Choose Your Liquor

Vodka is one of the best drinks on the market. It’s clean, superbly amazing to drink, and amazing. It comes from a number of different regions of the world, but what remains true is the fact it’s a clean liquor.

Ketel One Vodka: This is A VERY SMOOTH vodka. It’s one of the cleanest vodkas you’ll come across. It’s great chilled, or served over ice. It’s a great compliment to many other recipes. It also comes in several favors. It comes from a 300 year year old legacy of the Dutch Nolet family. It’s made in small batches from European wheat, and has a crisp/silky taste. The flagship Ketel one Vodka is the base of the brand. This liquor comes in many flavors, and all of them are 40% ABV. The flavor portfolio is small, compared to other liquor brands. On occasion, the brand will release special edition vodkas that are either flavored or unflavored.

Chopin Vodka: This liquor is named after Frederic Chopin, the famous composer. It’s a Polish potato vodka. The Vodka is 4 times distilled, and is great straight or when mixed into cocktails. There aren’t too many Potato vodkas. The quality of Chopin is great though, and many people put it in the same league as Ketel One. It’s an unflavored vodka liquor brand. The portfolio consists of rye-based and wheat-based vodkas. The rye is the base for the Dorda Double Chocolate Liquor. All of their vodkas are 89 proof. It’s considered top shelf liquor.

Grey Goose Liquor: This is a go-to liquor for many people. People are usually happy with it, and it’s pretty consistent. All of their Vodka is 80 proof,and they have a simple and straight forward flavor line up. Most liquor stores have Le Citron, L’Orange, and La Vanille. La Poire, their pear flavored variation is one of the best of its flavor. Le Melon is a great addition for the summer months to any liquor closet. If you’re bored with cherry vodkas, then you’ll find the grey goose cherry noir to be a great addition.

Van Gogh Vodka: This is a benchmark for success. It’s a smooth, refreshing, and clean liquor. This dutch vodka comes from a blend of dutch, french, and german, wheat. All of their flavors use natural ingredients. The liquor is distilled in a 2 stage infusion. The clear vodka is great. But Van Gogh’s vodka really shines when it comes to flavors. They have flavors like citrus, vanilla, acai-blueberry, mango, peach, and others. They are bottled 80 proof, but some come in 70 proof. Overall, it’s a great liquor!

Belvedere Vodka: This is a great polish vodka. Their original is a clear bottle and it’s an excellent choice for cocktails. It’s got a unique taste that is derived from rye. The brand isn’t well known when it comes to their other products, like citrus, peach, grapefruit, mango passion, wild berry. They regularly make specialty bottles. Intense is 100 proof, while others are 80 proof. You can also find their illuminated bottles, which are great for the club/bar.

Titos Handmade Vodka: This vodka doesn’t play around with flavors. It comes from a Texas distillery. They claim to be a handmade brand. The company started as one guy, making vodka ins a self-built pot still. The liquor launched in 1997, but really took off in the 2000’s. It’s become a top seller, even beating out giants like Grey Goose. You can find this liquor in most bars and liquor shops. Tito’s is pure, clean, and smooth. You can drink it straight, or mix it into any cocktail. It’s 80 proof, and gluten-free.

Absolut Liquor: This is hard to miss liquor. It’s easy to find a bar or liquor” href=”https://www.zogby.com/liquor-store/”>store/”>liquor store with it. Most of the brand’s fame comes from its marketing campaigns. It launched in 1979. It’s a Swedish vodka that comes from winter wheat, and is bottled 80 proof. It may not be the best liquor, but it has a clean taste. It’s flavor portfolio is always changing, so you’ll find many unique combinations that come and go. For example, Absolut Peppar is a unique flavor, which pairs well with bloody mary.

Stolichnaya Vodka: This is better known as Stoli. It’s an everyday premium grain vodka. It goes well with cocktails. It’s one of the best Russian vodkas on the market. You can find many of their flavors in bars and liquor stores. They have an extensive portfolio. For example, the original Stoli is 80 proof, but there’s also a 100-proof variation. They also have a gluten-free Vodka. Their flavored vodkas are numerous. They have citrus, lime, vanilla, berries, cucumber and more.

