Saber Distillery is a family company that resides in Slovakia. Since its beginning in 2016 they have focused on crafting exceptional quality spirits. The distillery’s portfolio includes Fruit distillates (brandy), vodka, juniper spirits and their special spruce spirit Smrekovička. Devotion, innovation and a special approach are the main pillars of their family business.

Saber’s main mission is to create an authentic product – a distillate – an unmistakable taste that the nation should be rightfully proud of. They combine innovation with art, they look at each product as a canvas that you fill with your experiences. These are moments that are special for you, those that connect. They use modern technologies in the production process, but they place great emphasis on authenticity and tradition. The processes take place in strictly controlled areas in compliance with the maximum safety conditions to achieve the required standard of the products. The use of purely natural raw materials is a matter of course for them. In other words – it is a unique sensory and gastronomic experience.

Constantin apricot brandy 42%,  92 points, a gold medal at the 2020 Bartender Spirits Awards

The plum distillate is a royal Slovak specialty. During its production, Saber carefully selects ripe fruit and process it using the most modern technological procedures. They could tell you that they use secret recipes or special ingredients, as most manufacturers try to give you. Well, the opposite is true. Only a responsible approach and quality raw materials are the critical factors.

Hugan 1265, won 81 points, a silver medal at the 2020 Bartender Spirits Awards

HUGAN 1265 is literally the pinnacle of their work. A unique alternative distillate characterized by extreme fineness. HUGAN 1265 represents a new generation of alcoholic beverages, which is specially developed as an ingredient in mixed drinks because it does not leave an alcoholic taste. They used the most efficient methods for processing, such as multiplicative distillation, fullerene filtration and sonic modification. With HUGAN 1265, you can also prepare drinks yourself that will give your experience a new dimension.

Palantir Smrekovicka – spruce distilled spirit won 92 points, a gold medal at the 2020 Bartender Spirits Awards

Horehronská Smrekovička also holds the Horehronie Regional Product certificate. Its production is limited annually, as it is produced from spring spruce shoots and 9 times distilled neutral grain distillate. You will find this product only in the exclusive representation of their partners. If you want to please someone with a purely national, hand-made distillate from the Saber Distillery workshop, then this is one of those things that will fit perfectly in your hand.

Luckily, it’s been more than a decade since LA’s bar culture started to move away from see-and-be-seen bottle service booths, get on the right promoter’s list, or get gatekeepers to pick up hopefuls from the labyrinthine line around the block. The city’s drinking scene is much more egalitarian these days, with beer, wine and cocktail bars that serve as neighborhood gems and out-of-town drinking destinations.

Memorable encounters may take place in establishments specializing in spirits, eclectic wines and experimental cocktail dishes. And yes, rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber have even made it much better to cut loose with an extra glass or two. 

Below, at this particular time, you’ll learn about LA’s most important bars, be they historical landmarks that remain iconic or hot new spots that turn heads for all the right reasons. All that would be left and to go out and do it on your own. 

Lanea

As Lanea moved in to replace Copa d’Oro’s long-time favorite, the room became unrecognizable: it’s far airier now, with a breezy wraparound bar, a cushioned lounge, and a sea-blue décor combined with wooden tones. 

Lanea translates from Hawaii as a “heavenly flower,” which certainly suits the transformed environment. Beverage Director Bethany Ham takes advantage of the nearby farmers market to produce colorful cocktails such as the Jungle Bird Scooter: a turmeric-stained, mezcal-powered reference to Santa Monica’s popular motor scooters. 

Ham also manufactures a legit spicy mezcal margarita with pepper honey and pepper salt. If you’re looking for something more straightforward, just take a look at Lanea ‘s roster of mezcals and tequilas that devour more than 150 bottles deep. Lanea also serves some of the best tacos Santa Monica has ever seen, which come with guac-made corn tortillas, chopped white onions, sliced cucumber and fragrant cilantro dolphin (including flowers). Lamb is a strong taco star, although you might certainly make a case for thin-sliced cecina (pounded beef) and vegetarian squash blossoms, cremini mushrooms and spinach. 

