Castle & Cairn

Chattanooga Whiskey Company is known is being pivotal in getting laws changed to permit distilling within Hamilton County, becoming the first to do so since Prohibition. Their "Tennessee High Malt" style and bespoke processes showcase the characters of specialty malted grains, garnering multiple awards for both their core offerings and their always-fascinating experimental series.  Cask 111 is the full strength expression of Chattanooga Whiskey's flagship mash bill. It skips the solera finishing process of the 91 proof offering , instead opting for a small format blend which can lead to subtle variations between batches. 🛒 Sourced: $38.99 for 750ml from Smyrna World of Beverage, GA ($5 incentive, normally $43.99) 🧪 Proof:  111 proof, 55.5% ABV 🎨 Color: R4  - a ruddy reddish-brown. Good Legs. 🥔 Mash Bill & Production:  Yellow Corn 75%, Malted Rye, Caramel Malted Barley & Honey Malted Barley (25% specially malted grains, exact ratios undisclosed). A ...

The flagship brand of nutrition giant Nutrabolt, Cellucor and energy brand C4 are long-time players in the space, having launched their first pre-workout beverage, C4 powder, in 2011 with a canned version following in 2018. Marketing has long been targeted directly to gym-goers and bodybuilders. Today, you'll see two varieties of cans: yellow which is aimed at athletic performance and endurance, and black which focuses on brain function and concentration. Minority investor Keurig Dr Pepper provides nationwide logistics. Paying homage to the classic summer ice pop, a staple of ice cream trucks and school parties everywhere, C4 Frozen Bombsicle was introduced with the rest of the RTDs as a limited offering in 2018 and received a design update as well as elevation to the main nationwide lineup in 2021. Despite the heavy red, white, and blue packaging, the liquid inside is completely clear. Frozen Bombsicle remains one of the few legacy C4 flavors to utilize a cooling flavor compound t...

Founded back in 2018 by fitness influencer Katy Hearn and husband Haydn Schneider, Alani Nu (part of Congo Brands which also owns PRIME hydration/energy) seeks to disrupt an energy drink category historically dominated by marketing aimed at young men. Alani's branding emphasizes bright and vibrant color palettes while prominently featuring women and more traditionally female activities. The vibes-based plan complete with abundant influencer marketing and wellness adjacent value-prop seems to have gained traction with the brand surpassing $1billion in global sales for fiscal 2025. Beyond energy drinks, Alani Nu's catalog also has pre-workout, shakes, snacks, and energy stick offerings.  Cherry Twist was first introduced in spring of 2024, designed as a 1980s retro cherry-lime soda. Originally intended as a limited run, huge sales velocity at launch resulted in its quick promotion to the standing lineup. 🛒 Price: $16.59 for 12 cans, note this reflects a national promo and $6 o...

With the tagline "Bold Never Burnt", this ready-to-drink dark roast coffee from Philadelphia's La Colombe provides a self-described nutty flavor in a convenient format. It can be found nationally in the USA in standard retail outlets like Target or Publix, 48oz container for around $5. I do not see it on the La Colombe official website which focuses more on direct consumer retail. Made with specialty-grade beans, it is brewed strong with around 280mg caffeine per serving, a good deal more than a standard cup per volume. Not much other data available, but let's get into it! 🌍 Origin: Noted as Colombian in the product description - 100% Arabica 🔥 Roast Level: Dark - Espresso Roast 🧪 Brew Method: Immersion Cold Brew (assumed) 👃 Nose: Mild as they tend to be with cold brew. Generically roasty. 👅 Flavor: Initial palate is nut forward as advertised which deepens into roast and a chocolate adjacent gentle bittering note towards the finish. Aftertaste and back of fin...

Launched in 2025 with a limited-edition basketball pattern, Ghost Energy Peaches  was the second flavor to have an exclusive themed wrapper. Ghost printed a small number of custom peach-and-black basketballs for use as prizes for in-app mini-game giveaways. Interestingly, the brand went with the plural "peaches" instead of the more common singular peach as a homage to Georgia peach crates.  GHOST (GHOST Lifestyle LLC) is a lifestyle sports nutrition and beverage company headquartered in Henderson, Nevada. Founded in 2016 by Dan Lourenco (CEO) and Ryan Hughes (CMO), the brand positions itself around its mantra "Be Seen," targeting fitness enthusiasts, gamers, and mainstream consumers rather than traditional bodybuilders. I first encountered them as a part of sponsored content around Call of Duty Warzone on Twitch. Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) is in the process of fully acquiring Ghost by 2028, having held the controlling interest in the brand since 2024. Ghost Peaches set ...

A ready-to-drink cold brew black coffee in 100% recycled packaging, this Espresso Roast from Califia Farms can be found in most national US grocery chains. Califia is named after a shortened version of its California home and is best known for their wide-hipped and curvy bottle shape. They are a eco-centric firm with values like contributing to resilient agriculture, climate, and circular economy through a plant-based food lens. With 195mg of caffeine per 12 Fl oz serving, you still get a decent amount of boost even when diluted. 🌍 Origin: Undisclosed - 100% Arabica, at this time Califia sources from Central/South America exclusively. Rainforest Alliance Certified.  🔥 Roast Level: Dark 🧪 Brew Method: Immersion Cold Brew 👃 Nose:  Not much on the nose, a small amount of cereal, sweet biscuit, and and maybe the slightest hint of berry. 👅 Flavor:  Undiluted it is very balanced with only the slightest bitterness. Mouth experience is roast heavy with that same cereal or...