Šmakovka is a strong alcoholic drink from eastern Latvia. It’s made from grain, usually barley or rye, or a mixture of both. Traditionally it’s been distilled at homes with hand made equipment. In western and northern Latvia it is known as kandža. Šmakovka is such a traditional drink that there is…
Eclipse is the flagship product of Barbadian distillery Mount Gay, said to be one of the world's oldest rum company. The distillery, which operated as a family company from 1703 until 1989, is now owned by Remy Cointreau. The golden yellow Eclipse is written to have been released in 1910. It…
Hennessy is the best-known cognac and, with over 40% market share, also by far the best-selling brand. It is sold all over the world and quite comprehensively available in Baltic grocery stores. It is not rare that, especially in smaller stores, only Hennessy products can be found on the cognac shelf.…
Antica Distilleria Quaglia is a winery and distillery founded in 1906 in Piedmont, Italy. Today, the great-grandson of the founder Carlo Quaglia directs the company. Berto is produced in both sweet vermouth versions, Rosso and Bianco. There is also a bitter in their selection, Berto Bitter, which will be reviewed later…
Amarula is a cream liqueur from South Africa. It is produced by Distell, Africa's largest alcohol producer and one of the few African companies to have their products distributed globally. Amarula is made from the fruits of the Marula tree. The juice obtained from the fruit is fermented and distilled into…
Cross Keys Gin is the most famous gin in Latvia and the only Latvian gin for sale outside its home country. It is produced by Latvijas Balzams, one of the largest alcohol producers in the Baltic states. The distillery is owned by Amber Distribution, headquartered in Luxembourg. Cross Keys Gin was…
Zanin is a well-known grappa producer in the Veneto region of Italy. In addition to a wide selection of different grappas, they also have other alcohols in production, mainly liqueurs but also gin, rum and a few barrels of brandy. Straveccio is a brandy matured for five years in a French…
The Italian Bottega is better known for its wines and sparkling wines, but they also have many other products in production, such as Grappa and limoncello. Bottega has a history of more than 300 years and today they maintain four wineries in the Veneto region. Grappa is produced under the Alexander…
At least in the Baltic countries, the Bourbons sold in stores seem to be divided into two different camps. Cheap products worth € 10-15 (70cl), slightly obscure, often bottled in Europe and mostly bulk whiskey bought from some big producers. And then there are bottles from big, well-known manufacturers that cost…
Ancnoc is malt whisky from the Knockdhu distillery in the Highland / Speyside region of Scotland. Most of the malt whisky produced by Knockdhu is sold to the blended whisky makers. After various name changes, the owner of Knochdhu established the brand AnCnoc (the hill) so that it would not be…