I live in Mexico and drink a lot of really good booze. Tequila comes to mind at first, though there’s so much more. But also there’s a lot I can’t get here, so on trips back to the U.S., it’s great to see the cool, surprising things you find in liquor stores nowadays.
When I visit, I’m also fortunate to travel to diverse regions in the U.S. In each place I get to sample the unique things each region has to offer. Two weeks ago I was in Colorado, and I picked up a surprisingly good bourbon there.
On the same trip, my friends introduced me to Moonshine Cherries, made by the Ole Smoky Distillery. They’re not from Colorado – the company is in Gatlingburg, Tennessee - but their products were in all the liquor stores all over Colorado. I hope they are nationwide so you can pick one up.
Moonshine cherries are just that – a mason jar full of moonshine and maraschino cherries. You can eat the cherries straight out of the jar. They pack a boozy punch. Or you can add them to a drink, like a vodka tonic or a seven and seven.
The moonshine itself is delicious – red and strong, good ice cold and straight up. Unfortunately because of all the cherries there’s only a few glasses of liquid, so plan accordingly.
The Ole Smoky Distillery had other interesting products, like moonshine strawberries. But with my 5th of bourbon and a handful of craft beers, I was pushing the limit of booze acceptable for import to Mexico, so I had to leave the strawberries and other novelties behind. That’s the beauty of life – there’s always a next time.