Published
Articles
"Charbay is arguably the first craft whiskey maker in America, and certainly the most unique, yet it remains largely unknown..."
READ MORE - Gear Patrol
READ MORE - Wired
TO BLEND YOURS - Blend Request Form
READ EACH ARTICLE - The Manual; Esquire; Imboldn; Adventures In Whiskey; Uncrate; Alcademics
Charbay No. 83 Brandy - Marko's father's first brandy made in the U.S., in 1983, from Folle Blanche - traditional grape of Cognac.
READ MORE - Bohemian
The Karakasevic family has crafted spirits since the 18th century, originally in Serbia, then Napa County and currently in Ukiah.
READ MORE - Edible Marin
We are honored and humbled to be nominated for Spirit Brand/Distiller of the Year.
READ MORE - Thank you To Our Team!
READ MORE - Wine Enthusiast’s Award Nominees
Charbay founded in 1983 in Northern California, uses shelf-ready beers like Bear Republic’s Racer 5 IPA as its base.
READ MORE - Punch Drink
In the kitchen with Charbay Distillery owner Marko Karakasevic tasting and getting details on the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival.
READ MORE - Fox News
If a Blanco tequila with extra dimension appeals to you, then a version like Tapatio Blanco 110 may be the ideal addition to your at-home Palomas.
READ MORE - The Manual
Acme Bar & Company is the only bar in the world to offer the coveted, high-end releases of Charbay I through Charbay V.
READ MORE - CN Traveler
Charbay Distillery will be selling a batch of their famed IPA whiskey to benefit people impacted by the 2018 Camp Fire disaster.
READ MORE - Food & Wine
Marko Karakasevic loves to make whiskey with “bottle-ready beer,” and this dynamic offering is no exception.
READ MORE - Wine Enthusiast
Charbay is changing things up. Marko decided to try to make whiskey with a brewer’s key ingredient, hops!
LISTEN - Bourbon Pursuit Podcast
Doubled & Twisted Whiskey: Think of this as a craft whiskey for beer lovers.
READ MORE - Liquor.com
One of the most advanced micro-distilleries in the game is this Napa Valley outfit, Charbay Distillery.
READ MORE - Esquire
A recent tasting panel at PUNCH examined 20 American brandies. Here are the standouts.
READ MORE - Punch
Charbay has already committed to donate $10,000 to Stand for Kindness, a nonprofit vehicle for relief donations.
READ MORE - Wine Enthusiast
We asked dozens of top bartending and spirits industry professionals to tell us which bottles they love and why.
READ MORE - Liquor.com
Archived Publications
Tequila
Tapatio Añejo: Paste Magazine 5/3/2017
The Beginner's Guide to Craft Tequila
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/05/the-guide-to-craft-tequila.html
Tapatio Excelencia: Cigar & Spirits 3/23/2017
Top 5 Tequilas of 2016
http://cigarandspirits.com/top-5-tequilas-2016/3/
Fabulous intensity of flavor with all the aromatic elements perfectly delineated: intense cooked Agave, cake, spices, brown sugar, chocolate, vanilla and caramel, nuts and light spices, all of which are assembled into a sumptuous whole, with the creamy taste of oak.
Tapatio Excelencia: Wall Street Journal 2/18/16
Tequila That's Aged And Priced Like a Cognac
https://www.wsj.com/articles/tequila-thats-agedand-pricedlike-cognac-1455810818?tesla=y
"Viscous and full bodied, redolent of smoke and dulce de leche, this tequila verges on being aromatically overwhelming". - Matthew Kronsberg
Tapatio Blanco 110: Vinepair 12/14/2015
4 New and Unusual Spirits to Mix With This Holiday Season
https://vinepair.com/wine-blog/4-new-and-unusucaolc-skptiariilt sre-tcoi-pmei xin-wcliutdhe-tdhis-holiday-season/
Tapatio Excelencia: Playboy 11/16/2015
7 Bottles of Booze Worth Breaking the Bank For
http://www.playboy.com/articles/7-bottles-of-booze-worth-breaking-the-bank-for
"The heavy oak and long aging makes it taste as much like a fine cognac as a smooth tequila." - Jason Horn
Tapatio Blanco 80: Vinepair 9/25/2015
The 7 Tequilas for Making the Perfect Margarita
"This a great introductory tequila for those looking to make margaritas on the fruity side". - Aliza Kellerman
Tapatio Blanco 110: Liquor.com 3/30/2015
Best High Proof Tequilas on the Market
http://www.liquor.com/slideshows/high-proof-tequilas/3/#gs.iJS3pjM
"Monstrously rich and pure, changing from gently sweet to dry and tingly. This stuff is pure excitement at comparatively bargain pricing—big all over, deliciously agave-forward, and particularly hard to beat for its liter-size bottling." - Ken Taylor
Tapatio Blanco: seriouseats.com 04/2014
The 7 Best Budget Tequilas
http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2014/04/best-tequilas-under-25-budget-spirit-best-affordable-brand-jimador-lunazul-olmeca-tapatio-espolon.html#comments-290713
"My favorite on this list—and at 30 bucks for a liter bottle, it's about the same price, per ounce, as the other spirits listed here." - Michael Dietsch
Tapatio Blanco 110: Men's Journal 12/17/2013
The 18 Best Tequilas in the World
http://www.mensjournal.com/expert-advice/the-18-best-tequilas-in-the-world-20131217/tequila-tapatio
The company's recently introduced Tapatio Blanco 110 (110 proof) is also surprisingly sippable, with a big floral aroma and herbal flavors.
