The Whiskey Hotline: Scouring the World for Limited Rarities & Exclusive Handpicked Spirits

Since their founding in 2011, Laws Whiskey House has been making the finest Colorado whiskey they can while taking no shortcuts. Known for grain forward spirits, they start with heirloom varieties of corn, rye, barley and wheat grown for them by two local family farms. These grains are then turned into a wide variety of styles of whiskey, which are distilled, aged and bottled in Colorado. Their latest release is their San Luis 10-year-old bottled in bond rye. Sourced from just 8 barrels, this is not only the oldest rye they've released, it's also from some of the last stocks of their 95% rye/ 5% malted barley mash bill. They've since moved on to a 100% rye mash bill, so grab some today to taste a piece of Colorado whiskey history. Limited, please contact your local Binny's for availability.

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains, the Virginia Distillery Company has made their reputation on producing world class single malt whiskey. Mirroring the production methods of single malts of Scotland, Virginia Distillery does things right, utilizing a mash bill of 100% malted barley, off grain fermentation, double pot still distillation and maturation in used wood. Their latest is their first Cigar Blend, and follows the tradition of the style, blending together their malt whiskey aged in casks of heavily flavored spirits and wines with the goal of creating a whiskey that can stand up to the intense of flavors of cigar smoke. Aged for a minimum of 7 years in Spanish Oak, Sherry, Port, Chateau Palmer Cabernet, Armagnac, Cognac, and Fino casks with just a splash of Islay influence for some smoky intrigue.

Built in 1856, the original Chicken Cock distillery was a legendary brand that faded into the annals of history. Surviving numerous sell offs and prohibition, by the 1950's the brand ceased to exist. Resurrected in 2011 with help from the Bardstown Bourbon Company, Chicken Cock quickly became a favorite brand among whiskey enthusiasts. Old Glory is a collaboration between Chicken Cock and Laird's. For those unfamiliar with Laird's they produce some of Binny's Whiskey Hotline's favorite apple brandies and are an historic family-owned distillery in New Jersey that holds the U.S. Department of Treasury's first distillery license. Blending 70% Chicken Cock Kentucky rye and 30% Laird's bottled in bond apple brandy, this is the perfect pour as fall weather approaches and a great way to celebrate rye whiskey and apple brandy, two of the most historically important American spirits.

Celebrating the repeal of prohibition, MGP's annual Remus Repeal Reserve bottling has become the stuff of legends. Drawing from the distiller's personal stash of barrels, it represents the pinnacle of quality from the cellars in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Every year, several casks of whiskey aren't used, due to the size of the batch they are trying to construct or excellent barrels that didn't quite meld with the profile of the rest of the batch. When we visited the distillery in the spring of last year, we were given the unique opportunity to construct our own blend of barrels that were available from the previous year's Repeal Reserve project. We tasted through dozens of samples and found 3 excellent barrels that complemented each other and layered tons of flavor when blended. The result was our first release of Remus Distiller's Vault, a blend of 3 barrels: a 9-year-old 51% corn, 39% rye and 10 % malted barley bourbon, a 10-year-old 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley bourbon and a 10-year-old barrel of their classic 95% rye, 5% malted barley rye. Bottled at a perfectly balanced 103 proof, it's a richly layered bottling- you'll want to grab a couple extra for the bunker.

Long time readers of the Whiskey Hotline will know of our love of Vermont's WhistlePig farm distillery. Located in the rolling hills of western Vermont, right outside of the classic New England college town of Middlebury, it's truly one of the most beautiful distilleries we've visited. We were there this past autumn and selected some excellent 12-year ryes, both under their Old World label. The first was our custom blend of finished rye: 50% finished in Madeira casks, 30% in Sauternes and 20 % in port. The second is a single barrel aged in Monbazillac wine casks. If you're unfamiliar with Monbazillac wine, it's no surprise. It's a relatively obscure French dessert wine, similar in production to the well-known wines of Sauternes. In both of these bottlings, wine cask aging brings a depth of richness to balance their spicy Canadian rye.

At the Whiskey Hotline, we believe that the best way to make a good thing better is to increase the proof, and the blenders at Buffalo Trace have certainly outdone themselves. Sazerac Full Proof takes their classic Kentucky rye and ups the ante by adding only enough water to bring the whiskey down its original 125 entry proof. Not only does this allow you to experience the whiskey close to unadulterated coming out of the cask, the proof is perfect for cocktails and will stand up to a few ice cubes without diluting the flavor. We are finally fully stocked on this release, grab yours now!

Journeyman started as a small operation in Three Oaks, Michigan, with a focus on sustainability: from salvaging used building materials and moving into an historic building to using organic grain sourced as locally as possible. They quickly outgrew this space and expanded into a second facility in Valparaiso, Indiana where they continue with the same philosophy.

Last autumn, just as the leaves were in peak color, we loaded up a couple of vans with a group of Binny's staff from across Chicagoland and headed to Valparaiso to pick a group of outstanding barrels. After deliberating over dozens of samples, we settled on several barrels, from across Journeyman's lineup of fine whiskies. Bottled at barrel proof and aged for at least 7 years, our Featherbone Bourbon barrels are made with 70% corn, 25% wheat and a dash of rye, resulting in a wheated bourbon with softness, balance and character. Our Silver Cross barrels are 8 years old and bottled at barrel proof and made from a four-grain mash bill consisting of equal amounts of corn, wheat, rye and malted barley. Brand new to us is Golden Legacy. This is their malt whiskey, which is made from traditional beer brewing malts and properly matured in ex-Featherbone barrels, we were impressed by what these barrels had to offer. These are limited, please contact your local Binny's for availability.

Corzo tequila has long had a cult following. Made at the Cazadores distillery, the tequila is not only triple distilled, but also uses a small center cut of the distillation, 'the heart of the hearts.' These two processes make for an easy drinking crowd pleaser that maintains layers of rich agave. Relaunching at an unbeatable price, grab some today and up your cocktail game through the heat of the summer.

Independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail has been collecting and laying down casks of scotch from around Scotland since 1895, and since their founding have amassed the largest collection of casks in Scotland. We've been picking casks for years, with some of the best whisky we've ever tasted coming from their stocks. In 2020, they embarked on a new project, building the Cairn distillery on the banks of the River Spey and in the heart of the breathtaking Cairngorm mountain range. Their vision is to produce richly sherried, fruit- forward single malts. Like most new whisk(e)y distilleries, they have the problem of having to patiently wait for the spirit to mature, but fortunately they have the vast stocks of Gordon & MacPhail to play with. They've released a set of 5 whiskies under the label CRN57°, referencing their location at 57 degrees north of the equator. These whiskies have increasing age statements and were blended to give us a sneak preview of the flavor profile they are working to attain once their own distilled whisky is mature and ready for bottling. The first of its kind, we are excited to stock these excellent malts that are a glimpse into the future of this modern distillery.

The latest batch of Booker's has landed, and it is not to be missed. Aged for over 7 years and bottled at a whopping 124.4 proof, this batch celebrates the legendary Booker Noe's favorite dessert, a malted chocolate milkshake. Layered with intense cocoa and bright red fruit, every sip of this whiskey offers a new experience. Shop this and previous batches here.

Lost Lantern is an independent bottler run by a duo of true whiskey geeks. They scour the country looking for truly independent distilleries committed to producing high-quality whiskey. Our first release from them is their United States of Bourbon. For this bottling, they meticulously selected casks of bourbon from all 50 states, even Alaska and Hawaii, and blended them into a bourbon that is the first of its type. Grab yours today and celebrate America’s native spirit in the best possible way.

Hacienda Santa Teresa, a distillery crafting rum since 1796, is known for a unique aging system that blends three styles of mature rum before further aging them in a solera system. Over the last several years, they've focused on innovation with unique cask finishes. Their latest release is a true transatlantic drinking experience. After full maturation, they filled casks that were used to age some of Teeling’s finest Irish whiskeys. Elegant and rich, this is an excellent sipping rum.