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Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $99.18 $104.40
12 bottles: $94.62
Look: Dark copper with great silkiness in the glass. Nose: Strong wood with hints of black pepper and dried fruit....
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $67.26 $70.80
12 bottles: $62.70
Look: Crystalline with silver sparkles; clean and transparent. Nose: Notes of cooked agave, herbal aroma, and green...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $70.68 $74.40
12 bottles: $67.26
Mint, oregano, watermelon rind, and a sour, lactic vibe of raita or kefir on the nose is followed by an intricate and...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $80.94 $85.20
12 bottles: $76.38
Look: Coppery and slightly golden. Nose: Persistent smell of agave, light vanilla and dried fruits. Presence of...
12 FREE
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $21.50
A vin de soif, made in a light, refreshing style. Earthy with some smoked meat aromas on the nose. The palate is...
12 FREE
Case only
Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $19.01
A vin de soif, made in a light, refreshing style. Earthy with some smoked meat aromas on the nose. The palate is...
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $151.21 $159.17
4 bottles: $119.99
Pungent aromas of sandalwood, cantaloupe, mesquite smoked meats, and sage are softened by sweet notes of vanilla and...
12 FREE
UBC
95
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $67.71 $71.27
6 bottles: $59.18
Excellent, Highly Recommended (Finalist) - 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
12 FREE
UBC
92
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $74.02 $77.92
4 bottles: $64.60
Primary notes of oak, vanilla, caramel and warm spices, like cinnamon. This aromas are complemented by hints of...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $29.96 $31.54
12 bottles: $19.48
Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation (Finalist) - 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
UBC
95
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $64.88 $68.30
6 bottles: $49.54
Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation (Finalist) - 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE
12 FREE
UBC
95
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $42.17 $44.39
Aromas of pink peppercorn, fresh lime juice, white flower, and lemon cream tickle the nose. The palate veers more...
12 FREE
UBC
94
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $51.29 $53.99
In this lowlands Tequila, fruity and peppery flavors weave harmoniously into the elongated finish. This spirit would...
12 FREE
WE
89
UBC
88
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $41.88
6 bottles: $34.20
12 FREE
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $90.38
6 bottles: $86.30
ON THE NOSE, sun-kissed notes of poised pressed flowers & clover hay are engulfed by mango meringue & pineapple gum...
12 FREE
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $44.97 $51.40
A soft dusty nose is accompanied by savory vegetal notes and aromas of caramelized banana. The palate is bold and...
UBC
93
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $116.58
6 bottles: $112.50
As a symbol of our offering to the makers who came before us and whose inspiration roused us to seek a future all our...
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $39.79 $41.88
6 bottles: $34.20
As American single malt ascends, Balcones shows its leadership with this triumphant offering. It’s bursting with...
12 FREE
WKY
91
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $61.34
Dried leaves, toasted nuts, and plenty of fresh oak emerge from this big, broad-shouldered malt that ably handles all...
12 FREE
WKY
89
UBC
88
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $49.29 $51.88
6 bottles: $43.30
Distilled from roasted blue corn. The spirit itself, not the grain, is smoked over Texas scrub oak. Spicy Red Vines,...
12 FREE
WKY
88

American Whiskey Mencia Tequila Xarel-lo

The United States of America is a country of great cultural diversity, influenced by migrating nations from across the world. As such, its whiskey industry is a fascinating and complex one, which represents the range of regional differences found there.

The Irish were the original pioneers of American whiskey, and when they emigrated in their thousands from the old country, they brought their skills, knowledge and distillation techniques with them, to give them something to remind each other of home in the New World. This is why American whiskey goes by the Irish spelling, with the additional ‘e’, and why many traditional American whiskies closely resemble the original Irish style.

Today, there are several different types of American whiskey, and the styles and production techniques are now set out in US federal law, cementing a set of characteristics and production methods to preserve and protect the industry.

Corn whiskey, which is made from a minimum 80% corn in the mash and aged for a short period, is probably the most historic of the American whiskey styles, but others like rye whiskey, which is made from a minimum of 51% rye and aged in charred barrels, are growing in popularity among a new generation of drinkers looking for something unique, interesting and independently produced. Alongside these styles, we find Tennessee whiskey, which uses maple charcoal for sweeter notes, the softer wheat whiskies, the world-dominating Bourbon whiskies, and others which are peculiar to specific states and regions.

Tequila is probably Mexico’s greatest gift to the world of fine spirits, and is also possibly one of the most underestimated and misunderstood drinks in the world. Widely used for shots and slammers, and more often than not associated with parties and hangovers, Tequila is in fact a wonderful drink full of subtleties and expression of terroir, that is highly rewarding for those who look into its finer points.

One of the special things about Tequila is the fact that it is capable of expressing the fine nuances and subtle notes of its raw material, far more so than other, similar spirits. That raw material is, of course, the Blue Agave - not a cactus, as is commonly believed, but rather a succulent quite like a lily, which grows in the deserts of Mexico mainly around the province of Jalisco. The Blue Agave takes a decade to mature, and during those ten years, it takes in many of the features of its surroundings, just like a grapevine would. This is why Tequila varies in flavor and aroma from region to region, from the earthier Tequilas of the lowlands, to the more delicate and floral examples from areas of a higher altitude.

The picking and peeling of the spiky Agave, and the distillation process of Tequila is a complicated one, and one which is carried out with enormous skill by the jimadors and master craftsmen who produce the spirit. Steam cooking of the body of the plant is followed by crushing, then fermentation and distillation completes the process. The end product is categorized according to whether or not it is made with pure (‘puro’) agave, or blended with other sugars, and according to how long the spirit is aged for.