Spirits

Costa Brava Cocktails Launches with Two Zero Sugar, Zero Carb Offerings

Posted on June 30, 2020 by mashingin

Costa Brava Cocktails (Los Angeles, California), a new line of sugar-free, zero carb premium vodka canned cocktails from LazKap Beverages Inc., has officially launched in Southern California with the release of two flavors: Lemon Drop and Vodka Cranberry.

Founded by Matthew Kaplan and Ethan Lazar – lifelong friends and LA natives – and inspired by their time studying abroad in Spain, Costa Brava Cocktails is a new lineup of craft cocktails packaged in “vibrant 12 fluid ounce [cans] that [capture] the spirit of Los Angeles’s sun, surf and sand lifestyle.” Lemon Drop and Vodka Cranberry, the brands’s first two releases, both come in at just “6.7% ABV, contain only 130 calories, and are gluten-free, without sacrificing the great taste.”

“We have been best friends since we were 9 years old. Our junior year of college, we were lucky enough to spend a semester studying abroad in Barcelona. One of the last days of our trip was spent at a beach in the Costa Brava of Spain. Embarrassingly, we had put on so much weight abroad that neither of us wanted to go shirtless. When we returned home to Los Angeles for the summer before our senior year at UMASS Amherst, we knew we had to make a change. Even though we cut sugar and carbs from our diets and began working out every day, one thing held us back: we enjoy socializing, which sometimes includes having a few drinks with friends. We soon realized that there were no SUGAR FREE AND CARB FREE alcoholic beverages on the market that lived up to our standards of quality and taste. There was a gaping opportunity in the alcohol market, so we got straight to work. Through a tremendous amount of trial and error, we developed Costa Brava Cocktails, a great tasting line of premium canned cocktails that contain ZERO SUGAR and ZERO CARBS.”
Matthew Kaplan, Co-founder of Costa Brava Cocktails

Costa Brava Cocktails is currently self-distributing Lemon Drop and Vodka Cranberry in Los Angeles, California. You can expect to find both of these new offerings available in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans at “select West Los Angeles liquor stores and on-premise locations.” LazKap Beverages Inc. plans to expand its the distribution footprint for Costa Brava Cocktails in the coming months with a “full Southern California rollout, which will be a runway for national expansion.” Prost!

Mother’s/Father’s Day Gift Guide: Gift Sets from Shots Box

Posted on May 5, 2020 by mashingin

It is once again that time to celebrate our parents during the six week stretch that contains their given holidays in 2020: Mother’s Day on May 10 and Father’s Day on June 21. The crew here at Mashing In is well aware that finding a decent gift gets more and more difficult as we get older (and even more so when we are all dealing with a global pandemic), so we have put our heads together to compile a gift guide for those moms and dads that enjoy a well-crafted adult beverage from time to time. This installment of the guide focuses on the parent that likes to explore new bottles to rotate into his/her liquor cabinet: a selection of gift sets from Shots Box.

Shots Box is an online fine liquor retailer and monthly subscription service “that brings amazing craft spirits from around the country directly to your doorstep.” Although the company’s goal is to introduce you to and educate you on exciting and new spirits with mini, shot-sized bottles, they also let you directly purchase full-sized bottles of any offering you fall in love with after sampling. This makes Shots Box an incredibly convenient service that “[takes] the hassle and guesswork out of choosing a new drink to enjoy.”

The beverage specialists at Shots Box regularly curate gift sets that are a great option for holidays and celebrations. Here are a few suggestions that would make for a perfect gift for mom or dad this year:

Shots Box gift sets are available for delivery in the majority of the United States (click here to view the company’s delivery map). If you would like to hook mom and/or dad up with a fun and tasty gift from Shots Box, all you have to do is click on one of the featured gift sets above to get some fine libations headed their way in time for their holidays. Prost!

Rogue Converts Distillery into Hand Sanitizer Production Facility

Posted on March 31, 2020 by mashingin

Rogue Spirits (Newport, Oregon) has officially announced that it has begun production of Helping Hand Hand Sanitizer to provide local emergency response and public safety officials with much needed hand sanitizer during the public health crisis caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).

