Ballast Point. You’ve had their beers and been blow away by them. You know, we know it, it’s awesome. Now they’re here for the 1-2 punch combo with the introduction of their delicious craft spirits!

 
Now, this is not the full selection that they produce, but these are what we feel are the highlights of their portfolio. We’ll be looking at a gin, a barrel-aged gin and a rum (with more to come!) Let’s run it down from the top!

 
Ballast Point’s Old Grove gin is a fantastically well-balanced spirit (an underrated quality) that mixes well with others. You get the earthy juniper flavor inherent to gin, of course, but there is also a spicy, floral note to it reminiscent. It has this compelling rose-in-bloom nose that reminds you of a lighter Hendrick’s that just makes our mouths water. This, plus the somewhat honey-sweet flavor rounding it out just makes this stuff NICE. It has a somewhat lighter body that makes it absolutely perfect for tall drinks. ($27.99)

 
Building on the great bones of their Old Grove gin, Ballast Point then ages the spirit for 50 days in a virgin charred oak barrel. Because this barrel has not held spirits before, its impact on the liquid is much more pronounced. It has this light, warm flavor that you can’t help but be enticed by. Baking spice and pipe smoke draw you in and wrap you up, leading to a richer body and juniper flavor touched by a hint of vanilla to pair with the existent honeycomb notes. Super great on its own, or try it in a Martinez for a great beverage on a Fall night. ($31.99)

 
Finally, we have the Three Sheets rum. This rum is slightly different than what you might be used to, in that it is distilled from pure cane sugar juice rather than the usual molasses. This makes is close to a rhum agricole, but it is a bit less herbaceous and funky than those would have you think of. Distilled in a pot/column hybrid still, it exhibits both the lighter body of the column still and the robust flavors of the pot. You get a bit of heat off of it, but the light straw flavor mixed with big Caribbean flavors (banana, coconut, papaya) makes this an awesome spirit to sip or mix. Cross fingers that the two year, virgin oak barrel-aged version makes it here soon! ($27.99)