SPIRITS

Don’t let the price fool you, Molly’s Irish Cream is a delicious spirit made from Irish whiskey, fresh cream and natural chocolate. Produced by former employees of the biggest cream liqueur brand, Molly’s is an excellent – and in our opinion, a better tasting – alternative to Bailey’s. The chocolate definitely stands out a little more than other cream liqueurs. Molly’s is best drunk chilled, although there are many fantastic dessert options as well. Learn More

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From Poland, this vodka is produced using a process called continuous distillation, which helps retain purity and smoothness. It is made from golden Dankowski rye and fresh water from local springs. The name is a reference to the last true King of Poland. Learn More

This company makes an extensive line of bitters in a wide variety of flavors. Their orange bitters are made by combining bitter orange peel with plenty of herbs and spices (cardamom, caraway, nutmeg) that have been macerated in alcohol. The flavor is initially sweet but also bitter, making it an excellent component to such favorites as the Classic Martini. Learn More

This unique company makes an extensive line of bitters in a wide variety of flavors. Their classic Aromatic Bitters are both tangy and bitter, with notes of cinnamon and spice. These bitters make a perfect complement to an array of whiskey-based cocktails, including the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan. Learn More

Amaro CioCiaro, a mixture of carefully selected natural ingredients, is the product of an authentic recipe from the "Ciociaro" region of Italy. This "region" has no defined border or historical identity, and the name Ciociaro was adopted by a fascist movement of Frosinone as an ethnical denomination for the Lazio town's province, when it was created in 1927. The name actually refers to a traditional type of sandal, a "ciocia", still worn by certain sheep and cattle herders in the Central Appennines.

This tasty liqueur was created and safeguarded by the Paolucci family since 1873, and is best-served as an after-dinner digestivo, though can also be enjoyed on the rocks or with seltzer after as aperitivo. It also makes a great punch when served at room temperature with lemon peels. Learn More

Silvio Meletti created his first liqueurs — anisettes — in 1870 in his mother's small shop. Meletti wanted to offer the country an high quality product which could stand up to the more expensive foreign liqueurs, and subsequently threw himself into the study of Italian and French manuals on the distillation and production of liqueurs until he was able to design and supervise the production of a bain-marie, with slow evaporation in order to obtain as much aroma as possible.

Since 1873, Amaro Meletti has been produced in Ascoli-Piceno in Marche. This historic yet approachable amaro has a floral flavor and contains saffron and caramel in addition to the usual herbal ingredients. Learn More

Originally distilled in Broad Ford, Pennsylvania, Old Overholt was established in 1810 by Abraham Overholt. In 1859, his son built a new distillery and the production of a new spirit named for the Overholt family began. Made from 100% rye, this whiskey has had its share of ups-and-downs; one thing that helped keep it afloat is that it was one of the only brands allowed to be sold as a medicinal whiskey during Prohibition. While Old Overholt is now owned by Beam Global Spirits and distilled in Kentucky, it still continues to shine and make one hell of a cocktail. Aged for four years, it’s one of the best values in American whiskey. It tends to work wonderfully in classic cocktails like Manhattans and Sazeracs. Learn More

This rum hails from the island of St. Croix, and is aged in heavily charred oak barrels. In the tradition of Navy-styled rums, it is almost black in color and echoes its molasses base with its rich flavor. Clean and full-bodied, though not cloying or heavy, it evokes aromas and flavors of caramel and spice. It can be enjoyed neat or mixed in a cocktail like a Dark and Stormy. Learn More

Moonshine, by original definition, is any spirit that's been distilled in an unlicensed still. Nowadays it’s better known as an un-aged corn-based whiskey. Kings County Distillery in Brooklyn is the city’s oldest legal distillery, having been founded about 6 months ago (April 2010). Their moonshine is made from a corn base, and since it’s not aged, it’s as clear as water. The taste is quite something–a little like bourbon due to the corn, but like nothing else you’ve tried before. Learn More

From Guyana, this rum is named after a local river. It is aged for at least three years in ex-bourbon casks to produce a full, rich spirit and is then filtered twice through natural charcoal. The final spirit is a white rum with more flavor than you’d expect–balanced and clean with hints of fruit and vanilla. Learn More

As its name implies, the black currants (aka cassis) for this liqueur are sourced from the commune of Dijon. This is something a bottle of Hiram Walker can’t boast. Artisans such as Jules Theuriet still craft liqueurs in the fashion of their forebears. In fact, short using completely artificial means of coloring and flavoring, its hard to take shortcuts, as black currants aren’t the easiest to work with. As one notes, “If left on the bush past optimum maturity, the berries may lose as much as one-third their weight within 24 hours. If left unprocessed 24 hours after picking, they are completely oxidized.” Theuriet is the real deal, using only three ingredients in the production of his delicious crème de cassis: black currants, sugar, and alcohol. It’s simple and honest. Learn More

