Michigan brewer now a busy distiller

• From MLive.com

HOLLAND, MI -- Something new is brewing at the New Holland Brewing Co. The 14-year-old Michigan craft beer producer has started distilling malt whiskey, rum, vodka, gin and a new tequila-like drink called hopquila at its brewpub in downtown Holland.

"Right now, I'm a one-man distillery using a handmade, 60-gallon still the owner built," said chief distiller Dennis Downing (above right), who started in the business seven months ago after a 23-year career as a chemist. "We're small but our little still is turning out some very interesting craft spirits."

New Holland Brewery is one of 14 Michigan companies taking up the challenge of producing 80- to 110-proof distilled spirits since a change in the state law became effective in 2008.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Dos Lunas Tequila on beer wagon

Photo courtesy of William Helm III

If you live in El Paso, St. Louis, New Orleans -- or many other cities in the near future -- don't be surprised if you see tequila being unloaded from an Anheuser-Busch beer delivery truck.

Dos Lunas Tequila, to be specific.

Richard Poe (top right), owner of Dos Lunas which is headquartered in El Paso, TX, has contracted with the beer giant to begin distributing his tequila.

"I find it interesting that a small business in El Paso is revolutionizing the tequila market in the world," Poe told the El Paso Times. "Never before has a beer distributor partnered with a tequila company. Having Budweiser on our side is a huge advantage that will help us make Dos Lunas the world's No. 1 premier tequila."

Poe, 40, is pulling out all the stops in an attempt to make his brand more visible in the crowded U.S. tequila market. Dos Lunas will be a TV sponsor of the Kentucky Derby this coming Saturday (May 1) and is endorsed by the Miami Dolphins because it is the official tequila of Sun Life Stadium, where the National Footballe League team plays its home games.

Poe, part of a prominent El Paso family that owns auto dealerships, founded Dos Lunas in 2005. Its first bottle of tequila was produced in 2006 in Jalisco, Mexico, and was served in Telluride, CO. Since then, distribution has spread to 31 states as well as Canada, Brazil, Germany, Russia and China.

Dos Lunas makes four tequilas -- silver, reposado, añejo and grand reserve, a limited special edition. They range from $40 to $2,500 a bottle.

At the 2009 and 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Dos Lunas Reposado was awarded a double gold medal, which means a gold vote from each judge on the tasting panel.

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Agave plant may be a medical wonder

William M. Dowd photo

Tequila, the new wonder drug. Who knew?

Mexican researchers this week let the world know their findings -- that agave plant, the key ingredient in tequila, could help treat diabetes and osteoporosis.

Experiments conducted on rats at the CINVESTAV research center suggested that a diet rich in fructans from the agave plant could help improve the formation of bone tissue as well as stimulate the production of the GLP-1 hormone which promotes insulin release, according to Dr. Mercedes Lopez, who lead the research team.

To be perfectly straightforward, however, Lopez said that while the agave plant provides health benefits, drinking tequila would not give the same results because fructans lose their effect during the fermentation process.

Scientists at the research center -- part of the National Polytechnic Institute (Instituto Politécnico Nacional, or IPN) in the state of Guanajuato -- were to carry out a second stage of research on rodents before testing their results on humans.

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Belvedere is pretty in pink (grapefruit)

Belvedere Vodka has one of the more stylish bottles -- white frosted design and crisp lettering on a frosted bottle, much like its fellow Polish spirit Chopin.

However, its new Belvedere Pink Grapefruit Vodka has just been unveiled, adding an even nicer design thanks to several splashes of color as well as expanding the distiller's infusion lineup which already had Citrus, Orange and Black Raspberry versions.

Belvedere Pink Grapefruit is distilled from whole pink grapefruits imported from Argenina. They are enhanced with fresh ginger and Spanish spring lemons.

Like the unflavored version, this Belvedere is distilled exclusively from the Dankowskie Gold Rye from the Mazovian plains of Poland. This rye is used because of its high starch content. The new product is 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).

Suggested retail price: $39.99 for the 750ml bottle.

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Finlandia water bottles mark Earth Day

Left to right: “The Very Tired Rooster” representing the Midnight Sun, which shines for 73 days straight in the north of Finland; "Untouched Nature," represented by the Norse mythological red squirrel Ratatosk; six-row barley featuring “The Cranes” walking in the barley field; "Thiaridae” the freshwater snail, representing pure glacial spring water.