Produced to “keep those servicing the community safe and healthy so that they can protect the rest of the country” during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rogue’s Helping Hand Hand Sanitizer is made with “80% ethanol, glycerin, hydrogen peroxide and distilled water.” This initiative at Rogue Spirits was made possible due to “the Food and Drug Administration [changing] their guidelines on March 18 to give distilleries permission to start making hand sanitizer for distribution as long as they were abiding by the formula outlined by the World Health Organization.” At this time, Rogue has already donated its Helping Hand Hand Sanitizer – packaged in 375ml, 4 oz. and 16 oz. bottles – to “fire departments from Newport, Toledo, Waldport, Yachats, Depoe Bay, and Lincoln City, police services, county offices, local ambulance services and Life Flight.”

“There’s a massive shortage of so many life-saving supplies right now and we wanted to do something to help,” adds Brian Pribyl, Head Distiller of Rogue Ales & Spirits. “As a distillery, we make alcohol every day, so a hand sanitizer was an obvious way to help. It’s been amazing to watch the entire distilling community come together during this crisis. We can’t make gowns, gloves or medical equipment but we can keep a steady supply of alcohol flowing. If we can supply a hand sanitizer to the front-line of this pandemic, even if that means one less thing they have to worry about sourcing, we’re calling that a win.”

“What’s really great about our hand sanitizer initiative is that it came about as an employee passion project and their dream became a reality thanks to a collaborative team effort,” adds Jack Waibel, Vice President of Production at Rogue Ales & Spirits. “Since day one we have been dedicated to giving back to our community and are so honored to be able to step up and help in this time of need.”

Rogue’s Helping Hand Hand Sanitizer is currently available to first responders in Oregon’s Lincoln County and the distillery is “working to make it available throughout the nation to businesses and consumers to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.” Prost!

Tasting Notes – Spirits Edition: Porter’s Small Batch Rye from Ogden’s Own Distillery

Posted on March 15, 2020March 19, 2020 by mashingin

For this special Spirits Edition of Tasting Notes, we find a little escape from all the worries floating around the world these days by getting momentarily lost in a dram of Porter’s Small Batch Rye from Ogden’s Own Distillery (Ogden, Utah).

Developed to be the first non-flavored whiskey to join the Porter’s portfolio, Porter’s Small Batch Rye is a Straight Rye Whiskey that is comprised of a “95/5 blend of rye and barley . . . to deliver well-balanced flavor.” Aged for over three years in heavy charred, new oak barrels . . . at 111 proof,” Porter’s Small Batch Rye is finished by being “blended down to 90 proof with Ogden’s Own Distillery’s signature water blend.”

Produced as a limited run of just 1,000 cases, Porter’s Small Batch Rye is available now in 750ml bottles adorned with “labels made from a real wood veneer.” You can expect to find this Limited Release offering at fine liquor retailers located in Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Michigan. Bottles of Porter’s Small Batch Rye can also be ordered online through Hi-Time Wine Cellars (shipping available to CA, AZ, CO, FL, HI, ID, MO, ME, NE, NM, OH and WA).

Now that we are all caught up on how Porter’s Small Batch Rye was made and how we can get it, let’s pour a little into a fancy glass and see how it all comes together over some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Porter’s Small Batch Rye from Ogden’s Own Distillery

Appearance: Served neat and at room temperature into a shaped whiskey glass, Porter’s Small Batch Rye pours a honey gold in color. When held to direct light, that honey-like hue brightens and glows softly. This whiskey is absolutely pristine in clarity. When jostled about in the glass, the liquid leaves a slick, wide-sweeping arc that drops thin, quick-moving tears back down into the pour.

Aroma: Rye immediately hits the nose with an array of spicy, peppery notes that are complemented by toasted, bready grains. Sweeter tones of caramel and tropical/citrus fruit then bloom a bit. The wood character then surfaces with light notes of vanilla and fresh oak. Straight booze and a touch of dill spice round out the profile.

Taste: Spicy rye takes lead here as well by supplying big notes of black pepper, clove, cinnamon and baking spice. The barrel then smooths out those spicier/sharper edges with vanilla, caramel, toffee and oak. A dollop of honey adds a bit more sweetness while a twist of lemon brightens things up a bit. The dill character that surfaced in the nose is light, but it does hide in the background at times. The experience closes with some bready grains and a touch of herbal black tea.

Mouthfeel: Medium in weight, this whiskey softly coats the palate for a moment, but it dries out nicely. Heavy on the spice at times, it does eventually find a nice balance thanks to the sweeter notes coming off the barrel and grains. Although the nose was filled with booze, the 45% ABV is actually pretty tame on the palate and only offers a gentle warmth in the throat and belly. Black pepper and caramelized grains are left to linger in the aftertaste.

