GSN Spirited News: March 8th 2022 Edition

Brown-Forman has released the 2022 edition of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottle, with art from artist Jaime Corum. This year’s bottle features Corum’s painting “Dreams in Bloom” of three thoroughbreds racing. The 1-liter bottle retails for $50 and is available across the U.S. In addition to the yearly bottling, Woodford has teamed up with Williams-Sonoma to release the Woodford Spire cocktail mixer, made with cranberry and lemon. The mixer joins Woodford’s other Williams-Sonoma mixers like the Mint Julep and Whiskey Sour.

El Luchador Tequila has relaunched with a full portfolio of aged and unaged bottlings. The brand will now include four expressions: Blanco ($40), Reposado ($45), and Añejo ($50), all bottled at 40% abv, and a 55% abv Distill-Proof Blanco ($50). All four bottles feature a Luchador’s face on the label—a masked Mexican professional wrestler—with different background colors (green, silver, red, and red and green, respectively). An extra-Añejo is expected to join the range down the road.

Hendrick’s has unveiled a new limited edition gin, Neptunia. Retailing at $40 a 750-ml., the newcomer is bottled at 43.4% abv. Part of master distiller Lesley Gracie’s Cabinet of Curiosities, the new expression uses a blend of Scottish coastal botanicals—Hendrick’s distillery is located two miles from the sea in Girvan, Scotland—and has a sea foam green label.

Monfleurie Cognac Grand Champagne has launched a new ultra-luxury offering. The Cognac, bottled from two barrels of eau-de-vie that have matured since 1960 blended with select spirits from the Maison Boinaud cellars, is bottled at 40.6% abv and doesn’t contain any added coloring or flavoring. While Monfleurie L’Orchidee is blended with multiple Maison Boinaud Grande Champagne eau-de-vies, over two-thirds of the bottling come from the 1960 vintage barrels. Monfleurie L’Orchidee is available through the brand’s website for $2,900 a 750-ml. or $395 a 100-ml.

Baltimore-based Sagamore Spirit is debuting a new Rum Cask Finish rye whiskey. First offered exclusively at its Baltimore distillery in 2019, a new version of Rum Cask Finish is now making its way to shelves nationwide. For this year’s release, Sagamore Spirit took a blend of its 5- and 6-year-old straight rye whiskies, placing some in hand-selected South American barrels, and the rest in Jamaican barrels, aging both for an additional 10 months. The 98-proof Rum Cask Finish will be on shelves for a suggested retail price of $79.

Diageo has expanded Bulleit’s frontiers, adding new ready-to-serve cocktails for both the brand’s Bourbon and rye whiskies. The cocktails—a rye-based Manhattan and a Bourbon-based Old Fashioned—are bottled at 37.5% abv and come in both 375-ml. and 750-ml. bottles. The new permanent additions to the brand’s portfolio are now available across the U.S. where the 750-ml. bottle carries a suggested price of $30.

Bardstown, Kentucky’s Heaven Hill has kicked off its new Heritage Collection with a 17-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The whiskey, bottled at 59.1% abv, is made from Heaven Hill’s 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley mash bill, and blended from 28% 20-year-old barrels, 44% 19-year-old barrels, and 28% 17-year-old barrels. The Heritage Collection 17-Year-Old Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey will be available in limited quantities across the U.S. for around $275 a bottle.

Brown-Forman’s Slane Irish Whiskey has announced a new limited-edition bottling, set to hit shelves across America this month. Slane Special Edition is a 45% abv blend that takes the brand’s original triple-cask whiskey and tweaks it, introducing a greater portion of whiskies matured in new oak, alongside the usual used whiskey and Oloroso Sherry casks. The whiskey and its abv are a nod to Slane Castle’s 40-year history as a concert venue and the 45 RPM record. Slane Special Edition carries a suggested retail price of $37 a 750-ml.

Nashville, Tennessee-based Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery, part of Constellation Brands, is launching Nelson Brothers, a new line of whiskey. Nelson Brothers will debut with two releases in Nelson Brothers Classic Bourbon and Nelson Brothers Reserve Bourbon. The former is a straight Bourbon blend, bottled at 46.6% abv, that will launch this spring priced at $37 a 750-ml. while the latter is at 53.9% abv and will be available nationally this month for $60 a bottle. The Nelson Brothers label will serve as the distillery’s premium brand going forward alongside flagship brand Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey.

Teeling Irish Whiskey, part of the Bacardi USA portfolio, has announced Wonders of Wood Single Pot Still Chinkapin Oak Whiskey. The release is distilled from 50% malted and 50% unmalted barley, matured entirely in new Chinkapin American White Oak barrels, and was bottled at 50% abv. The Wonders of Wood releases see Teeling experiment with more unique varieties of wood, pushing Irish whiskey into new frontiers. Roughly 6,700 bottles of Teeling’s new whiskey will be available in the U.S. beginning in June and July for $99 a bottle.