Today is the 40th Earth Day, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Finlandia vodka brand.

To mark both milestones, Finlandia is releasing limited edition charity water bottles featuring designs by Klaus Haapaniemi, a renowned Finnish graphic artist.

"As a Finnish artist and proud of my heritage, it was a pleasure to partner with Finlandia on this project to benefit so many great environmental charities," Haapaniemi said. "I hope my designs bring color and fantasy to Finlandia and glamorize the nature and the wildlife of Finland."

Each design represents one of Finlandia Vodka’s core elements: the Midnight Sun, untouched nature, six-row barley and pure glacial spring water.

The one-liter SIGG water bottles sell for $28. Finlandia will divide all profits among four global environmental projects selected to promote sustainability beyond the brand’s distillation footprint. This cause-marketing program is an early step in a new, concerted effort to explore sustainability and the brand’s harmony with nature.

The water bottles will be available beginning May 3 for purchase online. (The website will not be active until then.)

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A celebri-quote: Christina Hendricks

• Christina Hendricks, a stunning member of the cast of TV's "Mad Men," has been named Esquire magazine's sexiest woman in the world. In the lengthy interview, she touches on many aspects of what she thinks about men. Here's just one.

Q: What do real men drink?

A: We want you to order Scotch. It's the most impressive drink order. It's classic. It's sexy. Such a rich color. The glass, the smell. It's not watered down with fruit juice. It's Scotch. And you ordered it.

[Go here for more celebri-quotes.]

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Bill aims to block alcohol direct shipping

• From the Wine Spectator website:

The battle over whether consumers can order wine directly from wineries is moving to the halls of the U.S. Capitol.

Members of Congress yesterday [April 15] introduced a bill, HR 5034, that could end direct shipping of wine and other forms of alcohol in the United States, or at least put major roadblocks in front of lawsuits by consumers and wineries trying to reduce restrictions on direct shipping.

Wine Spectator obtained a copy of a draft of the bill on Wednesday [April 14], which was crafted by the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA). It would strengthen state governments' control of alcohol sales, allowing them to protect the three-tier system of distribution while putting a much greater burden on people challenging it. ...

"The whole idea [behind the bill] is to make it prohibitively difficult for wineries and consumers to challenge discriminatory and irrational laws that have little or nothing to do with the protection of the public," said Kirkland & Ellis attorney Tracy Genesen, who has been the lead attorney on many direct-shipping lawsuits that have resulted in state alcohol laws being overturned.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Ketel One Oranje a decade in the making

Purists may scream, but a company's gotta make money.

Enter Ketel One Oranje, a new orange-infused vodka expression from the Dutch distillery and premium spirits maker.

It made its debut at a party in Manhattan's trendy M Studio, complete with an aroma profile booth and beaucoup decorative citrus accents.

Ketel One is an 11th generation family business. Distiller Carl Nolet Jr. said the company has been working on Oranje for a decade, trying out a variety of oranges from sources as diverse as Brazil and Florida.

It shipped the extracts to Grasse, France, the perfume capital, to be refined and blended then sent to the Notel Distillery in Schiedam, Holland, where they were introduced to the vodka over a period of several days.

Oranje is hitting the market at a suggested retail price of $25 for the 750ml bottle.

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Feisty UK distiller ramps up products

The United Kingdom is famous for its whisky. Well, part of the UK, anyway.

While Scotland has the edge with more than 100 operating distilleries, Wales has one -- Pendryn -- as does England. At least it's a start.

The market soon will see the debut of the latest product from England's first and only registered whisky distilling company. Good news for high-end whisky buyers, who have been greeting the company's initial offerings with praise.

The English Whisky Company (EWC), created four years ago by farmer James Nelstrop in Norfolk, in December released its initial expression. That was a three-year-old single malt called Chapter 6, produced at its St. George's Distillery. Its second product, called Chapter 8, was sold out pre-release.

Now, in June the EWC will began distribution of 4,000 bottles of a peated three-year-old malt called Chapter 9.

"The EWC's peated whisky is way up there and is of an exceptionally high quality," Jim Murray, international whisky critic and author of the "Whisky Bible" told the Reuters news service. Murray estimates he samples about 1,000 whiskies a year.

