Premium Liquors

26 Apr

Last Post Before The Toast!

Posted by Cranberry Liquors About Us, Around Town, Drinking Beer, Event, Premium Liquors, Tasting Wine, Toast of Harwich, Whiskey_Tasting, Wine on trend No Comments

Olly Olly in free, ladies and gentlemen. If you haven’t bought a ticket to this year’s Toast of Harwich yet

They are almost sold out!
That is an awesome thing (it’s a charity event, after all…)
But it’s not so great if you wanted to go and have been noncommittal.

So get one?

In all seriousness, the annual Toast Of Harwich tend to sell out – this is no accident! Chamber members and local establishments taking part all do their best to sell tickets to this great Harwich-ian event.

But… and this is a really big BUT (let’s talk about your big butt, Simone…) if you have never attended the Toast of Harwich, it’s a seriously locals-only thing to do. I mean, if you’ve never gone to the Wequassett, if you’ve never hung out with the local business owners who do their thing, if you’ve never worn dressy clothes, drank wine and whiskey and laughed with strangers about finger food or dance to the “Rip It Ups”… and not gotten a kick out of ANY of what I just said… don’t go!

Take it from someone who 1.) went as the photographer one year, 2.) went as a wine pourer for several years and 3.) went last year with my dad (his name is Joe, and he will do “This is Joe” in his radio commercial voice if you ask really nicely.)

I did not, I repeat, did not want to go as any of the above things. And every single year, I wondered “why do I do this every year? It’s always the best time I have all spring.”

Cranberry Liquors has sponsored the wine tasting for this event for the 8th time this year. This is because we love Harwich and believe C.Liquors is a part of Harwich Port’s community.

So, friends, countrymen, if there are any tickets left you can find out by clicking here or calling the Harwich Chamber of Commerce get one. Buy two if you’re got a human you care to bring. Try awesome new and trending wines straight from our distributors. Eat really great local food. Play silent auction games. Can I strongly recommend the sunset on Pleasant Bay?

PROTIP: If you don’t know what you want to drink, that’s why they invented these events. To figure out what you like…

PROTIP II: If you think everyone there will know more about wine and spirits then you, then you’ve been drinking all wrong! Come have a good time and be a local toasty person. It’s fun and you might find your new favorite wine, restaurant or best friend.

XOXOXO,

C.Liquors

15 Dec

Making Spirits Bright…

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Cranberry_Liquors_Promotion, Featured, Premium Liquors, Uncategorized No Comments

Here’s a Secret from a Liquor Store Insider: You know those holiday gift sets you see this time of year? Yeah… we get those. We also don’t pay for promotional packaging.

Therefore, at Cranberry Liquors, we also don’t charge our customers for them.

Have you ever seen a bottle of (pick your favorite), neatly packed into a box with the “gadget de jour”?

Perched on our shelves and scattered around the “Specials” sections of the store, you will definitely find them. It’s pretty convenient, the way these big liquor companies come out with liquor specific cups, packed inside a perfectly wrappable,

rectangular box. Those sneaky companies know exactly when to bring out the rectangular packages!

Fortunately, you’ve clicked into this blog. You are now aware of the wile-y ways of our product manufacturers. We’ve gotten so many promotional items over the years and they have only gotten cooler as time goes on. From coolers and shakers in the summer to cognac and whiskey glasses in the winter… now you know!

Most people are afraid to ask so you’ve heard it here officially. Promotional packaging is exactly that: so take your Christmas gift-giving game up a notch and buy one of those rectangular looking packages with tchochkes inside… it’ll cost you the same!

29 Apr

Toast 2017: Support Harwichport (with a drink in your hand!)

Posted by Cranberry Liquors About Us, Around Town, Featured, Local Spirits, Premium Liquors, Tasting Wine No Comments

Every year, Harwich’s Chamber of Commerce gets together to combine brainpower, booze, beverage and food companies to raise money for sleepy Harwichport’s Chamber of Commerce.

Of course, there are things going on behind the scenes that make for an amazing event. Other than the hand picked wines, beers and spirits, each restaurant, business owner and chamber member gets together many, many early mornings to ensure each Toast goes off without a hitch.

If you’ve ever stopped into Cranberry Liquors on a Saturday afternoon, you’ve probably met our resident sommelier, Luke.

