When the groundhog predicted more winter, he wasn’t kidding, huh? Luckily, we’ve got plenty to keep us warm in the snow. If you’re looking to beef up your bottle stock for the next cold snap (and we all know there will be another…) check out the craft spirits getting us through the winter. Trust us, they’re worth a taste! Some are just around for the season, so you better make your way to the nearest distillery or order one for delivery.

Bluebird Distilling’s Winter Whiskey – This limited release is so good you’ll want to scoop yourself up a bottle before it’s all gone! Bluebird takes a fresh Four Grain bourbon, adds a pinch of brown sugar, and then steeps the mix in a meritage of winter spices. Warm notes of vanilla, baking spices, orange zest, and toffee fill every sip. So yeah, it’s pretty much perfect. 

Manatawny Still Works Port Barrel Gin – It’s like every other gin you’ve tried except better… Manatawny Still Works took their American Gin and finished it in Gandona Estate port barrels. Sweet, oaky and tasting of vanilla, this gin is sure to sell out quickly, especially when you consider that the previous release of this gin was named one of the “Top 100 Spirits of 2020” by Wine Enthusiast.

MISCellaneous Distillery’s Brill’s Batch Straight Bourbon Whisky – People love this whisky and it’s really not a secret why, so we’ll keep it short and sweet when we say that the batch on sale right now has been aged for over 2 years. Moral of the story: don’t wait until it’s sold out to try it because you might be waiting a while… 

McClintock Distilling Company’s Bootjack Rye Whiskey – This whiskey is award winning – snatching the Gold at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (along with many more accolades in 2019). But the reason we love it is because it tastes like those winter months when you’re holed up inside with something delicious baking. It’s probably because there’s a sweet note of banana bread in the finish. 

Republic Restoratives’ “Madam” – We can’t stop talking about the beauty of this bottle, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. This spirit is a blend of 6 year old bourbon and 5 year old rye that was slow smithed before bottling. Republic Restoratives is known for these landmark event spirits, so they’re kind of a collector’s dream in addition to being beautifully bold in flavor. 

Upcoming releases:

Rowhouse Spirits Middle Eastern Style Arak – You can get this spirit when Rowhouse Spirits returns to East Falls Farmers Market this Saturday 11 a.m. to 1. Before bottling, it’s distilled from grapes and flavored with whole anise, so the flavor is a unique and delicious experience. 

Old Line Spirits’ Early Release of American Single Malt – Only 100 bottles of this are available, so get it while it’s good! This spirit is finished in ex-port wine casks and has all the flavor you’d expect from Old Line’s award-winning Single Malt Whiskey (and then some!). 

Triple Sun Spirits Bourbon Release – Mark your calendars for March 12 when this little mystery spirit will be available at all Triple Sun Spirits locations. The anticipation is killing us!

For more craft spirits getting us through winter – check out this recent recipe blog!