Bently Heritage Estate Distillery - Minden, NV

Someone put a lot of thought into this place. 

From the gorgeous copper Carlos to the sensible layout and streamlined distilling process, Bently is exactly what happens when family money goes toward a worthy cause.

One of few truly estate breweries in the country, Bently is a special place. 

The tour is worth taking more than once, and the tasting is heavy but enlightening. There's a Juniper Gin that tastes like a forest of evergreens, and the Vodka finishes like marshmallow cream. Their variation vodka is rested in sherry oak casks, and it channels the darker notes of whiskey with a much lighter ending. It tastes good, but it messes with your mind in a way that is most delightful. 

You should visit, and you kind of have to visit. Their reasonably-priced spirits make a spirited mixer and a fantastic gift, and they only sell in three states. Pick up a bottle next time you're near Minden, and try to stop by their downstairs bar. A lot of creativity is mixing with their cocktails, and my goal is to make it back for their whiskey. 

Van Ryn Brandy - Stellenbosch, South Africa

First the wine, now the wine distilled. Van Ryn Brandy is right down the road, and we start with a tasting flight paired with truffles. The 10-year is young, and it finishes with vibrant caramel and vanilla. It pairs with a dark chocolate pistachio. The 12-year is my favorite, richer and darker but also with notes of citrus. This one pairs with peanut molasses. The 15-year is next. It gets darker and bolder, a sweetness they describe as fruitcake. The dark chocolate almond truffle enhances its nuttier properties.

Everything seems to be more spread out in Stellenbosch. We drove through a functional city on our way in, and there's even a college campus here. Franschhoek is a town built for tourists in comparison, but we're no less eager to get back to it.