Junipero is distilled by San Fran’s Anchor Distilling Ltd., pioneer of America’s now-saturated craft spirits movement and offshoot of beloved Anchor Brewing. Hitting all the notes you’d expect from an exemplary gin, this elegant and open spirit showcases brilliant juniper and florals mingled with a latent earthiness and spice. It’s sweet and silky on the palate with a strong presence contributed by its namesake berry. A sipping gin to the core.
Distilled once in copper pots from Quebranta grapes and rested and bottled undiluted, this single-varietal pisco is the work of master distiller, blender and tireless Peruvian pisco champion Melanie Asher. The nose is predominantly fresh wine grapes with lime, lemongrass and white flowers. Mix this in a mighty fine pisco punch.
A stalwart of Gascony for 7 centuries, the Chateau de Larressingle has been owned by the Papelorey family for 5 generations — that’s a lot of legacy in 1 bottle. Single distilled in an alembic column, Laressingle’s extra old Bas-Armagnac is carefully aged for 15 to 20 years in the region’s coveted black oak, where it develops into a velvety, earthy and deeply oaked spirit strewn with vanilla and dried fruits. This rich and soothing brandy is the definition of nightcap.
Made from Nova Scotia–grown Annapolis Valley apples combined with light vanilla cream, this seductive liqueur has a café au lait appearance with enticing spicy apple and caramel aromas. Creamy rich white chocolate, caramel and spicy apple flavours culminate in a smooth finish with a pleasant sensation of warming alcohol.
A special bottling that sees oak for 12 years. The nose shows sweet vanilla, oak-inspired spices, caramel, toffee, dried fruits and subtle peat smoke. It’s like velvet on the palate, so smooth and rich with smoky/creamy dried fruits, toasted vanilla and toffee flavours that linger on the finish.
Intriguing bright yellow colour with green reflections. Enticing nose, herbal, spicy with aromas of juniper, crushed fir needles and wild flowers. Very smooth palate with a nice contrast between the strong conifer scent and the delicate flowery notes. Intense finish, quite long. Made using a unique mix of wild herbs including nordic juniper, wild rose hips, cloudberry, crowberry and Labrador tea. Ungava is the land of the Inuit people in northern Québec where the herbs come from. Quite original.
Light brown with a dark yellow rim. Heady, complex infused nose (the mix of herbs includes peppery green alder, pine forest spikenard, white-rod berries, lovage root, sweet gale seeds and wild angelica). Conifer resin and herbal notes develop in the glass. The fresh taste counterbalances the alcohol heat in the soft, silky mid-palate leading to a dry, compact finish. The name comes from the Chic-Choc Mountains, source of the herbs used for the infusion. Worth discovering.