Hangar 1 Vodka: This is a California vodka. It is made in an abandoned Navy aircraft hangar. It’s made from Viognier grapes, and midwestern Grapes. This is unique! Grapes are an interesting choice, because only a few Vodkas use grapes. It takes skill to do it right. Their unflavored Vodka is really nice, and has floral/pear notes. The brand also has other flavors that are 80 proof. It’s fair to call them an artistanal vodka that is making really cool flavors like: Buddha’s Hand Citron, Makrut Lime, and Mandarin Blossom.

Three Olives Vodka: Some pretty awesome flavors. This English vodka is distilled 4 times, from wheat. They cover a wide array of flavors that can be part of an imaginative cocktail. Most premium vodkas don’t go near flavors like pineapple, grape, and watermelon – but 3 melon offers them all.

Absolut
Absolut was launched in New York, 1979. It’s one of the best Vodka’s internationally. The recipe is old. Absolut Vodka is a Swedish vodka made from natural ingredients. It doesn’t contain any additional sugar. It’s as clean as Vodka can literally be, in this day and age. It’s got a rich, full bodied, taste. It’s smooth and mellow. It’s made from grain. Absolut has a “one source” production philosophy, which means all of their production takes place in the village of Ahus, Sweden. The water and wheat are both osurced from the village. Absolut uses CO2 neutral distillation process, which makes it a great and eco friendly brand. In 2018, Absolu sold over 100 million litres of Vodka. Absolut has a number of flavor profiles, such as ruby red, wild tea, grape, pears, mango, and much more.

Smirnoff
Also owned by Diageo, it’s a Vodka, based out of Russia. It’s estimated it does over 3 billion in sales. Founded in 1864, it’s a well known brand. They sell more than 25 million, 9 liter cases, every year. It’s the best selling vodka of the world. Smirnoff is well know has being the first company to use charcoal as a filter for their vodka. In addition, Smirnoff is distilled from corn, which means it’s gluten free! Another cool fact about Smirnoff is they have over 35 different flavored versions.

Rum is another thing you can buy from our liquor store. It’s made from sugar cane. Sugar cane, and run, began in the Caribbean after 1493 when Columbus brought sugar cane to the region. The plant quickly grew. By the 1600’s, Rum was in huge demand in England. One of the reasons why Rum became so popular is because sailors loved it.

Top Rum Liquor

Captain Morgan
Captain Morgan is an adventurous liquor. This is the original “party rum.” It tastes delicious, and it mixes well with virtually anything/everything. They have a number of limited editions, such as watermelon smash, and original spiced rum. This brand of rum was is produced by Diageo. It’s named after the 17th century Welsh privateer – Sir Henry Morgan. In 1944, the Seagram company started producing rum under this name. The CEO of Seagram bought a distillery named Long Pond, from the Jamaican national government. In 1984, the original Captain Morgan was introduced to the USA. Captian Morgan, was the second largest brand of spirits in the USA in 2007. The rum is made from sugar cane. There’s a few variables that go into making Captain Morgan liquor, such as: the yeast, the distillation method, how it’s aged, and blending. The Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum is made from molasses, water, mash, and yeast. Once it’s distilled, the rum is aged in oak barrels for up to a year, which adds the golden color, after this flavors and spices are added. The brand taste comes from a proprietary recipe.

Bacardi
Bacardi is a REAL flagship brand. The brand started back in 1862. Don Facundo Bacardi purchased land in Cuba, and started the distillery that changed how rum is drank. By using charcoal filtration and aging, Bacardi made the Bacardi white rum, which has set the standard for flavor. Their distillation process is what makes them the world’s best selling rum brand. Virtually every music artist/performer considers them the ultimate Bacardi, and promotes it. The Bacardi found in most bars and restaurants is great for mixing in cocktails. Bacardi sells about 20 million cases of liquor every year. It goes great straight, or with coke.

Rum is distilled from fermented molasses, or fresh pressed sugar cane juice. Because of the base material, rum made from molasses have a sweet note, and flavors of the molasses. Rum made from sugar cane juice has grassy and vegetable notes. Bottom line, Rum, as a liquor, can vary widely. Rum is very popular in sugar cane producing countries, especially in the Carribbean. Aged versions are sipped neat, while unaged liquor spirits are mixed in classic/tiki/modern cocktails.

