Foreign

Whiskey Del Bac Dorado

Whiskey Del Bac began production in 2013 in Tuscon, AZ. Founded by Stephen Paul and his daughter Amanda, the distillery is perhaps best known for their mesquite usage. Asking the very valid question of why barley couldn’t be smoked with the American Southwest’s native mesquite tree much like peat is used in Scotland and Ireland, Whiskey Del Bac has found resounding success since releasing their lineup, both in sales and industry awards. They are also a grain-to-glass distillery, using as many native elements in their production as possible. Named after the local Mission San Xavier del Bac, Del Bac Dorado represents everything we love about American craft whiskey, from the local sourcing to the experimentation to the crafting of a spirit unique to a place and people.

By Adam | October 20, 2019 | Foreign | No Comments |

Balcones made the world take notice when their single malt began winning blind tastings against more established whiskies from Scotland and Ireland, along with a bevy of competitive gold medals beginning in 2011 and not looking back. They are continually listed near the top of American whiskies in various publications and have an array of core range offerings along with more limited experiments. The Balcones Single Malt Reserve 101 is a single cask of their “1” Texas Single Malt, specifically bought by Houston whiskey bar Reserve 101. Sourced from an early relationship with Balcones co-founder, Chip Tate, this malt is not on their regular menu. Even if you do get a chance to try it, there is no guarantee the staff will tell you where the only liquor store in the city is where you can buy a bottle. We’ve been sworn to secrecy for this barrel (though feel free to visit Reserve 101 and cozy up to the bartenders to see if they’ll spill the details), but encourage everyone to seek out a single cask expression.

By Adam | August 5, 2019 | Foreign | No Comments |

Mingo Creek Craft Distillers was founded in 2017 by Jim and Ellen Hough. The name of their distillery and their whiskey, Liberty Pole, references the Whiskey Rebellion (1791-1794) that has its roots in Western Pennsylvania, where the Liberty Pole was raised by farmers to proclaim their resistance to the whiskey tax levied against them by a fledgling federal government. The rebellion collapsed after federal militia arrived but memory of it still lives in Washington, PA. The distillery offers six core whiskies, including a bourbon cream, and have recently upgraded their still size to increase production. In 2019, they worked with all the other Pennsylvania distilleries to create a special cask strength rye containing whiskey from each distillery for the Whiskey Rebellion Festival. The Liberty Pole Peated Bourbon is double pot distilled and aged 13-18 months.

By Adam | July 30, 2019 | Foreign | No Comments |