Global Brand Equities has launched Sunny Vodka, partnering with Shaw-Ross International and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. Created by influencers Stas Karanikolaou and Zack Bia, the 40% abv vodka is distilled from corn in Charleston, South Carolina before filtering through California limestone. The new vodka carries a suggested price of $25 a a 750-ml. and is available in retailers like BevMo and Wally’s as well as through the e-commerce app Gopuff. The launch is kicking off with California, Las Vegas, Florida, and New York.

Heaven Hill has announced the spring 2022 bottling of Old Fitzgerald Bottled In Bond. This season’s release is a 17-year-old Bourbon distilled in 2004 and bottled at 50% abv. The barrels for this wheater were selected from three different floors of Heaven Hill’s rickhouse V. This spring’s release is available in limited quantities across the U.S. for a suggested price of $185 a 750-ml.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: February 22nd 2022 Edition

Egan’s Irish whiskey, part of the Intrepid Spirits portfolio, has added two new whiskies to its range, one a limited release and the other a permanent addition. The limited offering is Legacy Reserve IV, a 1,000-bottle release of an 18-year-old Irish single malt aged in Bourbon barrels and finished in Moscatel de Valencia casks. The 46% abv whiskey carries a $200 suggested price. Egan’s permanent addition is Conviction, a 10-year-old blend of single malts and single grain whiskies, finished in Cognac casks, bottled at 46% abv, and retailing for around $100 a bottle.

Angel’s Envy, part of the Bacardi portfolio, has launched the fourth release in the distillery’s Cellar Collection, a rye whiskey finished in ice cider casks. The whiskey, a 7-year-old rye made from a mash of 95% rye, finished for 364 days in casks from Vermont’s Eden Specialty Ciders before bottling at 53.5% abv. Only 6,000 bottles of Angel’s Envy Rye Whiskey Finished in Ice Cider Casks will be released to retailers in NY, CA, FL, TN, IL, TX and KY, with each bottle carrying a suggested retail price of $250.

Beam Suntory’s Courvoisier has named a new chief blender, Thibaut Hontanx, alongside a packaging refresh inspired by 19th century designs. Hontanx, formerly the brand’s master distiller, succeeds the retiring Patrice Pinet. The new packaging for the VS and VSOP expressions features a white label with red, black, and gold branding, and the XO has white and gold branding on a clear label. In addition, artist Yinka Ilori will serve as Courvoisier’s “Ambassador of Joy,” leading a series of global events, called “We Found Joy,” that will kick off in early March in New York City. The brand has also released a new ad, “Welcome to Maison Courvoisier,” on its website and social media channels.

Maison Ferrand has announced Ferrand Renegade Barrel No. 3, the newest eau de vie du vin in the house’s collection of spirits. Barrel No. 3 comes in at 48.2% abv and is double matured in rum casks (and therefore cannot be called Cognac under AOC rules). Ferrand Renegade Barrel No. 3 is rolling out now to select retailers across the U.S. for a suggested price of a $90 a 750-ml.

Lansdale, Pennsylvania-based Boardroom Spirits is expanding its Ship’s Cat Rum lineup with a Spiced Rum, which joins Ship’s Cat Aged Rum (40% abv, $39 a 750-ml.), Navy Strength (64% abv, $27), and White (40% abv, $22). Ship’s Cat Spiced Rum is at 35% abv and priced at $22 a bottle. The brand is named in tribute to Stray Cat Blues, an animal shelter in the Lansdale area that Boardroom donated to when the brand launched. Ship’s Cat products can be purchased online for shipping throughout Pennsylvania.

Diageo-owned whiskey brand I.W. Harper has unveiled Cabernet Cask Reserve, a Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey aged for four years in new charred American oak barrels, then finished in luxury California Cabernet Sauvignon casks and bottled at Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Retailing at $50 a 750-ml., I.W. Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve carries an abv of 45% and is rolling out to select U.S. retailers. It joins the brand’s original Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey and a 15 Year Old expression in the lineup.

Rémy Martin has announced a new limited-edition bottle paying tribute to the mixtape music culture of the 1980s. Rémy Martin VSOP Mixtape Volume 2 has a QR code which leads to unique playlists curated by a collective of DJs who drew inspiration from the sounds that came from each of their home cities: DJ Suss One from New York, DJ Meel from Los Angeles, and Jamal Smallz from Chicago. The design is inspired by the colorful graphics of the 80s and 90s, with the bottle housed in a premium gift box.

Dos Primos Tequila, founded by country music star Thomas Rhett and his cousin Jeff Worn, is extending with a Reposado expression. The new entry is made from 100% blue agave sourced from estates in Los Altos and the valley area of Jalisco, Mexico, and aged for at least six months in used Bourbon barrels. Retailing in the ultra-premium segment, Dos Primos Reposado joins the initial Blanco Tequila in the brand range. Dos Primos is distilled at Destiladora González Lux, located just outside Arandas, Mexico. Sales and marketing is handled by Luxco.