History

Rum has its roots and origins in the Carribbean, but there’s evidence that sugarcane has been fermented in India and China for many many years. The sugar cane plant originates in the Far east. Rum, as the liquor we known it, was first distilled in the sugarcane plantations of the Caribbean in the 17th century. It existed because sugar cane cuttings were brought there from Europe. There are records of rum, existing in Barbados as early as 1650. In the 19th century, the first commercial rum distillation plant was created in Puerto Rico. 

Rum production spread fast through North America after being introduced. The first distillery in the USA was established in Staten Island, and another one was created in Boston 3 years later. Before the American Revolutionary war, rum was New England’s top industry. The need for sugar cane and molasses was a major factor that lead to the slave trade and resulted in increased taxation from the British. Eventually due to restrictions on sugar imports from the Carribean, and the rise of Whiskey, this lead to a reduction in production of rum in the USA. 

How is traditional Rum made

Traditional rum is created with molasses, which is a thick/dark syrup byproduct of the sugar industry. It’s mixed with water in equal parts, fermented, and distilled. High quality rums that are eventually aged are made in a pot still, while white, unaged rums, are made in a column still. After distillation is done with this liquor, rum can be either immediately bottled, or rested in an oak barrel for a few years. Aging adds color, and mellows this liquor. Maturing rum in a hot climate can speed up the aging process. After maturation, aged rum is blended to provide consistency. 

Regions / Styles

Rum is made in sugar cane producing countries, especially in the Caribbean. When the rum molasses are fermented, and distilled, they must be processed quickly as the rum will oxidize easily and spoil. In Brazil, the style of rum is called Cahaca, and it’s the country’s national drink. Rum agricole, and Cachaca, have vegetable/grassy notes, rather than sweet molasses tones. 

 

Cuba originated white rum, which is very clear and unaged. It’s neutral in flavor. There are other Cuban style rums, in other parts of the world such as the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and even Brazil. Guyana makes rum with Demerara sugar, and due to its hot/humid climate, it creates a color similar to caramel/gold. In contrast, Barbados rum is very elegant and fruit forward.

Jamaica makes rum with a low strength distillation process, which results in a strong scent, and a tropical fruit flavor. Darker rums are full bodied, and have nutty bold notes. 

White Rum

This is sometimes called light, or silver rum. It can be filtered after aging in order to remove its color. It’s usually considered a light bodied rum, and used in cocktails. 

 

Gold rum is called amber rum, it’s medium bodied. It’s usually aged in wooden barrels, and its halfway between light and dark rums. Caramel is sometimes added for color. 

Dark/aged rum, is made using molasses that have been caramelized. It’s matured in charred barrels, which leads to strong flavors of spices and caramel. It’s made in Haiti, Martinique, and Jamaica. 

Overproof rum is usually higher in proof than standard 80 proof, and can be distilled up to 160 proof. It’s usually used as a component of cocktails. 

Whiskey is one of those things you enjoy over time. There are so many different forms that whiskey comes in, it can be hard to understand where to begin.

Johnnie Walker
This is owned by Diageo, it’s a type of Whiskey. It originated in Scotland, and it’s estimated they do over $5 Billion in sales every year. To be frank, they’ve created a whiskey which is both an artform, and a science. They are skilled at what they do, and are excellent at it. They source their scotches from single distilleries through Scotland. They use only malted barley, yeast, and water. Many use the words: fruity, fresh, smoky, to describe their whiskeys. To say the least, the brand has created a number of whiskies that are bold, and have complex flavors. They are most known for their Johnnie Walker Black Label. This whiskey is full of fruits, vanilla, and smokiness. It’s the iconic blend, when someone thinks about whiskey. It’s smooth, deep, and complex. It’s great for any occasion.

Jack Daniels
Owned by Brown-Forman, it’s a type of Whiskey that originated in the USA. It does almost $3 billion in sales annually. Contrary to what people think, Jack Daniels is not a bourbon. It is charcoal filtered, which is forbidden by bourbon making rules. Typically it can be drank straight, on the rocks, with some water, club, soda, or gingerale.

Cognac is an effective drink that many people love.

Hennessy
It originates in France, and is the best selling Cognac in the world. Founded in 1765, in the city of Cognac(France) it’s an epic. Hennessy is proud of it’s heritage, and the craftsmanship that goes into making it. They use a unique distillation method in which each batch is double distilled in order to get the most flavorful experience possible. They mature their liquor in French oak casks from the Limousin forests for a minimum of two years. Hennessy works with the Fillioux family, who serve as the producers. Hennessy’s legacy is marked by the joint collaboration of two families who have shaped the Cognac world. Hennessy Cognac is a type of liquor which is usually drank straight.

