Spirits
Spirits are beverages made by the process of distillation. The “Spirits” category is not commonly used at Drinkhacker because the vast majority of reviews we publish fall into this category. It is used only occasionally to help organize our category list (and mainly gets clicked by accident).
Virginia’s A. Smith Bowman retired its limited-edition Oak Series line late last year (after only three releases), but it doesn’t look like their annual Cask Strength offering is going anywhere anytime soon. Which is probably little comfort to bourbon fans outside the Commonwealth of Virginia since this latest edition, Batch #5, remains largely a distillery-only…
We first reviewed El Jimador Blanco in 2014, when this entry-level offering was in the midst of a reinvention. Produced at the same distillery as Herradura, it’s reportedly the #1 selling 100% agave tequila in Mexico — or at least it was at the time. The product is a Lowlands spirit, unaged and named in…
Since being acquired by MGP in 2023, Penelope has been steadily expanding its lineup of American whiskeys, including blends of stock sourced from across Indiana and Kentucky. Some of the brand’s most prominent releases include novel finishes, from the rum-kissed Havana to the (excellent) Omega, which gave 11 year old Kentucky bourbon a secondary maturation…
Back in 2022, Sazerac launched a Cognac and named it for itself: Sazerac de Forge. Well, actually the brand had been launched about 250 years prior, so this was bringing the OG Sazerac back to life. Unfortunately, the 2022 “Finest Original” Sazerac de Forge was a bit lackluster, a clearly youthful blend with eaux de…
The inevitable second batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye is upon us, dropping for early 2026. It’s slightly younger than A925 at 11 years, 11 months old, but considerably hotter at 60.2% abv. Let’s dig in. You can also read up on every ECBP (bourbon and rye) release to date at our complete guide…
When settlers pushed into central Tennessee during the late 18th century, they required a powerhouse capable of conquering rocky soil and hauling heavy timber across punishing ridges. The mule, a cross between a male donkey and a female horse, became the backbone of this expansion. These animals offered more strength per pound than horses, remained…
You may have missed the news that Colin Gordon left Ardbeg Distillery last year to return to his roots in malting on the mainland. Succeeding him in his role as Distillery Manager is Bryony McNiven, a daughter of the island with a very Ardbeg-heavy resume. Her father was a longtime stillman, and she has spent…
El Tesoro’s Mundial Collection continues with this fourth version, the tequila distillery’s first collaboration with the House of Suntory. El Tesoro Mundial: Yamazaki Edition brings together three masters of distilling: Carlos and Jenny Camarena, the former and newly appointed Master Distillers of El Tesoro, and Shinji Fukuyo, The House of Suntory’s fifth-generation Chief Blender. Known…
Luxco isn’t dancing around the premium nature, or price, of its newest blanco tequila. Even the name, Escasa, means “scarce” in Spanish. The details, per the brand: Crafted in Los Altos de Jalisco, Escasa Tequila is dedicated to the opulence of scarcity, the result of hundreds of years of knowledge distilled into one bottle. Founded in 2024 by renowned fourth-generation…
Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey arrived on the scene in 2019 under the guidance of founders Judy Hollis Jones and Jason Brauner. From the outset, the brand created a clear identity through secondary maturation in custom toasted barrels coopered by Independent Stave Company. These 53-gallon new American white oak casks feature staves seasoned outdoors for at least…