Pernod Ricard is rolling out updated packaging for Olmeca Altos Tequila. The new design—which is coming to all of the brand’s expressions—includes updated bottle engravings, like two toasting shots, as well as a new matte dark blue cap and a more transparent bottle with a longer neck. The new two-piece label shows off a circular logo for the brand and a rectangular label with information on the liquid.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Brews News: February 22nd 2022 Edition

Diageo has expanded Crown Royal’s RTD portfolio with a new Whisky Lemonade. The limited time offering comes in at 7% abv and joins Whisky & Cola, Washington Apple, and Peach Tea in the brand’s RTD portfolio. In addition to releasing the new product, Crown Royal’s RTD portfolio is expanding to national distribution this month. All of Crown’s RTDs are available for a suggested price of $15 a 4-pack.

Paso Robles, California-based Firestone Walker has introduced Hopnosis IPA. The 6.7% abv brew’s hop profile includes varieties from New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest, with a focus on Mosaic Cryo Hops as well as Idaho 7 and Nelson. Mosaic Crypto Hops are made by collecting the concentrated lupulin from whole-leaf hops, which contains pure resins for bitterness and aromatic oils. The double dry-hopped Hopnosis is now rolling out to all Firestone Walker markets in 6-pack and 12-pack (12-ounce) cans, 19.2-ounce cans, and on draft.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: February 15th 2022 Edition

Diageo has announced the release of Old Parr Aged 18 Years, the latest permanent addition to the blended Scotch brand. The whisky, making its first appearance in the U.S., is bottled at 40% abv and made using malts from Cragganmore, among other Islay and Speyside whiskies. The 18-year-old Scotch is now available in Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Delaware for a suggested price of $70 a 750-ml.

Premixed cocktail brand Hercules Mulligan Rum & Rye is launching in the New York market, with other states to be added soon. Hercules Mulligan is a 50/50 blend of Caribbean aged rum and American rye whiskey. Organic ginger root is macerated in the rum and rye blend, and a splash of bitters is added, with the cocktail suggested to be served on the rocks. Originally, Hercules Mulligan launched exclusively on Flaviar, and is now expanding into the wider market. The cocktail is bottled at 43% abv and retails at $38 a 750-ml.

Owensboro, Kentucky’s Green River Distilling has announced the launch of its flagship Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Aged more than five years, the bottling is the first Green River whiskey to hit the market in more than a century, following the revival of the historic distillery in 2020. In addition to its home state of Kentucky, Green River’s flagship Bourbon will also be rolling out to select retailers in Tennessee, Missouri, Indiana, and Northwest Florida. It retails at $35 a 750-ml. and is bottled at 90 proof.

Grand Marnier has announced the launch of its Exceptional Range, which will debut with a Grand Cuvee called Quintessence. A tribute to the brand’s origins, Quintessence is made with the oldest hors d’âge Cognacs that were selected exclusively from Grande Champagne and aged in the personal reserves of the Marnier Lapostolle family cellar. It comes in a handmade Baccarat decanter that features a twist in the glass achieved during the glassblowing process. Only 1,000 bottles of Quintessence will be released worldwide this year, carrying a retail price of $3,000 a 750-ml. In tandem, Grand Marnier will also launch Révélation, an XXO expression made with less Citrus Bigaradia than is traditional in order to spotlight the Cognac flavors in the blend. It will retail for $700 a bottle.

Long Island Spirits has appointed Winebow to distribute its Field & Sound Bottled in Bond Bourbon across 14 states including CA, WA, IL, WI, MN, NY, NJ, CT, DE, DC, MD, SC, GA, and FL. Retailing at $50 a 750-ml., Field & Sound is distributed in 6-pack cases with the first batch limited to 6,000 bottles. Long Island Spirits’ brands also include LiV Vodka, LiV Craft Canned Cocktails, Rough Rider & Pine Barrens Whiskies, Deepwells Gin, and Sorbetta Liqueurs.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: January 18th 2022 Edition

Appleton Estate, part of the Campari Group portfolio, is introducing Ruby Anniversary Edition, a limited release celebrating Master Blender Joy Spence’s 40 years at the Jamaican rum distillery. The liquid is a blend of five rare Jamaican rums, aged for a minimum of 35 years, and including rums as old as 45 years. A total of 500 bottles are being released, available at the Joy Spence Appleton Estate Retail Rum Experience in Jamaica and at select retailers starting this month.

Pernod Ricard has extended Jameson Irish whiskey with Jameson Orange, a new addition to the core range. The 30% abv offering is made with Jameson and natural orange flavor and is suggested to be consumed neat, on-the-rocks, or in a range of mixed drinks. The new line extension is debuting nationwide. 

