Sho Chiku Bai Premium Ginjo Sake is produced by Takara Sake USA Inc. – a Berkeley, California based spirits company first established in 1983. They are part of a larger, Japan-based corporation called Takara Group, which was originally founded 1842 and produce a variety of spirits such as sake, shochu, and others. Their branding places an emphasis on harmony with nature. Each Sho Chiku Bai sake utilizes rice sourced from the Sacramento valley and snow melt from the Sierra Nevada mountains. This particular bottle of Premium Ginjo Sake is made from Calrose rice, which is polished to 50%, washed, soaked, and steamed. 20% of that steamed rice […]
Hinterhaus Distilling South Grove Gin is produced by Hinterhaus Distilling – an Arnold, California based spirits brand that is family operated. As a brand, they aim to reflect the nature surrounding them in the Sierra Nevada region, using small batches and locally sourced ingredients. This particular bottle of South Grove Gin is made using a wine base from California grapes, which is distilled using fresh Sierra Nevada water. It uses botanicals that are native to the region such as juniper, gooseberry, rose hips, elderflower, and ginger root, which are vapor infused into the spirit. Bottle Specs ❖ ABV: 42% ❖ Distillery: Hinterhaus […]
Skyy Vodka is produced by Skyy Spirits – a San Francisco, California based spirits brand founded in 1992 and currently owned by Gruppo Campari. They produce a small lineup of vodka and flavored vodka products, the production of which moved to one of Campari’s Illinois facilities after acquisition in 2009. Their flagship vodka is made with a grain base, distilled 4 times, and filtered 3 times through California limestone. The water used to adjust the proof is enriched with minerals which mirror the minerals found in the Pacific coastal waters of the area, including sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It is bottled at 80 proof. Bottle […]
Tito’s Handmade Vodka is produced by Tito’s – an Austin, Texas based spirits brand first launched in the mid 1990’s. The company claims that their Mockingbird Distillery was the first legal post-prohibition distillery in the state of Texas, and founder Tito Beveridge taught himself how to distill. This bottle of Handmade Vodka is corn-based and pot-stilled, though the truthfulness about other advertised details of their production process are frequently called into question. As a result, I was not able to confirm further details with any level of confidence based on my research. It is bottled at 80 proof. Bottle Specs ❖ ABV: 40% ❖ Distillery: […]
Rancho Escondido Agave Liqueur is produced by Rancho Escondido – a Jalisco, Mexico based brand that produces a small range of agave based spirit products. Although I found a lot of conflicting information about how long the brand has been producing their agave liquors, they are hugely popular in Mexico, advertised as one of the top-selling alcohol products. This particular bottle of Agave Liqueur is made with sugar cane alcohol and agave aguardiente, which is essentially a basic distilled spirit from agave. It is distilled twice, and then rested in white oak barrels for at least 3 months. Bottle Specs ❖ ABV: 28% ❖ Distillery: Rancho […]