GSN Spirited News: February 8th 2022 Edition

Brown-Forman has announced the return of Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked, along with an accompanying sweepstakes to give fans of the whiskey a chance to purchase a bottle of the limited release. The drawing opens on Woodford Reserve’s website on February 8 and winners will be notified by February 10 and will have until April 10 to pick up their bottles at the distillery. The whiskey, bottled at 45.2% abv, starts off as Woodford’s regular Double Oaked Bourbon before finishing for an additional year in a heavily toasted, lightly charred, new oak barrel. Beyond the sweepstakes, Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked will go on sale at the distillery for $50 a 375-ml.

Tres Generaciones Tequila has launched Añejo Cristalino, a new ultra-premium release. It’s been triple-distilled from 100% blue weber agave and rested in American white oak barrels for a minimum of 12 months, then rock filtered and ultimately bottled at 40% abv. It’s available now nationwide for $65 a 750-ml. 

Bardstown, Kentucky-based Kentucky Owl is releasing a St. Patrick’s Day limited edition Bourbon. The expression was made in partnership with Louise McGuane, the founder of J.J. Corry Irish Whiskey. She helped select the whiskey blend used in the St. Patrick’s edition, which features Kentucky straight Bourbons aged 4 to 11 years. It’s at 50% abv and will retail soon at limited locations throughout the U.S. Kentucky Owl was acquired by Stoli Group in 2017.

Hennessy Cognac has launched a new limited edition bottling of its VSOP expression featuring a label designed by musician Maluma. The exclusive label features overlapping purples, pinks, and blues behind the brand’s typical typeface. Hennessy VSOP Limited Edition by Maluma is now available while supplies last for a suggested price of $65 a 750-ml.

Walsh Whiskey has rebranded super-premium label The Irishman, commissioning a new bottle design, brand redesign, packaging production, and a range of marketing initiatives. The rebrand will support the whiskey brand’s target of doubling sales across its 50-plus markets within five years. Packaging changes include the introduction of a bespoke tall tapered bottle closed with cork and highlighted with a new brand icon. The revamped Irishman will roll out across the brand’s global markets over the course of the year, and is set to reach the U.S. this summer. 

Tequila Avión is adding a second expression to its Reserva Range. The new release is Avión Reserva Cristalino, a blend of añejo and extra añejo liquid. Produced in Jesus Maria, Mexico, Reserva Cristalino is aged in American oak barrels and double-charcoal filtered to remove its color, resulting in a clear Tequila. It’s at 40% abv and is launching today in the U.S. for $145 a 750-ml.

Indian distiller Amrut has announced the second release of Amrut Spectrum 004 Single Malt Whisky, which is hitting the U.S. in an allocation of 1,050 bottles. The whisky initially matured in an ex-Bourbon barrel before being transferred to a unique barrel made of four varieties of oak, which included American oak with level three charring, French oak with slight toasting, as well as an ex-Oloroso Sherry stave and ex-PX Sherry stave. Amrut Spectrum 004 will be available at select U.S. retailers, priced at around $195 a bottle.

Las Vegas-based importer Liquor Starz is launching a new upscale mezcal brand called Nayasse. The Nayasse lineup initially includes Joven ($56), Reposado ($75), and Añejo ($110), all made from espadin agave, as well as an Ensamble ($190) that’s a blend of espadin and tepeztate. The range also includes a limited edition Añejo 21-year-old in a hand-painted bottle at $3,000, and at the entry level a collection of four RTD mezcal spritzers. Nayasse will debut across 10 U.S. markets—including California, New York, Florida, Nevada, and Texas—in April.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: April 6th 2021 Edition

Four Roses is expanding distribution of its Small Batch Select Bourbon into 13 new markets, including Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The 52% abv offering, a blend of six Bourbons all aged a minimum of six years, retails at $60 a 750-ml. and debuted in 2019.

