Castle & Cairn

Debuted in 2022, Ghost Energy's Cherry Limeade  is part of the non-collab second wave of flavors from the brand. I'm not sure if they tried for a Sonic Drive-In activation, but the theming is very much in line with Sonic and Firehouse Subs' iconic flavor. 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 on Twitch sponsoring specific Call of Duty content creators, though I have seen them in most retail grocery and nutrition venues. Keurig Dr Pepper is in the process of fully acquiring Ghost by 2028, having held the controlling interest in the brand for some time previous. 🛒 Price: 3 for $6, two bucks apiece at Publix, similar pricing at RaceTrac stations. ✨C...

Originally produced under the brand name UP Energy, 3D Energy rebranded in 2018 and is positioned as a clean, daily performance drink filling a niche between pre-workout and high-sugar, soda-segment energy drinks. Briefly aligned with Congo Brands, the company is now back under founder control, having undergone a "v2" Reformulation Era, eliminating artificial food dyes, modernizing label transparency, and adjusting liquid weight to reduce fullness while training. The brand features matte 16oz cans with simple geometric art and limited design. 3D launched the interesting and polarizing Spicy Mango flavor in January of 2026. All 3D iterations are zero sugar and are more lightly carbonated to reduce gastrointestinal distress while exercising. There isn't much "sweet and spicy" available on the market, so I'm very intrigued to try this iteration! 🛒 Price: $25.99/12, website redirects to Amazon. I snagged this for $1 with a QT Coupon. ✨Calories: 10 , 16oz. can...

Named for John E. Fitzgerald, an excise man who loved to sneak tastes of some of the best bourbon right out of the rickhouse, Larceny is Heaven Hill's main wheated brand. With both a 92-proof flagship line and batched barrel proof edition, Heaven Hill also allows private barrel picks. Larceny has traditionally competed with Rebel and moved at a few dollars less than Maker's Mark, and the brand underwent a bit of a transformation in 2020 with the launch of the barrel proof line, the B batch of which won Whiskey Advocate's #1 Whiskey of the Year. Picks are typically selected on-site or via correspondence from a lineup of 3-4 barrel samples pulled from specific aging locations. Disclaimer: while most producers select interesting or high-quality barrels for their pick programs, profiles can vary widely and may sometimes be "off-brand". 🛒 Sourced: $39.99 for 750ml from Tower Beer, Wine, and Spirits, GA - A bargain even before the $20 rebate from Heaven Hill. Probabl...

Found North is the brainchild of brothers Nick and Zach Taylor with the stated goal of making Canadian Whisky that appeals to the most passionate of enthusiasts. While most historic Canadian brands are smooth and light bodied, the Taylor brothers emphasize full-proof, unadulterated blends often with interesting finishes. Unlike most single barrel programs, Found North utilizes a blended finishing process by which the core blend for each "season" is batched and then re-racked into finish barrels. Picks occur from the individual finished casks. Component whiskies are sourced from a variety of Canadian distillers at high age points. This bottle is from Season Five which is an experiment crossing high maturity rye with casks sourced from Europe. It is finished in ex-sauternes casks. I was not familiar with Sauternes but it is a sweet white wine from the region of the same name in France. Sauternes wine is made from a combination of Sémillon, sauvignon blanc, and muscadelle grape...

Co-founded by CEO David Peet and Chief Blender Macaulay Minton,  Dark Arts Whiskey House is a Lexington, Kentucky-based independent blending, rebarreling, and finishing operation. They specialize in double-barrel and other exotic finishes, in this case white Port & Pinot Noir win casks. The distiller is MGP/Ross & Squibb in Indiana with Dark Arts then doing the aging, blending, and bottling in Kentucky. While the major batches have both white port and pinot noir finished components, split for finishing and then batched together, the private barrels are almost entirely based on just the pinot noir finished bourbon.  🛒 Sourced: $49.99 for 750ml from Tower Beer, Wine, and Spirits, GA - discounted deeply from its shelf price of $95. Guess picks aren't moving. 🧪 Proof: 112.04 proof, 56.02% ABV - usually between 111/114 proof, full but not too much. 🎨 Color: R5 - Ruddy red brown, nice color indeed. 🥔 Mash Bill & Production:  60% Corn, 4% Barley, 36% Rye - Ve...

Since its founding in 2018 by fitness influencer Katy Hearn and husband Haydn Schneider, Alani Nu (now part of Celsius Holdings) is known for shaking-up the traditionally male-focused energy drink industry by focusing on female consumers. Alani's branding and can design emphasize bright and vibrant color palettes while prominently featuring women and traditionally female activities. The vibes-based plan seems to have gained traction with the brand surpassing a $1.8Billion valuation during its aquisition. Beyond energy drinks, Alani Nu's catalog also has pre-workout, shakes, snacks, and energy stick offerings alongside a stable of influencers. Pink Slush  debuted in 2024 featuring a high-contrast pink pastel can with minimalist slushie icons. The flavor profile strongly channels nostalgia and targets a strawberries and cream soda. Its initial marketing push prominently featured many celebrities including Paris Hilton.  🛒 Price: $16.59 for 12 cans, note this reflects a nationa...