"A number of Scottish distilleries just don't achieve that," he said. "Partly, that is because EWC is a small company and they ensure what they are producing is of high quality and every cask counts. They are on the path to gold."

About 10,000 people are employed in Scotland's whisky industry. The NWC has 10 part-timers. Nelstrop's son Andrew is the managing director. (My favorite title at the NWC is held by Barbara Nelstrop, who is called "peacekeeper/buyer.")

The EWC expects to ship up to 50,000 bottles this year, thanks to a distribution deal with Gordon & Macphail. It also sells its products in a number of European countries.

The Nelstrop family relied on Iain Henderson, who worked for the Laphroaig distillery, for advice, while the EWC's distillery was built by Scottish firm Forsyths, regarded as perhaps the best in the nation. The distillery boasts England's largest freshwater source, the Breckland Aquifer, to produce the EWC's whisky.

Purchasing information is available on the NWC's website.

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Haiti's Rhum Barbancourt bouncing back

Haiti's best-known export, Rhum Barbancourt, was hit hard during the January earthquake and aftershocks, but expects to resume bottling and shipping this month, or by mid-May.

Word from Port-au-Prince is that resumption of production comes despite an estimated $4 million in damages when bottles and oak vats, some containing precious 15-year-old rum, were destroyed in the quakes.

Thierry Gardère, general director and fourth generation in the family to run the company, told news reporters that it could take as long as four years to ramp up production to pre-disaster levels.

"It's pretty spectacular that Barbancourt is still here, is still great, and is still setting a high standard that other companies have to match -- especially at their luxury level," said Robert Burr, the Coral Gables, FL, publisher of the Gifted Rums Guide.

The company, founded in the 19th century by a French emigré, sells about $12 million of rum annually. The U.S. is its largest export market.

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Bacardi debuts 'torched cherry' infused rum

Historically, rum sales spike during warm weather. Thoughts of tropical climes, lazy days and freedom from tension go hand-in-hand with what's in your hand.

A nice rum cocktail, for example.

Bacardi is taking advantage of Barbados cherries with the light note of torch plant aloe for its new Bacardi Torched Cherry. An unusual combination, to say the least.

Torch plant aloe is indigenous to South Africa. The Barbados fruit is known as acerola, a cherry that is seeing an uptick in popularity.

Bacardi is trying "to meet consumers' needs for popular flavors that deliver an exotic twist at an accessible price," said brand director Gordon Chisholm, noting that the company is trying to build on the success of Bacardi Drago Berry, introduced last year.

Bacardi suggests using the new infused rum with a cherry flavored cola, or in cocktails pairing it with pomegranate syrup and garnished with a sugared rim, or combining it with pineapple juice and cranberry juice to taste.

The new 70-proof product sells for a suggested retail price of $13.99 for a 750–ml bottle. It also is available in 50, 200 and 375ml sizes, as well as one liter and 1.75-liters.

BACARDI WINS LEGAL ROUND

Barcadi USA Inc. has won a round in its legal battle with Pernod Ricard over sales of the Havana Club rum brand in the U.S. A federal judge in Delaware on Tuesday rejected Pernod's claims that Bacardi's use of the label is misleading because the rum is not made in Cuba. The judge ruled that Bacardi's product says it is made in Puerto Rico and is derived from a 1920s-era Cuban recipe.

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Annual SF medal avalanche results are in

Memo to self:

When I start my own distillery, make a point of entering products in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Near guarantee of winning some sort of medal to use in marketing campaign.

The topic of medal awards at wine and spirits competitions has long been a contentious one. One school of thought is that if you don't hand out a lot of medals, you won't get a lot of entries. Another school thinks stricter standards will make the medals that are awarded more prestigious, thus encouraging more participation.

I subscribe to the latter philosophy, which is why Anthony Dias Blue's annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition seems to be on my radar. Not that some of the very top awards aren't worthy of such attention; it's the sheer volume of double gold, gold, silver and bronze medals handed out each year.

At the recent SF event, judges awarded an astounding 131 double golds -- not your usual golds, but double golds, an honor that require unanimous agreement from the judges.

