If you’re like us, going to the liquor store (or ordering online for liquor delivery) can be a stressful situation. You’re busy, you’re thirsty, and you want to get in and out as quickly as possible so that you can fast forward to sitting on your couch/patio/roof with an ice cold beverage in hand.
More often than not, this leads you to fall back on the brands you’ve been ordering since college. While brand loyalty is something we understand deeply here at Manhattan with a Twist, it never hurts to branch out and try a little something different every now and again. Here are some under the radar brands with interesting origin stories to help liven things up a bit.
Vestal Vodka
With a spectacular origin story, we can’t get enough of Vestal Vodka. Named after a select crop of vestal virgin potatoes in his father’s native region of Northern Poland, Vestal owner and master distiller William Borrell has done something incredibly special with a brand near and dear to his heart. Unlike traditional vodka brands with its many distillations, Vestal is distilled only once, allowing the texture and flavor of the rich Polish soil to shine through, and leaves a smooth yet complex finish on the palate. The emphasis on terroir makes Vestal Vodka a disruptor in the vodka category for sure, but what makes this brand incredibly special is its wonderful team, and the heart with which they accomplish everything they put into the company’s success.
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Jaisalmer Gin
In a market saturated by European producers, Jaisalmer Indian Gin is an excellent example of why Europeans traversed the globe in search of spices in the first place. Juniper is still the predominant flavor here, but unlike more traditional British gins, this bottle also contains subtle hints of lemongrass, vetiver, and sweet orange peel, providing a sensual foray into the subcontinent with just a few sips. It’s lovely on its own but also adds some intrigue as the star of a classic Negroni.
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Volcan Tequila
A brand that prides itself on being of the earth — de mi tierra — and honed from thousands of years of careful maintenance of an ancient terroir, Volcan’s agave plants were born from the ashes of a volcano in Jalisco, Mexico. From there, a dedicated group of farmers patiently wait 3,250 days for the agave plant to blossom before harvesting and distilling a truly excellent tequila. For a fun take on the Volcan brand, they’ve partnered with Cocktail Couriers to create a unique experience for their fans with an Apres Surf box, featuring an array of beach themed products sure to delight the senses as you sip your margarita surf-side.
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Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 Rum
While Ron Zacapa is not necessarily an under-the-radar brand, I feel that rum often gets lumped into a category with “booze you drank too much as a teenager and therefore won’t even consider it,” and I’m asking you to give it another shot (literally). The Centenario specifically is both delicate and well rounded, most likely because of the aging in oak barrels that previously held either American whiskey, sherry, or Pedro Ximenez wines. This rum can be sipped with one cube of ice or used in any classic rum-based cocktail (we love a daiquiri) if you’re not ready to fully commit to that “rum with one rock” order.
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Gracias a Dios Piña Mezcal
A tropical twist on this smoky Mexican classic, this bottle is an annual special produced by the team at Gracias a Dios. Each year, the team produces a new bottle infused with one specific fruit, and 2022 was the year of the pineapple. Mezcal (like Scotch) can sometimes be off-putting because of the high smoke factor, but the infusion of pineapple in this bottle makes it much more mild and approachable for those who may be wary of a smoky liquor. I loved it paired with a flavored seltzer.
Shop Gracias a Dios here
Kraken Rum
Another rum? We told you, it’s time for rum drinkers to shine. This spiced rum is an excellent option for at-home mixology projects, or a tried and true fall favorite like spiced rum and apple cider. The Kraken brand is an elevated replacement for brands that rhymes with Blaptain Jordan…and who doesn’t love the chance to pepper daily conversation with “Unleash the Kraken!”
Shop Kraken Rum here