Casa Don Ramón Tequila has introduced three new expressions to the U.S. They include a Platinium Plata, as well as Reposado and Añejo Cristalinos. The brand’s Reposado Cristalino matured for four months in a combination of American and French oak before filtering, while Don Ramón Añejo Cristalino was aged in the same combination for one year. All three spirits are bottled at 40% abv and distilled from 100% blue agave. The range retails from $42-$46 and is part of Dialce’s family of Tequilas, which also includes Tequila Don Alvaro, Tequila Buen Amigo, and Tequila Valerosa.

Denver-based Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, part of the Proximo Spirits portfolio, has announced Bushmills Cask, the latest barrel. The 47% abv whiskey is matured first in American oak before finishing in casks that previously held Bushmills Irish whiskey. The whiskey is the first release in the brand’s Distiller’s Exclusive Series and retails for $70 a 750-ml.

Santo Spirits, the agave spirits-focused brand from musician Sammy Hagar and chef Guy Fieri, has released a new Reposado Tequila expression. Santo Reposado is made by distiller Juan Eduardo Nuñez and is matured for five months in charred American oak barrels before bottling at 40% abv. Santo’s Reposado Tequila is now available across the U.S. for a suggested price of $40 a 750-ml. It joins the brand’s Blanco Tequila and Mezquila, an agave spirit distilled from a blend of Blue and Espadín agaves.

Beam Suntory is targeting the low-calorie spirits market with Pinnacle Light & Ripe, a new collection of flavored vodkas with 75 calories per 1.5-ounce serving. The brand extension has debuted with two flavors—Apricot Honeysuckle and Guava Lime—each at 30% abv. Both flavors of Pinnacle Light & Ripe are now available across the U.S. for around $11 a 750-ml.

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has added Horse Soldier Bourbon to its portfolio across the distributor’s national footprint. The veteran founded brand will be part of SGWS’ new Fine Wine and Artisanal Spirits program. This will expand the whiskey brand’s existing partnership with Foley Family Wines, which recently aligned with SGWS nationally. The Horse Soldier portfolio consists of the brand’s flagship Bourbon (43.5% abv), a small batch release (47.5% abv), and a barrel strength variant.

Beam Suntory-owned Laphroaig has announced a new limited edition 10-year-old single malt Scotch whisky finished in Oloroso Sherry casks. The whisky is bottled at cask strength—48% abv—after spending 12-18 months finishing in Sherry casks. Laphroaig 10-Year-Old Sherry Oak Finish is rolling out now across the U.S. where it will retail for a suggested price of $90 a 750-ml. For this release, only 4,450 cases will be available globally.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: November 3rd 2020 Edition

Bacardi-owned Angel’s Envy has announced the 2020 iteration of its Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey finished in Port barrels. This year’s whiskey comes in at 60.2% abv and will launch—for the first time—in select retailers in all 50 states on November 1. As always, this is a limited release and only 17,400 bottles will be available, for a suggested price of $200 a 750-ml.

Volcán de mi Tierra Reposado

Moët Hennessy is extending its Volcán de mi Tierra Tequila brand with a Reposado expression. The 100%-blue agave Tequila is rested for 135 days in new casks made of American and European oak. The newcomer is rolling out in select states, retailing at $55 a 750-ml. A collaboration between Moët Hennessy and the Gallardo family, Volcán de mi Tierra’s other offerings include Blanco and Cristalino Tequilas.

Heaven’s Door Spirits, the partnership between Bob Dylan and Spirits Investment Partners, is launching Bootleg Series Vol. II, a new luxury Bourbon expression. A cask strength 15-year-old Straight Bourbon finished in 30-year-old Jamaican pot still rum casks and bottled at 104.6 proof, Bootleg Series Vol. II comes in a handmade ceramic bottle featuring Bob Dylan’s painting, Sunset, Monument Valley, and is housed in an ornate leather journal that is individually numbered. It’s rolling out in an edition of 3,000 bottles, selling at $500 apiece.

