Galway Spirits Offers Curbside Pick-up and Delivery

by Susan Montgomery

What are you doing at home during this trying time of isolation for so many of us?  Are you cleaning closets? Reading new books?  Binge watching on Netflix?  Trying out new recipes?  These are good ideas, but how about also creating some enticing new cocktails with extraordinary spirits — and then savoring them of course.

Galway Spirits Distillery, a small-batch, craft distillery in Temecula, is offering home delivery and curbside pick-up during the current coronavirus crisis. We have visited this company’s charming tasting room several times for tastings and were very iimpressed. So we were glad to hear we could order their exceptional spirits for delivery or pick-up.

All the Galway spirits are produced by expert distillers, Jackie and Dale Peck, who have extensive experience in the fine art of distilling. They produce distinctive gin, bourbon, whiskey, rye, and specialty vodkas, such as Blood Orange, Mango, Dragonfruit and Coffee-flavored.  It is unique that all the vodkas are made from distilled grapes. The gin is a proprietary blend of botanicals with less juniper and a pleasing addition of lavender. The smooth, flavorful bourbon has a high percentage of corn and the tasty rye has a high percentage of rye.

Galway Spirits is owned by entrepreneurial businessman, Ken Smith, who has a vision for producing remarkable, artisan spirits for our community. He is also the owner of Galway Downs, a beautiful equestrian and entertainment center in the Temecula Valley Wine Country.

While we’ve tried most of the Galway spirits in the past, my husband and I decided to create several cocktails using these spirits and ingredients we already had in the house. You can do this too. We loosely followed some recipes provided by Galway Spirits.

Here are the cocktails we created with recipes so you can try them too:

Galway Cosmopolitan:

1-½ ounces of Galway Blood Orange Vodka (or other Galway specialty vodka)

½ ounce of Triple Sec

2 ounces of cranberry juice and freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

Shake and strain into a martini glass.

Could be garnished with a lime or lemon and a cherry.

This classic cocktail was so delicious, subtly flavored and crisp because of the excellent vodka. We think this lovely cocktail is a great way to launch your late-afternoon happy hour at home. (Or it's OK to have for lunch during these troubled times.)

Vodka Spritzer:

2 ounces Galway Blood Orange Vodka

2 sprigs of tarragon

Sugar to taste

½ cup sparkling water

Mix ingredients and add ice cubes.

Could be garnished with lemon slices and strawberries.

This is a refreshing citrusy drink, perfect for a hot day or even to sip by the fireplace when you are self-isolating.

Old Fashioned:

2 ounces Galway Bourbon or Rye (we used Bourbon)

3 drops of bitters

1 muddled sugar cube or a teaspoon of sugar

Could be garnished with orange or lemon wedge or cherry spear.

Served in a rocks glass over ice.

This is another classic drink that is subtly sweet and has a savory twist with Galway’s smooth, uniquely flavored bourbon or rye. We promise this is a great pick-me-up cocktail when you are feeling especially lonely.

We loved these cocktails and there are many other concoctions that you can create and which are only limited by your imagination.  My beverage-reviewing colleagues, Linda Stewart and Linda Milks, will also be posting some of the cocktails they produced. Of course, these spirits are so smooth and flavorful that you might very well enjoy just sipping them straight.

Go to the Galway Spirits website to see your bottle choices. You can order spirits for pick-up or delivery (within Temecula Valley) by calling 951-296-6444. You can order up to three bottles for delivery or as many bottles as you would like for pick-up. Vodkas are $35 per bottle. Gin, Bourbon, and Rye are $45 each. Delivery charge is $6.95. Pick-ups are by appointment at the tasting room, 42065 Zevo Dr., #7 in Temecula.

Photos by Todd Montgomery.