Final Thoughts: Despite having only aged in barrels for three years, Porter’s Small Batch Rye surprisingly drinks with a balance that you would expect from an offering that has spent a little more time on oak. Sure . . . the nose comes across a little hot and boozy and the overall experience is filled with plenty of punchy, spicy rye character, but this younger Straight Rye Whiskey is mellowed out nicely with a hefty infusion of barrel-sourced notes of vanilla, caramel, toffee and oak. This creates an enticing sip that can easily appeal to lovers of Rye Whiskey and also Bourbon fans who are looking to branch out into rye. Add in the fact that this is an incredibly reasonably priced Straight Rye Whiskey (currently going for only $18.99 a bottle over at Hi-Time Wine Cellars), and it suddenly becomes really difficult to find a reason to not give this limited-edition offering a shot at making your home bar’s roster. Seriously, make sure to keep Porter’s Small Batch Rye in mind the next time you are on the hunt for a Straight Rye Whiskey. Prost!

Tasting Notes – Spirits Edition: Underground Herbal Spirit from Ogden’s Own Distillery

Posted on February 3, 2020February 3, 2020 by mashingin

For this special edition of Tasting Notes, we journey deep into the spirits realm to experience Underground Handcrafted Herbal Spirit from Ogden’s Own Distillery (Ogden, Utah).

Proudly known as “America’s First Herbal Spirit,” Underground is a liqueur featuring a blend of “33 herbs, spices and flavors” that includes notes of “cassia, angostura, anise, cardamom, gentian, yarrow, wormwood, mate, guarana, ginseng, molasses, orange oil, lemon oil, spearmint, pure cane sugar, agave and plum.” The characteristic that really sets Underground apart from other Herbal Spirits is that it is made with half the sugar than the competition. Less sugar and an elevated alcohol content (80 PROOF/40% ABV) combine to result in a “less-viscous, less-syrupy shot” that is surprisingly smooth. Boasting an “incredible versatility, complexity and taste,” Underground has been awarded a Double-Gold Medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and selected as the “Best Liqueur in the America’s” at the Spirits of the America’s Competition.

The Story Behind the Name

“The origins of Underground are as complex as the 33 herbs and flavors inside the bottle.

From the late 1800’s to the mid 1900’s, setting foot off of the train in Ogden was often a life changing experience for a transcontinental rail traveler. The train station sat as the root of the infamous Two-bit Street.

‘Any man’s desire fulfilled for two bits.’ Two-bit/25th Street was a hedonist’s paradise. With no trouble from the law, a man could gamble, drink bootleg liquor, spend time with an unfamiliar lady, smoke opium, or befall a worse fate.

Two-bit’s dens of iniquity were all connected in their basements by a network of tunnels. It is rumored that there were miles of them. One can only imagine what activities went on underground.”

Underground Herbal Spirit is available in 750ml bottles at fine liquor retailers located in Utah, Idaho and Nevada. Bottles of Underground can also be ordered online through Great American Craft Spirits (shipping available to AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, HI, ID, IN, ME, MO, NE, NM, NC, OH, OK, SC, VT, VA).

With all that background information now out of way, it appears it is finally time to take a sensory tour of the Underground with some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Underground Herbal Spirit from Ogden’s Own Distillery

Appearance: Poured neat and at room temperature into a tasting glass, Underground presents itself as a deep, dark brown in color. When held to direct light, the brown hues brighten and take on a resplendent garnet tone. Dark but not opaque, light penetrates the pour to reveal that the liquid is nice and clear. A gentle swirl allows the liqueur to coat the glass with a clear slick that drops some thin, fast-moving legs.

Aroma: The aromatics open with a distinct and nostalgia-inducing presence of high-quality root beer. Notes of anise and sweet licorice then casually roll in to wrap around and complement that root beer presence. These notes largely dominate this area, but a woody, cinnamon-laced note (cassia bark) does work its way in to close out the profile.

Taste: Each sip opens with tempered notes molasses, caramelized sugar, dark stone fruit, and vanilla. The root beer, licorice and anise notes then kick in to handily bridge the gap between the sweet and herbal sides of this liqueur. Speaking of herbal, the profile closes with a lovely, balancing burst of mint, green tea, bitter wormwood, lemon and orange zest, spicy angostura bitters, and cassia bark.