Genever

A golden door under the glass sign of a cupola leads you into this moody lounge, where you’ll find cozy grey sofas, wavy candlesticks made of recycled glass, and a wall of Lady Genever herself in the back corner. Owners and long-time friends Christine Sumiller, Patricia Perez, and Roselma Samala pay tribute to their Filipino heritage by integrating ingredients such as calamansi, pandan, and datuputi into their gin/genever-forward cocktails, which also feature musical names such as Heard It Through The Grapevine and Jessie’s Girl. 

Themed four-for-gin and genever flights allow drinkers to compare and contrast main spirits, while more direct types may want a “headbutt”: a beer-and-genever-shot combo in the Dutch tradition of kopstootje, the Netherlands being the birthplace of gin precursor genever. Whatever you get, Genever offers complimentary Filipino-style corn nuts tossed with fried garlic. 

Highland Park Brewery 

It took the extension from Highland Park to Chinatown to find a wider audience for this excellent brewery. Now that HPB is unshackled, brewmaster Bob Kunz makes stunning barrel-fermented ales and sours blended with quality California products. The 16 taps rotate here with mostly fold-away ales, peppered with outliers like the shockingly tropical New England-style IPA called Coco Wham or the funky American stout brewed with black garlic that goes to the Black Bulb. 

Sour ales and seasons brewed with seasonal stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines and cherums (a cherry-plum hybrid) even form part of the line-up, and also have half-pours of several beers to make experimenting more appealing. Sitting across from Los Angeles State Historic Park and a short walk from the Gold Line, the airy space features a light-filled patio, a convivial atmosphere, and an evolving menu of local chef Shawn Pham. Highland Park Brewery is your must-visit place if you are a beer drinker.

In Sheep’s Clothing

Some of the same people as No Name and Lupetti’s Pizza. In Sheep’s Clothing is a bar that literally turns the buzzing environment of most drinking establishments on its head. Instead of listing its menu on the website, In Sheep’s Clothing instead runs down the specs of its sound system, which makes sense — despite their curated selection of mezcal and high-end cocktails, this is LA’s best-sounding space. 

Bartenders play their favorite records on the immaculate machine, and the patrons are welcomed with a sign that says, politely, “Please keep your conversations under the music.” Looking for a party? Not your place, man. Would you like to get a little more intimate with a date without having to shout? Bingo. Bingo. 

Broken Shaker

Broken Shaker is a Miami import that won the James Beard and Tales Cocktail awards at its home base, and the LA outpost follows in its big footsteps, with beautiful trees, comfortable seats and a rooftop pool. (OK, the pool is only officially open to hotel guests, but c’mon, we all know that game.) The menu includes Cali-influenced drinks such as Pimm’s shrub/vodka/ginger ale Recusal Cup, and fish tostadas and vegetable egg rolls if you’ve got the munchies.

Header image credit: Broken Shaker at Freehand Los Angeles

It all began as a farmer’s daughter, I was the grand finale of 6 kids. My mother always had the best gardens with LOTS of tomatoes. That rubbed off on me. Having an abundance of tomatoes one year, I created Smokin Mary, by accident, in my quest for ‘there’s got to be a better way’. Meaning I knew I could create a  better Cocktail mixer than what was on the market and served in many bars/restaurants. One that wouldn’t water down and lose its flavor because I was talking to my friends. I began the mission…5 yrs later, 16 revisions later, I took it to market. 

Smokin Mary wins an award in every competition including many Gold, Double Gold and Best in Class awards in the USA as cocktail mixers, and additionally as a cooking ingredient in the kitchen.

The difference you wonder…we start with fresh produce and the finest ingredients available and we add a hint of smoke. The flavors are tantalizing and will make you keep coming back for more. You can taste every ingredient. You can taste the difference!

