(Photos: Opius)

All we knew for years was: You drink or you don’t. When you drink, you pick a spirit, beer or wine. When you don’t, the alcohol is taken out of all of the above and you’re left with the (literally) spiritless residual value. What’s left is often of little value to consumers, which is why we don’t find many lovebrands among non-alcoholic. The Daily Pour, however, might have found a brand that could turn the tide.

Non-alc is still often treated as a breakdown of an existing product instead of the build-up of a new one. What we look for in this burgeoning category is a product that is worthy of standing on its own, one that doesn’t need to be masked by mixers or added sugar. In our search to find a brand that redefines the non-alc industry, we met with the guys behind Opius Distillery. 100% Belgian, 100% handcrafted, 100% botanicals — and it just so happens to be 0% alc.

Opius’ philosophy on non-alc is fundamentally different from that of the rest of the industry. Leander Beuckels and Lucas Lambrechts, founders of Opius, are in no way anti-alcohol. They’re not targeting anti-drinkers or softly selling non-alc with images of flower fields and smiling pregnant women. They’re quite effectively doing the opposite.

Opius has mastered the art and craft of extracting flavor from botanicals. It never set out to mimic what you already know. Instead, it engineered a five-week production process combining up to four different techniques to craft four unique flavor expressions from the ground up. Each of these botanical elixirs stands firmly on its own, with a long, lingering bitterness. At the same time, Opius allows you to recreate the cocktails you’ve always loved. Think of your Friday spicy marg, your beloved espresso martini or a dry martini to kick off the weekend.

This is where change in the industry comes in. We’re done treating non-alc as a substitute that doesn’t deserve as much care and attention as the more exciting alcoholic options. This Belgian brand is showing how to bring quality non-alc — by emphasizing craft.

“We ourselves love a drink, but that doesn’t mean we’re always drinking. So when we don’t, we were time after time disappointed by our options. We had to compromise on experience, flavor, length, bitterness and boldness. Just because we’re not drinking doesn’t mean that we’re willing to compromise on all of the above.” says Lambrechts.

What followed was a meet-up between the founders and a Professor in Alchemy, Dr. Benedict Sas, who had been distilling absinthe and whiskey his whole life. Two young men challenged him to turn his wisdom on distilling and botanicals into bottling non-alc for the first time — a challenge worth the journey for Professor Sas. Inspired by ancient recipes rooted in alchemy and complex techniques used in the perfumery industry, the four recipes of Opius hit the market in 2020.

Opius is one of the first brands to bring craftsmanship into the non-alcoholic spirits category. And the care that goes into building this mission peeks through in every detail: sexy bottles and bold, uncompromising branding. Consumers respect the products because Opius treats non-alc elixirs with the same respect as you would for a 25-year-old whiskey.

It’s as true as the oldest rule they teach you when taking wine classes: When a winemaker takes great pride in their wine, that care often extends to the bottle itself. If you’re browsing the shelf for a good bottle, keep an eye out for thoughtful details, from an unusual bottle shape to a distinctive label, illustration or seal, and you may be looking at a wine made with the same attention to detail. The same philosophy applies to Opius. The brand takes such pride in its elixirs that the bottles are designed to reflect the care that goes into what’s inside. The result? Bookshelf-worthy bottles now served at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world.

“If you have to guess the quality of the wine by just checking bottles, check what farmer thought of his wine as a product that deserved care, a nice stamp, a beautiful detail. Check for a bottle that his own farmer thought was worth the respect, and you’ll buy a good wine.” If you apply this principle to the Opius brand you can see the care that goes into these elixirs. The result? Bookshelf-worthy bottles, served in Michelin-starred restaurants all over the world.

Interesting to learn more about the switch in non-alc? Check opius-distillery.com and simultaneously get inspired by their endless book of cocktail recipes.

This sponsored article was presented by Opius Distillery

Solubrae wines are about showing up for the moment you’re already in: the sunny patio lunch, the golden-hour porch hangout, the fireside dinner, the toast you didn’t plan but suddenly need. That’s the idea behind Solubrae, a California-crafted, alcohol-removed wine collection built around the culinary and spontaneously curated moments that make up those memorable days in our lives. Each expression in the lineup was designed with a specific setting in mind, from flavor profile to food pairing to soundtrack, so that reaching for the right bottle feels less like a wine decision and more like setting the scene.