Part of that medal avalanche comes from the fact there are so many categories -- 71 of 'em -- and part from the fact the competition is known for its medal generosity. When you hand out hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of medals, the entry fees alone make for a hefty pot. Add to that the organizer's offer of rolls of award stickers to pop on your bottles -- at $60 per roll of 1,000 -- and the medal flood makes financial sense.

For those of you curious who walked off with the top awards, here is a list of double gold medals by category. You can get all the medal results online.

VODKA

• Best Vodka/Double Gold: Chase Vodka, Herefordshire, England, $40

• Double Gold Medals: V-One Vodka, Poland, $26; Rökk Vodka, Sweden; Ciroc Vodka, France, $32; SF Vodka China Beach Vodka, California, $35; Nemiroff Vodka Lex Ultra, Ukraine; Nemiroff Vodka Delikat, Ukraine

FLAVORED VODKA

• Best Flavored Vodka/Double Gold: Rain Organics Cucumber Lime Vodka, Kentucky, $21

• Double Gold Medal: Finlandia Grapefruit Fusion Vodka, Finland, $19

AQUAVIT

No double golds

GIN

• Best Gin/Double Gold: Beefeater Gin 24, England, $30

• Double Gold Medals: Wembley Gin, Romania; Bluecoat American Dry Gin, Pennsylvania, $28; Bellringer Gin, USA, $18; Hendrick's Gin, Scotland, 35; New Amsterdam Gin, California, $14; Gordon's Gin, England, $15

SOJU / SHŌCHŪ

No double golds

WHITE RUM

No double golds

DARK / GOLD RUM

• Best In Show/Double Gold: Vizcaya VXOP Solera Rum, Dominican Republic, $38

• Double Golds: 10 Cane Rum, Trinidad, $25; Stolen Gold Rum, Caribbean, Trinidad, $21; Tommy Bahama Golden Sun Rum, Barbados, $20; Berkshire Mountain Ragged Mountain Rum, Massachusetts, $30; Ron Viejo de Caldas Rum, Manizales, Colombia, $13; Angostura 7 Year Old Dark Rum, Trinidad & Tobago; Santa Teresa Selecto Rum, Venezuela, $25; Flor de Caña Gold Rum, Nicaragua, $15; Cruzan Aged Dark Rum, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, $16; Pampero Aniversario Rum, Venezuela, $39

FLAVORED RUM

No double golds

EXTRA-AGED RUM

• Best Extra-Aged Rum/Double Gold: Pusser's 15 Year Old Rum, Nelson's Blood, Trinidad, British Virgin Islands, $55

• Double Golds: Ron Abuelo 7 Year Old Rum, Panama, $20; Ron Abuelo 12 Year Old Rum, Panama, $20; Cruzan Single Barrel Extra-Aged Rum, St. Croix, American Virgin Islands, $32; Carupano Legendario, Carupano-Sucre, Venezuela, $1,000

OVERPROOF RUM

No double golds

RHUM AGRICOLE

No double golds

CACHAÇA

• Best Cachaça/Double Gold: Medal, Leblon Cachaça, Minas Gerais, Brazil, $30

• Double Golds: Germana Tradicional Cachaça, Minas Gerais, Brazil, $34; Savassi Premium Oak Cachaça, Minas Gerais, Brazil, $9; INOX Cachaça, Brazil

OTHER SUGAR CANE BASED SPIRITS

No double golds

SILVER / GOLD (UNAGED) TEQUILA

• Best In Show - White/Double Gold: Trago Silver Tequila, Altos de Jalisco, Mexico, $40

• Double Golds: El Tequileño Platino Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $35; Dulce Vida Blanco Tequila, 100 Proof, Jalisco, Mexico, $40

REPOSADO TEQUILA

• Best Reposado Tequila, Double Gold Medal, Trago Reposado Tequila, Altos de Jalisco, Mexico [40%] $45.

