Black Maple Hill is a damn fine, 95-proof bourbon at a damn fine price. My friends and I call it “the one that smells like bananas,” but there’s more to it than its tropical nose.

It starts out mellow on the tongue with a bit of a sweet, fruity taste and quickly brings on a little heat to let you know that, yes, this is Kentucky bourbon you’re drinking. The result is a solid, complex … Read more

The first thing that grabs your attention about Corzo tequila is the bottle: square, smooth, and modern—not unlike a really nice cologne bottle.

But when you get past the attractive packaging, there’s a friendly tequila inside waiting to play.

It has a thin mouthfeel and an approachable taste. Though it is 100% agave, it lacks the grassy flavor often found in such tequilas.

This is a clean-tasting tequila for sipping or mixing. I found that … Read more

Looking for a Father’s Day gift that is both thoughtful and quick?

These picks are unique liquors that stand out among other spirits of the same type. What better way to show Dad that you think he’s one of a kind.

I’ve included multiple price ranges, but these were chosen for their taste and not their price tag.

Here are a few liquor picks for the discerning Dad on your gift-shopping list:

Single-Malt Scotch:
Aberlour… Read more

Red Stag is a black cherry bourbon by Jim Beam that just hit the market this month.

I’ll admit that I was hesitant about the idea of a flavored bourbon, as I am quite protective of the spirit and didn’t want it to get the cough-syrup treatment.

However, this bourbon was a pleasant surprise.

It smells like real cherries with a backdrop of oak. It does have a sweet flavor, but that is balanced by … Read more

Sake is a light, refreshing, low-calorie drink that is good as more than just a chaser for your spicy tuna roll.

Yaegaki Nigori sake is affordable ($12 a bottle) and accessible (you don’t have to know a lot about sake to enjoy it).

It is a sweet sake, served cold. The sweet lychee fruit nose is appealing, as is the cloudy appearance and very light carbonation.

The flavor is not sticky sweet. It’s more like … Read more

Beefeater 24 is the London gin company’s fresh take on premium gin—and I like it.

It’s a smooth gin that is slightly sweeter and richer than its dry gin counterpart.

Beefeater 24 gets its name from the 24 hours it steeps in botanicals including Spanish grapefruit and Seville orange peel, bitter almond, orris root, green tea and Japanese Sencha tea.

The tea and citrus influence is very subtle but pleasing.

It’s not a flavored gin, … Read more

Some friends went to Puerto Rico and brought back some Ron del Barrilito rum.

I wouldn’t normally consider rum a sipping drink and instead normally use it in cocktails. However, this rum has a unique sweet flavor (from the molasses) and smooth taste that makes it a pleasure to drink on its own.

The brown sugar nose and layered taste mean that instead of a flat, sweet flavor you get a complex liquor that slowly … Read more

When I first saw the Gioia Luisa Lemoncello Creme bottle, I knew that something delicious was inside. And I was right.

This liqueur is creamy and sweet with a very pleasant lemon flavor.

The milky mouthfeel lends richness without a heavy or syrupy feeling. Without being too sugary, it gives you a pleasant lemon candy flavor with some alcohol punch.

As with other limoncello, there is no tartness since only the zest of the lemon … Read more

Absolut has released its newest flavored vodka, mango. Why mango? It’s one of the most popular fruits in the world and grown in nearly every tropical region, and they are tasty. According to Matthias Aeppli, Vice President Marketing, V&S Absolut Spirits, “The mango is quite unique. It is a year-round source of natural sweetness, and it has a juiciness and aroma beyond all comparison. Personally, I love to mix mango with chili or pineapple.”

To … Read more

Firefly Distillery in South Carolina has managed to stand out in the crowded world of flavored vodkas with a uniquely Southern take on vodka.

Its Sweet Tea and Muscadine Wine flavored vodkas are “sippin’ vodkas” that also work well for simple cocktails like a vodka tonic.

This month marks the first time the company can distribute its product to all 50 states, so now it will be easier to find!

Here’s a Firefly concoction I … Read more