Innovation is such an amazing thing. Sure, machining a well-distilled spirit is great, but when you take a well-distilled spirit and add something special to it or do something a little different, you make art. Here are some great non-traditional spirits to add some spice to your drinking life.

Bulldog Gin
One of the best things about going to any type of shindig at someone's house where they are providing the alcohol is that you get to try some new brands without the financial risk. This type of situation led me to trying Bulldog gin. So, what makes Bulldog so different? Well I'm glad you asked. Aside from the usual botanicals used in the production of gin, Bulldog also uses poppy, dragon's eye (a fruit similar to lychee), and lotus leaves.

When I first tried this spirit, the viscosity is a bit different. The initial taste is very mild which only leaves the texture to experience and it washes over the tongue in a very smooth manner. Like I said, it does start smooth, but there is a sudden punch of botanical taste shortly after that. I would say that the most prominent taste is the lotus leaf, then immediately the juniper taste that is very indicative of gins. I would say that Bulldog is a nice selection if you do not like the sudden onset taste of gin in your mouth but be prepared for it to kick and hit your nostrils when it does.

Balcones Brimstone Corn Whisky
This is one is like scotch done Texas-style. First and foremost Balcones distillery is based out of Waco, so this is a local flavor. Balcones has a practice of using blue corn for their whiskeys, but Brimstone kicks it up by smoking that corn with Texas scrub oak instead of the peat used in scotch whiskeys.

Even in opening the bottle, the smell of smoke is very heavy, but underneath lies a nice sweet aroma. Just like the smell, the taste of smoke is forefront, but combined with the blue corn gives it a nice almost roasted corn flavor. It all finishes off with a nice sweetness that levels it all out. The only thing that might be troublesome is that the taste of smoke lingers for some time, and I suggest you do what I did and have pallet-cleansing water if you are moving on to another spirit. Though, if I didn't have to drink something else, I might not.

Spicebox Spiced Canadian Whisky
With the Captain holding down the spiced rum racket, it's nice to see whiskey getting some time in the spiced spirit game. And not only is it a whiskey, but a Canadian whiskey.

I will have to say, I think I like spiced whiskey more than spiced rum now. Okay, Okay, I am already a voting whiskey-crat, but seriously this stuff is tasty. The first taste is very strong in vanilla...very strong. It almost borders on too strong. But the strong vanilla taste is quickly off set by the spice. The hints of cinnamon and nutmeg are just intermingled perfectly, and the almost fruity taste of the rye used is the perfect sweetness. I'm not a big fan of whiskey and cola, but this seems like the perfect whiskey to mix.

If you've grown tired of the same spirits day after day, give these a try. Remember: variety is the spice of life, and in Spice Box's situation, the spice of whiskey.

--The Gentleman