For Mother’s Day, Add a Little Luxury

May 8, 2023 — When Mom struggles home loaded with a week’s worth of groceries we seriously doubt there’s a bottle of a luxury spirit just for her in the shopping bags.   So why not slip one in as an unexpected surprise with your other plans for the day.  We have three suggestions that we know she will enjoy and she might even invite you to share!

Rose Gin

Because of the story behind its creation, we’ll start with Glendalough Rose Gin.  Glendalough is located in the Wicklow Mountains, one of Ireland’s most scenic places to visit.  It is also famous for the monastic settlements founded in the 6^th century by St. Kevin, who is featured on the bottle.

The distillery is known for its award-winning whiskey and now also for their gin.  The botanicals in the gin are sustainably foraged in the Wicklow Mountains around the distillery by a single person and used in the gin within hours of picking, 

In 2014, head distiller Rowdey Rooney decided to make a gin as a tribute to his mother, Rose, who had recently passed away.  The occasion was his younger brother Patrick’s wedding and Rowdey decided to include roses from his mother’s beloved rose garden in this gin so that she would be with them in spirit at the wedding.  You can watch Rowdey Rooney’s touching video, which also describes how the roses are added in the distillation process here.

Glendalough Rose Gin is unique for many reasons.  The first surprise is that it is a vibrant pink so it looks beautiful and enticing.  And you truly can smell the roses, which is a lovely sensation.  The botanicals are well balanced so that no one flavor dominates, including the juniper but there are many different hints to intrigue the palate.  Sometimes it is piney with hint of citrus.  Sometimes it is floral and soft.  I was struck by earthy, woodsy notes, which made me think of the forager carefully selecting flowers, leaves and seeds still damp from the morning dew. The botanicals linger mid palate providing a lively, interesting finish.  We’ve sipped it neat and on the rocks; both were amazing and look forward to experimenting with cocktails from the distillery’s web site.  MSRP $34.99

Just Released Prestige Tequila

Patrón Tequila has added to it portfolio of premium tequilas.  An unprecedented  fourth distillation of its Silver tequila, produced a new, prestige tequila which they have named Patrón El Cielo.   It did not happen by accident.  To quote Master Distiller David Rodriguez, “For the first-time ever, we developed a prestige tequila with a fourth distillation—a process that is extremely rare within the industry.”  It is commonly held that another stage of distillation dilutes the flavor but this did not happen at Patrón.   He added, “We unlocked and opened up the natural sweetness and smoothness from the agave to deliver an incredibly sweet and light tasting, smooth tequila.”

Made of 100% natural ingredients—the highest-quality Weber Blue agave, water and yeast—crafted in small batches to ensure consistency and quality, Patrón El Cielo is rich in sweetness and citrus notes with a brightness that makes it perfect for celebratory summer moments.  A result of a unique distillation process and more than 150 tasting sessions, this one-of-a-kind creation is a testament to the countless hours, passion and extraordinary lengths Patrón goes to in order to create its exceptional tequilas.

Patrón El Cielo is packaged in an elegant, sleek glass bottle enhanced with gold designs inspired by the volcanic tahona stone used to produce Patrón tequila.   Other elements are inspired by the agave fields and light found in the Jalisco Highlands of Mexico, Patrón’s homeland.  It is best enjoyed over Ice with a slice of orange.  MSRP $129.00 available at Reserve Bar and Drizly.

Crown Royal Peach Whiskey is Back!

The big news for Crown Royal Peach Whiskey in 2023 is that it is back as a permanent year-round whiskey.  We’re thrilled because we’re fans, and also we hear from lots of readers desperate to find a bottle when the season is over.  If you know your Mother enjoys relaxing with Peach Whiskey on the rocks or in a cocktail, then get her a bottle for Mother’s Day and buy one for yourself while you’re at it.

Crown Royal Peach Whiskey adds a smooth delicious flavor to a variety of drinks from sophisticated cocktails to backyard BBQ drinks. It blends perfectly with Champagne, orange juice, lemon-lime soda, and even iced tea.  We did an online search and were amazed to see all the bloggers who have created their own recipes.  One web site offers 17 recipes!  The drinks were served in everything from Champagne flutes to mason jars, an indication of just how versatile it is.

Crown Royal Peach Whiskey is available everywhere.  MSRP $24.99

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