Within the colder months of the calendar year, you are likely to find wine and spirits a recurring part of your social calendar. Whether you are hosting a gathering at home, celebrating New Year’s, partaking in an NFL Sunday or attending a holiday party, odds are that alcohol will be a part of that event’s equation. With craft spirits and specialized vineyards being more popular than ever these days, it is not always easy to keep up with the latest and greatest brands out there on the market.
As a frequent reader of industry trades, a prolific interviewer of brand ambassadors and a follower of key developments within the world of alcohol, I regularly take note of new products. Below are 15 recommended items to add to your home bar.
RÅVO
Vodka is statistically America’s favorite and most-consumed spirit, dominating a solid 32 percent of the liquor market. Sweden’s winter wheat-based vodka RÅVO is crafted from pure, all-natural Swedish winter wheat and distilled five times for incredible smoothness. RÅVO is clean, minimalistic and pure, scoring 94 points on Wine Enthusiast. For those keeping track, the spirit also happens to be gluten-free, non-GMO and Kosher-certified.
Monkey 47
Monkey 47 is a one-of-a kind gin that has been carefully developed, handcrafted, and batch distilled. It skillfully blends British tradition, the exoticism of India and unique botanicals from Germany’s Black Forest. Monkey 47 includes 47 botanicals, including juniper, lavender, lingonberries (indigenous to the Black Forest) and citrus aromas. With a cult following in Europe and around the globe, Monkey 47 is gaining traction throughout America.
Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry Rum
Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry Rum revives the quintessential Jamaican-style, 100% pot still rums of the 19th century with an expression of intense flavors that reveal the traditional, legendary Jamaican “rum funk.” Plantation Xaymaca is a blend of rums distilled in the old John Dore pot still at Long Pond and the Vendome pot still at Clarendon — two legendary Jamaican distilleries — as owned in part by Maison Ferrand. Available in the U.S. as of September 2018, the spirit recentlywon its first award, “Best European Spirit/Bar Product” at the Mixology Bar Awards 2019 in Berlin.
Calvados Boulard Brandy
Calvados Boulard is a celebrated apple-based spirit unique to the Normandy region of France. The spirit was founded in the late 1820’s by Pierre-August Boulard and is distilled from cider made from specially grown and selected apples, as hundreds of varieties are grown in Boulard’s orchards. This spirit that has been aged for 4 to 10 years before being crafted into a great flavor-profile for the colder months. It is suitable for drinking on its own and as an ingredient in cocktails.
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon
Master distillers and premier whiskey makers Jimmy and Eddie Russell have brought nearly 100 years of combined experience to artfully crafting Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon. Bottled at 90 proof, this hand-selected small batch bourbon has a rich, caramel and vanilla taste and a uniquely smooth finish. Among its honors received are Silver Medals at the International Wine & Spirits Competition, a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and 90+ point ratings at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and the Beverage Tasting Institute.
Wölffer No. 139 Dry Red Cider
Wölffer No. 139 Dry Red Cider is made exclusively from New York State dessert apples grown and hand-picked at the DeFisher Fruit Farm in Rochester, New York. Winemaker and Partner Roman Roth meticulously sources the varieties of those apples — including dared, Northern Spy, Jonagold, Mustu, Law Rome and Golden Delicious — for their crisp, sweet and aromatic flavor profile. Wölffer No.139 Red Cider debuted earlier this year and can be paired with anything from Mexican and Asian cuisines, a cheese plate or even with roasted s’mores by the campfire. It is available for purchase at Wölffer Estate Vineyard, local retailers including select Whole Foods and Fairway locations in the Northeast, or by visiting Wolffer.com.
Candela Mamajuana
Candela is premium spiced rum company creating a whole new category of fine, exotic rum in the United States. Its founder Alejandro Russo fell in love with the native drink of the Dominican Republic — as made from fine rum aged with native herbs, spices, barks, and honey — and vowed to craft the smoothest, most flavorful mamajuana possible and introduce it to the U.S for the first time. To Dominicans, making and perfecting mamajuana is an important tradition. Candela respects that tradition by working directly with local farmers to source the purest ingredients and the finest rum. In turn, every bottle of Candela Mamajuana is hand-labeled and hand-packaged to ensure an authentic mamajuana experience.
Aviation Gin
As featured in the recent film A Simple Favor, Aviation Gin is notably affiliated with actor Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds himself has gone on the record with the following quote: “I’ve tried every gin on the planet and Aviation is, hands down, the best. Also, I don’t recommend trying every gin on the planet. Stick with this one.” The brand itself goes back to 2005 as an evolved partnership between bartender Ryan Magarian and craft distiller Christian Krogstad. This is a balanced and smooth gin.
Hibiki Japanese Harmony
The House of Suntory, the founding house of Japanese whisky, recently announced the release of a specially-designed bottle of Hibiki Japanese Harmony. Designed to represent both celebration and shared happiness in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Suntory Whisky Hibiki brand, the limited-edition bottle became available on October 1st of this year. The Hibiki brand was introduced to the world in 1989 and since then has been embraced as the paragon of the Art of Japanese Whisky. It is not only Japan’s most highly-awarded blended whisky, but also among the most prestigious and honored whiskies in the world. Inspired by the riches and subtleties of Japan’s 24 seasons of the traditional Japanese lunar calendar and mastered by Suntory’s Art of Blending, Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a meticulous blend of the finest selection of malt and grain whiskies from the House of Suntory Whisky’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries. In turn, this unique and delicate blend creates a oneness unfolding a full orchestra of flavors and aromas.