Born From a Personal Journey

Solubrae’s name is a play on the word “salubrious,” a nod to what the brand is ultimately about: something that promotes health and wellbeing, without ever losing sight of pleasure. That balance isn’t a marketing idea borrowed from the wellness aisle. It came directly from the lives of the people who founded the company.

Solubrae was co-founded by Emmy Award-winning actress Patricia Heaton, alongside her husband, filmmaker and actor David Hunt. Their own path toward sobriety is what set the brand in motion. Having lived the shift themselves, they understand that stepping back from alcohol doesn’t mean stepping back from the ritual, the flavor, or the joy of the table. Patricia and David set out to build something that didn’t exist yet: a wine genuinely crafted for people making that same choice, one that never felt like a consolation prize. Solubrae is the product of that lived experience, built by two people who wanted the same elegant and celebratory pour they’d always loved, minus the part that no longer served them.

Daylight: Afternoon, Sunlit, Citrus-Forward

Daylight, made with 100% Sauvignon Blanc, is the wine for the parts of the day when the sun is doing most of the work. Crisp, citrusy, and finishing dry, it’s built for patio dining, fish tacos, fresh salads, ceviche, and light cheeses, the kind of food that wants a wine to stay bright and get out of the way, not compete for attention. Think a long lunch that turns into an afternoon, plates passed around a table outside, yacht rock drifting from a speaker somewhere nearby.

That citrus-driven acidity is also what makes Daylight so easy to stretch into a spritzer, just a splash of soda and a few slices of cucumber or peach, without losing its shape. It’s a wine that was made to be casual on purpose. Nothing about Daylight asks for formality; everything about it is built for the kind of afternoon that doesn’t have an agenda.

Sundown: Golden Hour, Fruit Forward and a Little Char

Where Daylight is midday ease, Sundown, made with Pinot Grigio and a touch of Pinot Noir, is the shift into evening, the point where the light turns gold and the grill’s already going. Sundown was built to stand up to lightly charred meats, charcuterie, and roasted vegetables, with real texture and a lingering fruit and melon character that plays well with a little smoke. It’s the bottle for the back porch, friends pulling up chairs, someone’s main squeeze leaning in close, reggae or a vintage classic rock record setting the tempo and warming up the evening.

Sundown has also picked up real industry recognition, earning a Double Gold medal and 96 points at the 2026 International Non-Alcoholic Competition. That matters less as a badge and more as confirmation that the flavor holds up under real scrutiny, not just around a casual table. Sundown has become the go-to bottle for celebrations precisely because it does double duty: refined enough for the toast, relaxed enough for the cookout.

Moonrise: Candlelight, Barbera, After Dark

Moonrise, arriving soon, is Solubrae’s move after dark. Built from 100% Barbera, a grape known for natural acidity and dark fruit character, Moonrise is being crafted for tapas, pizza, roasted vegetables, and roasted meats, food with a little weight and char to it. This is the wine for a room with candles lit, jazz or blues low in the background, maybe something leaning into electro house once the night picks up. It’s structured enough to hold its own next to a real meal, without tipping into the heaviness that can make a red feel like too much for anything other than a formal dinner.

Moonrise rounds out the collection’s arc from bright afternoon to smoky sunset to something more intimate and after hours, proof that Solubrae’s approach to flavor isn’t about ticking varietal boxes, but about matching a wine’s character to the mood of the room it’s poured in.

Celebrate: Sparkling, Zesty, Built for the Toast

Celebrate is Solubrae’s new sparkling white and made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. It’s exactly what its name promises: crisp, zesty, and dry, with a touch of yuzu that gives it a little brightness and lift. It was made to sit alongside seafood and cheese platters, but really, Celebrate is built for the moment itself, whether that’s the first bottle opened at a party, the toast nobody planned but everyone’s glad happened, or the holiday table that needs something with bubbles in it.

Celebrate exists so that no one has to sit out the ritual of popping something open. It’s meant to be poured freely and shared widely, whether that’s a milestone birthday or a random Tuesday that turned into something worth marking.