Exhibit A.) Luke Lukasewski

Here you can see Luke with First Crush Winery at last year’s Toast of Harwich.

This year, we’ve stepped up Luke’s game: Luke will be pouring for our vendor Martignetti. One of our most outstanding vendors, Martignetti helps us keep everything from Tequila to Australian Shiraz on our shelves.

(You can see their mega-tron list of product here.)

Like many of our vendors, Martignetti keeps Harwich’s toast afloat, varying the products they will be pouring this 2017.

Here are the names of a few wines Martignetti is bringing to party with:

Wente Cabernet Sauvignon
Chalk Hill Chardonnay
Lincourt Pinot Noir

chalk-hill-chardonnay-sonoma-coast-Cranberry_liquors
Lincourt-2012-Pinot-Noir-Lindsays

This event truly supports Harwich’s Chamber of Commerce throughout the year, as this is definitely the biggest fundraiser (and dare we say the coolest?), hence the reason so many local restaurants attend and sponsors come forth.

For instance, just as we have Martignetti (think of the biggest and strongest friend you would hope would be there to help) we have Astraluna as well. You may not know them by their LLC’s name – Astraluna, but does Cape Cod Vodka ring a bell?

How about this…

Astraluna’s distillery is in Medfield, MA… but don’t tell the tourists that! All joking aside, this South Shore spirits company makes Cape Cod Vodka, Rum and Gin, and is actually in the process of relocating their distillery to Cape Cod. We don’t just sell the “Cape Cod” liquors to tourists either, as they are quite good.

Normally we see Joe Sullivan, as we typically see the people who visit our store and (sometimes quite literally) help us stock the shelves with what you, the customers, want! This year, Allen Scott (our new Astraluna salesperson!) will be representing Astraluna at the toast.

You can read more about Astraluna and their spirits by clicking here.

There’s still time to get your tickets to the Toast of Harwich! If you can’t make the toast, you can still donate to the chamber and all of their projects (the flower boxes along Main Street is just where it starts!)

Visit harwichcc.com today to support our beautiful town.

04 Sep

Hurricane Hermine- Labor Day (Dark & Stormy) Weekend

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Around Town, Premium Liquors, Uncategorized No Comments

Summer is NOT over. Hurricane Hermine, however, has already introduced herself as a hair-style-ruining, swimming pool closing, grocery-shopping-like-we-have-zombies windy witch.
Let not your hearts be troubled: Cranberry Liquors is OPEN. And we have a few ideas for “riding the wave” and keeping your spirits high!

So… what to drink? Well, there’s the obvious “Dark and Stormy,” a drink that makes any stormy night into a party. If I had a dollar for every storm turned into a party thanks to Goslings Dark and Stormy’s… well maybe I’d be drinking one instead of selling them this evening ;)…

Of all of the variations of this rum and ginger beer drink, Cranberry Liquors advocates for the Original Gangster…

Goslings, believe it or not, has a trademark on the recipe, and the history of the drink is really pretty fascinating.

Smithsonian Magazine writes that “There is only one way to Make a Dark N’ Stormy Without Breaking the Law.” And it’s true!!! There is a patent on the damn drink!

So, without breaking the law, the correct way to prepare this murky watered drink: Gosling’s Dark and Stormy.

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 oz Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer
METHOD
In a tall glass filled with ice add 4 – 5 oz of Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer and top with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum. Garnish with a lime wedge (optional).
Gosling’s Black Seal Rum’s “Signature Drink.”

Looking for something a little more local? The staff at Cranberry Liquors will tell you that Farmer Willie’s, a locally made, gluten free ginger beer (4.5% alcohol) makes a Dark and Stormy… Darker and Stormier. Turbo charge your cocktail with a local twist- In fact, one of our employees (Hi Domenic!) gave us the lowdown on how Farmer Willie’s Ginger Beer got so popular. His good friend had a hand in refining the recipe that put this product on the ~~map~~ shelf! A couple of improvements to the original recipe and the rest is local history.

Cranberry Liquors does not support breaking the law, but we do support local businesses and great booze.
Give Farmer Willie’s a whirl if you’re feeling extra Hermine-y.

No hurricane will thwart the staff of Cranberry Liquors.
Today, Sunday, September 4th, and Monday, September 5th, we will be open for business as usual.

