The Top Community Rated Other Spirits From Last Week

Skiklubben Aquavit is inspired by the Nansen Ski Club located in Berlin, New Hampshire, which dates back to 1872 and was founded by Nordic settlers. Made by Tamworth Distilling, this aquavit features a whiskey base, which includes a blend of bourbon with barley and wheat whiskey. Key botanicals include caraway, ginger, black walnut cardamom, star anise, and pink peppercorn.

Dubonnet Rouge is a red aromatized wine that has been in existence since 1846, originally created by French wine merchant and chemist, Sir Joseph Dubonnet (a rendering of whose cat has always been on the label). For many decades, there were 2 different versions in the market place, one international and one in the US. This version, reformulated by Heaven Hill, replaces the former US recipe. It is made with a base of muscat wine (as opposed to the former merlot and cabernet), and raises the percentage of quinine, with the addition of black tea and black currants, along with its traditional cinchona bark. In addition, it is now sweetened with cane sugar instead of corn syrup. It is bottled at 19% ABV.

Ketel One Botanical hits shelves beginning May 2018. Grapefruit & Rose is part of a trio of releases which all start with Ketel One Vodka--made with 100% non-GMO grain. A botanical recipe is added and the product is redistilled in copper pot stills. Then it is infused with "naturally-extracted essences of crisp, fragrant fruits and botanicals". No artificial flavors, added sugars, or artificial sweeteners are added. Bottled at 60 proof, a 1.5 oz serving is 73 calories.

Ketel One Botanical hits shelves beginning May 2018. Cucumber & Mint is part of a trio of releases which all start with Ketel One Vodka--made with 100% non-GMO grain. A botanical recipe is added and the product is redistilled in copper pot stills. Then it is infused with "naturally-extracted essences of crisp, fragrant fruits and botanicals". No artificial flavors, added sugars, or artificial sweeteners are added. Bottled at 60 proof, a 1.5 oz serving is 73 calories.

Ketel One Botanical hits shelves beginning May 2018. Peach & Orange Blossom is part of a trio of releases which all start with Ketel One Vodka--made with 100% non-GMO grain. A botanical recipe is added and the product is redistilled in copper pot stills. Then it is infused with "naturally-extracted essences of crisp, fragrant fruits and botanicals". No artificial flavors, added sugars, or artificial sweeteners are added. Bottled at 60 proof, a 1.5 oz serving is 73 calories.

Poitin is an Irish-style white whiskey. This offering from O'Begley in Pittsford, New York -- founded in 2011 -- is made from 75% New York barley, 20 % malted barley, and 5% oats, fermented with ale yeast.

Glendalough prides itself on being Ireland's first craft distillery, founded by 5 friends from Dublin and Wicklow in 2011. This is their signature Poitín (pronounced "po-tcheen," which means "pot stilled whiskey," the original Irish "water of life") recipe distilled from sugar beets and malted barley, but very lightly aged in sherry casks. The label depicts St. Kevin, the monk credited with introducing pot stilled whiskey to Ireland in the 16th century.

Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino is a sweet and amber colored vermouth featuring Moscato wine as its base. Botanicals used here include cinchona and rhubarb which help to color the wine along with caramelized sugar. Other botanicals include Artemisia absinthium, sandalwood, musk, myrrh, and nutmeg. Vermouth di Torino is one of two regions for vermouth which have Geographic Indicators protecting its production.

Lillet Blanc is an aromatized wine (but it's not a vermouth) featuring Bordeaux grapes such as semillion and sauvignon blanc. Sweet oranges, bitter oranges, and quinine macerate in alcohol before it's mixed in with the wine. Next it is placed in large oak vats to mellow before it's blended and bottled. Lillet Blanc was introduced in 1986 and it replaced Kina Lillet which featured more quinine. Bottled at 17% ABV, it is often served on ice with a citrus peel.

Dolin is one of two vermouth brands made in Vermouth de Chambéry, a region which has an appellation d'origine contrôlée or AOC which dictates how the vermouth is to be made. Dolin Dry Vermouth is made primarily from ugni blanc wine and blend of 15 different botanicals. These include grand wormwood, brooklime, rose, and orange peel, as well as verbena and yellow genepi. It is slightly sweet (sugar less than 50g/L) and bottled at 17.5% ABV.