12 Days of Christmas Spirits

Below, you’ll find introductions to the 12 fine spirits included in STIR’s Twelve Days of Christmas Spirits Instagram Stories series. We hope that this information will inspire you to explore these expressions and enjoy them more fully.

Nevertheless, we encourage you to try these spirits at STIR and discuss them with our experienced bartenders. We love fine liquors, and we would welcome the opportunity to share that passion with you. This holiday season, come in for a pour and discover what makes each of these bottles so highly prized.

For our full Rare Spirits menu, please visit the menus page on our website.

Dec 12: Kentucky Owl Confiscated Bourbon

Kentucky Owl Confiscated is one of the more mysterious spirits on the list. There is not much information on exactly how this bourbon is produced and aged. Although Kentucky Owl Bourbon was founded in 1879 by C.M. Dedman, the brand reappeared in 2014. Nevertheless, Confiscated is a well-crafted bourbon with a flavor profile that suggests smart blending. From Kentucky Owl’s website, Confiscated offers:

Notes of gardenia, banana bread, toasty sourdough bread crust, and red apple on the nose. The taste is of graham crackers, citrus, toffee, and muted sweet cinnamon spice, balanced with white grape notes, and a hint of cayenne on the finish.

Recently acquired by Stoli and expanding quickly, Kentucky Owl is a brand to watch. Get acquainted with them at STIR.

Dec 13: Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask

Finishing this Speyside scotch in rum casks creates a smooth, well-rounded whisky with notes of toffee, fruit, and vanilla. This special aging process creates a scotch remarkably different from its cousins. It’s a smoother, sweeter expression that favors fruit and honey tones over any smokiness. In his quest to create the ideal character of this expression, Balvenie’s master distiller, David C. Stewart MBE, even produced the rum first so that he could get the exact flavors he wanted from the casks. Learn more on Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask’s webpage or better yet with an expert bartender at STIR and a pour of this rare scotch.

Dec 14: STIR Tonic Syrup

STIR Tonic Syrup is brewed from scratch with real quinine, aromatic spices, citrus peel, and juniper berries. If you’ve never had genuine tonic, it is nothing like the cloying solution you’ll find in plastic two-litre bottles. Our tonic is pleasantly balanced and slightly citrusy. It complements rather than overpowers the flavor of your drink. You can order a Gin or Vodka Tonic at STIR or a bottle of STIR Tonic Syrup for your bar at home. It’s even available for delivery through DoorDash. To make a perfect Gin or Vodka & Tonic, stir 2 oz. of your favorite gin or vodka with 1 oz. of STIR Tonic Syrup, top with 5 oz. of soda water, garnish with lemon or lime, and enjoy!

Dec 15: Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whiskey

Old Forester’s 1910 Old Fine Whiskey pays homage to the first double-barreled whiskey ever produced. From Old Forester’s website:

On October 22nd, 1910, a fire on the bottling line halted production of Old Forester. Mature whisky ready to be bottled, instead was stored in a secondary barrel. What emerged was a delightful whisky, remarkable enough to become an entirely new expressions [sic] – Old Fine Whisky.

Today mimicking this historic bottling, this unique expression of Old Forester has undergone a second barreling, granting it exceptional character, a smooth and sweet flavor and a clean, crisp finish. Entering the second barrel at a low 100 proof allows more of the sweet wood sugars to dissolve into the whiskey. 1910 Old Fine Whiskey is the fourth and final expression of the Whiskey Row Series, presented at 93 proof.

Dec 16: Elijah Craig Small Batch

According to one of bourbon’s many mythological origin stories, Elijah Craig was a baptist preacher who moved from Virginia to Kentucky, where he created the process for producing true Kentucky bourbon. He’s credited with aging his distillate into charred oak barrels. Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig takes its name from bourbon’s mythological foundation. Produced in 200 barrels per batch, Elijah Craig is created by blending selected whiskeys ranging from 8 to 12 years of age.

What distinguishes this bourbon is its value. It is an excellent, down-the-middle bourbon that often surprises whiskey enthusiasts given its accessible price point. More information can be found on Elijah Craig Small Batch webpage or by discussing the bottle over a pour with our expert bartenders.