A Collection Built Around Real Moments

What ties Daylight, Sundown, Moonrise, and Celebrate together isn’t a shared vineyard or a single winemaker’s signature. It’s the idea that wine should be built around the moment it’s meant for. Daylight’s bright citrus belongs to sunny afternoons and patio lunches. Sundown’s textured fruit belongs to golden hour and the grill. Moonrise’s structured Barbera character belongs to candlelit rooms and late-night music. Celebrate’s zesty lift belongs to the toast, whenever and wherever it happens.

That’s a different way of organizing a wine collection than the industry is used to, one built around culinary pairing and atmosphere rather than complexity. It’s also, not coincidentally, rooted in Solubrae’s own origin story: a wine that never asked anyone to give up the ritual, the flavor, or the occasion, just the alcohol.

Four wines, four moments, one table. Whether it’s fish tacos in the sun, charred vegetables at unset, tapas by candlelight, or a toast that can’t wait, Solubrae was built to be there, made with real care in California, ready to match whatever the moment calls for.

At more than 120 Michelin-starred restaurants across 25 countries, something quietly remarkable is happening at the table. Guests are being poured a drink that would have been almost unheard of in fine dining a decade ago: single origin sparkling tea, served chilled in a champagne tulip and treated with the same reverence as anything else on the list.

This is no passing trend. Behind every pour lies a conviction that has guided winemakers, cheesemakers and chefs for generations: that the finest things at the table begin with a singular ingredient, grown somewhere specific and treated with patience and respect.

A Story of Terroir

Ask any sommelier what makes a great bottle, and the conversation turns quickly to terroir: the soil, the altitude, the climate and the human traditions that shape what ends up in the glass. Tea tells exactly the same story. A leaf grown in the misty Himalayan foothills of Darjeeling tastes nothing like one from the mountains of Fujian or the highlands of Shizuoka, and each region carries its own harvest calendar and centuries-old craft.

At Saicho, this is the starting point for everything. Each of our four expressions is made from a hand-selected, single origin tea, chosen because it captures something distinctive about where it comes from. Our Darjeeling is a summer flush black tea from the Himalayan foothills, prized for the muscatel character and gentle tannin that have made the region famous among tea lovers. Our Jasmine begins in Fuding in Fujian province, where spring-picked green tea is scented with summer jasmine flowers, while our Osmanthus layers autumn-harvested Tie Guan Yin oolong with fresh osmanthus blossoms in traditional bamboo baskets, a scenting technique refined over centuries. And our Hojicha is a roasted sencha from Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan, trading grassy freshness for warm notes of hazelnut, roasted chestnut and delicate smoke.

No two of these teas could ever be mistaken for one another, and that diversity is precisely what makes tea such a rewarding companion at the table. There is an expression for every course and every occasion.

Unlocking the Aromatics

The character of a great tea lives in a fine balance. A gentle bitterness is part of its charm, the pleasant grip that makes tea so satisfying alongside food, but it should sit in harmony with the aromatics. Brew too hot or too fast and that balance collapses: the perfume is scorched away and only harshness remains.

This is why every Saicho expression is cold brewed for a full 24 hours in pristine Shropshire spring water. Cold brewing is slow by design. Over the course of a day, the water gently coaxes out the tea’s most delicate aromas, the florals, the stone fruit, the toasted notes, while leaving harshness behind. The result is a drink of extraordinary clarity and complexity, which we then gently sparkle.

The bubbles are not decoration. They carry the aromas to the nose and refresh the palate between bites. And they do something harder to measure: bubbles signal occasion. The rise of the sparkle in the glass, the first toast of the evening. Saicho is crafted for those moments, made to honour the gathering and keep it flowing.

The Art of Pairing

It is one thing for a drink to taste pleasant on its own; it is another for it to hold its shape next to a langoustine dressed in yuzu or a slow-roasted piece of Iberico pork. This is where sparkling tea has proven itself. Through our Art of Pairing collaborations with Michelin-starred chefs and leading sommeliers, our teas have been matched across entire tasting menus, each expression chosen for a course the way a considered flight would be built. At BiBi in Mayfair, Chef Chet Sharma paired Jasmine’s soft florals with Orkney scallop, the tea drawing out the shellfish’s natural sweetness, while Hojicha’s toasted depth met the char of his Lahori chicken. At Tresind Studio in Dubai, the world’s first three Michelin-starred Indian restaurant, Chef Himanshu Saini matched Darjeeling’s wood spice to his signature crab ghee roast baked in cinnamon bark, its gentle, dry tannin balancing the warmth of the dish. And in Hong Kong, from Feuille to NOI, the series continues to show that there is a Saicho for every kitchen.