Proximo Spirits’ Bushmills has announced a new 12-year-old single malt as the latest permanent addition to the brand’s lineup, set to hit shelves next month. The whiskey is a blend of Sherry- and Bourbon-cask-aged malts that are finished in Marsala wine casks. This release is the first to be stewarded by Alex Thomas, the brand’s newest master blender, and also marks the debut of new upscaling labeling for Bushmills’ single malts. Over time, the new bottle and label will come to all of Bushmills’ single malts and special releases. Bushmills 12-year-old will be available across the U.S. beginning in February 2022 for a suggested price of $60 a bottle.

Louisville, Kentucky’s Barrell Craft Spirits has launched Gray Label Seagrass, a limited edition, luxury-priced Canadian whisky. The new whisky is bottled at 65.41% abv, matured for 16 years, and was finished in Martinique rhum, Madeira, and apricot brandy barrels before bottling. The release is a more limited take on Barrell’s Seagrass, which blended American and Canadian rye whiskies. Barrell’s Gray Label Seagrass is now available in select locations across the U.S. and online for a suggested price of $250 a 750-ml.

Diageo’s Orphan Barrel Whiskey Co. has released Muckety-Muck 25 Year Old, a single grain Scotch whisky. The 45.5% abv whisky was distilled at Port Dundas distillery and follows last year’s release of a 24-year-old bottling of the same name. The whisky is named for a prized pig who lived at the distillery’s pig farm. There are six variants of whisky’s label, with all featuring the Muckety-Muck pig but wearing different colored sashes. Muckety-Muck 25 Year Old is now available in limited quantities in select locations across the U.S. for a suggested price of $250 a 750-ml.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Brews News: January 4th 2022 Edition

Baltimore, Maryland’s DuClaw Brewing Company has launched three new seasonal beers. First up is Spruce Willis, an 8.2% abv double IPA named for the famed actor from the Die Hard series of action movies. Next up is the PastryArchy Macchiato Milk Stout, a 6.5% abv beer brewed with vanilla beans and DuClaw’s own coffee blend. Finally, DuClaw has released Sour Me Pomegranate, Passion Fruit, & Plum, a 5.5% abv fruited sour ale made with Saaz hops, in addition to its namesake fruits. All three are now available in 16-ounce cans and on draft in select locations throughout DuClaw’s distribution footprint.

Minneapolis-based Hairless Dog Brewing has announced updated recipes and packaging for its three core brews, Citra Lager, India Pale Ale, and Black Ale. The company, which specializes in non-alcoholic beers, has also introduced a Dry January Survival Kit. Prices for the kit start at $20 and include a choice of three Hairless Dog 0% abv beer varieties and merchandise. In contrast to most non-alcoholic brews—in which alcohol is removed after brewing—Hairless Dog says its production process never introduces alcohol into the liquid to begin with and therefore retains a fuller flavor in the finished product.

Diageo’s Bulleit whiskey brand has teamed up with Kentucky-based West Sixth Brewing to create Bourbon Barrel Brownie, a limited edition offering marrying the brewery’s beer and Bulleit Bourbon. The Imperial brown ale comes in at 10.5% abv and is matured in ex-Bulleit barrels with added cocoa nibs. Bourbon Barrel Brownie is available for a limited time in four-packs of 12-ounce cans in Northern Kentucky for a suggested price of $12.

Oregon-based Square Mile Cider has introduced a new look across its portfolio. According to the company, the new branding pays homage to Square Mile Cider’s home base of Portland, Oregon, and highlights its commitment to using local, Pacific Northwest-grown fruits in all its ciders. Along with the rebrand, the cidery has launched two new flavors: Peach Lemonade Hard Cider and Raspberry Lemonade Hard Cider. The two new flavors—along with the existing Original Cider and Rosé Cider—are distributed across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho in 12- and 19.2-ounce cans.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: November 23rd 2021 Edition

Glenmorangie, part of the Moet Hennessy portfolio, is launching A Tale of Winter, a new innovation from the single malt Scotch whisky brand. Finished in Marsala wine casks from Sicily, the 13-year-old single malt retails at $100 and is bottled at 46% abv. 

Cognac Frapin is introducing two new offerings in the U.S., a VSOP and VIP XO. Frapin’s VSOP is made of 100% Grande Champagne Cognac, aged in limousin oak, and retails at $70 a 750-ml. The VIP XO expression, higher up the ladder, is a blend enhanced with very old Cognacs from the family cellars and retails at $250.

The Singleton is releasing a new 39-year-old single malt Scotch whisky from The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery. Aged in a blend of casks including Port, red wine, Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherries, and then finished in French Bordeaux casks, the new luxury malt was bottled at 46.2% abv and retails at $2,680 a bottle, of which 1,695 are being released globally. The Singleton 39-Year-Old follows on from The Singleton 38-Year-Old within the Diageo brand’s Epicurean Odyssey Series.