• Double Golds: Medal, AGV 400 Reposado Tequila, Altos de Jalisco, Mexico, $45; Dos Lunas Reposado Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $39; Tequila Blu Reposado Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $38; Corrido Reposado Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $35; José Cuervo Tradicional Reposado Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $25

AÑEJO TEQUILA

• Best Añejo Tequila (Tie) /Double Gold Medal: El Jimador Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $30, and Mujer Bonita Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $25

• Double Golds: Tequila Cinco Blancos Añejo Tequila, Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico, $23; U4RIK Añejo Tequila, Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico, $45; Orgullo Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $37; Don Julio Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $48

EXTRA-AGED AÑEJO TEQUILA

• Double Gold: Rey Sol Extra-Aged Añejo Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $300

MIXTO TEQUILA

• Double Gold: Somonque Silver Mixto Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, $13

FLAVORED TEQUILA

No double golds

MESCAL, SOTOL, BACANORA

• Best Mescal/Double Gold: El Zacatecano Añejo Mescal, Zacatecas, Mexico, 0%] $42

• Double Gold: Mina del Eden Reposado Mescal, Zacatecas, Mexico

OTHER AGAVE SPIRITS

No double golds

STRAIGHT BOURBON

• Double Gold: Johnny Drum Private Stock Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, $45; William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky, $70

SMALL BATCH BOURBON 10 YRS. AND UNDER

• Double Gold: Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Seasoned Oak Finish, Kentucky, $90

SMALL BATCH BOURBON 11 YRS. AND OLDER

No gold medals

SINGLE BARREL AMERICAN WHISKEY 10

• Double Gold: Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon, 1999 Vintage, Kentucky, $25; Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon, Kentucky, $40

SINGLE BARREL AMERICAN WHISKEY 11

• Best Bourbon/Double Gold: Elijah Craig Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Kentucky, $40

• Double Gold: Wild Turkey Bourbon Tradition, Kentucky, $115

TENNESSEE WHISKEY

• Double Gold: George Dickel Cascade Hollow Tennessee Whiskey

AMERICAN STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY

• Double Gold: Sazerac 18 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, Kentucky, $70; Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, Thomas H. Handy, Kentucky, $70

AMERICAN BLENDED WHISKEY

• Double Gold: Jeremiah Weed Blended Bourbon Whiskey, Cherry Mash, USA, $18; Jeremiah Weed Blended Bourbon Whiskey, USA, $18

CORN WHISKEY

• Double Gold: Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whiskey, Texas, $38

CANADIAN WHISKY

• Best Canadian Whisky/Double Gold: Seagrams VO Canadian Whisky, Canada, $23

• Double Gold: Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky, Canada, $50

BLENDED IRISH WHISKEY

• Best Irish Whiskey/Double Gold Medal: Bushmills 1608 Irish Whiskey Limited Edition, Ireland, $100

• Double Gold: Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey, Ireland, $32

SINGLE MALT IRISH WHISKEY

• Double Gold: Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Cask Strength, Connemara, Ireland, $60

PURE POT STILL IRISH WHISKEY

• Double Gold: Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey, Ireland, $60

OTHER WHISKEY

• Double Gold: Suntory The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, Japan, $110; Suntory The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky, Vintage 1984, Japan, $650

FLAVORED WHISKEY

No double golds

BLENDED SCOTCH

• Blended Scotch/Double Gold: The Grand Bark Equinoxe Blended Scotch, Scotland, $55

• Double Gold: The Grand Bark Epitome Blended Scotch, Scotland, $1,500; Pinch Scotch, Scotland, $45; Old Parr Superior Blended Scotch, Scotland, $75

DISTILLERS’ SINGLE MALT SCOTCH

• Best Single Malt Scotch/Double Gold: Ardbeg Single Malt Scotch, Corryvreckan, Islay, Scotland. $85

• Best In Show - Whisky/Double Gold: Isle of Jura Single Malt Scotch, Prophecy, Islands, Scotland, $70

• Double Gold: Glenglassaugh 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highland, Scotland, $234; Aberfeldy 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highland, Scotland, $149; Ardbeg Single Malt Scotch, Airigh Nam Beist 1990, Islay, Scotland, $85; Glenmorangie Original 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highland, Scotland, $40; Glenmorangie 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Lasanta Sherry Cask, Highland, Scotland, $50; Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Extremely Rare, Highland, Scotland, $100; Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch, Signet, Highland, Scotland, $200; Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside, Scotland, $65; Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside, Scotland, $130; The Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Single Barrel, Speyside, Scotland, $60; The Balvenie 17 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Madeira Cask, Speyside, Scotland, $120; Tomatin 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highland, Scotland, $70; The Glenrothes Alba Reserve Single Malt Scotch, Speyside, Scotland, $60; The Glenlivet 16 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, Nadurra, Speyside, Scotland, $60; The Glenlivet 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, Nadurra Triumph, Speyside, Scotland, $85; Laphroaig 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay, Scotland; Ardmore Traditional Cask Single Malt Scotch, Highlands, Scotland; Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands, Scotland, $55; .Oban 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands, Scotland, $80; Caol Ila 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay, Scotland, $50; Clynelish 14 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Highlands, Scotland, $50; Stronachie 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside, Scotland; Glen Taite 19 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside, Scotland, $99Blended Malt Scotch

