Argonaut Saloon Strength Brandy

Argonaut Saloon Strength Brandy is a 91-proof (45.5% ABV) California brandy built for one purpose: to give bartenders a brandy with the backbone to stand up in cocktails. Made by the Argonaut Distilling Company — one of the few American brandy makers that controls every step from grape to glass — this 750mL bottle blends distillates aged anywhere from 2 to 21 years, selected by master distiller and blender Rita Hansen. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• Proof / ABV: 91 proof (45.5% ABV)
• Size: 750mL
• Blend: California brandy distillate aged 2–21 years in oak
• Producer: Argonaut Distilling Company — grape grower, winemaker, distiller, and master blender under one roof, California
• Origin: California, USA

The Brandy Queen's Bartender's Blend

Argonaut calls its master distiller Rita Hansen the "Brandy Queen" — a second-generation winemaker who applies her knowledge to every stage of the process, from fermenting California wine to distilling, aging, and blending. Saloon Strength was developed by bartenders for bartenders: at 91 proof, it carries the concentration to hold its own against vermouth, citrus, and bitters rather than disappearing into the mix. Argonaut's involvement in every step — growing the grapes, making the wine, distilling and blending the brandy — gives Hansen an unusually wide palette of ages, grape varieties, barrel sources, and distillation techniques to pull from for each batch. Explore the Argonaut collection and browse more brandy at Del Mesa.

Tasting Notes

The nose leads with vibrantly fresh fruit — apple and pear — that quickly transitions into floral notes buttressed by vanilla cream, butterscotch, and oak spice with a dash of allspice and cinnamon. On the palate it is lovely and mild on the tongue with a slight warmth at the end. The finish is pleasant and lingering: ripe fruit first, slipping into warming oak spice and anise as butterscotch lingers.

How to Enjoy

This is a cocktail-first brandy by design — reach for it in traditional sidecars and crustas, or as a higher-proof substitute in an old fashioned or manhattan where ordinary 80-proof brandy would get lost. It sips neatly too, with enough age and oak to reward a rocks pour.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Saloon Strength" mean on the Argonaut brandy?
It refers to the 91-proof bottling strength — higher than standard 80-proof brandy — chosen so the brandy keeps its depth and complexity when mixed in cocktails.

Who makes Argonaut brandy?
The Argonaut Distilling Company in California, one of the few American brandy makers that owns the whole process: they grow the grapes, make the wine, distill, age, and blend the brandy themselves.

How old is the brandy in the Argonaut Saloon Strength blend?
It is a blend of distillates aged between 2 and 21 years in oak, selected by master distiller and blender Rita Hansen.

Pick up Argonaut Saloon Strength Brandy online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — a bartender-built California brandy ready to order.