Smokin Mary original starts with fresh tomatoes, fresh horseradish, fresh lemons and limes and is hickory smoked. Play wells with all kinds of spirits and beer.

The Story…

Once upon a time, there was a wholesome girl growing up on a dairy farm in Northern California. Her name was (and still is) Laurie. She remembers her mom tending a vibrant tomato garden. Those earthy days of ripe red fruit are among the best memories of her childhood.

That garden is where this saucy tomato learned many of her best practices. A love of fresh produce leads to a love of gourmet foods—dishes crafted with a flair for flavor and a love for the friends and family enjoying them.

Eventually, Laurie married a guy named Marc. A man who is skilled in the ways of professional kitchens, Marc also has a smoker. And one day, Laurie turned up with way too many tomatoes.

They looked at the tomatoes, looked at the smoker, and something clicked. Laurie and Marc began working on a recipe for smoked tomato goodness. As big fans of sharing fabulous food and lively libations, it was natural that this pair would devise a killer Bloody Mary mix.

Passion, craft and a dedication to flavor unite. The result is Smokin’ Mary, which you can share with your friends for fun and festivities.

Green with Envy is made with vine-ripened green tomatoes, limes, Serrano peppers and is mesquite smoked. Great with Tequila, Gin, Vodka and beer. 

Li’l Tart is our version of a traditional Mexican Sangrita with a hint of smoke. Absolutely amazing with a Blanco Tequila!

Smokin Mary (original), Green with Envy and Li’l Tart, all won Silver Medal at the 2020 Bartenders Spirits Awards.

Los Angeles consumers can buy Smokin’ Mary online.

In 2016 Renea McQuiggan, third generation Kansas farm land owner and resident of Arizona began exploring potential opportunities that could possibly incorporate products from the farm. Together with her husband Michael, a long-time connoisseur of fine scotch and whisky, decided to explore using the grains produced on the farm to open a distillery and create premium spirits that they could enjoy and share with others.

Renea and Michael started their journey by attending Moonshine University, in Louisville Kentucky. Moonshine University taught them all facets of opening and operating a distillery and they made many contacts in the Kentucky distilling industry that they have partnered with to help bring their vision to a reality. The idea of using the grain from the family farm was the catalyst to begin exploration and taking the next steps to create a line of products. Elysian Desert Distilleries (Elysian) was incorporated in March of 2017. Elysian is a woman owned and Family operated company with Renea as President and Abigail Merritt, Renea’s daughter, Vice President. 

Michael brings his wealth of knowledge in opening and operating a business along with his passion and love for premium spirits to bring Elysian to life. Stuart, Abigail’s husband, is learning the blending and bottling process as well as supports Elysian’s sales efforts. Abigail came up with the idea of creating a vodka product line based on the Chakras. So Elysian Trademarked “Chakra Vodka” and “Spirits with your Spirit in Mind”. The team then spent over a year developing 7 flavors of premium vodkas that coincide with the ingredients that represent each Chakra. The results are amazing flavors of vodka that don’t need mixers in order to enjoy the product line. Renea and Abigail have both said from the beginning – “We want the product to be aligned and reflect the various chakras. If we wouldn’t drink the vodka flavors by themselves, then it isn’t the product for us”

While all that was happening with the vodka, Renea and Michael developed a premium Bourbon product. Renea and Michael with much sampling and tasting landed on a blend that consists of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malt. This blend is smooth to drink with hints of caramel and vanilla. With careful attention to detail “Carefree Bourbon” was distilled offsite in Indiana and placed in new charred oak barrels, it sat for 2 + years waiting for the opening of our Carefree tasting room. 

Our barrels are then delivered to our Distillery in Carefree AZ where it is blended, bottled and labeled by hand at the company distillery in Carefree AZ. We had many friends, family and loved ones involved in the tasting of the Bourbon and we are forever grateful to those that have helped and supported us in the tastings and along this journey.

Chakra Vodka was introduced to the market towards the end of 2019 and is starting to have a following of its own.  Watch for this delightful line up of vodka with seven unique flavors on store shelves soon. 