Dec 17: Michter’s 10 Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Michter’s is currently one of the hottest distillers. Michter’s 10 is its flagship bourbon and one of the most sought-after bottles on the market. Why? Simply put, it’s an exceptional bourbon. Michter’s 10 also breaking records. From the Michter’s 10 webpage:

When a private barrel selection bottling of this whiskey sold for £166,000 (US $209,462) at an auction in London on Sunday, July 12th 2020, it shattered the previous $78,000 record for a barrel of bourbon that had been set at a Christie’s auction.

Technically, that makes Michter’s 2.69x more valuable than the second-most valuable whiskey on the market. Bananas. Come see what all the fuss is about at STIR.

Dec 18: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Buffalo Trace bears the name of its distiller for good reason: it’s everything that a flagship bourbon should be. From Breaking Bourbon: 

Buffalo Trace is the quintessential bourbon -  smooth, well balanced, and extremely drinkable. Everything about this bourbon feels like it’s been masterfully engineered to be the perfect example of what a bourbon should be. It’s hard to find any faults with this one and that’s by design. 

Buffalo Trace Bourbon is one of the best introductions to its namesake distillery’s output. It is equally enjoyable over a sphere of artisanal ice or as an upgraded pour in any of our craft bourbon cocktails, like the Old Fashioned Cocktail or Whiskey Bramble. Be careful, Buffalo Trace might be your gateway to fine whiskey!

DEC 19: ANGEL’S ENVY CASK STRENGTH

Angel’s Envy was one of the first distilleries to created and popularize finished bourbons. Angel’s Envy Cask Strength is the descendent of Angel’s Envy’s first and - at the time - only product, Angel’s Envy Port Finish Bourbon and the polished result of this legacy. Aged six years and then months more in Portuguese ruby port casks, this is an exceptional bourbon that has won some of the most coveted awards in the spirits industry. Sample it with us, and learn how Angel’s Envy continues to build its reputation as one of the most inventive and excellent distilleries.

Dec 20: STIR Bloody Mary Mix

Our bartenders create STIR Bloody Mary mix by hand in small batches. We only use only fresh herbs and vegetables - no preservatives or artificial ingredients. The result is a bright mix that tastes garden fresh. Try a celebrated STIR Bloody Mary at our bar, or have our mix delivered to you through DoorDash any day of the week. For a restorative bloody mary, mix 2 oz. of vodka with 5 oz. of STIR Bloody Mix, garnish as you prefer - we recommend a celery spear and citrus - and enjoy!

Dec 21: Four Roses Small Batch

Hailed by many as the best bang-for-your-buck bourbon, Four Roses Small Batch is an excellent bourbon in its own right, so much so that it is often difficult to find. Breaking Bourbon sums it up nicely:

You’ll discover this bourbon offers a balance of flavors without any single element overpowering the others. Its [sic] got just the right amount of oak, just the right amount of spice, just the right amount of caramel, and just the right amount of fruity pep. While subtle, there’s enough to hold your attention and invite you back for more. A small batch bourbon with a balanced flavor profile might seem as average as they come, but Four Roses’ ability to do it so consistently well is what sets this bourbon apart.

This expression is excellent on its own or as an upgraded pour that adds new dimensions to any of STIR’s bourbon cocktails. More information on the Four Roses Small Batch webpage.

Dec 22: Maker's Mark Cask Strength

Maker’s Mark is a staple bourbon in many people’s minds. The distillery’s recently released Cask Strength expression takes everything one might love about Maker’s and improves upon it. This is an outstanding bourbon that maintains the signature, front-of-the-palate flavors of Maker's Mark while amping up the notes of oak, caramel, vanilla and spice. Marker’s Mark Cask Strength is their first expression ever offered at cask strength. Bottled at barrel proof and non-chill filtered, it preserves the naturally occurring flavors that arise while distilling and aging the liquid. Maker's Mark Cask Strength is one of the few barrel-proof wheated bourbons on the market. It’s not to be missed. Join us for a pour and discover a remastered classic. More information on the Maker’s Mark website.

Dec 23: STIR's Private Barrel of WhistlePig

WhistlePig is a famously enjoyable rye whiskey. It balances the inherent spiciness of rye with mellower flavors of clove, mint, barrel char, caramels, and butterscotch. STIR’s tasters hand-selected the restaurant’s private 10 year-old barrel for particular flavor profile. STIR’s private barrel accentuates the character and flavors that make WhistlePig such a celebrated whiskey, and we are proud to share it with you. Ask for a pour over a transparent sphere of artisanal ice. You won't be disappointed.