From 10AM to 8 PM Sunday

and 9 AM to 9 PM Monday

drive safely to 555 Main street on Route 28 in Harwichport

Don’t let the weather steal your weekend’s thunder!

27 Jul

Featured: Malfy Gin

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Premium Liquors, Uncategorized No Comments

Vodka and Gin Drinkers Unite! We’ve just gotten in a wonderful new gin… Judges say Malfy is a crowd pleaser, despite limited access to this summer-y liquor.

Because I’ve read several blogs highlighting the ori-gins of gin (puns… oh puns) I’d much rather discuss this gin!

In sum, those blogs discuss how this gin is different from the juniper-esque, elderflower essences that do not appeal to most non-gin drinkers.

Make lemonade. Or a gin and tonic that is so crisp with citrus you might call it lettuce.Vodka drinkers.. let me explain; I am a recovering stickler. I’ve worked enough night shifts at Cranberry Liquors to know that one drinks what she drinks, and only strays when etiquette is involved. But this gin.. I won’t lie – it is still gin, but it

is damn good gin. It is not lemon flavored gin, it is gin made with lemons! Add a rind of delicious pink, yellow or orange citrus and you are golden!

Did you know: There are vineyards in New Zealand with eucalyptus growing along the outskirts of the field? As a result, the wine has subtle notes of the mentholated plant. I remember being told this story, and the cause of this was the soil. Soil has minerals, and these minerals are to thank. So, to complete this anecdotal circle, consider Malfy Gin, growing up in a lemon utopia by the Mediterranean Sea. Then stop by Cranberry Liquors and bring some Italian excellence-in-a-bottle back to your own villa.

02 Jul

Whiskey: A case study

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Premium Liquors, Uncategorized No Comments

Forward: This review is brought to you by Matt Lee. When he isn’t teaching our future leaders, he occasionally brings his A-game to Cranberry Liquors. A week or so ago, Matt was looking for a nice bottle of liquor for his cabinet and wasn’t sure how to proceed. With so many options, what to get, what to get?

So Joe gave the teacher some homework: “Try some “airplane size bottles” or “nips.” Then give me the lowdown!” Before we begin, an operational definition: Palate: “The palate is (1) the roof of the mouth, and (2) the sense of taste, and it’s also a fancy word for flavor, especially in writing on food [/] wine.” Without further ado, Whiskey: A Case Study – Thoroughly researched and eloquently summarized by Matt Lee.

So, you want to get a whiskey, but you’re not sure which? A fine whiskey can be a great investment for your home bar. They have a great shelf life, play well with others, and are perfect for watering your horses (Did I get that right, Toby Keith?)

If you are new to whiskeys, Jack Daniels can help introduce you to the flavor profile: Simply put, a basic flavor profile which whiskeys are known for is smoky, peaty flavor, albeit with a muted palette that won’t overwhelm you. Likewise, Jameson’s Irish whiskey might give you a similar clean sensation, a smooth finish, and a touch of fig for which whiskeys are often known.

Still, the simple flavor profile of Jack or Jameson might not be enough for a more complex palette. Dewar’s is layered more complexly, and introduces a subtle hint of apple and pear. Black Label is smoother and sweeter than Dewar’s, swapping out fruit for honey. Even more complex are some higher end whiskeys. Bulleit Bourbon prominently features barley and rye, which add to its bold taste. Less forthright and more elegant is Woodford Reserve, which combines that spicy, tingly sensation with vanilla, butterscotch, and hazelnut notes.

Dewar’s – Fruity apple or pear smell, a more bitter lingering taste, spiky taste on front of tongue, burning sensation in back. Austere: a nice word if you don’t really taste any flavors or complexities.

Johnny Walker Black Label – With a similar fruit fragrance, but a smokier (peaty?) taste. It is much smoother than the Dewars on first taste, slightly sweeter at front of lips, similar towards back of the palette, but much smoother overall, more honeyed than the Dewars? Definitely prefer the smoothness of this to the Dewars. One might consider both the Black Label and Dewar’s to have more of a medicinal taste, but this is less pronounced in the Black Label.

Jameson – Seems somewhere in between the first two. Smoother than Dewar’s. Less of the smoky flavor, fewer complexities in general. Some fig flavor.