BLENDED MALT SCOTCH

No double golds

COGNAC VS THREE STAR

No double golds

COGNAC VSOP OR EQUIVALENT

• Double Gold: Louis Royer Fine Champagne Cognac VSOP, Force 53, Cognac, France, $50; Bache-Gabrielsen Cognac VSOP, Cognac, France, $40; Cognac Ferrand Landy VSOP, France; Cognac Ferrand Landy VSOP, France

COGNAC XO OR EQUIVALENT

• Double Gold: Comandon Cognac XO, France, $145; Cognac Frapin Cognac XO, Chateau Fontpinot, Grande Champagne, France, $95

COGNAC EXTRA-AGED / VINTAGE

No double golds

ARMAGNAC VSOP OR EQUIVALENT

No double golds

ARMAGNAC XO OR EQUIVALENT

• Best Armagnac, Double Gold Medal, Comte de Lauvia 21 Year Old Armagnac, Eauze, France [40%] $35.
Importer: House of Burgundy, NY

ARMAGNAC VINTAGE - PRE 1985

No double golds

CALVADOS VS, VSOP, XO, HORS

• Double Golds: Berneroy Calvados Fine, France, $16; Père Magloire Calvados VSOP, Normandy, France, $40; Père Magloire Calvados XO, Normandy, France, $75; Roger Groult 15 Year Old Calvados Pays d'Auge, France, $72

CALVADOS VINTAGE

• Best In Show - Brandy/Double Gold: Père Magloire 20 Year Old Vintage Calvados, Normandy, France, [40%] $100

APPLE BRANDY

• Double Gold: Cornelius Applejack, New York, $45

ALAMBIC BRANDY

No double golds

FRENCH GRAPE BRANDY

No double golds

AMERICAN GRAPE BRANDY

No double golds

SPANISH GRAPE BRANDY & BRANDY

• Double Gold Medal, Cardenal Mendoza Brandy, Brandy de Jerez, Spain, $45

INDEPENDENT SINGLE MALT SCOTCH

• Double Gold: Stronachie 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Speyside, Scotland

BLENDED MALT SCOTCH

No double golds

GRAPPA

• Double Gold: Alexander Grappa di Moscato, Conegliano, Italy, $33

PISCO

• Best Pisco/Double Gold: Pisco "O" Torontel Pisco, Ica, Peru, $35

FRUIT BRANDY OTHER THAN GRAPE

No double golds

OTHER BRANDIES

No double golds

FRUIT LIQUEUR

• Best In Show - Liqueur/Double Gold: Grand Marnier 100th Anniversary Liqueur, France, $135

• Double Gold: Merlet Crème de Framboise, France, $27; Bvland Blackberry Liqueur, Spain, $15

HERBAL / BOTANICAL LIQUEUR

• Double Gold: EFE Yas Uzum / EFE RakiLiqueur, Turkey; Aperol Liqueur, Padua, Italy, $22

COFFEE LIQUEUR

• Double Gold: Santa Teresa Araku Rum, Venezuela, $24

CHOCOLATE LIQUEUR

No double golds

NUT LIQUEUR

No double golds

CREAM / DAIRY LIQUEUR

• Best Cream Liqueur/Double Gold: Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur, Belgium, $30

• Double Gold: Tres Leches Triple Cream Liqueur, USA, $21; Godiva Caramel Liqueur, Belgium, $30; Bottega Gianduia Liqueur, Italy, $25

OTHER LIQUEUR

No double golds

SCHNAPPS

No double golds

ABSINTHE

No double golds

APÉRITIF

No double golds

PRE-MIXED COCKTAILS

No double golds

OTHER MISCELLANEOUS SPIRITS

• Double Gold: Underground Herbal Spirit /Herbal Bitter Liqueur, Utah, USA, $28; Corsair Wry Moon Unaged Rye Whiskey, USA, $34

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