenhouse Straight Rye
A spicy rye whisky that smells and tastes like running through a field on a warm summer day. This 100 proof expression loves to be mixed, though it can be consumed on the rocks if you want to put some hair on your chest!

Cheers!

 

Sons of Liberty Distillery – Pumpkin Whiskey Made in RI

Sons of Liberty Distillery Pumpkin Whiskey
Pumpkin Whiskey is here! If you haven’t heard, Sons of Liberty Spirit Company from South Kingston, Rhode Island, makes an award-winning seasonal whiskey: Pumpkin Spice Flavored Whiskey. And guess what? You can get your bottle at our store! We can even ship it to you, if you’re not fortunate enough to be located in New England.

Check out our visit to the Sons of Liberty distillery, where we met up with owner/distiller Mike Reppucci:

Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. is the first distillery to offer seasonal craft whiskies. Breweries have seasonal brews, so why not whiskey? And, this Pumpkin Whiskey uses all local Rhode Island pumpkins that are roasted to perfection. Add some winter spices like clove, allspice, vanilla, cinnamon, & sweet orange, and you have a buzz-worthy American craft whiskey. No artificial flavor or coloring here!
Make a Pumpkin Cider Martini, a Pumpkin Manhattan, or enjoy the beautiful aromas and flavors neat. Cheers! www.solspirits.com

 

Bottles Fine Wine
141 Pitman Street, Providence, RI
401-372-2030
info@blog.bottlesfinewine.com

Meet the Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. – A Rhode Island Distillery

Uprising - Sons of Liberty Distillery in RI

Get a backstage tour of the Sons of Liberty Spirits Co.,  Rhode Island’s second newest distillery since the 1800s. Mike Reppucci, Sons of Liberty owner/distiller, showed our store manager around the distillery. Learn how they make their great single malt American whiskey, Uprising, and welcome in their seasonal winter release, a Pumpkin Spice Flavored Whiskey that uses local Rhody pumpkins. A winner of the World’s Best Whiskies!

Visit us to shop local, and for a full selection of Sons of Liberty spirits: Uprising Whiskey, Pumpkin Whiskey, Loyal 9 Vodkas, and more.

Cheers!

Sons of Liberty Whiskey Distillery Sons of Liberty distillery - Rhode Island

Thomas Tew Rum – Drink Rhody Rum!

Thomas Tew Rum - Rhode Island Rum Distillery

Thomas Tew Rum is made by the Newport Distilling Company in nearby Newport, Rhode Island. Watch the tour and overview of how their barrel-aged rum is made, with Brent Ryan, master distiller. Brent was kind enough to give us the behind-the-scenes tour of the distillery. Watch, sip, and enjoy!

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Thomas Tew Rum - Distillery Tour Newport Distilling Company

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Review & Guide

Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Currently featured in-store is Buffalo Trace Bourbon, with many Bourbon brands from the famous Kentucky-based distillery. Watch the video to for Liam’s review and recommendations on different Buffalo Trace Bourbons and his favorite cocktail recipes.

One of the largest and best known Bourbon distilleries in Kentucky, Buffalo Trace has won Distillery of the Year and stands as the oldest distilling site in the U.S.  The distillery is also known for making:  Pappy Van Winkle, George T. Stagg, Thomas Handy Rye, E.H. Taylor, W.L. Weller, Sazarac Rye, Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, Elmer T Lee, Buffalo Trace and many more brands.

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Buffalo Trace Vanilla and citrus nose with perfect balance and complexity of corn, spice and rye flavors.  An unbeatable everyday Bourbon. 

Elmer T Lee Bourbon Whiskey

Elmer T Lee Butterscotch, clover and leather nose with a big rich body and flavors of fruits, honey and vanilla.  Long warm finish.  A wine lover’s Bourbon! 

Blanton's Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey

Blantons Vanilla and honey flavors amid the strong caramel with a bit of spice lurking in the background from the addition of rye.

Eagle Rare Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey Review

Eagle Rare 10 Year Aromas of coconut crème brulee, buttery nuts and brown spices with dry, yet fruity flavors layered with chocolate, figs and nuts.  Very long finish.

Buffalo Trace White Dog Bourbon Rye Whiskey

White Dogs Unaged expressions of the mash bills used to make some of Buffalo Trace’s best Bourbons and Ryes.  Use them to make unconventional cocktails like White Manhattans or age them yourself!

WL Weller Wheated Bourbon Whiskey Review

W.L. Weller A “Wheated” Bourbon, meaning the distiller replaced the typical rye with wheat in the mashbill.  Regarded as a best buy from several trade sources and the folks here at Bottles.  $16.99 Read More >>