FACUNDO NEO
The FACUNDO Rum Collection takes advantage of the finest seasonal offerings. Named for Don Facundo Bacardi Masso, the originator of world’s largest rum brand, the Facundo Rum Collection was launched in 2012. These exquisite, ultra-premium, hand-blended sipping rums are carefully selected by Bacardi. FACUNDO NEO, from the FACUNDO Rum Collection, is an expertly balanced blend of medium-to heavy-bodied rums aged up to 8 years, filtered over activated carbon to remove any color. The smooth and sweet tasting notes of the rum perfectly complement the Applejack and maple syrup.
Bonterra’s The Elysian Collection
Bonterra Organic Vineyard’s newest luxury offering is The Elysian Collection. The Elysian Merlot, the debut wine in The Elysian Collection, plays off the bucolic ideals and pastoral tranquility of northern California’s organic farmland, highlighting the diverse natural elements that create unique environments for grape cultivation, handpicked from plots teeming with life and biodiversity. The label pays homage to the sheep, moon and stars that create life in a thriving organic ecosystem and drive astrological forces. The Elysian Merlot embodies the essence of a wine vinified from organically grown grapes, with a harmonious chorus of black plum, carob, raspberries and soulful minerality. Other recent releases from Bonterra are its Equinox Red Blend, its 2014 The McNab and its Bonterra 2017 Dry Muscat.
Novo Fogo
Delicious, sustainable and in-demand, the Novo Fogo distillery has been overseeing a reforestation program where Novo Fogo rehabs species of endangered Brazilian native trees that have been decimated by decades of misuse. Popular offerings available from Novo Fogo are its Silver Cachaça (as rested in stainless steel tanks), its Chameleon (aged one year in American oak), and its Barrel-Aged Cachaça (aged two years in American oak). Novo Fogo also sells cocktail kits online through its website so you can make your very own authentic and organic Caipirinha or Brazilian Old Fashioned at home, in addition to high-quality canned cocktails, like its Sparkling Caipirinha.
Old Forester 1910
Earlier in the autumn, Old Forester is celebrated its time-honored tradition of releasing Birthday Bourbon to commemorate Founder George Garvin Brown’s birthday on September 2nd. This year marked the 18th Birthday Bourbon, and this particular iteration was the first to be bottled at the newly opened Old Forester Distilling Co. Bottled from 120 barrels that were distilled in 2006, this year’s bourbon was hand selected by Master Taster Jackie Zykan and has a pronounced rich, dark cherry cobbler note. Also new from the distiller is its 1910 Old Fine Whisky, Old Forester’s fourth and final expression in the Whiskey Row Series. The 1910 variety is a double barreled bourbon, creating a smooth mingling of sweet oatmeal raisin cookie and milk chocolate, caramel corn, and evolving spice that lead into a refined, charred oak finish.
Nocking Point Wines
Co-founded by Arrow star Stephen Amell, Nocking Point Wines checks all boxes whether you are a wine lover, obsessed with celebrity and popular culture, and are seeking the latest and greatest. The Washington State based winery is dedicated to crafting premium wines, each with an authentic and often humorous narrative. Amell has personally inspired such wines as “Amell-bec” (a witty take on a Columbia Valley Malbec red) and “3rd Date Cabernet” (a juicy red and a nod to the ritual and protocol of early dating). The wines are available exclusively online through a subscription service at www.nockingpoint.com. Recently, Nocking Point also launched “Night Ender” in collaboration with entertainer Aisha Tyler, and “Dirt Bag” in collaboration with Game Of Thrones and Aquaman actor Jason Momoa.
Kilbeggan Small Batch Rye
Kilbeggan Small Batch Rye is an Irish whiskey style that hasn’t been produced in nearly 100 years. It is the first whiskey 100 percent distilled and matured at the Kilbeggan Distillery — the oldest licensed distillery in Ireland — to be released since its restoration was completed in 2010. Double distilled to 86 proof in Kilbeggan’s copper pot stills, one of which is the oldest working whiskey pot still in the world today, Kilbeggan Small Batch Rye is the first of its kind in today’s market. Each bottle is a testament to the spirit of the Kilbeggan community, which has been kept alive for more than 260 years.
Bulleit 10-Year-Old
Last and definitely not least, as awarded the Gold Medal at the 2015 San Francisco Spirits Competition, Bullet 10-Year-Old has a spicy distinctive character perfect for an Autumn night. With a mash bill identical to Bulleit Bourbon, the liquid was aged ten years in #4 charred oak barrels for a rich and incredibly smooth sipping experience. If you are a fan of Bulleit beyond simply enjoying a Bulleit-centric cocktail or two, you can also visit the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience at the historic site known as Stitzel-Weller.