What began as an experiment in a handful of kitchens has become a fixture at some of the most celebrated restaurants in the world, not as a concession, but as a considered choice made on flavour alone.

Pairing Suggestions For Your Own Table

The good news is that none of this requires a tasting menu. The same thinking works beautifully at home, whether the occasion is a milestone dinner, a long Sunday lunch or a Friday evening with friends.

Jasmine. Apple, lychee and vanilla wrapped in white flower fragrance. Pour it with spicy salads, creamy desserts or elderflower jellies, anywhere a little floral lift is welcome.

Hojicha. Nori seaweed, roasted hazelnut and delicate smoke with earthy depth. A beautiful match for sushi and mushroom dishes, where its savoury character finds its mirror.

Darjeeling. Mandarin, ginger and wood spice with elegant muscatel notes. Its gentle grip makes it perfect alongside grilled meats and roasted vegetables, resetting the palate between bites.

Osmanthus. Honeyed apricot, custard apple and mountain cucumber. Pairs beautifully with roasted duck, and just as happily with a crisp garden salad.

Make it a moment. Whichever you pour, chill well, serve in a champagne tulip and add a little ceremony. Half the pleasure of a fine tea is in the nose; the other half is in the company, because a bottle opened at the table is an invitation to slow down, share and linger.

Bringing People Together

For centuries, tea and gastronomy developed side by side on opposite ends of the world: Europe refining its language of terroir and craftsmanship, Asia perfecting the art of the leaf. Saicho was founded by husband-and-wife team Charlie and Natalie Winkworth-Smith to bring those traditions together in a single glass: Charlie rooted in Britain’s culture of craft and innovation, Natalie raised in Hong Kong, where tea flows through daily life. What they share is a belief that the best moments happen when people gather around a table with something special to pour.

That, in the end, is what the art of pairing is really about. Not rules, but connection: food, drink and stories coming together to make a meal memorable.

If you are curious to taste what that means in practice, we would love to pour for you at Drinks with Benefits in New York this September, where our full collection of single origin sparkling teas will be available to try alongside thoughtfully paired food. Come and discover why the world’s best tables have made room for tea, and why yours should too.

Saicho is the world’s finest sparkling tea. Celebration, redefined. Founded by husband-and-wife team Charlie and Natalie Winkworth-Smith, each expression is made from hand-selected, single origin tea, cold brewed for 24 hours in pristine Shropshire spring water and gently sparkled. Discover the collection at saichodrinks.com.

Right now, anyone with $20 and your name can pull up your home address, your phone number, your relatives, your past addresses — and a map to your front door.

Not a hacker. Not the government. Anyone.

Political groups paid data brokers $23 million for voter profiles in 2020 — names, addresses, phone numbers, shopping habits, estimated income, religious beliefs. With the midterms three months out, that buying spree is happening again as you read this. Campaigns use those files to target you. Scammers use them to impersonate campaigns.

And the data doesn’t expire on election day. It gets resold, reused, and repurposed — picked up by fraudsters running fake donation pages and voter registration scams built to harvest even more of your information. The same brokers have sold personal data to predatory lenders, stalkers, and operations pushing targeted disinformation.

If a campaign can find you, so can anyone with a grudge.

This is how online exposure becomes a real-world problem

An exposed profile isn’t an abstract privacy issue. It’s the raw material for doxxing. It’s how harassment moves from your mentions to your doorstep. It’s how a scammer calls you already knowing your address, your employer, and your mother’s name — and sounds legitimate enough that you stay on the line.

In a political climate this heated, a listed home address isn’t creepy. It’s a liability.

Deleting yourself: the hard way and the easy way

The manual route: Google yourself, file opt-out requests with hundreds of brokers one by one, and keep doing it forever, because they relist your data the moment you stop watching. Budget days, if not weeks — then repeat quarterly.

The easy way is Incogni. It sends legally binding removal requests to data brokers on your behalf, monitors for new exposure, and automatically repeats removals when your data resurfaces. Beyond the big broker databases, it scrubs your details from:

• People search sites
• Public, non-governmental directories
• Sketchy websites selling your information for profit

With the Unlimited plan, you can also send custom removal requests for anything not already covered — find your info somewhere, send the link, their team takes it down.

