New York State | Spirits Review

Last Shot Distilling Orange Creme Lightning Liqueur and Lightning Whiskey

An extremely easy to drink and well-balanced liqueur that is not overly sweet.Faithful reproduction of a childhood orange cream popsicle with a kick that is somehow subtle yet substantial at the same time. Quite an achievement in vision and blending!

Rating: 9
Value: 9

Last Shot Distilling Sweet Maple

Type: American, Maple Syrup, New York State, Small Batch

A deftly made slightly sweet maple spirits aged with Oak Staves

Rating: 8
Value: 7

Last Shot Gin

Type: New World, New York State

A vanilla forward citrus and juniper gin. Very interesting and has the makings for a whole new take on gin cocktails.

Rating: 8
Value: 7

Leyline Handcrafted Vodka – White Label

Type: European Style Vodka

A nicely done small batch locavore wheat vodka for mixology.

Rating: 8
Value: 8

McKenzie Distillers Reserve Gin

Type: London Dry Style

A good solid London Dry with not as much juniper as some others.

Rating: 8
Value: 8

Myer Farm Gin

Type: Hand-Crafted New World Gin, Micro Distilled, New York State

A well made but unusually spiced gin. A challenge for mixologists.

Rating: 8
Value: 9

Myer Farm Vodka

Type: American organic grain (wheat), New York State

An organic white winter wheat vodka grown, distilled and bottled on the same farm in upstate New York.

Rating: 7
Value: 7

Myer Farm White Dog Corn Whiskey

Type: American White Whiskey, Micro Distilled

Well done, 100% New York State organic corn

Rating: 9
Value: 9

O’Begley Classic Whiskey Chocolate Liqueur

Type: Chocolate, cream, New York State

A damn nice chocolate whiskey liqueur that is dangerously easy to drink.Use instead of cream in your coffee for a slightly less edgy morning.

Rating: 9
Value: 8

O’Begley Old Kilfoutan Whiskey

A full but gentle Irish whiskey-type malt whiskey with a full-grain palate.

Rating: 9
Value: 8

Red Saw Bourbon Batch No. 1 ( A.K.A. The Pilot Batch )

Type: American Whisky, Grain, Grain Base, High Rye Bourbon, New York State, Small Batch Bottling

A lean, dry as dust whiskey not without its charms. Not your average young bourbon.

Rating: 7
Value: 8

Red Saw Rye Batch 13

Type: Rye

Red Saw Rye Batch 13 which is the first sample of their 30 gallon barrel ryes. It is a significant departure from the younger expressions with the rye/oak ratio being in more balance.
An interesting milestone in their evolution. Read More …

Rating: 8
Value: 8

Red Saw Rye Batch 6

Type: New York State

A somewhat oak forward rye but in a charming way rather than an oak stave between the eyes. A nice upward progression in terms of quality/taste in this rye.

Rating: 8
Value: 7

Red Saw Rye Batch 9

Type: Rye

Another later batch of Red Saw Rye that was aged a bit longer in the same size barrel but shows intriguing progress/evolution. Read the full review…

Rating: 7
Value: 7

Red Saw Rye Whiskey Batch 4

Type: American, American Grain, American Whisky, New York State, Organic Rye, Rye

A well done, young and exuberant rye with some rough edges to its character making for a charmingly roguish character

Rating: 8
Value: 8

Southern Tier Distilling 2X Hopped Hop Flavored Whiskey

Type: American Whisky, New York State

A really outstanding beer derived type of whiskey with a truly lovely taste of pleasant citrusy and piney hops – not the usual rancid tom cat piss smell you get from some hops. A crossover whiskey from the beer and hops making for an extremely drinkable whiskey. Slap a nipple on the bottle and send me to bed.

Rating: 9
Value: 8