Italy’s Villa Massa has launched Vermouth Giardino. The new label is debuting with two options, Vermouth Giardino Mediterranean Dry by Villa Massa and Vermouth di Torino Rosso Traditionale by Villa Massa. The former is a contemporary-style dry vermouth made with Sorrento lemon peels, at 18% abv and retailing for $25 a 750-ml. The latter is a Torino-style sweet vermouth, at 16% and the same price point. They are available now in the U.S. The vermouths join Villa Massa Limoncello and Amaretto in the brand’s lineup.

Alameda, California-based St. George Spirits is releasing its annual single malt. A yearly tradition since 2000, St. George Single Malt Whiskey, Lot 21 is blended from 26 barrels of single malt that St. George has distilled over the years, selected by head distiller and blender Dave Smith. With a 100% barley mashbill, the liquid spans batches aged 4.5 to 10 years across Kentucky Bourbon barrels, Tennessee whiskey barrels, apple brandy casks, and California Sauternes-style casks. It’s at 43% abv. The distillery produced 700 cases, with a 750-ml. bottle priced at $100 and available at fine spirits retailers nationally.

Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door whiskey brand has partnered with MGM Resorts International on a new exclusive bottling, 777 Blend. The new entry consists of three 7-year-old straight whiskeys: Heaven’s Door’s previously unreleased wheated Bourbon; a low rye Bourbon; and a straight rye whiskey. The 46.8% proof offering is now available at MGM Resorts’ Las Vegas properties including Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand, Park MGM, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage, as well as MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Jefferson’s Bourbon, part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio, has debuted Ocean Voyage 24, the latest offering in its Ocean: Aged At Sea series. For this release, Jefferson’s whiskey traveled by boat through ports in the Caribbean and Central America, resulting in barrel exposure to high heat and tropical humidity. Retailing at $80 a 750-ml., Jefferson’s Ocean Voyage 24 is now available nationwide. Pernod Ricard acquired Jefferson’s along with the rest of Castle Brands for $223 million in 2019.

Conecuh Brands is introducing four new expressions under its Clyde May’s Whiskey label. They include: Clyde May’s Single Barrel Straight Bourbon 5-Year-Old (102 proof, $50); Special Reserve Straight Bourbon 6-Year-Old (110 proof, $60); 13 Year Cask Strength Alabama Style Whiskey (120 proof, $140); and Kentucky Straight Bourbon 15-Year-Old (112 proof, $200). 

Ireland’s Waterford Whisky, founded by industry veteran Mark Reynier, is rolling out a new bottling called Luna, made from biodynamically grown Irish barley. Luna is the latest whisky in Waterford’s Arcadian Series, which showcases rare barleys and forgotten ways of farming. Retailing at $125 a 750-ml., Luna is matured in a combination of 35% first-fill U.S. oak; 17% virgin U.S. oak; 26% premium French oak; and 22% Vin Doux Naturel oak. At 50% abv, it’s debuting in the U.S. in a supply of approximately 21,000 bottles (1,750 cases).

Calirosa Tequila, produced in Jalisco, Mexico, is launching a limited-edition Extra Añejo expression in the U.S. The newcomer is made with 100% blue agave and aged three years in California red wine barrels. Joining Calirosa’s existing lineup of Rosa Blanco and Añejo, Extra Añejo is at 40% abv and is priced at $200 a 750-ml. It’s available to pre-order now on ReserveBar. Calirosa is backed by Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine and his wife, model Behati Prinsloo.

Denver-based Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey has launched the second edition of Mountain Angel, the distillery’s 10-year-old, limited edition single malt whiskey. Batch 2 is bottled at 47.3% abv and matured entirely in new charred American oak casks. The whiskey carries a suggested retail price of $130 and is available in very limited quantities (roughly 600 bottles for this release) at Stranahan’s distillery and in select retail locations. It joins the company’s original expression and sits alongside other limited releases like Snowflake.

The Whistler Irish Whiskey has announced the annual release of its Imperial Stout Cask and Calvados Cask whiskies. This year’s version of The Whistler’s Imperial Stout Cask Finish—dubbed Batch 002—was made in collaboration with O’Hara’s Brewery in Bagenalstown, Ireland. It’s a blend of 50% wheat whiskey, 35% malt whiskey, and 15% grain, aged six months in casks from O’Hara’s that originally housed sherry, and bottled at 43% abv. Calvados Cask Finish is a continued collaboration with Chateau du Breuil composed of 35% malt whiskey and 65% grain whiskey, aged 15 months in the Chateau’s Calvados casks and also bottled at 43%. Only 3,000 bottles from Batch 002 will be available in the U.S. for a suggested $40.