Chakra is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning “wheel” or ‘circle.” Chakras are dynamic energy pockets that control and energize the vital organs of the body both physical as well as mental. This high-end premium vodka is for the connoisseur to sip and enjoy, and symbolizes the total alignment of all 7 Chakras.

Carefree Bourbon hit the market in March 2019 and since that time has received the 2020 Silver Medal for the 90 Proof and a 2020 Bronze Medal for the 118 proof (limited run) from the American Distilling Institute. Chakra Vodka also won a gold medal at the 2020 Bartenders Spirits Awards.

You can buy the vodka from Mission Wine and Spirits and The Grill on Main Street in La Quinta in Los Angeles.

Established in 1982, Dromana Estate was instrumental in forging the Mornington Peninsula’s reputation as one of Australia’s leading wine regions. The winery produces an extensive range of wines, up to twelve different varietals per year.

Domana Estate was one of the top Australian wineries to score very high at the 2020 Sommeliers Choice Awards with 3 gold medals under their belt. Chief winemaker Peter Bauer has been in the wine industry for more than thirty years and brought his wealth of knowledge and experience to Dromana Estate in 2007. Bauer meticulously crafts outstanding French varietals like pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonnay, along with varietals that are not usually associated with the Mornington Peninsula such as viognier and sauvignon blanc. Taking an innovative approach to winemaking, he is well known for blending varietals together to create completely new taste sensations.

Sommeliers Choice Awards Gold Medal Winner – Dromana Estate Syrah ’14

Boutique, family-owned and award-winning; with 50 acres under vine, we have something for everyone with 7 varietals, 19 wines and 3 labels that are estate grown and produced 

To showcase the varietal diversity of the Peninsula, they have created their Mornington Estate range. The wines are fresh and vibrant with distinctive regional characteristics. Their premium Dromana Estate range highlights the Peninsula’s extended, gradual ripening season that is ideal for producing award-winning wines from classic, cool-climate varietals. The Tuerong Park range is our limited-edition range, made from selected sections of the vineyard to which the winemaker has paid personal hands-on attention and care.

Pinot Noir vineyards

It is their belief that exceptional wines arise from great grapes and vineyard management with minimal intrusion and interference our wines achieve that sense of time and place, or terroir, to use the French term. By keeping the use of fungicides to the absolute minimum and endeavoring to use organic options when available they produce premium wines that are as sustainable and eco-friendly. They have always believed in using minimal preservatives throughout wine production, including during fermentation and filtering which allows the natural flavor of our wine to shine through.

The wines also won 3 gold medals and one silver medal at one of America’s leading wine competition Sommeliers Choice Awards. Dromana Estate Syrah scored a gold, Dromana Estate Blanc de Blanc scored a gold, Dromana Estate Pinot Noir scored gold and Tuerong Park Botrytis got silver.

The goal of the Sommeliers Choice Awards is simple: to provide on-premise buyers and sommeliers a valuable benchmark for understanding which wines would make a compelling addition to a wine list.

Medals were awarded to those wines that meet very specific judging criteria, with a goal of identifying wines that should become additions to restaurant wine lists. Wines will be judged according to criteria such as how well they pair with food items in addition to their overall versatility. Highest marks will be awarded to wines that provide value for money at their respective price points. Judges know the trade prices of each wine as they are judging each flight. 

The number one question that sommeliers will be attempting to answer as they judge wines is: “Would we stock this?”.

Los Angeles Drinks Guide recommends their Dromana Estate Syrah ’14 to try!

Showing typical Syrah characteristics of blackberry, dark cherry, cocoa, warm spice and cedar characters on the nose with a hint of gamey complexity. This wine is the iron fist in a velvet glove. Dark and stormy, with rich plums and spice, it’s concentrated and impressively weighted on the palate, displaying expansive mouthfeel and rich texture, leading to a lengthy velvety finish.

Header image source: Dromana Estate facebook