Every week you wait, the file on you grows

Data brokers don’t pause during election season — they scale up. Every week your information stays listed is another week it can be copied, resold, and scraped into someone else’s database. Removal takes minutes to start.

Get 55% off Incogni’s Unlimited Plan with code MEDIA55.

You didn’t consent to being a data product. Stop being one.

As more consumers embrace mindful drinking, the zero-proof category has exploded with options promising all the sophistication of a cocktail without the alcohol. But as the market grows, one question remains: Do they actually taste good?

MEDASE Cocktails is making a strong case for yes.

Founded by longtime friends Monica Cornitcher and Inga Dyer, the brand was inspired by a deeply personal experience. During Dyer’s battle with cancer, the pair searched for a beverage that felt celebratory, elevated and inclusive, something everyone at the table could enjoy. While Dyer has since passed away, MEDASE continues with the belief that meaningful moments don’t require alcohol to be memorable.

The premium, multi-award-winning brand creates organic, RTD zero-proof cocktails that respect the flavor, aroma and experience of traditional alcoholic cocktails. Sweetened with organic agave and available in six uniquely crafted beverages, the lineup includes non-alc  favorites like Hey Big Dipper (Old Fashioned), Heavana Can’t Wait (Mojito) and Golden Hour (Jamaican Rum Punch).

“Medase isn’t just another addition to the zero-proof market; it’s a masterclass in purposeful innovation, filling a crucial gap for authentic, premium [NA]-options in the sober-curious space.” — Charles Everett

What continues to surprise consumers most is that MEDASE doesn’t contain alcohol. Time and again, people take their first sip not expecting the bold, authentic flavor profiles that stand confidently alongside traditional cocktails.

So what can consumers expect from these RTD non-alcoholic beverages?

Hello Sunshine Margarita

The first sip immediately delivers bright citrus before mellowing into smooth agave notes that mirror the character of a traditional margarita. The acidity is refreshing without becoming overly tart, making it approachable for both margarita lovers and anyone looking for a crisp summer beverage. It’s the kind of drink that feels equally at home at a backyard barbecue or enjoyed straight from the can on a warm afternoon.

Flavor Profile: Fresh lime, citrus zest, smooth agave sweetness and a clean finish.

Goodnight Moon Moscow Mule

Goodnight Moon leans into everything people love about a Moscow Mule. Fresh lime opens the palate before ginger adds its signature warming spice. The result is lively and refreshing with just enough bite to keep every sip interesting. It delivers the familiar kick Mule fans expect while remaining smooth and easy to drink.

Flavor Profile: Ginger spice, fresh lime, lemon citrus and a crisp sparkling finish.

Heavana Can’t Wait Mojito

Mint takes center stage here, supported by bright lime that keeps the drink clean and refreshing. Unlike many mint beverages that can feel overpowering, this one remains balanced and light, making it especially enjoyable on hot days. The tropical inspiration comes through without overwhelming the cocktail’s refreshing character.

Flavor Profile: Fresh mint, vibrant lime, light sweetness and cooling refreshment.

Hey Big Dipper Old Fashioned

For those who typically gravitate toward spirit-forward cocktails, Hey Big Dipper offers the most complex profile in the lineup. Inspired by the classic Old Fashioned, it layers warm spice, bitters and oak-inspired notes into a sophisticated sipping experience. It’s less about sweetness and more about depth, making it ideal for slow enjoyment.

Flavor Profile: Rich caramelized notes, subtle citrus, warm spice and a smooth finish reminiscent of a classic Old Fashioned.

Golden Hour Jamaican Rum Punch

Golden Hour is the lineup’s tropical standout. Layers of pineapple, citrus and island fruit create a vibrant punch that’s both juicy and refreshing without becoming overly sweet. Every sip evokes vacation energy, making it an easy choice for celebrations or anytime you want to bring tropical flavors into the moment.

Flavor Profile: Juicy pineapple, citrus brightness, ripe cherry, tropical fruit and a smooth island-inspired finish.

Sun Kissed Lemon Drop

Bright lemon takes the lead in Sun Kissed, offering a vibrant citrus profile balanced by subtle sweetness. Inspired by the Lemon Drop cocktail, it delivers a clean finish that’s refreshing rather than sugary. It’s one of the most versatile offerings in the collection and easily appeals to anyone who enjoys citrus-forward beverages.