Tapatio Blanco: Wine Enthusiast 5/1/2011
93 Points
http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/charbay-tequila-blanco
Sweet and smooth, with light citrus notes and a faintly spicy, warming finish.
Whiskey
Whiskey, R5: Esquire Magazine 6/1/2017
The Best Whiskey In Every State Right Now
http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/a54739/best-whiskey-distilleries-in-america/
Whiskey III: Bourbonator 2016/2017
Bourbon Bar Review [and Whiskeys served there]
http://thebourbonator.co.uk/2016/04/bourbon-bar-review-barbecoa-london-city/
The nose on this was like nothing I had ever experienced, with distinct hops and fruit cake that intoxicated me to the point of almost forgetting to taste it.
Whiskey, R5: Redbook Mag 10/5/2016
10 Essential Gift Ideas for the Bourbon Drinkers in Your Life
http://www.redbookmag.com/food-recipes/g2112/bourbon-gifts/?slide=2
Whiskey, R5: Punchdrink.com 1/25/2016
Whiskey's New Beer Infused Fringe
http://punchdrink.com/articles/whiskeys-new-beer-infused-fringe/
Whiskey, R5: Eater 11/23/2015
In Defense of Flavored Whiskey: The Best Bottles to Try
https://www.eater.com/2015/11/23/9752000/best-flavored-whiskey-brands
"Charbay whiskies are pricey and coveted among those who know of their excellent quality and complexity." - Heather Greene
Whiskey IV: Wine Enthusiast 7/1/2015
95 Points
http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/charbay-hop-flavored-whiskey-release-iv-barrel-no-19
"Distilled from Pilsner beer and aged for 13 years, this deep amber whiskey has a concentrated cocoa-hazelnut-caramel aroma, with an undercurrent of hops. The same flavors are echoed on the palate, although the hops are even more pronounced. It finishes long, complex and fiery, with pops of cinnamon, sarsaparilla, orange peel and clove, and a slight beer-like effervescence." - Kara Newman
Whiskey III, R5 & Stout, Brandy 1989: Food & Wine 3/31/2015
Best New Spirits
http://www.playboy.com/articles/7-bottles-of-booze-worth-breaking-the-bank-for
"Testors tasted dozens of new releases to find the best." - Megan Krigbaum
Whiskey III: Wine Enthusiast 2/1/2014
95 Points
http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/charbay-hop-flavored-whiskey-release-iii-1999
"It's powerful, big and oaky on the palate, with lots of tannins rounding out into vanilla, honey and sweet-yet-bitter orange peel. - Kara Newman
Whiskey, Stout: Wine Enthusiast 2/1/2014
91 Points
http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/charbay-s-hop-flavored-whiskey
"The aromas are honeyed and sweet, with touches of beer and a faint floral note. On the palate, it shows oak, a bitter hoppiness and a wash of honey. - Kara Newman
Whiskey III: Cigar Aficionado 11/1/2013
Charbay's Beer & Whiskey Connection
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/17304
Whiskey, R5: Wine Enthusiast 9/1/2012
93 Points
http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/charbay-hop-flavored-whiskey-2773
Although it's hot—as would be expected at nearly 100 proof—bright flavors still emerge, tempered by a touch of sweetness and ginger-cinnamon fireworks. A surprising effervescence makes the flavors pop.