Tequila is a beverage from Mexico that is an artisanal experience to drink. People love it, and there some brands that are utterly amazing.

Tequila is the name of a regional mezcal that originated in Jaliscan valley. It’s made from a single subvarietal of agave – A. Tequilana weber, blue variety. This is commonly known as the blue agave. This type of tequila was the first type of mezcal to become known outside of Mexico. Since 1974 though, Tequila has not been classified as mezcal. 

 

Like Scotch, and other sophisticated types of liquor, Tequila is a denomination of origin beverage. This means, it can only be legally produced in a specific region of the world. The country of Mexico owns the right to the word Tequila, and determines which territory it can be made in. Tequila is made in the state of Jalisco, as well as part of Guanajuato ,Michoacan, Nayarit, and Tamauilpas. Jalisco is the true birthplace of Tequila, and this is where the majority of Tequila is made. 

Many people don’t know this, but Tequila is one of the most regulated spirits in the world. It has categories, and classes, in addition to other specific rules which are defined in a NOM – Norma Oficial Mexicana – a set of regulations created by the Mexican government. This is interpreted and enforced by the CRT – Consejo Regulador de Tequila. This entity monitors all aspects of the tequila production process, all the way from planting to bottling. They also test and monitor samples of every single batch of Tequila made!

Not all tequila is equal though. There are two main categories of Tequila, plain basic Tequila, and 100% agave tequila. Purists insist on the latter type of Tequila, where the only source of sugar and alcohol is the blue agave. These tequila’s tend to be cleaner, have less of a hangover, and are more flavorful. Mixtos are named because their sugar is mixed. Up to 49% of it can come from non-agave sources, such as sugar cane, beet sugar, or even corn syrup. Regardless of whether its 100% agave, or mixto, all Tequila’s fall into one of the five classes below.

Blanco

This is called Silver, or Plata. Blanco tequila is a type of liquor which is bottled soon after its distilled. It’s the most traditional type of Tequila, and it’s the purest type of distillation. It’s usually unaged. It could be in contact with oak for up to 60 days. These tequilas usually have a cooked agave aroma. 

Gold

This is called oro, or joven. This is called a mixto. It is blanco, with flavor and color additives. When it’s 100% agave, it’s a blend of blanco, and one other class of Tequila. 

Reposado

This means rested. It spends a minimum of 2 months in an oak barrel or tank. This type of liquor balances the bold flavor in a blanco, with the caramel/vanilla of the oak. 

Anejo

These tequilas take their name from the Spanish word for year. All of these liquors have to spend at least that long in an oak barrel no larger than 600 liters. Usually, these are barrels that were previously used for whiskey. The result of this liquor is an oaky tequila, with a long finish. These are often favorites of people who enjoy Scotch, and other types of whiskey. 

Extra-Anejo

This is an ultra aged tequila which spends a minimum of 3 years in an oak barrle. The oak dominates the taste of this liquor. This type of tequila is coveted for its flavors and aromas. After 3+ years in Jalisoc’s climate, the angels share which is lost can be very high. This is one of the most expensive types of Tequila. 

Tequila Production

The first step is agave cultivation and harvesting. Typically, Tequila is made with a single variety of agave, called the Agave tequilana weber, blue variety. This agave can take 5-10 years to mature. Blue agave is usually harvested by workers called jimadores. They use the coa de jima, a sharp circular blade, which is added to a long wooden staff. Using this, the jimador will slice the spiky agave leaves, and sever the roots. What’s left is the pina, the stem of the plan, which looks like a white pineapple. The pinas from healthy blue agave can weigh over 100 pounds! They are very heavy!

The second step is hydrolysis. The blue agave is full of carbs called inulins. They must be hydrolyzed into to convert them into fermentable sugars. This is done by cooking them with steam in brick ovens, or stainless steel autoclaves. Hydrolysis can be done chemically, or enzymatically via a diffusor. 

The third step is extraction. Once the agave is cooked, the sugar has to be extracted. The agave is going to be crushed, and then rinsed, in order to separate the sugar from the fiber of the plant. This is done with roller mills. Some producers of Tequila is a tahona. 