Woodford Reserve – Far more of the substantial body than the Jack, some of that spicy, tingly flavor. Tastes like it is layered with lots of complexities. A subtle sweetness to it, can’t really place it though. At least to my palate, the smoky, peaty taste is less pronounced. Notes of vanilla, maybe butterscotch or hazelnut. My favorite so far. I like the smooth, subtle sweetness.

[Editor’s note: Although we appreciate his unbiased review…. *DING DING DING* – I think we found Matt L.’s favorite!]

Bulleit Bourbon – A fruitier profile than the Woodford. The sweetness is too obvious/prominent. More barley/rye flavor. Not bad, but I think I prefer the smooth balance of Woodford.

Jack Daniels – Right away, lighter, almost watered down body. At this point, this is by far my least favorite.

Whatever you decide, keep in mind that the right whiskey for you may be different than the one for someone else.

While the more expensive brands may feature higher quality ingredients or have been aged longer, you may find you prefer a more economical choice.

You can always try a few of the many single-serving bottles of whiskey we offer at Cranberry Liquors. You might go exploring before deciding upon what’s right for you.

19 Sep

Noah’s Mill Bourbon

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Premium Liquors No Comments

Every once in a while, one of my customers comes in with a request; something they want that we don’t stock. I’m happy to report that I usually respond by getting some of the requested product. I do this because I know I don’t know everything by personal experience and the personal experience of a customer which results in them requesting a product is usually a pretty good sign.

With that as backdrop, I brought in Noah’s Mill Bourbon at the request of a customer. I am very pleased to report this is an exceptional small-batch bourbon which I am very happy to offer to my customers.

The packaging is a bit quirky. It comes in a lightly tinted green ‘wine’ bottle with a black sealed top, much like Makers Mark’s red top.

This is a bourbon of extraordinary character and smoothness not found among younger whiskies. Its superior taste and flavor characteristics are made possible only from using the very finest quality ingredients at the outset along with the long years and patience necessary for nature to mellow everything to perfection. This bourbon is bottled at a strength (57.15% alcohol or 114.3 proof, to be precise) that best compliments its age, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy it like no other bourbon.

In a side-by-side comparison with one of my favorite bourbons, Gentleman Jack, the depth of flavor of the Noah’s Mill is readily apparent and far superior. While Gentleman Jack is a great top-shelf bourbon, it pales in comparison with Noah’s Mill.

Of course, the pricing is measurably higher. They say “time is money” and barrel aging time translates into cost and therefore price. At $53.99 for 750 mL, Noah’s Mill is not cheap but if you are looking for that special bourbon that a real bourbon lover might enjoy, this is the perfect bourbon.

Noah’s Mill Bourbon is available at Cranberry Liquors for $53.99.

10 Nov

The Black Grouse – Scotch Whisky

Posted by Cranberry Liquors Premium Liquors No Comments

It’s never going to be my intention to speak ill of or against a product I sell as that may only serve to disenfranchise an otherwise happy and good customer.

Having said that, let me tell you about the time one of my sales rep’s brought in a bottle of Dewar’s and a bottle of Famous Grouse for a side-by-side taste test.

It was explained to me how Dewar’s is not sold in Scotland and, by contrast, Famous Grouse is the everyman scotch in Scotland. But it wasn’t until I actually tasted them – one then the other – that I appreciated what a superior scotch Famous Grouse is. And at a better price than the Dewar’s!

All of that as prelude to a quick review of a new product on the market: The Black Grouse. Having first tasted it this past weekend, all I can say is “Oh my!” It was delicious! Smooth, smokey and rich in flavor, this has to be one of finest blended scotches in the market. Named to compete with the likes of Johnnie Walker Black, the Black Grouse is a delicious and price-superior blended scotch in a beautiful package. An excellent, new and unusual gift for the holidays or any special occasion.

Or maybe you’d just like to up-level your scotch-drinking experience without breaking the bank. Sandy loves this!

Available at Cranberry Liquors for $27.99

Category Archive for "Premium Liquors"

Last Post Before The Toast!

In all seriousness, the annual Toast Of Harwich tend to sell out – this is no accident! Chamber members and local establishments taking part all do their best to sell tickets to this great Harwich-ian event.

Cranberry Liquors has sponsored the wine tasting for this event for the 8th time this year. This is because we love Harwich and believe C.Liquors is a part of Harwich Port’s community.