Flavor Profile: Fresh lemon, light sweetness, crisp finish.

We believe the future of social drinking isn’t about replacing one feeling with another. MEDASE doesn’t seek to change how you feel. We seek to support the life you want to live. MEDASE delivers wellness that isn’t just what you put in your body; it’s how you gather, celebrate, connect and feel.

The brand has built a loyal following through direct-to-consumer sales, community events, pop-ups and tastings that allow consumers to experience the product firsthand. Today, MEDASE Cocktails can be found on Amazon, at Erewhon, through Farm Fresh to You and at select retailers nationwide.

If you’ve spent a weekend driving between three liquor stores hoping one of them has the bottle your friend mentioned or you saw a video about on YouTube or Instagram, you already know the problem with bourbon allocation. The best releases skip entire states. What does land nearby often gets pulled off the shelf by flippers before regular drinkers see a price tag.

Whiskey Library built the Bourbon Mystery Box around that specific headache: rare and craft bourbons that don’t reach your local store, shipped straight to your door and tailored to your preferences.

How It Works

Setup starts with a 90-second quiz covering experience level and flavor preferences. From there, Whiskey Library’s own tasting team sources and selects full-size bottles for each box, rather than shipping whatever distributor overstock is sitting in a warehouse. Every box has a value guarantee. Explorer boxes are guaranteed to be worth at least $170, while the Connoisseur boxes have a guaranteed value of $330 or more — both above the price you pay for your subscription. If you don’t like a bottle you’re sent, Whiskey Library will credit you for it. Most discovery boxes ask subscribers to gamble on minis or bottles already sitting in a grocery store. This one is built around full-size pours, selected by a team that tastes through the lineup first, with a credit refund built in if a bottle is a miss.

What’s Inside Every Box

Nothing ships until someone on the Whiskey Library team has tasted it, keeping filler and mass-market names out of the box. Bottles are selected based on each member’s preferences and personality, determined by the quiz, so two members rarely end up with an identical shipment.

Those who order the Bourbon Mystery Box swear by it. One subscriber described opening four bottles they’d never seen in a store in a single box. Another member pointed to the value-to-price ratio as the reason they stuck around past the first shipment.

Those are just a couple of many positive reviews. The Bourbon Mystery Box has more than 4,000 members and a 4.8-star rating average.

The Daily Pour Bonus

Get your free bonus bottle when you sign up for Bourbon Mystery Box using our link!

We’ve partnered with Whiskey Library to get readers a free bonus bottle with their first box, while supplies last. Explorer subscribers will receive a Moonlight Mayhem Cask Strength ($80 value), while Connoisseur subscribers will get a bottle of Doc Holliday 8 Year ($150 value). Both tiers also include tasting glasses with the first shipment, and the discount applies automatically through the link below — no code needed.

Skipping, pausing or canceling your subscription is very simple, with no calls required to back out.

Take the 90-second quiz and claim your bonus bottle today!

This post contains affiliate links. The Daily Pour may earn a commission on purchases made through this partnership. Must be 21 or older to purchase.

In a category steeped in tradition, Gambit No. 6 introduces a bold new way of thinking about bourbon.

Created by visionary Master Distiller Chip Tate, Gambit No. 6 is a 6-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon that pushes the boundaries of barrel finishing. The name itself, drawn from chess, symbolizes a calculated, strategic move. For Tate, that move was reimagining how finished barrels could shape the final whiskey.

Rather than relying on a single finishing cask, Gambit No. 6 incorporates six distinct barrel types: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Apple Brandy, Muscatel, Oloroso Sherry, and Tokaji. Each plays a specific role in building complexity, from the vinous richness of Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon barrels to the fruit-forward influence of Apple Brandy and the layered sweetness of Muscatel and Oloroso.

The process itself is as deliberate as the concept. Portions of the bourbon are finished separately — some for extended periods in wine casks, others divided across specialty barrels — before being blended together once each reaches its peak.

The final whiskey, bottled at 92 proof and non-chill filtered, delivers a rich yet balanced profile. On the nose, baking spice leads the way. On the palate, notes of cacao, sweet tobacco, and ripe fruit unfold gradually, offering a dynamic and evolving drinking experience.

Whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a classic cocktail, Gambit No. 6 offers something distinct: a modern bourbon defined by thoughtful risk and precision craftsmanship.

Available on gambit6.com and select retailers nationwide.

Heritage Distilling Co. offers a lineup of premium whiskey releases designed to raise funds for military-focused nonprofits while highlighting stories of service. The Salute Series portfolio includes multiple expressions, each honoring a specific community or cause, with at least 10% of gross profits from every bottle gifted to vetted charitable partners.

Founded in 2011, Heritage Distilling Company produces a range of super-premium spirits and has earned repeated recognition from the American Distilling Institute.

A Whiskey Program Built Around Giving

The Salute Series is structured as a long-term fundraising platform. Each edition is designed with a goal of raising at least $1 million for nonprofit partners, with more than $230,000 generated to date. Partner organizations include groups such as the Green Beret Foundation, and other nonprofits supporting active-duty personnel, veterans, and their families.

Each release under the Salute Series line is made to honor the worthy. Whiskey designed for ritual sips, ceremonial toasts, and ongoing celebrations. Each edition is also a contribution to a broader mission, with storytelling tied to the honorees.

Special Operations Salute: Army SOF Edition

The flagship released in the series is a blend of straight whiskeys aged more than six years and bottled at 105 proof (“Howitzer Strength”). The Army SOF Edition whiskey honors the six tribes of the U.S. Army’s Special Forces and the cadre that train them all.

Type: Blend of Straight Whiskeys
Proof: 105 | “Howitzer Strength”
Color: Rich amber
Nose: Tobacco, smoke, caramel, honey, pear
Taste: Vanilla, chocolate, floral bee pollen, clove, sweet malt

A portion of every purchase is given directly to nonprofit partners serving Special Operations Forces and their families, including The Foundation for Exceptional Warriors, Shields & Stripes, The Honor Foundation, and the Marine Raider Foundation. The release emphasizes ceremonial sips and collector appeal, while focusing on meaningful tribute rather than category comparison.

Special Operations Salute: De Oppresso Liber Edition

This limited-edition Kentucky straight bourbon honors the historical relationship between John F. Kennedy and the Green Berets. The motto De Oppresso Liber, meaning ‘To Free the Oppressed’, serves as the guiding theme of this release.

Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (5 years)
Proof: 122 | “Barrel Strength”
Color: Golden amber
Nose: Brown sugar, toasted plantain, honey
Taste: Tart black cherry, baked oatmeal, thyme

Each bottle includes a frameable 8×10 lithograph based on artwork by veteran and Special Forces enabler Michael Solovey, depicting a 1961 moment at Fort Bragg. $20 from each purchase is given to the Green Beret Foundation, whose mission is to connect US Army Special Forces soldiers, veterans, and their families with the right resources to prosper and thrive.

Service to America Salute: War Dogs Edition

The War Dogs Edition honors America’s Military Working Dogs and the handlers who served alongside them. This limited-edition Kentucky straight bourbon is aged 5 years and bottled at 98.6 proof, with every detail reflecting the lives saved and sacrifices made by these four-legged warriors.

Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (5 years)
Proof: 98.6
Color: Golden amber
Nose: Vanilla, honey, caramel, oak
Taste: Caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, peppery spice

The bottle features artwork by veteran and artist Michael Solovey and includes a paw print from Duco, a decorated Special Operations K9. As with every Salute Series release, 10% of gross profits benefit nonprofit partners supporting veterans and their families, human and canine alike.

Availability

The Salute Series is a premium whiskey dedicated to honoring those who have served. Each release supports a defined mission and nonprofit beneficiary, with a portion of every purchase going directly to those partners.

Available through select retailers and online with delivery to 45 states. For more information on nonprofit partners and product availability, consumers are encouraged to visit individual release pages on the Heritage Distilling website.

This April, your passion for whiskey can do a little more good.

California’s Redwood Empire Whiskey is back with its second annual Earth Month initiative for 2026, and the goal is as ambitious as ever: plant 100,000 trees in a single month.

The plan is simple: For every bottle sold at participating retailers, one tree gets planted. For every cocktail poured at participating bars, another tree goes into the ground. One sip, one tree.

