Drink the Bottles

  Finished whiskeys are super, SUPER hot right now.  That has caused some distilleries to branch out, swing for the bleachers, only to miss the big score.  That is definitely not the case  here!  Liberty & Plenty Distillery out of Durham, North Carolina is taking finished whiskey to the next level.   Liberty & Plenty's formation was unfortunate, as that was the start of lockdown for Covid.  But this 100% woman owned craft distillery was ambitious enough and had the determination to overcome any obstacle thrown in their way. This is their Bronze Bull Spirits Bourbon Whiskey Batch #4 .  It is a three year old whiskey and a 90 proof stunner that was finished in fig-infused honey barrels. Unlike many honey-finished spirits in the market, this one stands above most of the others.  First and foremost, it is not a sugar bomb.  You don't get super sweetness that covers your mouth and hides the flavor.  You get layers of flavor ...

  By now, the world clearly knows that 95% of the world's bourbon is born in Kentucky.  But did you know that all fifty states not only make whiskey, but they distill other unique spirits as well?  Today, we travel virtually to Broad Branch Distillery in Winston-Salem, North Carolina to discover six very unique spirits, ranging from a 60 proof flavored whiskey to a 6+ year aged, 100 proof Rye.   We tasted the Broad Branch Distillery Spirits line up from 50 mL sample bottles.  This includes four of their CORE spirits and two of their PREMIUM selections.  This tasting was very unique, as it included North Carolina rum and a classic Carolina Spirit that was reminiscent of tequila.  Don't get us wrong - we LOVE our bourbon and whiskey (and we tasted those too!) but it's always fun to discover new flavors and products outside of the famous distilled brown water. BBD relishes the Blue Ridge Moutain distilling processes and they live by the mission to c...

  We're suckers for farm-to-glass bourbons because you feel like you can really trust the process when everything is done in-house.  Sure, tons of folks are mashing, distilling, maturing and bottling their own product.  But at Broadslab Distillery in Benson, NC they are also growing  the grains on their farm.  While the farm-to-bottle process isn't completely unique, it is somewhat rare these days.  And what really sets this distillery apart from others is their flue-cured aging process.  Their patent pending process means that they actually age their whiskey alongside hanging/curing tobacco, providing a unique process that carries over into distinct North Carolina flavors.   Owner and master distiller Jeremy Norris insists on doing things the old way, or as he refers to, the right way.  The distillery cooks in a 500-pound copper pot still and the barrels are put aside until the whiskey has reached that familiar golden-brown color and ri...