Crafted in small batches and housed in elegantly branded bottles, OOLA (~$32.99) uses all natural ingredients locally selected within Washington State to create unique flavorful vodka, gin and whisky. Each is balanced with different spices and fruits adding up to a very inspiring palate for sipping straight or mixing in your favorite martini / cocktail combinations. Looking for a little more tasting notes; OOLA distills a spicy pepper vodka, rosemary vodka and citrus.
Boston's Bully Boy Distillers (~$28/bottle) is owned and operated by brothers Will and Dave Willis. Paying particular attention to the caliber of ingredients used in its products, Bully Boy hand-produces premium spirits in small batches, emphasizing quality over quantity. The duo use a 600 liter copper pot still, which allows for the creation of spirits with complexity and character. Their whiskeys and vodka are USDA certified organic, which means the base ingredients are grown naturally without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Bully Boy’s signature White Rum is made with Blackstrap Molasses along with a blend of cuts to create a white rum that has both depth and a remarkably smooth finish. When's the last time you saw what went into your Captain Morgan?
Throughout the world, private collectors have some of the best collections of Whiskey kept in secret. In some rare cases these secret selections are discovered and made available, such as the private collection of vintage casks of Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirit's The Glenrothes. After precise verification methods a selection of the casks were bottled and made into the Glenrothes Extraordinary Cask Collection (Starting at $4000). The first of these whiskeys was distilled in 1970 and according to the Glenrothes philosophy, these bottles are at peak maturity. Cask #10573 yielded 179 bottles at 40.6% alcohol and a clear and bright ex-bourbon hogshead with golden hues. The term 'Extraordinary' was selected because "It applies equally to these casks selected for their personality and excellence, allowing them to stand alone as examples of the supremacy of The Glenrothes bloodline."
For those of us who choose wine by the label or enjoy wine that inspires, Hold And Hollo (~$30) will jump off the shelf with their simple rubber textured labels and unique semi-transparent boxes. Örsi Juhász & Gergő Kovács in Hungary successfully crafted a design that reflects the brands re-invention of Tokaj wines. Hold And Hollo comes in a fresh flavorful Dry or a golden white sweet, both best served 50-54 degrees fahrenheit and in good company.
Not many vodkas can claim to be filtered through lava rocks. Reyka ($29) can. This is a vodka as unique as the land it comes from. The spirit is produced by hand in Borgarnes, Iceland and limited to small batches. Considering Vodka is over 60% water, you could say it's the most important ingredient. Lucky for them, Reyka uses some of the purest on earth from a local arctic spring. To complete the equation the Icelandic's utilize a special carter head still which allows the spirit to interact with botanicals while still in the gaseous state before it reaches the condensing component of the still. Sit back and admire that wonderful branding as you enjoy the vodka's smooth yet cool crisp finish.
As one of Ontario's original micro-roasters and independent coffee companies, Balzac's Coffee Roasters ($15+) embraces a unique hand lettered design to showcase their crafted coffee brand. Balzac's has four blends to choose from: Farmer's Blend, Celebes Kalossi, Balzac's Expresso, and the bird friendly Atwood Blend- an Organic Amber Roast with distinct notes of caramel and cocoa. Order online or visit one of seven locations around Southern Ontario to get your morning coffee pep the traditional, natural way.
Larkburger ($5) is the latest burger joint and it's taking Colorado by storm. Their flavors are complex but their story is a lot simpler. What started out as a small Vail area spot puts natural high quality ingredients first. Their business model runs on natural as well. From reclaimed wood interiors to recycling cooking oil into their vehicles, Larkburger takes sustainability seriously. Whatever you do, don't skimp on the truffle fries.
What started out as a small mom and pop shop in Wilmington, DE over 30 years ago is now becoming quite the success story with well over 45 locations scattered across the US. Capriotti's is known for roasting whole turkeys to use on their signature items. Sandwiches like "The Bobbie" ($6.50), basically thanksgiving on a sub, have really let Capriotti's stand out among the slew of strong competition. The Sandwich consisting of fresh pulled turkey obviously, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mayo was named the best sandwich in america by a reader poll in 2010. These folks are opening new locations constantly so see if you can hunt one down near you.
One of the easiest and fastest ways to create an awesome dish everyone will love is to add a bangin sauce. And let us just say, LeGrande ($6) delivers. Whip up delish steak sandwiches with their tzatziki, or pull together some quick pasta with one of their awesome pestos. The sauces also fill in as great dips. Your best shot of finding it for now is by the other cold dressings at higher end supermarkets or natural food stores.
Show off you culinary mastery with Agrovim olive oil ($tba). This oil is so legit it is actually grown and produced in Kalamata, Greece. It doesn't get any more authentic than that, not to mention the company has a slew of international awards. On top of a world class oil, you get some really awesome branding which lets it stand out and makes using it that more enjoyable.
