Most of the ciders you come across here in the states tend to be sickly-sweet affairs, making them less than ideal for pairing with food — or for drinking more than just one. Soon, however, you’ll be able to escape that sad fate by picking up some Stella Artois Cidre. Launching May 13 in four-packs and 24 oz. bottles, this new drink is drier and crisper than your normal cider, made with hand-picked apples grown in wine-friendly regions, and design to complement foods like chicken, fish, many cheeses, and even Asian foods.

Price Tag:  ($TBA)

Beefeater Burrough’s Reserve Oak Rested Gin Good news: this new gin is based on the original Beefeater, rested in barrels that once contained scrumptious Lillet apertif wine. Unfortunately it’s not available in the U.S. until October of this year. 

Price Tag: ($TBA)

Don’t let its clear color fool you this is no typical moonshine. Inspired by the white whiskey distilled by founder Jacob Beam, Jim Beam Jacob’s Ghost White Whiskey is actual, full-on whiskey that offers the woody flavors of a traditional bourbon but with a lighter body and greater versatility. It’s aged for at least a year in a charred white oak barrel, resulting in a slightly smoky flavor with light vanilla and sweet corn undertones. And while it can certainly be enjoyed like a traditional bourbon neat, on the rocks, or in traditional whiskey cocktails it really shines when you use it to replace white spirits like vodka, tequila, or rum.

Price Tag:  $22

Just because their affordable baseline bourbon is a cheap drunk’s best friend doesn’t mean they can’t go high brow. Distiller’s Masterpiece is extra aged and finished in sherry casks. 

Price Tag: $199

Camus is celebrating their 150th with their new limited edition Cuvée 5.150. Each are individually numbered and come in a Baccarat crystal decanter, filled with their Cuvée 5.150 which boasts notes of creamy vanilla, fruits, and sweet almonds with a finish of oaky, dried fruit.

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Derived from a small batch of rare grain whiskey and aged for 12 years in flame-charred barrels, this retains Jameson’s trademark woodiness but has a touch of vanilla sweetness and the spice of baked apples.

Price Tag: $44

A hot twenty-something? Count us in. Part of the “Presidential Suite”, this bottled beauty was aged 21-24 years in a very small batch, and we want it. Badly.

Price Tag: $120

Launching this April, Chivas Regal and famed Italian design house Pininfarina create stunning collectors editions featuring Chivas 18. Inspired by the elements the collaboration will feature three limited editions: Limited Edtion 1 which is housed in a case based on a “streamlined drop”, a Limited Edition 2 which takes the case design of and adds a wood inlay and two specially designed glasses, and the Chivas 18 Mascherone, an aluminum wrapped wooden art piece that is designed after the wooden frames used to sculpt Pininfarina’s iconic contours. Image of the Mascherone after the jump.

Price Tag:  $140-$100,000

Bulleit Bourbon has long been an affordable favorite for lovers of the smokey libation. Bulleit 10 Year adds some age and flavor distinctions, at a price. The fine gentlemen over at Bourbon Blog have had the first crack at the new whiskey, and from what we can tell, it’s definitely worth a try. This big brother bourbon maintains all the simple, flavor-packed greatness of original Bulleit char, caramel, vanilla and spice with more depth and subtle hints of extra sweetness in the finish. The 10 is 91.2 proof, with plenty of kick, and comes in special packaging with a wealth of Bulleit bourbon history. It’s $15 to $20 more expensive than its younger brother, which a solid step up; still, with extra age and a more mature character, we’re sure tempted for a try. It’ll be available soon.

Price Tag: ($45)

The essential Holiday cocktail, the Basil Hayden’s Holiday Spice, which combines winter flavors like maple syrup and cinnamon with Basil Hayden’s spicy finish. Joaquín’s expert mixology skills make the cocktail the perfect addition to any holiday party, or a low-key fireside evening. I’ve listed out the full cocktail recipe and included an image below. Let me know if you are interested in receiving any high-res images or need any additional information and I would be happy to provide.

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Cradle your whisky with the care it deserves inside the Dewars x FSC Travel Bag. This multifunctional roll is handmade in NYC from water-repellent 18 oz. waxed canvas, and features Dewar’s signature Highlander Tartan fabric lining, hand-cut English bridle leather straps, a long interior pocket, and an included Dewar’s flask. Also useful as a dopp kit, tool kit, or knife roll, but we prefer using it for its original purpose.

Price Tag: $150

Frank Sinatra was known to drink Jack Daniel’s,and now Jack is returning the favor by honoring the man who was such a loyal fan. Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select arrives at 90 proof inside a specially-designed one-liter bottle and gift box that both feature accents of orange Frank’s favorite color ,and a distinct “hat” logo. The whiskey is made from barrels that are hand-selected by Master Distiller Jeff Arnett for a fuller flavor and darker color, then mingled with classic Old No. 7 to result in a drink with a smooth, bold character.

Price Tag: ($TBA)

Call it white whiskey, call it moonshine, but don’t dare call it ordinary. Jack Daniel’s Unaged Rye Whiskey is the first new mashbill to come out of Lynchburg in over 100 years, and surprises drinkers with a sweet and fruity smell, plenty of rye bite, and a crisp, dry finish. Available in Tennessee in December, and arriving elsewhere early next year.

Price Tag: $50

Rum is often not taken as seriously as it should be. Of course, this dismissive attitude has much to do with the outmoded image of dashboard hula dancers, swimming pool-sized daiquiris, and college blunders involving a handle of Bacardi and root beer. (Elmore Leonard might also be to blame.) But revisited, rum is a truly American spirit: roguish, rascally, and surprisingly complex. It can be sipped, it can be mixed, or it can be dumped into a punch bowl. Herein, a comprehensive guide to how it’s done the right way.

What It Is (and Where It Comes From)

In his treatise And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails, Wayne Curtis sums up the spirit’s carefree approach: “Rum embodies America’s laissez-faireattitude. It is whatever it wants to be.” Simply, if it’s made from sugarcane or a byproduct like molasses, it’s called rum. As for its origins, early distillers weren’t always the best record keepers, but it’s surmised that somewhere in the Caribbean (probably Barbados) the first heady dram was conceived. Today it’s produced everywhere from Panama and Trinidad to Alameda, California and Puerto Rico and exported just about everywhere else.

How to Stock the Cabinet with It

Though it’s unlikely the average guest will openly challenge his host’s knowledge in the nuances of rum production, if you find yourself in a bind, all you really need to know is that there are two overarching categories of rum: rhum industriel, a fancy way of describing any rum made from sugarcane byproducts, usually molasses — this is the majority of rum on shelves today — and rhum agricole, a rarer seasonal method using freshly harvested sugarcane, which is pressed for its juice. When the occasion calls for the latter, we like Rhum J.M. from Martinique. As for the rest, there are no hard and fast rules, but the easiest way to tell them apart is to distinguish between aged and un-aged. Within those, of course, rum can come in all kinds of colors, like these…

Light Rum: The Mild Stuff

Also known as a Rob Roy, it might seem odd at first, especially if you’re expecting something like a Manhattan.It should be enjoyed as its own cocktail and, especially when the summer weather calls for something slightly less bracing than rye. On the boat, or the beach, or anywhere, really.

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