Henry Preiss and his wonderful spirits-marketing firm have been around since 1976. Henry has a marvelous eye for great product, and Caddell & Williams was very pleased to introduce & describe a few of his wonders. A couple of years ago, Henry sold his company and we can no longer obtain his spirits. Below is what’s left.
Whiskies
HIRSCH SELECTION BOURBON SPECIAL RESERVE – $32. Good value. Viscous & rich. (750ml / 46% abv).
HIRSCH SELECTION KENTUCKY STRAIGHT CORN WHISKEY – $32. Bourbon’s predecessor. Whiskey can’t be called bourbon if it’s more than 51% corn. We like corn: very rich and full-bodied. (750ml / 45% abv)
Tequila
Of the tequilas using modern equipment (roasting in steam autoclaves, fermenting in large-tank stainless-steel), Chinaco is consistently among the best: clean, well-structured, full-bodied, complex. Aa family operation, Chinaco was a pioneer (1983) in shipping premium small-production tequila to the USA.
CHINACO TEQUILA BLANCO – $45. Floral, earthy, and unusually rich for a blanco. Paul Pacult’s choice as “the quintessential margarita base”. (750ml / 40% abv)
CHINACO TEQUILA REPOSADO – $55. Unlike other producers using huge tuns, Chinaco ages in 55-gallon barrels, and longer than most, too: 8-11 months. Subtle and rich. (750ml / 40% abv)
CHINACO TEQUILA ANEJO – $60. Benchmark tequila, elegant & complex. 2 1/2 years in oak. Amazing value. (750ml / 40% abv)