It’s part of a broader mission that goes beyond the glass. Since launching, Redwood Empire has partnered with Trees for the Future to plant more than 1.8 million trees worldwide — restoring forests, supporting farming communities and strengthening ecosystems in the process.

And this month, Redwood Empire is doubling down. Bars across the country are turning cocktails into a cause through Redwood Empire’s Earth Month program. Feature a Redwood Empire cocktail, sell a drink, plant a tree. No extra cost or complicated steps, just a straightforward way to make an impact.

For drinkers, it’s just as easy. Order a pour. Pick up a bottle. Know that you’re contributing to something bigger, just by enjoying fantastic whiskey.

You drink. They plant. If you’re a bartender or operator, get involved by adding a Redwood Empire cocktail to your menu this April and turn every order into action.

Bottle by bottle. Cocktail by cocktail. Tree by tree.

(Photo: McLaughlin Distillery)

Promo Code: DailyMD — $10 OFF your first online order

In an era when many smaller whiskey brands rely on sourced spirits and outsourced production, McLaughlin Distillery has built its business around doing the opposite. The Pennsylvania producer operates year-round, makes every product on-site and follows a deliberately narrow set of production principles that shape everything from mash bills to barrel selection.

Rather than chasing rapid expansion, McLaughlin has focused on full control — of ingredients, equipment and process — resulting in a portfolio that reflects consistency and intention more than scale.

Distilled Off the Grain by Design

One of McLaughlin’s defining production choices is separating grain solids before distillation. While distilling on the grain is common for the sake of efficiency, McLaughlin removes the grain first, reducing particulate carryover and producing a cleaner base spirit.

The added time and labor limit output, but McLaughlin isn’t prioritizing mass production. This approach allows more precise control over texture and flavor before the spirit ever reaches a barrel. For McLaughlin, that tradeoff is central to its identity.

A Simple Mashbill With Complex Results

Instead of rotating mash bills or chasing complexity through grain variety, McLaughlin keeps its whiskey foundation intentionally simple — all its bourbons are distilled from 100% corn, emphasizing brightness and natural sweetness over spice or grain sharpness.

That consistency gives the distillery a stable base for experimentation elsewhere in the process. The only whiskey with another mashbill is Blackburn Rye, which blends 5-year cask-strength bourbon with unaged rye whiskey to create a hybrid profile that doesn’t fit neatly into standard categories.

Barrel Size as a Tool

McLaughlin relies heavily on small-format barrels — primarily 10-gallon casks, with smaller 5- and 2.5-gallon barrels used selectively. All much smaller than your usual 53-gallon size. The smaller barrels accelerate interaction between spirit and wood, deepening color and pulling oak-driven flavors earlier in the aging cycle.

Small cask aging requires constant monitoring, and batches are evaluated individually rather than by fixed age statements. This allows the distillery to release spirits based on readiness rather than timelines.

A Portfolio Built Through Hands-On Production

Every product in McLaughlin’s lineup is made under the same roof using the same core equipment. That includes bourbons, American whiskeys, experimental blends, cream liqueurs and more than 23 flavored moonshines.

This variety reflects a willingness to apply the same hands-on approach across different styles.

Recognition Rooted in Process, Not Scale

Several McLaughlin releases have earned top-tier competition results, including Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Cask Strength Baby Barrel Bourbon and Mario’s Creamy Limoncello, which has won in consecutive years.

The recognition highlights how a small operation using rustic equipment can still deliver technical consistency when process discipline remains the priority.

A Salt-of-the-Earth Business Built Without Outside Capital

Founder Kim McLaughlin brought an agricultural background to distilling after more than 25 years in dairy farming. That experience shaped the distillery’s emphasis on efficiency, adaptability and self-reliance. When a career change coincided with final permitting, the distillery shifted from a planned hobby into a full-time operation with no external funding.

That constraint continues to inform production decisions, reinforcing a preference for manageable batch sizes and hands-on oversight rather than rapid growth.

Year-Round Production

McLaughlin operates more than 300 distillation days each year, keeping production consistent. This steady rhythm supports a broad release schedule while allowing the team to maintain quality control across categories.

It also reflects a philosophy rooted in consistent work — not sporadic output tied to marketing cycles.

Accessing the Lineup

McLaughlin Distillery’s full portfolio is available through its online store, with shipping to most states. New customers can apply the promo code DailyMD for $10 off your first online order. Shop now!