27 Jun Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Shots Box

Are you a gin fan? A vodka fan? A whiskey fan? Or do you like them all? Do you have your go-to brand or are you interested in seeking out new brands? With so many craft spirit brands on the market, before you commit to purchasing one, you might want to try it. So, a box of mini-bottles is the perfect solution and that is why Shots Box is the Please The Palate pick of the week. Shots Box is a liquor subscription service that offers the opportunity to sample a variety of thoughtfully curated spirits from across the country. Before you commit to full-size bottles of vodka, gin, whiskey, tequila or perhaps a liquor you had not thought of, you can order a Shots Box and discover 10 new brands. I received my first Shots Box. While it is possible to order a Vodka Sampler Box, a Whiskey Sampler Box or a Gin Lovers Box, the Ultimate Shots Box offers an array of spirits. My Ultimate Shots Box included:

• Death’s Door Vodka
• Figenza Vodka
• H.O.B.S. Gin
• Classico No. 1 White Rum Premium
• Casamigos Tequila Reposado
• Balcones Distilling Baby Blue Corn Whiskey
• Willie’s Distillery Montana Honey Moonshine
• Beach Whiskey Bonfire Cinnamon
• Willie’s Distillery Coffe Cream Liqueur
• Adelaide’s Orange Dreamsticks Cream Wine

In addition to a single shot bottle, each spirit came with a recipe from the distillery. The non-alcoholic ingredients are your own responsibility. But, over all, the recipes are rather simple and the ingredients are easy to get. For example, with the Death’s Door Vodka, the recipe was for a Mint Raspberry Vodka Mojito Cocktail. While I did not have any raspberries, I did have blackberries so I swapped them out. I also had fresh mint from my herb garden, lime, sugar and club soda. I followed the directions and enjoyed a refreshing cocktail. Other recipes may call for some more sophisticated ingredients. For example, Balcones Distilling Baby Blue Corn Whiskey recommended the Thyme Tells All Cocktail which required thyme syrup. A quick Google search offered tips on a thyme-infused simple syrup which takes five minutes to make. Some of the other cocktails I made with the spirits in my Ultimate Shots Box included a Classico Daiquiri Cocktail made with No.1 White Rum Premium. I have also enjoyed a Bee Sting Cocktail with the Willie’s Distillery Montana Honey Moonshine. Shots Box is a subscription based service. You can order a single Shots Box and if you like a particular brand, you can order a full-size bottle from Shots Box. Or you can sign up for a subscription and will receive ten samples delivered monthly for $50. The quality and uniqueness of the spirits makes this a great value. Shots Box, whether a single box or a subscription, is a great gift idea! Shots Box offers a new way to discover craft liquors. And, they help take the guesswork out of choosing new brands as you can taste them before you commit to a full-size bottle. And, with the cocktail recipe cards, you may just discover a new cocktail you enjoy and that is why Shots Box is the Please The Palate pick of the week.