Grand Traverse Distillery Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are complex and pure with scents of toasted grain, caramel, vanilla bean, cigar box, smoky hardwood charcoal notes, nutmeg, and cigar box. The palate is full agreement with the nose offering a silky and zesty marriage of fruit, caramel, pepper, and brown baking spices with a silky blast that coats the palate and lingers for minutes. Medium-bodied and not as dense or assertive as many Bourbons, which is interesting as it's bottled over-proof without showing a hint of being hot. $54 – 4.5 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery True North Wheat Vodka
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully floral with an equal dose of sweet, toasted grains, dried berries, tarragon, and an distinct accent of wet river stones. The palate confirms the nose being rich and expansive on the palate with a silky core while maintaining its vibrancy. Layers of sweet grains are flanked by hints of citrus zest, teaberries, and mineral. Ideally balanced being both generous and sprite with a long, lingering finish that ultimately becomes dry and clean. $30 – 5 Stars
Clyde May's Special Reserve American Whiskey
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekRich, vibrant burgundy color. The generous aromatics are loaded with rich caramel, dried orchard fruits, toffee, butterscotch, nutmeg, cinnamon, Amaretto, and candied orange peel. The palate is harmonious and seamless being decadent with a spicy edge with loads of viscosity to give the Whiskey length and depth. It finishes with a complex brown spice accent, hints of clove, and toasted oak. Full-bodied and totally hedonistic offering rich, ripe, sweet flavors with great balance and dexterity considering the high proof. $70 – 4.5 Stars
Rumson's Rum
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose offers a very distinctive blast of Caribbean Rum "hogo" that's found in old, traditional Rums of the region. Behind this comes waves of butterscotch, caramel, wild flowers, nutmeg, and allspice with hints of lime and toffee. The palate is in full agreement with the nose as the sweeter flavors converge on the core giving a silky and buttery mouthfeel with a generous dose of spice and wood to create a crisp finish. Medium to full-bodied with a rich and silky core backed by loads of spice, pepper, and citrus. $32 – 4.5 Stars
Rumson's Grand Reserve Rum
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The nose is filled with the sweet and decadent scents of brown sugar, butterscotch, vanilla, and brown baking spices with treacle, leather, cigar box, and rustic oak notes. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and sweet core of brown sugar and treacle with waves of spice, gingerbread, and sexy oak accents. Full-bodied and certainly sweet while never finishing heavy benefiting from a generous dose of spice and just enough acidity to keep it vibrant. $45 – 4.5 Stars
Rumson's Spiced Rum
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are hauntingly similar the the Rumson's standard Rum with a greater focus on sweet vanilla, nutmeg, and golden syrup. The palate is in full agreement with the nose offering a rich baking spice driven core supported by sweet butterscotch and sugar giving it body and weight. It's a Christmas cake in a glass. Medium-bodied with waves of sweet spices and sugar notes while never becoming too sweet. $32 – 4 Stars
Rumson's Coffee Flavored Rum
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is unmistakably coffee offering scents of roasted coffee beans, as well as brewed coffee, cocoa nibs, vanilla bean, and mocha. The palate supports the nose adding a deep, roasted bean note on the sweet, coffee-centric core with accents of vanilla cream and sweet brown sugar. Medium-bodied and very well-balanced especially for the style as we are accustomed to these being cloyingly sweet while this offers a brilliant roasted bean edge. $32 – 4 Stars
Elijah Craig 21 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Deep, brilliant amber color with hints of copper and mahogany. This incredible Bourbon provides great joy straight from the bottle. After a few minutes of aeration this beauty really comes to life offering complex scents of dried fruit, rich honey, caramel, spicy rye, walnuts, toasted coconuts, and brown baking spice. This is instantly among my all-time favorite Bourbon aromas. The palate is equally robust and rustic with black pepper on the front-end that reluctantly gives way to brown baking spices and then brown butter and honey. This is an assertive rye-heavy style but it is remarkably gentle and semisweet at times as well changing constantly in the glass. A true legend. $140 – 5 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery True North Rye Vodka
Brilliant, crystal clear. Beautiful aromatics offering scents of lemon curd, dried black fruits, dried flowers, spicy rye bread, and subtle mineral notes. The palate echoes the nose delivering the complex set of flavors on a silky, viscous palate that carries the vibrant and rich flavors like a fluffy cloud. Medium-bodied and sure to destroy any ideas you may have about Vodka being a neutral spirit. $30 – 5 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery Ole George Straight Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are complex and pure with scents of toasted grain, black pepper, sourdough rye bread, dried black fruits, caramel, vanilla, allspice, and pralines. The palate is full agreement with the nose offering a silky and zesty marriage of fruit, caramel, pepper, and brown baking spices with a silky blast that coats the palate and lingers for minutes. This is a wonderfully intense Rye that also offers incredible balance and style. A must have for "Rye Heads" as this is pure, unadulterated Rye Whiskey. $54 – 5 Stars
