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Spirits
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $9.18 $12.75
A newcomer to the marketplace, this velvety, blended Irish whiskey offers sweet, malty flavors that incorporate baked...
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94
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $10.99
A newcomer to the marketplace, this velvety, blended Irish whiskey offers sweet, malty flavors that incorporate baked...
WE
94
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $159.60 $168.00
Hans Reisetbauer is widely recognized as one of the world‘s great farmer-distillers, relentless in his pursuit of...
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Spirits
700ml
Bottle: $74.10 $78.00
The latest creation from master distiller Hans Reisetbauer. A cuvée of 50% Jamaican and 50% Reisetbauer‘s own...
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $17.71
12 bottles: $11.40
A premium, smooth tasting light rum infused with a fresh, tropical coconut flavor. Winner of the 2020 SIP Awards Best...
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $16.82 $17.71
12 bottles: $11.40
A premium, light rum with a fresh, juicy pineapple flavor that’s perfect in your favorite cocktail. Winner of the...
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Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $10.26 $10.80
24 bottles: $7.84
A gold rum with a smooth, bold taste carefully blended with savory spices. Winner of the 2019 & 2020 SIP Awards...
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $16.82 $17.71
12 bottles: $11.40
A gold rum with a smooth, bold taste carefully blended with savory spices. Winner of the 2019 & 2020 SIP Awards...
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $28.50 $30.00
12 bottles: $26.22
Ak Zanj, from Haitian Creole, translates to "With Angels" and is a nod to the evaporated spirit stolen by thirsty...
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $52.44 $55.20
12 bottles: $49.02
Ak Zanj, from Haitian Creole, translates to "With Angels" and is a nod to the evaporated spirit stolen by thirsty...
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $78.66 $82.80
12 bottles: $74.10
Ak Zanj, from Haitian Creole, translates to "With Angels" and is a nod to the evaporated spirit stolen by thirsty...
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Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $29.40 $33.60
The aged expression of the Original Albany Rum, picking up its distinctive color as well as rich spice and vanilla...
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $36.24 $38.15
6 bottles: $30.71
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $65.28
6 bottles: $54.00
This rum has a rich bouquet of sweet molasses, cocoa and toffee. This later gives way to notes of chocolate, orange...
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $31.24 $32.88
6 bottles: $25.20
Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation (Finalist) (Great Value) - 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
UBC
95
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $22.12 $23.28
12 bottles: $17.48
A round dryish, medium-bodied palate subtly flavored with coconut, molasses, plantain, burnt sugar and hints of apple.
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $43.68
This rich, silky sipper entices with caramel and vanilla aromas. The palate opens with deep toffee and caramel and a...
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95
UBC
94
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $74.10 $78.00
6 bottles: $72.00
TOP 100 SPIRITS 2022. Look for a deep amber hue and bold, enticing caramel and coffee bean aromas, plus a hint of red...
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96
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95
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $161.28
6 bottles: $157.20
Sweetgrass and notes of leather waft up from this beautifully aged rum. In the mouth white pepper dustiness...
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98
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97
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $32.62
Classic aromas of tropical fruits, spice, and funk are balanced and inviting. Sweet-tart in the mouth, flavors of...
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97
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93

Dolcetto Irish Whiskey Mavrodaphne Rum

In Italian, Dolcetto means 'little sweet one' – a slightly misleading name, as the black grapes of this varietal have relatively little natural sugar and almost almost produce dry wines. However, the Dolcetto grapes are remarkably popular with those looking for a full, rounded and highly flavorful wine, and are grown extensively in their native Italy, and in many other countries around the world. Dolcetto varietal grapes tend to have quite a high level of tannin, due to their thick, black skins, and low acidity, resulting in interesting wines with a large feel in the mouth, despite being relatively light in body. They are most commonly associated with big, complex flavors such as liquorice and prunes, and are regularly described as having a finish similar to the flavor of bitter almonds.

The Irish are hailed as being the original producers of whiskey in the British Isles, and their innovations and techniques were so successful, that neighbouring Scotland were quickly influenced by them in the 15th century. Centuries later, it was the Irish who brought whiskey to America, and their style of whiskey has since become popular all over the world.

However, it wasn’t always plain sailing for the Irish whiskey industry - from being a dominant force in the 19th century, whose produce was considered far superior to that of Scotland, political upheaval and war saw the Irish whiskey almost disappear forever in the early 20th century. Today, the Irish whiskey manufacturers are back on their feet, and they are once again proving that the original is often the best. With new distilleries opening every year, it is safe to say that Irish whiskey is very much back.

Irish whiskey differs from Scotch whisky in a number of ways, and not least the spelling - the extra ‘e’ was said to be added in the 19th century as a way of distancing the Irish drink from what they saw as an inferior Scottish product. Irish whiskey was traditionally made in enormous stills, as a way of ensuring consistency from bottle to bottle, and maintaining the quality and complexity their reputation was founded on. The typical tasting notes of fine Irish whiskey include apple and vanilla, alongside spicy and sweet touches of nutmeg and fresh hay, making this a highly pleasant and smooth drink, made for relaxation and stimulating conversation about times past.

In the Archaea region, high in the Northern Peloponnese mountains, the predominant grape varietal grown is the prized Mavrodaphne. Meaning 'Black Laurel', the Mavrodaphne grapes have extremely dark skins, and ripen slowly under the Greek sunshine, helped by the mineral rich soils the vines thrive in. This grape varietal is mostly used to produce the opaque, inky fortified wine of the same name, which is popular all over Greece and elsewhere in the world. This fortified wine allows the grapes to really show off their complex and fascinating flavors, which range from a rich marzipan to flavors of bitter chocolate, sweet coffee, dried figs and prunes, as well as plenty of jammy fruit notes.

Mavrodaphne is produced in a traditional method which involves leaving the grape juice exposed to the sun in large vats, before having its fermentation halted by the addition of various distillates taken from previous successful vintages. This mixture contains plenty of residual sugar, which gives the end result its characteristic sticky sweetness, and also helps with the next fermentation process, which typically takes place in large underground cellars. The final product is a heady drink, absolutely bursting with unusual, rich and sweet flavors and carried in a dark and slightly viscous Port-like liquid.

Mavrodaphne grapes are also used for the production of still red wines, but are generally blended with varietals such as Agiorgitiko or imported grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon. Mavrodaphne grapes are excellent for mellowing more acidic varieties, and producing deliciously rounded wines, which have taken the international market by storm in recent decades.

Additional Information on Greek Wines


Greek Wines
Ancient Greek Wines – A Brief History of Wine in Greece
The Myth of Dionysus, Greek God of Wine
What is Retsina?

It is difficult to categorize rum as a single spirit, because of all the spirits found around the globe, rum is perhaps the one which varies most dramatically from place to place. Clear, white rum - a favorite for cocktail drinkers - is perhaps the most prevalent example found today, but there is a whole world of darker, spiced and molasses-rich rums to explore, thanks to the fascinating history and wide reach this drink has.

Rum came about during the colonial times, when sugar was a huge and world-changing business. The molasses left over from the sugar production industry could easily be distilled into a delicious alcoholic drink, and provided extra income for the sugar traders. Before long, it became a favorite of sailors and transatlantic merchants, and it quickly spread across the Caribbean and Latin America, where it remains highly popular today.

The production of rum is a basic and simple one - you take your molasses, add yeast and water, and then ferment and distil the mixture. However, as is often the case, the devil is in the detail. The variation in yeasts found from place to place, the maturation period, the length of the fermentation and the type of stills and barrels used provide the rainbow-colored variation that gives rum its spectrum of styles and characteristics.