Lawrenceburg, Kentucky’s Wild Turkey Distillery, part of the Campari portfolio, has launched Russell’s Reserve 2003, its newest limited edition vintage release. The 44.75% abv whiskey matured for 16 years and is the last Wild Turkey juice barreled at 107 proof (today the company’s whiskies enter the barrel at 115 proof). Only 3,600 bottles of Russell’s Reserve 2003 will be available across the U.S. for a suggested price of $250 a 750-ml. The whiskey joins Russell’s Reserve 10-year-old Bourbon, 6-year-old rye, and their respective single barrel variants in the brand portfolio.

Chopin Imports is bringing Ron Carúpano rum to the U.S. Beginning this month, the Venezuelan brand is introducing its Ron Añejo portfolio and its Prestige Collection, including expressions from Ron Carúpano 6 to Ron Carúpano X.O., and Ron Carúpano Legendario, which range in price from $20 a 750-ml. to $500. RNDC and other distributors will make the brand available in 12 states including California, Florida, and Colorado.

Quintessential Brands is launching a selection of whiskies from the Dublin Liberties Distillery in the U.S. The Liberties Irish Whiskey range focuses on single malts and unique cask finishes. The U.S. selection is composed of one blend and three single malts. The blend is called Oak Devil, aged five years in oak casks and retailing for approximately $45 a 750-ml. The single malt range includes Copper Alley 10-year old ($60), Murder Lane 13-year-old ($90), and Keeper’s Coin 16-year-old ($160). The whiskies are debuting at select retailers in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Colorado, Washington, Michigan, and Minnesota.

Saint Michaels, Maryland’s Gray Wolf has introduced an eponymous rye whiskey. The 46.5% abv whiskey is distilled from a mash of 60% rye and 40% malted barley and aged in a solera system that uses three cask types. The whiskey starts off in charred new American oak before progressing to Port barrels and American white oak. The first batch of Gray Wolf rye will be available at the distillery and farmers’ markets throughout the state. Home delivery begins on November 2.

Tequila Partida is launching an Añejo Cristalino as the latest addition to its lineup. The expression is distilled from Blue Weber agave that’s cooked 24 hours, then aged a minimum of 18 months in American white oak medium toast ex-Bourbon barrels before being filtered through activated carbon. The filtration removes most of the liquid’s color but leaves aromas and flavor intact; the liquid is then diluted with demineralized volcanic spring water to bring it to 40% abv. Añejo Cristalino launches nationwide in November, retailing for $60 a 750-ml.

Maison Ferrand has announced Ferrand Cognac Légendaire, a new luxury-priced annual release containing some of the oldest Cognacs in the house’s library. The spirit draws from reserves up to 100 years old, and the final blend is finished in a zebra barrel—a barrel with the staves gradually replaced as the Cognac matures, imparting new tannins without overwhelming the spirit in the barrel, according to the company. Beginning this month, Ferrand Cognac Légendaire will be available in extremely limited quantities—only 500 bottles will be released each year—for around $2,800 a 750-ml.

Brooklyn-based Widow Jane Distillery is launching You’ll Never Walk Alone, a 10-year-old Bourbon aimed at raising funds for the USBG National Charity Foundation and CORE: Children of Restaurant Employees. Widow Jane will donate 100% of the proceeds from sales of You’ll Never Walk Alone to Covid-19 relief and guarantees a minimum donation of $50,000. A total of 550 cases of the 100-proof Bourbon are rolling out across California, Washington D.C., Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: March 10th 2020 Edition

Louisville, Kentucky’s Barrell Craft Spirits has launched two new whiskies, the latest in its numbered series of luxury-priced cask-strength blends. First up is Barrell Bourbon Batch 023, a 53.89% abv blend of 10-, 12-, and 15-year old straight Bourbon sourced from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana. Barrell has also announced Rye Batch 003, a 58.35% abv blend of ryes from Indiana, Poland, Tennessee, and Canada. Both whiskies will be available in limited quantities across the company’s 43-state distribution footprint for around $90 a 750-ml.