Tito’s is a brand built by a person (not a marketing team) named Tito Beveridge. It comes from Austin, Texas where it is pot-distilled six times from a corn wash. The distillery isn’t pretty (though it is Texas’ first legal one) and the packaging is modest, but the vodka is clean and smooth. Learn More

This Amaro was first created in 1815 in Milan, by Ausano Ramazzotti who was then only 20 years old. Although the recipe is a well-guarded secret (only 3 people in the world are privy to it), we do know that it contains 33 different herbs. While it’s not the oldest amaro on record, it is one of the most popular worldwide. It’s a medium-bodied amaro, with a balanced flavor both bitter and sweet. It is sure to please any and all fans of this traditional Italian spirit. Learn More

St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram comes from Haus Alpenz, which is an importer of all sorts of fantastic liqueurs. This particular one is made from the allspice berry, which hails from Jamaica and is prized for its flavors of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper. For this spirit, allspice is added to a pot-distilled rum which is then sweetened. Learn More

Cardamaro is a most interesting Amaro. From Piemonte, producer Giovanni Bosca uses wine from his estate as the base for this amaro. He then infuses the wine with two very curious ingredients -- cardoon, which is a relative of the artichoke, and Blessed Thistle, which was once used in the middle ages to treat the bubonic plague. The distillate then rests in new oak for at least six months. The resulting spirit is less bitter than many amari, with a smooth, nutty, candied winter spice quality to it. Learn More

Chairman’s Reserve Rum comes from St. Lucia and is made by blending rums from continuous and pot still distillations. The rum is aged in American oak casks previously used by Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Buffalo Trace. It ages for an average of five years. This is a medium-bodied rum with a spicy-sweet flavor and a long, mellow finish. Learn More

Aperol is a bittersweet Italian aperitif, which alongside Campari, perhaps the most popular in Italy. It was created in 1919 on the occasion of the Padova Exhibition, and originally produced by the Padua-based Fratelli Barbieri company. Aperol introduced the revolutionary idea of an aperitif with an alcohol content of only 11%, yet only took off in Italy after World War II. Today, it is produced by Gruppo Campari and enjoyed by over 3.4 million Italians.

Like Campari, Aperol’s recipe has remained unchanged since its inception, and the exact ingredients are held a tight secret. It certainly contains bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona, lending the drink its unique color and flavor. In Italy, Aperol is also available as a pre-bottled cocktail, Aperol Soda. In bars it is often served with vodka, fruit juice or on the rocks. Aperol Spritz, the most famous Aperol-based cocktail, combines Aperol and Prosecco, and unsurprisingly is most popular in the Veneto. Learn More

Unlike many other amarettos on the market that use artificial flavorings and extracts, Luxardo Amaretto is made with real almonds from Avola in southern Sicily. These almonds are considered to be some of the best in the Mediterranean, and they lend generously to the flavor of this liqueur. Fresh and sweet without being overly cloying, this amaretto is a classic example of the benefit that real ingredients can lend to a spirit. Learn More

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This herbal liqueur was originally made by monks until their abbey was destroyed during the French Revolution. In 1863, Alexandre Legrand recreated the recipe with the help of a chemist and the exact formula has remained a secret ever since. It uses cognac as its base spirit, includes 27 different plants and spices, and has a distinct aroma of citrus, spices, and a touch of honey. It can be drunk neat, over ice, or in cocktails like the Monte Carlo or A la Louisiane. Learn More

This is a Sambuca for those who don’t think they like Sambuca. Averna upholds the tradition of the Mediterranean by making this spirit from star anise, which is the highest grade available. Fresh aromas of liquorice and the sweet, smooth texture of Averna Sambuca are sure to please any skeptics. Learn More

A very elegant and unique liqueur, this spirit brings together the Queen Charlotte and March Violets which are native wildflowers from the Alps. Crème de Violette captures the fragrance, color and taste of these beautiful and delicate flowers. Try it over ice or in classic cocktails like the Aviation. Learn More

Although Bourbon has long been associated with Kentucky, the rules governing what is and is not Bourbon have nothing to do with geography, and New York now has its very own local Bourbon from the Kings County Distillery in Brooklyn. It is the city’s oldest legal distillery, having been founded about a year ago (April 2010). Their Moonshine immediately brought them much recognition as a quality, award-winning distillery, and the recent release of their first batch of Bourbon is surpassing even the highest of expectations. Less sweet than many Bourbons on the market, it has a definite charred wood flavor, with the classic Bourbon notes of clove, cinnamon and caramel. Learn More