Mouthfeel: Slick on the palate, Underground coats the tongue completely but without being overly syrupy. Mostly herbal and sweet, the balance struck here is quite nice and avoids being cloying. The 40% ABV is definitely noticeable, offering a pleasant warmth in the throat and belly. The finish is long and filled with root beer and a lasting cool breeze of mint.

Final Thoughts: Although it shares some similarities to one of the most popular herbal spirits out there (**cough** Jägermeister **cough), Underground quickly proves that its intentions are to establish its own identity rather than just be a carbon-copy clone. It does this in many ways, but most notably with the reduced level of sweetness. Where the other guys are syrupy and cloying, Underground is balanced, smoother and far more easy drinking (even with the higher alcohol content).

Another nice aspect of this offering is that it is far more complex but somehow more approachable. The flavors and aromas are much more relatable (see those root beer notes), avoid leaning too heavily on the anise/licorice, and the overall experience is pleasantly herbal but without being overly medicinal. All in all, this makes Underground a tasty option that you can enjoy straight (chilled or room temp) or in a wide variety of inventive shots and cocktails. If you are at all a fan of Herbal Spirits, you need to work your connections and find a way to bring the Underground to your home bar by any means necessary. Prost!

Rogue Ales & Spirits Releases 2020 Batch of Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout & Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey

Posted on January 31, 2020 by mashingin

Rogue Ales & Spirits (Newport, Oregon), the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the world, has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of this year’s Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout and Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey in February 2020.

Established in 2015 when Rogue “acquired vintage French WWII-era coopering equipment and built a barreling facility,” Rolling Thunder Barrel Works is a barrel making operation anchored by longtime employee Nate Linquist who was “tapped to be Rogue’s first cooper and spent six months apprenticing, learning the ancient art of barrel making.” Working exclusively with Oregon Oak, Linquist “assembles, raises, toasts, chars, hoops, heads, hoops again, cauterizes, sands and brands each barrel, one at a time, all by hand.” Once completed, these barrels go on to serve as aging vessels for a selection of Rogue’s handcrafted beers and spirits.

“With our culture of relentless curiosity comes the desire to create, innovate and do things differently,” says Bliss Dake, Vice President of Marketing. “At Rogue we come up with some wild ideas and then we make them happen. We are makers with a ‘Do It Yourself’ attitude and are always asking ‘What If?’. This ‘What If’ mentality pushed us to experiment and ultimately create something special with the Rolling Thunder family.”

Representative of “the culmination of all things DIY from Rogue,” Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout 2020 is a meticulously crafted Imperial Stout that “was aged for 9 months in one of these handmade Rolling Thunder Barrel Works barrels previously used to age Rogue’s Dead Guy Whiskey.” This treatment allows the Imperial Stout’s “rich, viscous notes of chocolate and coffee [to combine] with the flavors of whiskey-soaked Oregon Oak.” Weighing in at 13.6% ABV, Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout “can be enjoyed immediately or cellared for years.”

Taking the Rolling Thunder Barrel Works program “one step further,” Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey is an American Single Malt Whiskey “that was distilled at Rogue’s distillery then aged in barrels built at Rogue’s Rolling Thunder Barrel Works cooperage that had already aged Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout, which was brewed at Rogue’s brewery.” This full circle approach lends the whiskey “prominent notes of chocolate that complement the flavors of whiskey-soaked Oregon Oak.” Coming in at 97.5 PROOF, Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey is “big, bold and a true one-of-a-kind whiskey that bridges the gap between Single Malt and Bourbon.”

Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout and Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey are both scheduled to release in February 2020 and will only be available as long as supplies last. Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout will be available in 500ml (16.9 oz.) bottles and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s distribution network. Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey will be available in 750ml bottles at select liquor retailers located in areas that normally see offerings from Rogue Spirits. Prost!

Rolling_Thunder_Charring_FULL-31 — Nate Linquist, Rolling Thunder Barrel Works Cooper at Rogue Ales & Spirits, charring a barrel. Photo Credit: Rogue Ales & Spirits

Tasting Notes – Spirits Edition: Remus Repeal Reserve Series III from George Remus Distilling Co.

Posted on January 18, 2020 by mashingin

For this special Spirits Edition of Tasting Notes, we leave the anniversary of the ratification of Prohibition (January 17) behind us by raising a glass of Remus Repeal Reserve Series III from George Remus Distilling Co. of MGP Ingredients (Lawrenceburg, Indiana).