El Mayor Tequila, part of the Luxco portfolio, is launching a new look including an updated logo and packaging. The new bottle features an embossed agave leaf design around the neck as well as written embossing at the base and is stopped with real cork. The new logo features the brand’s name in readable cursive script. The revamped look will apply to all El Mayor expressions, including Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo, and will be available nationally this summer.

Woodford Reserve has released a commemorative 2020 Kentucky Derby bottle as part of its role as presenting sponsor of the event. The special packaging features art by Richard Sullivan, a local artist and former player for the Atlanta Braves. The watercolor label illustration depicts horses racing toward the finish line of Churchill Downs. At 45.2% abv, 1-liter bottles of the Derby edition are now retailing for $50 across the U.S. and on e-commerce site Reserve Bar.

Looking to capitalize on the lower-alcohol spirits trend, Constellation Brands is extending Svedka with a new line called Pure Infusions. Bottled at 30% abv and retailing at $15 a 750-ml. and $16 a 1-liter, Svedka Pure Infusions are launching in three flavors: Strawberry Guava, Ginger Lime, and Dragonfruit Melon.

Bacardi has launched Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth, a new blended Scotch whisky finished in mezcal barrels. The 8-year-old whisky is blended from up to 40 malt and grain whiskies before finishing for an undisclosed amount of time in ex-Ilegal mezcal barrels before bottling at 40% abv. This new whisky follows last year’s Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth, a rum barrel finished expression.

Palm Bay International has added mezcal label Gracias a Dios to its import portfolio. Made by 4th-generation mezcalero Oscar Hernandez and his nephew, Milo Jimenez, Gracias a Dios includes six different mezcal expressions—Espadín Blanco ($40 a 750-ml.), Espadín Reposado ($50), Tobalá ($86), Tepextate ($86), Cuishe ($86), and Pechuga ($106)—as well as an agave gin ($53) that’s infused with 32 botanicals, representing the 32 states of the Mexican Republic.

Bacardi-owned Cazadores has added an Añejo Cristalino to its lineup. The new entry ages for over two years in small oak barrels and is then filtered through activated charcoal and stripped of its coloring while maintaining its oak-aged profile. Retailing at $40 a 750-ml., Cazadores Añejo Cristalino is rolling out to select retailers nationally.

Johnnie Walker has launched Master’s Ruby Reserve, a new limited edition offering dedicated to master blender Jim Beveridge’s 40-year career. The ultra-luxury bottling includes whiskies from the “ghost” distilleries of Cambus, Carsebridge, Pittyvaich, and Port Ellen, which are balanced with aged expressions from Talisker, Royal Lochnagar, Glendullan, and Cragganmore. All of the whiskies included are at least 40 years old. Packaged in a golden-red Baccarat crystal decanter, Johnnie Walker Master’s Ruby Reserve is bottled at 43% abv, retails at £15,000 ($19,700), and is limited to 398 bottles globally.

Beam Suntory has announced a revamp for Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey. The new Old Overholt ($18 a 750-ml.) will come in at 43% abv, an increase from the previous from 40% abv, and the new label will feature a “grumpier” rendering of brand founder Abe Overholt. In addition, Old Overholt will now be bottled with non-chill filtering, a move that brings the brand more in line with its pre-Prohibition history. Later this year, the company plans to launch a high proof (57% abv) 4-year-old bottling and a 46.3% abv 11-year-old bottling. Old Overholt Bottled-in-Bond will remain on the market unchanged.

Redbreast Irish whiskey, part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio, is adding a 27-year-old expression to its permanent range. Redbreast 27-year-old joins 12-, 15-, 21-year-old, and Lustau offerings in the existing lineup. It’s a cask-strength whiskey bottled at 54.6% abv after aging in Bourbon, Sherry, and Port casks. Retailing at $500 a 750-ml., Redbreast 27-year-old is launching in 23 U.S. markets.

Disaronno is introducing a new Velvet offshoot in the U.S. market. Billed as a gluten-free cream liqueur having notes of apricot with touches of almond and vanilla, Disaronno Velvet is at 17% abv and is rolling out nationally at $30 a 750-ml.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily