If (like us) you forgot to honor Mother’s day this year, we’d like to point out that the first item we’re going to talk about is available year-round, so maybe mom would like one too, or maybe you’d like to take advantage of it some other time. But as a Father’s Day gift, you’ll need to order by June 5, 2013 (or June 1st if there are special graphics required) in order to receive it by the sixteenth. We recommend you call the store and ask for David during daytime business hours, or stop by in person to learn more. The first item we’re referring to is of course a custom-engraved bottle of Johnnie Walker’s legendary Blue Label Scotch. No gift is quite as personal as one that is, well, personalized. And a custom-engraved bottle of Blue Label allows you to inscribe your personal message using three lines of up to sixteen characters to do it. And a choice of several typefaces, or even a graphic, if you order in time. If your dad is more of a craft beer kind of guy, consider picking up a bottle of Dad’s Little Helper from Rogue. It’s a limited availability item that is often hard to find by the end of June. And Rogue’s story behind the beer – which has been offered as a Black IPA since 2006 – summons the real spirit of Father’s day: “After the death of his wife, Henry Jackson Smart was left to raise 6 young children alone. His courage, love, selflessness and dedication inspired his daughter, Sonora Smart Dodd, to organize the First Father’s Day on June 19th, 1910. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Fathers Day. President Nixon, in 1972, established it as a permanent day of national observance.” Rogue added their own observance of the holiday in 2005 with Dad’s Little Helper. For more Father’s Day ideas, check out The Sweet Smell of Dad from last year, but be aware that some of those items were available in limited quantity. More info below. (more…)

In today’s world of fine spirits, it’s hard to stand out. It’s kind of a mixed blessing that there are so many choices; while it’s great that all the new small batch producers and premium lines from established distillers creates a dynamic marketplace that raises the bar all across the board, sometimes you’ll miss some really great spirits that aren’t getting raves from the connoisseur crowd. And frankly, sometimes, being number one is over-rated. A classic example of this idea is the brand Snapple. Whatever you may think about their products, they staked a solid claim to third place behind Coke and Pepsi in the global soft drink market. How? They set out to be number three on purpose. You may remember that they even ran commercials back in the 90′s proudly proclaiming “We’re Number Three!” But we’re not really here to talk about Snapple, or striving for third. We’re here to talk about a couple of new items we’ve added to our selection. The reason we went on the little digression about being number three is because although one of these items – Label 5 Scotch – has garnered a number of top awards in the blended twelve-year category, they still proudly point out that they’re number 42 in the market. But look at the company they keep in the graphic on the left, and you’ll see why. The other item has no issues with being second either, because they were probably the first. Although Greenall’s has been making gin since it was made legal in the UK, which was 1761, their premium offering wasn’t available in the states until this century. It’s probably worthy of note that in the two and a half centuries they’ve been making gin, they’ve only had seven master distillers! And that in spite of their late entry in the US market, they’re number one in the UK, producing over 70% of the gin sold there. Notes on both below. (more…)