Founded in 1992, Knob Creek is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. And to commemorate the occasion, Knob Creek has introduced its first rye whiskey, a 100 proof spirit that pays homage to America’s favorite pre-prohibition drink. Aside from a 20th anniversary present to itself – and to its legion of Knob Creek Bourbon fans – Knob Creek Rye was introduced to address the growing trend of craft spirits and contemporary cocktail culture, especially within the rye whiskey category. It’s nice to see Knob Creek playing in this field, though it does seem like a late entrance from the...

Bushmills Irish Honey is the newest addition to the Bushmills range. It’s a blend of Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey with honey, which follows the template introduced by Wild Turkey American Honey and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey. Bushmills is one of the only distilleries in the world that produces its whiskeys completely under one roof. The “grain to glass” facility malts, distills, matures, blends and bottles at Ireland’s oldest working distillery. Bushmills Irish Honey pours a light straw gold and has aromas of sweetened grains, honey and pears. More honey comes through on the palate, plus more pears and hints of ripe...

The Glenrothes makes a range of vintage single malt whiskies, including the 1998. This whisky was distilled in 1998 and spent 12 years in barrel before being bottled in 2010. The 1998 Vintage was Gordon Motion’s first bottling as the Speyside distillery’s Malt Master, and due to its tropical fruit notes, he describes it as “Carmen Miranda’s hat in a bottle.” Mental image noted, we dove right in. On the nose, The Glenrothes 1998 Vintage is lush with pineapples and mangos, plus a hint of vanilla. On the palate there’s banana, coconut and dried cherry, all mingling with a faint...

Zignum is a new player in the mezcal market, having launched in the U.S. late last year. Offering a silver and reposado mezcal, Zignum is made from 100% green agave and claims to be a smooth spirit that’s easy to mix. The smoothness and general lack of smokiness comes from Zignum’s production technique. In traditional mezcal production, hearts of the maquey plant, a form of agave, are placed underground and roasted using layers of hot stones and banana leaf wrappings. This process does not allow smoke to escape, so the maguey hearts, or “pinas,” are imbued with a distinctive smoky...

We wrote about the launch of Don Julio 70 Anejo Claro back in July, when it was unveiled at Tales of the Cocktail. It sounded interesting, but we didn’t sit down with a bottle until now. Don Julio 70 Anejo Claro is the newest tequila in the Don Julio lineup, and it’s certainly the most unique. The spirit begins its life as 18-month-old Don Julio Añejo. From there, a unique filtering process strips away the color. Besides just removing the color, however, the process is supposed to recover the agave notes of the Blanco without removing the richness of the...

Jefferson’s Straight Rye Whiskey is the newest addition to the Jefferson’s portfolio, which also includes three small batch bourbons. Released in August 2011, Jefferson’s Rye is a 10-year old 100% North American rye. Though the bottle doesn’t specify, the rye is purportedly from Canada. Given its age, origin and similar flavor profile, one has to wonder if the rye whiskey source is the same as WhistlePig, another 100% Canadian rye. Jefferson’s founder and master blender Trey Zoeller combed through many barrels of aged rye whiskeys before settling on the right components for Jefferson’s Rye. Let’s see how he did. On the nose,...

Woodford Reserve recently announced the newest addition to its lineup – Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Available in March, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked isn’t a limited time release or part of the brand’s Master’s Collection; it’s a permanent line extension. The new whiskey gets its name from its double aging process. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is first aged in toasted, charred barrels created at Woodford’s cooperage. This initial maturation provides much of the color and flavor, but the second step is what makes the spirit unique. It’s moved to another custom barrel – one that’s been toasted twice as long as the...

The Macallan has become one of the most popular and recognized single malt Scotch whisky brands in the world, enjoying particularly good success in the United States. The Macallan range starts with the entry level 10-Year and includes the pricey 30-year, plus a variety of rare, older expressions and drams aged in different types of oak. The Macallan makes two 18-year-old Scotch whiskies – the Sherry Oak, which is aged exclusively in Sherry oak casks, and the Fine Oak, which is aged in three different types of wood. The Macallan 18-year-old Sherry Oak is mahogany in color and has pleasant aromas...

It’s no secret that we’re fans of Espolon Blanco Tequila, as it’s one of the best value buys in the 100% agave tequila market. But how fares the Reposado? Espolon Reposado Tequila is crafted at the San Nicolas Distillery in the Highlands region of Jalisco, Mexico. After distillation, it’s aged six months in American oak barrels. The result is a golden-hued spirit that’s full of roasted agave, spice and caramel on the nose. Drink up to taste flavors ranging from brown sugar and vanilla to tropical fruits. It’s less agave-forward than the blanco, and those six months in barrel give...

Ron Abuelo makes a line of fine rums, including the Ron Abuelo Anejo and the Ron Abuelo 7 Anos. The latter is a blend of Panamanian rums produced entirely from estate-grown sugar cane and then aged seven years in small oak barrels. Ron Abuelo 7 Anos is a rich, amber-colored rum with aromas of vanilla, caramel and fresh sugar cane. Flavors range from more vanilla and caramel to cocoa, toffee and honey. That sweetness fades in the finish, with lingering notes of dry leather and citrus. It’s exceedingly easy to sip, and even rum novices will be hard-pressed to find...