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).
Made at what is reportedly the second oldest tequila distillery in the world, the Dano’s Dangerous Tequila brand is based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and dates back to just 2018. While it started with its pineapple/jalapeno infused tequila (see below), it has since extended the brand to the standard trio of unflavored varieties. The operation…
Opening in 2022 in Matthews, North Carolina—a suburb just southeast of Charlotte—Oaklore Distilling is rooted in a vision that began years earlier. Back in 2017, the founders took their first bold step by laying down barrels of whiskey in partnership with sister distilleries in both North Carolina and Kentucky. While the Kentucky source remains undisclosed,…
Pursuit Spirits has been releasing a variety of American whiskeys under their own label for several years. Now, the podcasters-turned-bottlers are taking the brand in an additional direction with the revival of two vintage labels — and accordingly, some new whiskey to go with them. The Mellwood Legacy Collection pays homage to the site of…
When it comes to bourbon, Kentucky reigns supreme. The Bluegrass State is the undisputed gold standard for quality bourbon—fittingly, also home to the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox. But while Kentucky holds firm to its bourbon legacy, other states are staking claims in different corners of the American whiskey landscape. Indiana and Maryland…
We love La Maison & Veilier’s Flag Series of rums — denoted by the flag of the nationality of the distiller that appears on each label — to the point where a Guyana rum in the series was named our top rum of 2023. Now we’re back with three more Flag Series bottlings, which we’ll…
While Kentucky may be synonymous with bourbon, Maryland holds a proud, though often overlooked, legacy as a cradle of rye whiskey. Before Prohibition, rye was America’s spirit of choice—and Maryland rye was among the most revered. But after Repeal, rye whiskey struggled to reclaim its former prominence, and in 1972, the last of Maryland’s post-Prohibition…
Rolling Fork Spirits was founded in 2017 by Turner Wathen and Jordan Morris as an independent blender and bottler of exceptional rums. Operating out of Starlight Distillery in southern Indiana, the duo is dedicated to crafting distinctive spirits that push boundaries while honoring tradition. Among their standout creations is Fortuitous Union, an inspired blend of…
The Cardrona may sound like a boutique hotel, but it’s actually a New Zealand single malt whisky brand, now celebrating its 10th anniversary. The operation recently brought three whiskies from its growing collection to the U.S., all showcasing Cardrona at various stages of its aging process — specifically 3, 5, and 7 years old. The…
Royal Salute is famous for offering a range of blended Scotch whiskies with 21 years old as the youngest in its age range. A vast array of special editions of Royal Salute with all manner of inspirations and finishing treatments have hit the market over the years — and all are a minimum of 21…
Perhaps best known for highly aged Armagnac, Vermont-based Bhakta Spirits has gradually diversified to bottlings beyond brandy, ranging from rum to rye (often blended with brandy varieties or finished in brandy casks). Their latest whiskey is the third in their single vintage bourbon series, a Tennessee bourbon aged 12 years and 10 months finished in…