American Liquor Co. Vodka has expanded distribution into Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, on the heels of its successful initial launch in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. American Liquor Co. Vodka is a four-crop blend made from locally-grown Midwest winter wheat, light rye, Rio Grande potato, and white corn, and was co-founded and blended by master blender Chris Montana, who is also the owner of microdistillery Du Nord Social Spirits in Minneapolis. The brand retails at $24 a 750-ml.

Texas-based Marfa Spirit Co. has launched its inaugural product, Chihuahuan Desert Sotol. Led by entrepreneurs Josh Shepard, Seth Siegel-Gardner, and Morgan Weber in partnership with master sotolero Jacobo Jacquez, who is based in Janos, Mexico, the company aims to bring awareness to sotol with its debut product, which is distilled in Mexico and then processed and bottled in Marfa. Chihuahuan Desert Sotol (45% abv) is now available across Texas, retailing at $49 a 1-liter bottle.

Diageo has announced Johnnie Walker Masters of Flavour, a new ultra-limited release celebrating the vast stores of rare whisky available to master blender Jim Beveridge. The whiskies in the blend are all at least 48 years old and come from ghost distilleries like Glyn Albyn, Port Dundas, Brora, and Glenury Royal, as well as Cameronbridge, Blair Athol and Dalwhinnie. The release, one of Beveridge’s last before retiring at the end of the year, is bottled at 41.8% abv, and is limited to 288 bottles, priced at £20,000 (roughly $27,000).

Georgetown, Kentucky’s Blue Run Spirits has announced three holiday releases. First up is Blue Run’s Holiday Rye, available both as an individual bottle and as a gift set. The whiskey is a 53% abv special bottling of the company’s recently released Golden Rye, bottled at a higher proof (up from 47.5% abv) and retailing for $140 across Blue Run’s distribution footprint. Additionally, Blue Run will release a gift set version, with two tumblers from Aged & Ore, through online service Seelbach for $230. Finally, on December 1, Blue Run will kick off 12 Days of Single Barrel High Rye Bourbon, a series which will see bottlings from different barrels released each day. These will be available through Blue Run’s website and will retail for $140.

Casa Lumbre has launched Lost Irish, a new, internationally-minded Irish whiskey, that’s rolling out now in New York, Illinois, Texas, and California. The 40% abv whiskey is a blend of grain, malt, and pot still whiskies partially matured in six different cask types from around the world: South African brandy, Japanese Mizunara oak, European Sherry casks, Bourbon casks, North American rum casks, Australian Tawny Port casks, and South American rum casks. 

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: October 6th 2021 Edition

Wild Turkey has announced Master’s Keep One, the sixth release in the distillery’s limited edition Master’s Keep series. The latest release blends whiskies aged between eight and 10 years with an older, 14-year-old Bourbon, in a collaboration that blends the preferences of master distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell. Jimmy favors 8-10-year-old Bourbon, while Eddie prefers slightly older whiskies. Following the initial blending, the combined whiskies matured for a second period in new toasted and charred oak barrels. Master’s Keep One is bottled at 50.5% abv and is available for a limited time in select retailers across the U.S. for a suggested price of $175.

Westward whiskey, part of the Diageo-backed Distill Ventures portfolio, has introduced Westward American Single Malt Cask Strength. The 125-proof bottling retails at $100 a 750-ml. and is available across 30 states via Westward’s online store. The new cask strength entry joins the brand’s core Single Malt ($70), Stout Cask ($90), and Pinot Noir Cask ($90) in the portfolio.

Park City, Utah’s High West Distillery has announced the latest edition of A Midwinter Night’s Dram, its Port-finished rye whiskey. This year’s release, Act 9, is bottled at 49.3% abv and is blended from Rendezvous Rye finished in Tawny and Ruby Port barrels for one to two years. A Midwinter’s Night Dram Act 9 is now available for $100 at High West General Store in Old Town Park City and at the High West Distillery in Wanship, Utah.

Texas-based Garrison Brothers has introduced its limited edition 2021 Cowboy Bourbon. The liquid is bottled at cask-strength. This year’s batch clocks in at a stout 131.3 proof. Retailing at $230, Garrison Brothers 2021 Cowboy Bourbon is rolling out in a limited supply of 5,440 bottles across its 42-state footprint. It’s packaged in a custom-built solid wood gift box lined with a satin pillow and weighty medallion announcing the release year around the bottle’s neck.

Diageo has unveiled its annual collection of Special Releases, a selection of limited, highly sought-after single malt whiskies. Curated by Diageo master blender Craig Wilson once again, the collection includes the usual number of whiskies—eight in total. This year’s picks are a 13-year-old Mortlach, 19-year-old Singleton of Glendullan, 16-year-old Royal Lochnagar, 8-year-old Talisker, 14-year-old Cardhu, 12-year-old Oban, and two expressions from Lagavulin—a 26-year-old and a 12-year-old, the Lagavulin 12 being a perennial member of the group. 