Whiskey III, R5 & Stout: Cigar Aficionado
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/17304
Brandy
Brandy 1989: Food & Home Magazine 10/21/2018
READ THE FULL ARTICLE
Brandy 1983: Robb Report 6/1/2011
Best of the Best 2011
http://robbreport.com/food-drink/spirits/charbay-brandy-no-234715/
#1 in CA and #3 in the US
Brandy 1983: Robb Report 1/3/2011
http://robbreport.com/food-drink/spirits/best-of-the-best-2011-spirits-charbay-brandy-no-227041/
Vodka
Green Tea Vodka: Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2016
91 Points, Highly Recommended
https://www.ultimate-beverage.com/ultimate-spirits-challenge-USC/2015-spirits-results/Charbay-Green-Tea-Flavored-Vodka/
Pretty greenish/topaz color. Smells clearly of green tea, but also citrus zest. Flavor is clean, engagingly tea-like, dry and slightly spicy. Unique. Delicious.
100% Fruit Flavored Vodka: SF Chronicle 10/30/2015
Essential Checklist for the SF Home Bar
http://www.sfchronicle.com/wine/spirits/article/Essential-checklist-for-the-San-Francisco-home-bar-6600816.php?t=f4db7899bdb63004f1&cmpid=twitter-premium
"Charbay distiller Marko Karakasevic keeps it simple when it comes to infused vodka, shredding organic fruit into high-proof vodka to create an extraction that they blend with even more vodka for a fresh and lively spirit." - Lou Bustamonte
Meyer Lemon Vodka: Robb Report 11/1/2007
Feature: Holiday Essentials
http://robbreport.com/food-drink/spirits/feature-holiday-essentials-238950/
"Meyer lemon flavor is powerful and shows great authenticity. - Anthony Dias Blue
Pomegranate Vodka: Wine Enthusiast 5/1/2007
92 Points
http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/charbay-pomegranate-flavored-vodka
The bouquet features ripe fruit, pulp, red pepper and rind. The palate entry is acidic, astringent, and tart; the midpalate highlights the peppery, zesty side of pomegranate. Finishes more tart than ripe; more biting and sap-like than juicy.
Clear Vodka: Wine Enthusiast 6/8/2006
98 Points
http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/charbay
Nosing passes detect subtle toasty, charcoal aromas. Entry is off-dry to sweet and properly oily; sweet graininess dominates the midpalate. Aftertaste is long, bittersweet and delectably oily.
Green Tea Vodka: Wine Enthusiast 4/3/2006
92 Points
http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/charbay-green-tea-vodka
The overall bouquet impression includes seductive fragrances of ripe green melon, sage and lightly honeyed green tea with later whiffs of jasmine and honeysuckle. The palate entry is gently tea-like and a touch honeyed
Rum
Rum, Double Aged: Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2016
98 Points, Extraordinary, Highest Recommendation
http://www.ultimate-beverage.com/ultimate-spirits-challenge-USC/2016-spirits-results/Charbay-Founders-Collection-Double-Aged-Rum/
This strong spirit has an earthy expression in the mouth supported by peppery spice and fruity tropical notes.
Rum, Double Aged: Wine Enthusiast 6/12/2006
98 Points
http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/charbay
A must have for serious rum fanatics.
Rum, Double Aged: Uncrate
https://uncrate.com/article/charbay-double-aged-rum/
General
Whiskey: Forbes 5/12/2017
Why We Don't Talk About Whiskey Loving Women
https://www.forbes.com/sites/taranurin/2017/05/12/why-we-dont-talk-more-about-whiskey-loving-women/2/#36d69fee265d
Tapatio: Vinepair 4/28/2017
10 Best Selling Tequilas in the World
https://vinepair.com/articles/10-best-selling-tequila-brands-world/
With its distillation process and its rich history dating back to the 1800s, it’s no surprise this brand finds itself in the top ten selling brands.
Whiskey: Eater 5/18/2016
From Brews to Booze: Turning Craft Beer Into Whiskey
https://www.eater.com/drinks/2016/5/18/11693112/beer-whiskey-craft-pa-wheat-ale-arcane
"If you start out with something delicious, you are going to concentrate delicious." - Mike Pomranz
Charbay: SF Chronicle 2/8/2015
Charbay Hits the Bullseye When it Comes to Distilling
https://archives.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/charbay-hits-the-bulls-eye-when-it-comes-to-distilling-alcohol/Content?oid=2919279
The Karakasevic lineage and rich history distills down to pure legacy.
Tapatio: Tequila Aficionado 3/13/2014
Legacy Awards
http://tequilaaficionado.com/2014/03/13/2013-braGnOdLsD-p rMoEmDisAeL-awards-legacy-brands/
Whiskey: Press Democrat 3/4/14
World of Whiskey
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/1858499-181/world-of-whiskey?ref=related
"S Whiskey Lot 211A is made with Bear Republic's Big Bear Stout for a serious taste of orange caramel and vanilla spice, perfect for sipping." - Virginie Boone