La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Blanc Vermouth
Brilliant, crystal clear. Incredibly floral with a complex tapestry of aromatics including honeysuckle, candied-ginger, white peach, grapefruit, quinine, and kumquat. The palate echoes the nose delivering a beautuful fruit-driven core with accents of spice, ginger, and fresh herbs. Wonderfully intense while being complex and delicate at the same time. $21.99 – 5 Stars
La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Rouge Vermouth
Brilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are multifarious offering scents of ripe red fruits with dried figs and dates, anise, vanilla, and chocolate. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a lush, fruit center-core with generous herb and spice notes in support with hints of bitter bark and allspice. Wonderfully intense with waves of sweet and tart fruits supported by a melange of spices. $21.99 – 5 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery Small Batch Botanical Gin
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, crystal clear. The aromatics are bold and clear rising from the glass well before it's lifted. Scents of juniper with vibrant citrus notes take the lead with accents of angelica and cilantro. The palate echoes the nose while being somehow even more intense with the botanicals becoming nearly chewy. The juniper and citrus have become fruity being framed by vibrant citrus zest and peppery spice notes. This is a bold and intense Gin with generous botanicals delivered on a silky, creamy bed of a beautiful wheat-based spirit. $35 – 5 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery Silver Reserve Rum
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is quite intriguing as the material (molasses) is quite familiar while the distillation in a hybrid pot still gives the rich, densely fruity qualities of a Caribbean pot still while being as clean and floral as a column still Rum. The palate confirms the nose delivering a dry, fruit-forward core with a silky texture. The over-proof finish gives the clove and pepper spice accents more lift as well as the charred sugar flavors that emerge on the finish. A full-bodied white Rum with lots of gusto and personality that will hold its own in cocktails. $31 – 4 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery Double Barreled Ole George Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is assertively spicy with toasted grain and black pepper in the lead. After a small water addition this Whiskey really shows its stuff offering black fruits, rye bread, black pepper, toffee, and vanilla. The palate is full accord with the nose delivering a beautiful mix of fruit and grain with hints of black cherry with loads of spicy rye and sweet caramel. This is a very intense rye that requires a water addition in my view to best expand the flavors and tame the heat. $47 – 4.5 Stars
Grand Traverse Distillery 116 Proof Straight Rye Whiskey
Brilliant, crystal clear. Intensely spiced with loads of brown baking spices and a rich, fruity core with hints of cocoa, French roast coffee, and charred oak. The palate is equal to the nose with a rich, caramel drenched fruit core flanked by spicy rye, black pepper, allspice and dense caramel with hints of sweet vanilla. Super intense with rich bold fruit, caramel, spicy rye, and oak to spare. $47 – 4 Stars
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. Then nose is wonderfully fruity with baked apples in the lead supported by rich caramel, wild mint, lemon zest, vanilla, sweet red cherry, pralines, and honey. The palate echoes the nose delivering a decadent fruit and grain driven core with loads of brown baking spices, spicy rye, and generous oak notes. Bold flavors without being extreme featuring mature Bourbon while flashing a vibrant and youthful exuberance; it's perfectly balanced. $24.99 – 5 Stars
Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Brilliant, crystal clear. Then nose is wonderfully fruity with baked apples in the lead supported by rich caramel, wild mint, lemon zest, vanilla, sweet red cherry, pralines, and honey. The palate echoes the nose delivering a decadent fruit and grain driven core with loads of brown baking spices, spicy rye, and generous oak notes. Bold flavors without being extreme featuring mature Bourbon while flashing a vibrant and youthful exuberance; it's perfectly balanced. $24.99 – 5 Stars
Suerte Blanco, 100% Agave Tequila
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is wonderfully rich and complex offering sweet agave notes with loads of citrus ranging from lime and lemon juice to zest with hints of salt and sweet herbs. The palate echoes the nose offering a generous agave fruit core with vibrant citrus accents and hints of mineral and a soft salinity. Full bodied and rich without being cloying in the slightest offering a bright dose of balancing acidity. $29.99 – 5 Stars
Suerte Extra Añejo, 100% Agave Tequila
Brilliant, crystal clear. The nose is really quite beautiful as so many extra añejo are simply redolent of Bourbon. Suerte Extra Añejo offers scents of baked apple, honey, vanilla bean, and ripe red berries with notes of charred oak. The palate continues in the same vein as the aromatics with the oak component taking center stage and muting the fruit a bit. It's a bold, heavily wood-influenced style that still manages to feature the fresh, balancing acidity found in their blanco. $110 – 4 Stars
