Review

Notes: Made in the original Dutch Schultz Bootleg Distillery in Pine Plains, New York, Where moonshine for New York Cities thirsty masses where longing for alcohol during the long dark night of prohibition in this country (1919-1933). Restored (at least most of it – some of it remains off limits due to insurance) and revived Dutch’s Spirits now produces this the Dutch’s Spirits New York Sugar Wash Moonshine, along with a series of three bitters,  Prohi-Bitters Cocktail Bitters,  Colonial Cocktail Bitters, and Boom Town Cocktail Bitters .
Frankly sugar shine was the epitome of cheap moonshine and is still the easiest low cost option for backwoods distilling as you did not need to sprout,mash or otherwise fool with any grains fruits or vegetables.It was the simplest,easiest way to make alcohol that you could then dress up or manufacture to pass off as whatever the customer wanted, This was the reason the gangs got into it during prohibition and why it is still in use to produce cheap moonshine in (primarily) rural areas.
Dutch’s Spirits Moonshine is however a completely different animal. First off it is completely legal, second it is far better in taste and quality than your usual sugar wash shine and produced with much higher standards (more like your drink in’ rather than selling’ moonshine) in a pot still of professional manufacture. Made from Demerara sugar and local water this could be considered in some ways at least a member  rum family for those who feel a need to classify this spirit.

Appearance: Clear shining appearance, with a nice oily coat on swirling with legs then droplets forming.

First Impression: Surprisingly herbal with a grassy note of sugar cane touches of vanilla, maple, tropical fruits (lychees or mammons),  and caramel.

Taste: Very much as the nose, herbal, grassy, with vanilla, maple, tropical fruits (lychees or mammons), slightly woody with some spicy caramelized sugar notes.

Drinks: Works well in vodka and white rum drinks as an excellent alternative.

Bottle: Heavy clear glass jug design with a heavy decanter type base.Very reminiscent of  stoneware jug down to the finger ring handle,cylindrical shape and sloped shoulders, it has a somewhat longer neck. Label is cream colored and almost a full wrap around with old style currency type shading to the font and the same applies to the neck seal which sits atop the wooden disc and composite cork stopper.Altogether a classier looking jug style bottle than most of the ones we have seen previously.

Other: Much better and more flavorful than we expected

Final Thoughts: A decent, well made sugar shine.

Website: http://dutchsspirits.com

Decent easy to navigate website if lacking the obsessive detail we like in a website. Amusing story behind the complex is covered in some detail.