Released each year to recognize the end of Prohibition, the Remus Repeal Reserve Series is an award-winning line of Bourbons that allows “the distillery team to experiment with a different bourbon medley each year.” Remus Repeal Reserve Series III (50% ABV | 100 PROOF) is a Straight Bourbon Whiskey comprised of “a medley of two mash bills from 2007/2008; the complex aroma reveals maple with caramel, candied fruit, chocolate, baking spice, smoke and leather with a balanced palate of caramelized brown spice and a hint of rye on the finish.”

Remus Repeal Reserve Series III was carefully crafted with the use of the following medley:

The 2019 Remus Repeal Reserve Series Medley

12% – 2007 Bourbon (21% Rye)
78% – 2008 Bourbon (21% Rye)
10% – 2008 Bourbon (36% Rye)

Remus Repeal Reserve III officially debuted on November 13, the birthdate of George Remus, and entered full distribution on Prohibition Repeal Day, December 5. You can find this Limited Release offering available in 750ml bottles (suggested retail price of $84.99 each) at fine liquor retailers located in Tennessee, Texas, Indiana, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Now that we all know the legacy behind the Remus Repeal Reserve Series, let’s grab a couple glass, thank our stars that Prohibition is no longer a thing, and get into these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Remus Repeal Reserve Series III from George Remus Distilling Co.

Appearance: Poured neat into an Old-Fashioned-style tumbler (also tested in a Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass), Remus Repeal Reserve Series III presents itself as an apricot-tinged, light caramel brown in color. When held to direct light, brighter orange tones push through making the appearance a lighter but more vibrant brown in color. The liquid is absolutely pristine in clarity. When swirled about, the liquid coats the glass well with a sticky slick that drops some incredibly slow-moving, syrupy legs.

Aroma: Sweetness greets the nose with indulgent notes of rich caramel, brown sugar, maple syrup, cocoa, and caramelized fig. Orange zest and candied orange then surface to add a bit of brightness and break up the sweetness a bit. The profile rounds off with notes of oak, rye spice and leather.

Taste: The script set by the aroma flips a bit here as spicy, peppery rye is quick to lay a foundation at the start of the sip. The citrus note is lighter but still present, offering that candied orange quality. This allows the experience to shift nicely to the sweeter notes of caramel, chocolate, butterscotch, toasted baking spice (nice presence of nutmeg), and brown sugar. Oak and leather then roll in to close the experience with soft tones of vanilla, smoke, and a slight touch of earthiness.

Mouthfeel: Slick but not syrupy in texture, this Bourbon hits the taste buds with a flourish, lingers for a moment and clears out beautifully for the next sip. It is pleasantly sweet on the palate, but in no way cloying thanks to the balancing qualities of the rye and surprising note of citrus. Although it is boozy, the 50% ABV only provides a gentle warmth in the throat and belly. All of this comes together to create a wonderfully smooth sip that leaves notes of caramel and rye spice behind in the aftertaste.

Final Thoughts: From the pour to the finish, everything about Remus Repeal Reserve Series III is wonderfully composed and incredibly impressive. It is absolutely striking in appearance, the aromatics are downright heavenly, the flavor profile is indulgently sweet yet somehow balanced, and the experience as a whole is ridiculously smooth. This makes for an elegant sipper – best served neat in our opinion – that is an absolute steal since it wears a price tag that is under the $100 mark. If you have been looking for a reserve-level, limited-edition Bourbon to add to your home bar but prices have been scaring you away, Remus Repeal Reserve Series III is the answer you have been looking for . . . and you might as well grab a couple bottles when you pull that trigger. Trust us. You will be happy you did. Prost!

Tasting Notes – Spirits Edition: Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum From Saint Lucia Distillers

Posted on December 24, 2019 by mashingin

For this special Spirits Edition of Tasting Notes, we settle into our Christmas break by getting into a pour of Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum from Saint Lucia Distillers (Saint Lucia, West Indies).

First blended in 1999 with the intention to “create a fine quality rum that can represent the iconic style of St. Lucian rum,” Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum “starts with selected aged rums of both Coffey column stills and copper pot stills.” These selected rums are “aged separately by batch and type of still in ex-Bourbon barrels, then blended and rested in oak vats for an additional six months.” Clocking in at 40% ABV/80 PROOF, the finished Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum comes together to “become the flagship St. Lucian rum known for its harmonious well-rounded finesse and style with tremendous character for cocktails and sipping experiences.”

Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum is available in 750ml bottles (suggested retail price $27.99 each) at select liquor retailers located throughout the U.S. If you would like to order a bottle directly, you can do so by visiting Spiribam’s website (click here).

Alrighty . . . now that we have covered the story behind the rum, what do you say we crack open this bottle and make merry with some Tasting Notes?

Tasting Notes for Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum from Saint Lucia Distillers

Appearance: Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum is pristine in clarity and presents itself as a caramel-tinged, dark amber in color. When held to direct light, deep golden yellows push through as the amber tones brighten. When swirled about, the liquid coats the glass with a wide slick that releases some long, slow-moving legs.

Aroma: The aromatics open with caramelized banana, raisins and dark fruit. A spicy, woodsy, oaken quality then develops alongside a good amount of sweet vanilla. Notes of honey and tobacco then turn up to round out the profile.

Taste: Rich, boozy tones of caramel and molasses are the first flavors to hit the tongue. The barrel character then takes over, producing Bourbon-like levels of vanilla, oak and coconut. Raisin and dried apricot offer a touch of fruity sweetness before the sip closes with a complex mix of tobacco, leather, clove spice, chocolate and floral notes.

Mouthfeel: Slick and slightly syrupy in texture, this rum coats the palate gently and pleasantly lingers before slowly evaporating into nothingness. Sweet on the palate at first, it eventually balances out nicely thanks to the earthy tobacco and floral notes. The 40% ABV is actually pretty tame, producing a wonderfully smooth sip that offers just a touch of warmth in the belly. The aftertaste is all vanilla and oak.

Final Thoughts: All in all, Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum is incredibly solid and smooth for the price point. Thanks to its big flavors and lovely aromatics, it boasts more than enough complexity – especially when you consider the Bourbon-like notes it picks up off the barrels – so that it can easily be enjoyed neat or on the rocks. At the same time, its reasonable price tag makes it so you do not feel guilty about using this wonderfully balanced and well-rounded rum as an ingredient in your favorite rum-based cocktails/mixed drinks. This level of versatility makes Chairman’s Reserve Original Rum a fantastic go-to option to keep on-hand in your home bar. Be sure to keep an eye out for it the next time you find yourself wandering the aisles at your favorite retailer of fine liquors. Prost!

Holiday Gift Guide 2019: Select Rums Chosen by Spiribam Fine Rum Specialists

Posted on December 11, 2019December 11, 2019 by mashingin

The 2019 Holiday Season is upon us and it is time to start thinking about those unique gift ideas. The crew here at Mashing In is well aware that it is often difficult to find that perfect gift, so we have decided to compile a gift guide for anyone in your life that enjoys a well-crafted adult beverage from time to time. This installment of the gift guide is a suggestion for the rum aficionado in your life: a selection of fine rums curated by Spiribam.

Widely known as “America’s fine rum specialists,” Spiribam is a North American company that “represents, markets, and distributes fine Caribbean rums from Martinique, Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe, and Mauritius.” By utilizing their vast knowledge of rum and the relationships they have established with fine rum makers, Spiribam has proudly assembled a “distinguished portfolio of world-class rums, centered on heritage, legacy, innovation, and creativity.”

In order to help you pick out the perfect bottle of rum this Holiday Season, the kind folks at Spiribam have stepped up to provide us all with the following list of reasonably priced selections – in the $30 to $40 range – from Rhum Clement of Martinique, Rhum JM of Martinique, and Chairman’s Reserve Rum of St. Lucia (descriptions sourced directly from Spiribam’s press release):

