GSN Spirited News: May 11th 2021 Edition

Covered Bridges Whiskey Co. is launching Ruddell’s Mill Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Named for the Ruddell’s Mill Covered Bridge, erected in 1861 over Bourbon County’s Stoner Creek, the new entry retails at $60 and is non-chill filtered and bottled at 46.1% abv.

San Francisco, California’s Hotaling & Co. has brought Severo, a new luxury priced Tequila, to the U.S. The Tequila, made by the team behind Tequila Don Roberto, comes in four expressions—Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Cristalino—all bottled at 40% and priced from $50 to $80. The Severo portfolio is now available in California and New Jersey, with Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Texas coming soon, ahead of a full national push.

Purcellville, Virginia’s Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. has announced the May 28 release of Ragnarök Rye, the distillery’s collaboration with metal band Gwar. The 46% abv whiskey was first matured in new charred American oak barrels before finishing in cherrywood and sugar maple. Each bottle of Ragnarök is topped with a cast metal stopper featuring one of the five members of Gwar. The limited release will retail for $99 a 750-ml. and will be available in Catoctin Creek’s U.S. distribution footprint, which covers 29 markets.

Heaven Hill is releasing Square 6 Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The new brand was produced at the distillery within the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Louisville and its name is a reference to the original plot of land where Williams built Kentucky’s first commercial distillery in 1783. The first Square 6 expression is High Rye Bourbon with a mashbill of 52% corn, 35% rye, and 13% malted barley. It was distilled one barrel per day in the distillery’s copper pot still, aged five years, and bottled at 95 proof. Square 6 is a limited release, available at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and at select Kentucky retailers for $90 a 750-ml.

Bombay Sapphire is launching Bombay Bramble, a new gin featuring berry flavors. It’s the brand’s first new release since Bombay Sapphire East in 2011. Bombay Bramble features real fruit infusion and is a crimson red color, with the flavor of blackberries and raspberries without concentrates, additional sugars, or additives. It’s at 43% abv and comes out this month, with wide availability by June, retailing for $23 a 750-ml. 

Diageo has announced George Dickel Bottled in Bond Spring 2007 Vintage, the latest annual release in the brand’s series of limited edition bonded whiskies. This third whiskey in the series is a 13-year-old Bourbon and is now rolling out in select markets across the U.S., retailing at $45 a 750-ml. The Fall 2005 vintage release was named Whisky Advocate’s Whisky of the Year in 2019.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: March 16th 2021 Edition

Boston-based Latitude Beverage has launched Tequila Zarpado, the first agave spirit in the company’s portfolio. The release was distilled at Cavas de Don Max from 100% blue agave and will initially be available as a Blanco expression. The 40% abv Tequila will retail for around $25 a 750-ml. and will be available in Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

Agave Loco has announced the national release for RumChata Limón. The 14% abv liqueur is a blend of Caribbean rum and cream with added vanilla and lemon flavoring. In addition to making Limón available across the U.S., the company has added new sizes—a 375-ml. bottle ($16) and a 3-pack of 100-ml. bottles ($12)—to the roster. RumChata Limón is also available in 750-ml. bottles for around $22 at retail.

Jackson, Mississippi’s Cathead Distillery has launched Bitter Orange vodka, the first flavored innovation for the company’s Cathead vodka in eight years. The 35% abv spirit is made with Bitter Orange and Satsuma extract and bottled without any added sugar. It joins the unflavored original vodka and two flavors—honeysuckle and pecan—in Cathead’s vodka portfolio. Cathead Bitter Orange vodka is now available in select retailers across the U.S. at around $20 a 750-ml. and $27 a liter.

Bombay Sapphire gin has launched a line of canned cocktails. The new ready-to-drink offerings—Bombay Sapphire Gin & Tonic and Bombay Sapphire Gin & Tonic Light—mark the Bacardi brand’s entry into the canned cocktail space. The cocktails are packaged in 4-packs of 250-ml. cans, retail priced at $13. Bombay Sapphire canned cocktails are currently rolling out nationwide.

The Dubliner Irish Whiskey is launching The Dubliner Beer Cask Irish Whiskey. The release was created in partnership with Massachusetts craft brewer Wachusett Brewing Company. First, the distiller shipped casks used for its Bourbon Cask Aged Irish Whiskey to Wachusett to use to create a barrel aged version of its Quinn’s Amber Ale. Then the brewer shipped back the now-beer soaked casks to Dubliner for its release. Dubliner Beer Cask is now available in Massachusetts and surrounding New England markets like Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Louisville, Kentucky’s Barrell Craft Spirits has launched Seagrass, a new blend of American and Canadian rye whiskies. The release comes in at 59.2% abv and is blended from whiskies finished in Martinique Rhum Agricole casks, apricot brandy casks, and Madeira barrels. The American component of Seagrass is sourced from Indiana and no age statements were disclosed. Seagrass is now available in 45 markets across the U.S. for a suggested price of $90 a 750-ml.

County Down, Ireland’s Two Stacks Irish whiskey has launched Dram in a Can, a new 43% whiskey packaged in 100-ml. cans. The whiskey is blended from Irish grain whiskey, single pot still whiskey, and peated malt whiskey. Four-packs of 100-ml. cans are now available across the U.S. for around $19. Looking ahead, the company plans to release the canned whiskey in 750-ml. bottles alongside Two Stacks Blender’s Cut, a 65% abv brand offshoot. Two Stacks Dram in a Can is imported by High Road Spirits.

Versailles, Kentucky-based Woodford Reserve is releasing its annual high-proof expression for 2021. Woodford Reserve Batch Proof, part of Woodford’s Master’s Collection, was bottled this year at 128.3 proof (approximately 64% abv). It comes in a new bottle, which features a long neck and rounded shoulders. This limited-edition release is available in select U.S. markets for a suggested price of $130 a 750-ml. and can be purchased at the Brown-Forman-owned Woodford Reserve Distillery.

Diageo has launched Cîroc Summer Citrus, the latest flavored offshoot for the grape-distilled vodka brand. The 35% abv spirit is infused with orange and other citrus flavors, and comes packaged in a multicolor bottle meant to evoke summer. Cîroc Summer Citrus is now available for a limited time across the U.S. for a suggested price of $34 a 750-ml. Last year, Cîroc slipped an estimated 2.2% to 1.35 million cases in the U.S., according to Impact Databank.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: July 7th 2020 Edition

The Macallan has expanded its Double Cask range, adding 15 and 18-year old expressions to the lineup. The two new whiskies are bottled at 43% abv and are matured in Sherry-seasoned casks made from European and American oak. The 15-year-old whisky will retail for around $135 and the 18-year-old is positioned at $330. Both are rolling out now across the U.S.

Volley, a new Tequila-based hard seltzer, has launched in New York, New Jersey, and Florida. The 5.25% abv seltzers come in four flavors—Zesty Lime, Spicy Ginger, Sharp Grapefruit, and Tropical Mango—and are made with three ingredients: 100% blue agave Tequila, sparkling water, and organic juice. Each 12-ounce serving contains between 100 and 110 calories. At retail, 4-packs (variety and single flavor) are available for $11.99 instore, $13.99 online (to ship nationwide).

Bombay Sapphire is launching its first artist-designed bottle. The brand collaborated with Chicago-based artist Hebru Brantley, who brought his street art and Afro-Futurist influences to the design of the bottle. An extension of Bombay’s “Stir Creativity” campaign, the launch of Hebru Brantley Limited Edition will benefit the Chicago chapter of the Black Lives Matter organization. It is available now in select states and on Reserve Bar, retailing for a suggested $23 a 750-ml.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily