We’re Recapping Chilled 100 ELEVATE! Meet the Brands

In a speed-dating style setup, ELEVATE attendees at a Meet the Brands seminar got the opportunity to sample multiple kinds of liquor while learning the basics of the brands behind them.

Among the groups was Chinola, the world’s first 100% fruit liqueur. Crafted in the Dominican Republic from locally grown passion fruit, the handcrafted bevvy comes in at 42 proof. Meant to be sipped on its own or mixed into a cocktail, it is made the way it would have been 200 years ago, without refrigeration.

Also in the room was Bespoken Spirits, which uses proprietary technology to create American whiskey. This results in 97% less wood and energy used, as well as 22% less water, plus, no angel share. Presented by Lynard Skynard, the brand’s 90 proof Legend whiskey is a welcome addition to the Silicon Valley company, which is relocating to Lexington, KY.

Log Still Distillery shared a few of their whiskeys as well. The 350-acre bourbon destination in Gethsemane, KY is a company that doesn’t disclose everything about its process. The brand’s mash bill remains a mystery, but it’s no secret that water from a local lake is used for proofing. Reps describe their Monk’s Road wheated bourbon, which boasts notes of vanilla, cinnamon spice, and dried cherry, as “Christmas in a glass,” perfect for the holiday season.

Seminar attendees were also treated to a variety of tastes from Hood River Distillers, which has been crafting spirits since 1934. Offerings included Batanga Tequila Blanco, McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey, and Cedar Creek Distillery Pear Brandy, to name a few. Artisan distiller and research scientist Ted Breaux explained that the pear brandy is unaged and made with pure, whole Pacific Northwest grown fruit that ripens all at the same time. The lineup of samples even included DeGroff amaro, a collaboration between Breaux and “King Cocktail” Dale DeGroff, who was also in attendance.