2006 Spirit Releases

Brazil’s caipirinha may well be the next superstar cocktail, and Cachaça is the star ingredient—a rum-like spirit made from sugar cane. Leblon, aged in casks that once held Cognac, tastes smoother than most—so smooth it can be sipped straight or used in place of rum and vodka in many other cocktails.
Price: $30

With only 3588 bottles produced, Glenmorangie Margaux Cask Finish won’t be found in every bar. But for those lucky enough to enjoy a bottle, the rewards will be great as this 18-year-old malt present intriguing, unique flavors created by ageing the whisky in casks formerly used by vineyards in France’s Margaux region.
Price: $350

In a party mood? Throw on some Brazilian music and find some cachaça to blend in your favorite Caipirinha recipe. Cachaça is a Brazilian rum made from the fermented juice of sugar cane, rather than the typical molasses. At Água Luca, the highest quality cane is hand cut and distilled using techniques that have been refined over 450 years. It is then filtered twelve times to produce a very smooth spirit. For cocktail recipes, visit Água Luca's website.
Price: $28

Idôl Vodka is made using Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from Burgundy. This isn't a grape-flavored vodka, but rather one made from the alcohol produced when the grapes are distilled seven times (versus the typical three or four). That, together with being filtered five times, creates a smooth beverage with a unique bouquet and a long, soft finish.
Price: $33

Apple-ation features aromas and flavors of fresh apple pie and is a great choice for a cool fall evening sitting next to the fire. Winemaker Guy Davis of Davis Family Vineyards strays from typical brandy-making methods by leaving the apple solids (peels included) with the juice during fermentation, cooking and ageing to intensify flavor.
Price: $35

Nàdurra is Gaelic for "natural" and refers to the fact this Scotch is bottled at natural cask strength and produced without chill filtration. This makes it the closest thing to drinking straight from a cask at The Glenlivet distillery. It is a small batch single malt that is aged a minimum of sixteen years and has a distinct, honeyed taste.
Price: $60

This new addition to the Stolichnaya family of flavored vodkas was the top choice amongst eleven possible new flavors tested by a bartender focus group. Stoli adds fruit juices prior to filtration to create the world's first blueberry vodka.
Price: $20

Forty potatoes from the fertile fields of Podlasie, Poland, are used to make a single 750 mL bottle of this premium vodka. Only small, family farms that use organic growing, fertilization and harvesting methods are used. After four distillations, the result is a creamy, rich texture vodka with subtle aromas.
Price: $32