Atomic Brands has debuted Kentucky Coffee, a new coffee-flavored spirit from the maker of the popular Monaco canned cocktails. The 33% abv flavored spirit blends coffee extract and Kentucky-distilled whiskey for a drink aimed at the shot occasion as well as cocktails. Atomic Brands is initially launching Kentucky Coffee in Ohio, Missouri, and Kentucky where it carries a suggested retail price of $20 a 750-ml. While the initial launch is focused on three markets, Atomic Brands plans to expand Kentucky Coffee’s distribution footprint in the coming months.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: September 21st 2021 Edition

William Grant & Sons’ Hudson Whiskey has launched Four Part Harmony, the distillery’s oldest release so far. The 7-year-old whiskey is made from 60% corn, 15% rye, 15% wheat, and 10% malted barley, and is bottled at 46% abv. The new whiskey is a limited edition offering and retails for $70 a bottle.

Hangar 1, part of the Proximo Spirits portfolio, has partnered with Crimson Wine Group to introduce Smoke Point, a limited edition vodka made from smoke-tinged grapes from California wildfires. Retailing at $50 a 750-ml., Smoke Point will be distributed nationally. The spirit was distilled from Napa Valley Malbec and Merlot grapes affected by the smoke and heat from the devastating 2020 Glass Fire that swept through Napa and Sonoma last year. All proceeds will be donated to the California Fire Foundation to raise awareness of the growing California fire season.

Diageo has released the latest batch of Blade and Bow 22-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey, with this iteration celebrating the 86th anniversary of the Stitzel-Weller distillery. The 46% abv Bourbon will be available in limited quantities in 19 markets across the U.S. as well as at the brand’s Garden and Gun Club in Louisville, Kentucky. The newly opened club will feature a unique tasting experience tied to the 22-year-old whiskey.

Infinium Spirits’ Corralejo Tequila has added a new Extra Añejo expression as the latest addition to the brand’s core portfolio. The 40% abv Tequila is distilled from 100% blue agave and matures for 36 months in charred American oak barrels before bottling. The new release is set to hit shelves in select retailers by the end of September and will carry an $80 suggested retail price. This is the third Extra Añejo Tequila in Corralejo’s portfolio, alongside the $130 Corralejo 1821 release and a $250 limited edition Extra Añejo that matured in Templeton rye barrels.

Bardstown, Kentucky-based Kentucky Owl is partnering with Bardstown Bourbon Company on a new release. Called The Wiseman Bourbon, it’s a straight Bourbon blended from Kentucky Owl 4-year-old wheat and high-rye Bourbons along with other 5- and 8-year-old liquid. The Wiseman is the first release for Kentucky Owl under new master blender John Rhea, who was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2016 and joined the distillery in June of this year. At 45.4% abv, The Wiseman will be available soon at select retailers across Kentucky Owl’s national footprint, priced at $60 a 750-ml.

Baileys is reintroducing its Apple Pie flavor this fall, partnering with four bakeries across the country to create apple pie-inspired desserts infused with the flavor of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur. They include The Pie Hole in Los Angeles, Four & Twenty Blackbirds in Brooklyn, Georgetown Cupcake in Washington, D.C., and Justice of the Pies in Chicago. Baileys Apple Pie is rolling out nationally, retailing at $25 a 750-ml.

Codigo 1530 Tequila is debuting a George Strait Special Edition Rosa-Reposado expression, retailing at $75-$80. The newcomer is made by aging Codigo’s Tequila Rosa in uncharred French oak wine barrels for three months, then finishing it in Spanish Sherry casks.The bottles feature a custom print with country music star and partner George Strait’s silhouette, guitar, and signature. Codigo 1530 is present in all 50 states.

Miami, Florida-based Tropical Distillers is launching a new addition to its J.F. Haden’s line of liqueurs. The second spirit the brand brings to market is J.F. Haden’s Citrus Liqueur, made with oranges, limes, and lemons grown in Florida at the company’s Miami distillery, without preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors. It’s at 20% abv and joins Mango Liqueur in the J.F. Haden’s lineup, with RNDC providing distribution in Florida and Georgia to start, with expansion to other states including New York and Nevada to follow.

Kentucky Peerless Distilling has announced Double Oak Bourbon, the latest release from the Louisville-based craft distiller. Like the name suggests, the whiskey is matured in two separate barrels, transferring from its initial barrel to a new charred oak barrel midway through its aging. Initially, Peerless’ Double Oak Bourbon was bottled periodically as a single barrel whiskey available at the distillery, but the producer is now expanding the offering to select retailers in Kentucky, California, Illinois, Florida, and New York.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: August 10th 2021 Edition

Beam Suntory has launched Basil Hayden Toast, a new Bourbon featuring a brand new mash bill. The 40% abv whiskey swaps out rye for brown rice in the mash and a portion of the final whiskey is finished in toasted oak barrels after its initial aging period. Basil Hayden Toast is now available across the U.S. for a suggested price of $50 a 750-ml. 

