Most of the tequilas we come across look like some kind of Tex Mex nightmare; occasionally one even resembles a good cognac. One thing we didn’t expect to see was an elixir of agave that could be a stand-in for ultra-premium vodka. In a crowded market, however, you sometimes have to think outside the box—er, bottle.

Thus we have Maestro Dobel, the “world’s first diamond tequila”, sold in numbered vessels bearing the name of the ranch the agave was harvested from. What the hell does “diamond” mean? Well, most aged tequilas of the anejo and extra-anejo variety look like they’ve been sitting around in oak for a while, which of course they have.

Maestro Dobel, a blend of the latter plus a spot of reposado, is crystal clear, however, the result of a “proprietary blending and filtration technique,” they say, that “gently expels congeners” along with color. Sounds like some kind of eel, no? Apparently it’s an impurity borne of fermentation that we consume all the time. Who knew? Who cares. But this is pretty good stuff all the same.

Starting this week, for the first time in 200 years whiskey is being sold at George Washington’s distillery at Mount Vernon, where the nation’s first president produced an impressive 11,000 gallons the stuff in 1799.

The move was made possible under special legislation signed by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, whom we hereby anoint an honorary MOTH for his services to the cause. The distillery was one of the largest, most successful whiskey distilleries in early America, using corn and rye grown on Washington’s plantation until it burned down in 1814. It re-opened last year after extensive renovations and will hopefully be producing Washington’s signature sauce in saleable quantities again soon, but for starters they’re offering small bottles of a unique “vatted” American whiskey made from portions of 11 famous brands, “married” and re-aged at Mount Vernon.

The brands include Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark, Woodford Reserve, and that Southern classic which might well have been named in honor of ol’ George himself: Virginia Gentleman.

There’s a major occasion to celebrate for men and drinkers everywhere coming up in December, so it only makes sense to start preparing now. December 5th marks the 75th anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition the date that Utah finally ratified the 21st Amendment, ending a 13-year national nightmare saw an increase in crime and alcohol abuse - the very thing it was intended to counteract - while costing the Treasury’s coffers millions in lost tax revenue.

To help us get ready, drinkers’ rights group the Distilled Spirits Council has just launched an intoxicating new site, ProhibitionRepeal.com, with extensive sections on the history, cocktails, and legacy of the dark years, plus tips on throwing your own Repeal party.

It also highlights the battles still to be fought - such as the ridiculously antiquated Blue Laws that “continue to burden consumer convenience” in many states, as they so artfully put it. In other words, there’s still some mighty thirsty work to be done.

Photography by Anula Maiberg

We’ve seen a lot of different vodkas, and a lot of different ways to package vodka. But it’s safe to say, this is the first farmer’s vodka we’ve come across.

Arising from an unlikely union of a Minnesotan agricultural co-op and the Phillips Distilling Company, the folks who brought you Belvedere and America’s first taste of schnapps. But what really interests us isn’t the pedigree but the packaging. We knew vodka was made from corn, but somehow no one ever put the two together before. We always thought of vodka as more of a tundra drink, but apparently not.

It also does double duty as both organic and kosher, for all the hippie Zionists out there.

Talk about vintage champagne - some lucky bastard just found the world’s oldest bottle of Veuve Clicquot lying around his Scottish castle in a dusty cabinet that’d been locked up for the last 100 years.

Chris James, the current owner of Torosay Castle on the Isle of Mull off Scotland’s west coast told the London Telegraph he’d long been meaning to have a peek inside the cupboard, for which he had no key. After finally enlisting the help of a locksmith, James discovered the original owner’s personal booze stash, including bottles of claret and brandy, a decanter of port, and an unopened bottle of 1893 Veuve yellow label in mint condition, thanks to the cellar-like conditions that prevail in old Scottish castles. He contacted the company who informed him the ancient bubbly was literally priceless.

More on the priceless bottle»

Compass Box, the no-nonsense artisanal Brit whiskymaker whose ambrosial offerings we first told you about last year, has just come out with a new bottling of its limited release Hedonism Scotch in time for a certain Hallmark holiday.

Hedonism is a blend of rare old Scotch grain whisky — traditionally low grade, unmatured stuff made from wheat or corn added to malt whisky to make the major brands of blended Scotch. However, when properly aged in oak, Scotch grain whisky can achieve its own delectable character, albeit of a much lighter, honeyish, toffee-like variety; a before-dinner Scotch if you will.

Compass Box bottles the stuff when it can find enough mature grain whisky—20 years old on average—in good oak casks. No easy task, but we’re certainly glad they bothered.

Dethroner

Liquors have been touting their history for a long time (since 1847, in fact), but it’s rare to come across an ad that makes the past look like so much fun. In this print spot, Canadian Club—or, more accurately, Chicago’s Energy BBDO agency—points us to a bygone era of thin black ties, hair wax, and formal dinner attire. The tag says “June ’65,” and the gentleman in the swim trunks is sporting some decidedly counter-cultural shagginess, but otherwise the look is Goldwater-chic.

Except, perhaps, for that pair of legs on the right.

Drinking at home can seem too casual, or worse, anti-social, but all you really need are the right accoutrements.

This ice-crusher—a Mad Men-style relic resurrected by American Chateau—is a touch of welcome anachronism. We certainly won’t miss the industrial rumble of a refrigerator’s ice crusher. Instead there’s a soothing ritual to add to our bartending repertoire, as well as a sleek reminder of a time when stainless steel still had futuristic panache.

Plus, it crushes a lot.

Stainless Steel Ice Crusher [American Chateau]

Yes, champagne at New Year’s has gotten a bit tiresome, but don’t switch to controlled substances just yet—Veuve Cliquot has hit on a way to brighten things up.

We’ve always loved the mandarin orange label on the bottles, which the company calls yellow for some reason; they’re so damned natty. Someone we know (cough, cough) once even had his dining room painted to match. To celebrate the House of Cliquot’s 130th anniversary they’ve just released a limited edition 3-liter “Yellowboam” (a play on Jeroboam), equivalent to four regular bottles.

More on the extravagant hand-crafted vessels »

Would you pay $30,000 for a bottle of Scotch? The folks at Christie’s are hoping somebody will at what is certainly an auspicious occasion: the first auction of rare spirits in New York since Prohibition began in 1920, taking place this Saturday at their Rockefeller Center HQ. Read more »

We know you’ve been meaning to acquire all sorts of esoteric Scotch knowledge so no one laughs anymore when you try to pronounce “Islay.” There’s a way to look like you know your way around the Inner Hebrides however without losing sleep over it. Compass Box, a no-nonsense artisanal Brit whiskymaker, bypasses the mumbo jumbo in favor of a simple statement expressing the character of the spirit: take our favorite from their core range, the smoked-out Peat Monster.

Now Compass Box is broadening its offerings on our side of the sink…

As Anthony Powell noted, books do furnish a room; here at Kempt, we believe bottles do too. The good-looking ones, that is—keep your shelves well stocked with both and you’ll never lack for something to read or drink. But tequila has so far lagged behind the rest of the spirits world when it comes to attractive packaging…