The fourth step is fermentation. The sweet liquid which was extracted from the agave is called aguamiel. It is diluted and pumped into large tanks/vats. This is where the yeast ferment the sugar into alcohol. Fermentation also involves creating other compounds which add aroma, flavor, etc. The musto, which results from the fermentation, can be thought of as an agave beer. The low alcohol musto is then distilled, separating the ethyl alcohol and flavors from water/solids/and other elements. Tequilas can be distilled in alembic pot stills, or other more modern columns. When using alembics, it is necessary to distill this liquor twice. The first distillation will yield a cloudy liquid which is 20-25% alcohol by volume. Re-distilling it gives the blanco tequila, which is between 35-55% alcohol. 

The next step, if you want to make reposado, is anejo, or extra-anejo. You need an oak vessel. Tequila is usually made in American whiskey barrels. The norm for this liquor allows for any type of oak. Most recently, new barrels have been used such as French, and even Canadian barrels. The type of barrel you use imparts color, aroma, and other unique properties. It softens the liquor over time

Scotch is a fine drink, that many enjoy.

Our store has a number of amazing Scotch online. Scotch is whiskey made/aged for at least 3 years in Scotland. All whiskey made in Scotland is considered Scotch, and has to follow specific production criteria. All Scot falls in two broad categories/blends: malt whiskey and grain whiskey. Malt is 100% malted barley. Grain can include wheat, rye, corn, or other things.

Rum is another thing you can buy from our liquor store. It’s made from sugar cane. Sugar cane, and run, began in the Caribbean after 1493 when Columbus brought sugar cane to the region. The plant quickly grew. By the 1600’s, Rum was in huge demand in England. One of the reasons why Rum became so popular is because sailors loved it.

What is Bourbon?

Bourbon is an American liquor. It traces its heritage to the American colonies. Rye was the crop of choice since it was readily available. When settlers went to Kentucky, which has fertile soil and pure spring water, corn became the material for their whiskey. It established a new style, that Kentucky calls its own. In order for a whiskey to be considered bourbon, it’s mash bill has to consists of at least 51% corn.

Gin comes in many varieties, it’s name comes from the French name of the juniper berry(genievre). Bartenders shortened the name, to gin. The main ingrdient in gin is juniper berry.

What is Gin?

Gin has a history in England. Early physicians used Gin based elixirs to treat plague. It didn’t work, but the drink grew popular. It was later refined by a physicians who used Gin mixed with juniper to create a medicine. Dutch soldiers used it to treat stomach issues.

Gin is a very intimidating liquor to start with. It’s got complex flavors, (most gins have at least 10 botanicals in them). It’s not often mixed into fruity drinks. Gin can be enjoyed on the rocks, or enjoyed straight. Gin is usually mixed with tonic water, soda, or ginger ale. The mixers are neutral, and can allow you to enjoy the flavor of the liquor, while adding additional carbonation flavor which can ease the sip. Gin can also be made into a martini with vermouth.

Gin is produced heavily in UK, but can be made anywhere. Gin has a minimum 40% ABV, and it’s aged 3-6 months usually. It’s made typically from grain mash, but can be made from any mash which is used to make a neutral spirit that is then infused with botanicals.

Many people are often trying to decide between vodka or gin. Truth is, people land usually firmly on one side or the other. There are steps that go into the Gin distilling process that make it unique. Like Vodka, gin is column-distilled, which allows for the continous stripping of alcohol from water, and the loss of flavoring cogeners. Unlike Vodka though, Gin is distilled with a blend of botanicals, which results in a spirit that has flavor – where Vodka has no flavor.

These flavors are unique, and assertive. Whatever blend of spices and botanicals that go into the gin, you’ll always find an expressive gin. The reason Gin contains juniper goes back to Genever —- a malt barley wine based spirit, which was meant to have medicinal properties but tasted harsh. Juniper was added to mask the terrible flavor. To this day, Genever continues, but Gin has left the malt barley wine in the dust. There are so many varieties of gin. Within those styles, Gin producers have created a variety of different techniques and proportion of botanicals. Many producers incorporate spices, fruits, to herbs and cucumber, to add flavor. The end result is that you have a spirit which you can drink on your own.