Rhum Clément VSOP Rhum Agricole Vieux – Established in 1887, Rhum Clement is regarded as the benchmark for Martinique Rhum Agricole. Rhum Agricole is distilled from sugarcane juice instead of molasses as is tradition. Rhum Clement was one of the first available Rhum Agricoles available in the U.S., and if you’re looking for a rhum connoisseurs’ latest obsession, you’ve arrived with Rhum Clément VSOP Rhum Agricole Vieux ($39.99), the flagship AOC Martinique Rhum Agricole and the gold standard of Martinique. Clément V.S.O.P. Rhum Agricole Vieux is aged a minimum of four years in virgin Limousin barriques and re-charred Bourbon casks. The superb alchemy of natural rum from sugarcane juice matured in a unique variety of the world’s finest oak barrels orchestrated by our Cellar Master gives this exceptional aged rum its brilliant mahogany color, roasted cocoa bean aroma and its illustrious smooth mellow character. A true world-class rum experience, and the perfect gift for rum lovers this holiday season.
Rhum Clement’s Select Barrel – For something a little different, try Rhum Clement’s Select Barrel ($39.99). Select Barrel is aged in particular oak barrels selected for their rich natural sweetness and intense aromatic qualities under the watchful eyes of our cellar master at Habitation Clément. The imaginative alchemy with this contemporary approach to selected oak results in a magnificent aged Rhum Agricole with well-balanced sweetness. Perfect for cold weather cocktails, such as Amber Ti’Punch.
Rhum JM V.O. – The elusive Rhum JM V.O. ($34.99) has been consumed with love in Martinique for decades. The V.O has been aged for a minimum of 3 years and the result is a rich, full-bodied rhum with notes of oak & caramel, balanced with the complex, expressive character unique to Martinique’s sugar cane. Three years of aging qualifies this V.O. as an “Aged Rhum” by appellation law, but the price point suits it perfectly for mixing in cocktails, filling a gap that has long existed in the world of rhum agricole. The richness achieved from the new oak makes it an excellent blending partner, while its age has allowed it to truly turn the corner and stand up as an entry-level sipper.
Chairman’s Reserve Rum – One of the best blended rums in the world, Chairman’s Reserve is known by rum nerds as a “single blended” rum as it is a blend of column and pot still rum from the same distillery. Due to their long-standing commitment to only using Guyanese molasses, and the small capacity of the distillery, Chairman’s Reserve is predicated on top quality and distinction. Created by Laurie Barnard, the last founding family member to hold the Chairman’s position at St. Lucia Distillers in 1999, he experimented with blending respective casks of pot still rum and column still rum. By returning the blended rum back into oak barrels for additional aging, Barnard created a soft, well-balanced, and flavorful spirit that has become the benchmark for St. Lucian rum. Try Chairman’s Reserve Original 40% ($27.99) for a taste of this excellency in St. Lucian rum, or Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Rum 40% ($27.99), the only all-natural and true to its heritage spiced rum on the market.

All the rums listed above are available now at select liquor retailers located throughout the U.S. If you would like to order bottles directly, you can do so by visiting Spiribam’s website (click here). Prost!

George Remus Bourbon Recognizes Repeal Day with Release of Remus Repeal Reserve Series III

Posted on November 19, 2019 by mashingin

George Remus Distilling Co. of MGP Ingredients (Lawrenceburg, Indiana) has officially announced that the annual Limited Release of Remus Repeal Reserve Series III will hit the distillery’s full distribution area by Prohibition Repeal Day – December 5, 2019.

Released each year to honor the birthday of George Remus, the Remus Repeal Reserve Series is an award-winning line of Bourbons that allows “the distillery team to experiment with a different bourbon medley each year.” Remus Repeal Reserve Series III (50% ABV | 100 PROOF) is a Straight Bourbon Whiskey comprised of “a medley of two mash bills from 2007/2008; the complex aroma reveals maple with caramel, candied fruit, chocolate, baking spice, smoke and leather with a balanced palate of caramelized brown spice and a hint of rye on the finish.”

The 2019 Remus Repeal Reserve Series Medley

12% – 2007 Bourbon (21% Rye)
78% – 2008 Bourbon (21% Rye)
10% – 2008 Bourbon (36% Rye)

Remus Repeal Reserve III officially debuted on November 13, the birthdate of George Remus, and is scheduled to reach full distribution by Prohibition Repeal Day, December 5. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 750ml bottles (suggested retail price of $84.99 each) at fine liquor retailers located in Tennessee, Texas, Indiana, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. Prost!

The 2019 Remus Repeal Reserve Series Medley

12% – 2007 Bourbon (21% Rye) 78% – 2008 Bourbon (21% Rye) 10% – 2008 Bourbon (36% Rye)

The 2019 Remus Repeal Reserve Series Medley

12% – 2007 Bourbon (21% Rye) 78% – 2008 Bourbon (21% Rye) 10% – 2008 Bourbon (36% Rye)

12% – 2007 Bourbon (21% Rye)
78% – 2008 Bourbon (21% Rye)
10% – 2008 Bourbon (36% Rye)

12% – 2007 Bourbon (21% Rye)
78% – 2008 Bourbon (21% Rye)
10% – 2008 Bourbon (36% Rye)