GSN Backbar Review: April 27-May 1, 2015

Nashville, Tennessee-based R.S. Lipman Company is expanding its Old Hickory Great American Whiskey brand with further distribution and a line extension. The 80-proof Old Hickory American Bourbon Blend, named after U.S. President Andrew Jackson, ($29.99 a 750-ml.) was first introduced in the fourth quarter of 2014 and this summer the company will increase production while adding new states for distribution. It is also rolling out a new 86-proof Straight Bourbon ($39.99), which like the blend is made from corn sourced from farms within a 250-mile radius of the Joseph E. Seagram distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

Rochester, New York-based Black Button Distilling, which produces Corn Whiskey, Citrus Forward Gin, Vodka and Four Grain Bourbon variants, is also set to release a limited edition Lilac Gin (84 proof) to select liquor stores on May 1, packaged in 375-ml. bottles.

Moët Hennessy has officially unveiled a new prestige Cognac celebrating Hennessy’s 250th anniversary, Hennessy 250 Collector Blend. Originally reported by SND on March 2, the 250 Collector Blend is a limited edition of about 7,000 cases worldwide. It’s packaged in 1-liter bottles, which are presented in a specially designed gift box and retail at $600 apiece.

Hillsboro, Oregon’s Big Bottom Distilling has collaborated with two other Oregon distillers for the launch of its first vodka, Big Bottom Starka Vodka. The result of the Oregon Starka Project, which partnered Big Bottom with Bull Run Distilling and Indio Spirits and Distillery, is a 91-proof small-batch vodka that’s finished in oak casks. Each distiller on the project created a variation of Starka, a traditional aged vodka from Eastern Europe, by choosing barrels distinct to each producer for three separate offerings. Big Bottom Starka Vodka is available throughout Oregon in limited quantities from each barrel for $29.95, with batches to be released annually as a seasonal offering.

Bacardi rum has extended its super-premium Gran Reserva range with the nationwide launch of Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron. Targeted toward the cocktail occasion, Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron is a white mixing rum, double-aged in white oak casks. According to Arvind Krishnan, vice president and brand managing director, rum category for Bacardi USA, the new entry is designed to offer the “versatility of a mixing spirit without sacrificing the characteristics of an aged, super-premium liquid.” Maestro de Ron, which is priced at $24.99 a 750-ml., marks the second entry in Bacardi’s Gran Reserva lineup, joining Gran Reserva Ocho Años.