Diageo has announced the second round of releases in its Prima & Ultima collection of single malt Scotch whiskies, with registration now open for collectors to indicate their interest in the bottles. This release consists of eight bottles selected from Diageo’s Scotch distilleries and only 376 full sets will be released for a suggested price of £23,500 (including tax and duty), which converts to $32,641. Whiskies in this collection come from Convalmore, Auchroisk, Lagavulin, and Brora, among others. In September, Diageo will auction off the first set of bottles from this collection through Sotheby’s, with proceeds benefiting humanitarian agency CARE International.

Hall of Fame basketball player Scottie Pippen has teamed up with Dave Phinney’s Savage & Cooke for a new Bourbon. The brand, called Digits, is a 5 year old Tennessee Bourbon with a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley that is bottled at 46% abv. It’s available in the Chicago area, retailing at $70. 

Código 1530 has announced a new, ultra-aged, luxury Tequila. The 13-year-old spirit is bottled at 40% abv with part of its extended maturation taking place in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, which, according to co-founder and co-CEO Ron Snyder, have very dense grain, allowing the Tequila to slowly soak in flavors from the wood. Before bottling, the Tequila finishes for six months in Cognac casks to impart another level of flavor. Código 1530 13-year-old will be limited to 350 bottles, with each retailing for a suggested price of $3,300. It’s available through the brand’s website and in select high-end retailers.

The Dalmore has announced The Dalmore Decades, a new collection of rare Scotch whiskies drawn from the company’s collection of ultra-aged spirits. Three sets of whiskies—Nos. 4, 5, and 6—will be released in very limited quantities, with No. 4 selling for £100,000 ($138,825.50) and No. 5 for £200,000 ($277,651). The No. 4 Collection features four whiskies from 1979 onward and the No. 5 Collection is made up of five whiskies from 1967 and later. The Dalmore Decades No. 6 Collection is the rarest of the three, featuring six bottles from 1951 to 2000, that will be auctioned off by Sotheby’s Hong Kong beginning in October.

Nashville, Tennessee’s Brown Water Spirits has launched O.H. Ingram River Aged Flagship Bourbon Whiskey, the third release in the brand family. The 50% abv whiskey is available in select locations in Tennessee and Kentucky and is the inaugural release in a new annual series. Later this year, the company plans to launch a wheated Bourbon as the fourth release in the O.H. Ingram family. All of the brand’s whiskies are matured in a floating rickhouse on the Mississippi River.

Barrell Craft Spirits has released Barrell Bourbon Batch 030, a blend of straight Bourbon whiskies. The batch includes liquid from 5-, 6-, 9-, 10-, 11-, and 15-year old barrels distilled and aged in Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Wyoming, and bottled at a cask strength of 117.32 proof. Barrell Bourbon Batch 030 carries a suggested retail price of $90.

El Mayor Tequila, part of the Luxco portfolio now owned by MGP Ingredients, has added a new luxury expression: El Mayor Extra Añejo Sherry Cask Aged. The 40% abv Tequila matured for 38 months in Sherry casks and was distilled from hand-selected, estate-grown agave. The new Extra Añejo retails for around $130 a 750-ml. and is a limited release with roughly 5,000 bottles allocated across the brand’s distribution footprint. The new release is the third Extra Añejo Tequila from El Mayor, joining the brand’s American oak aged version and its Rum Cask Finish Extra Añejo.

Pernod Ricard is extending the Jameson portfolio with a new orange flavor, which will roll out in the U.S. next year. Jameson Orange combines the triple-distilled Jameson Irish Whiskey with natural orange flavoring and is bottled at 30% abv. The newcomer will debut in international markets like the U.K. and Russia, retailing at £24 ($33), before coming to the U.S. in 2022.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: August 3rd 2021 Edition

Hye, Texas-based Garrison Brothers Distillery is releasing a new expression called Guadalupe. Named for the Texas river of the same name, Guadalupe is a Bourbon aged four years in American white oak and finished an additional two years in Port casks sourced from winemakers in Portugal. The release follows 2019’s Estacado, a similar Port-cask expression that resulted from a barrel trade with Texas winery Llano Estacado. Guadalupe is bottled at 53.5% abv and will be available year-round for a suggested $130 a 750-ml.

Chopin Imports has added the Catalan Vermouth maker Dos Déus to its portfolio, bringing the fortified wine producer to the U.S. for the first time. Beginning August 1, Chopin will make three of Dos Déus’ wines—Dry White Vermouth Reserve, Dry White Vermouth, and Red Vermouth Reserve—available through Southern Glazer’s and other distributors. The line will retail from $25 to $35 and each wine’s label features a Greek god: Zeus for the dry white, Poseidon for the white, and Athena for the red.

Dallas-based Ricou Spirits has teamed with Vallejo, California’s Hearts + Tales Beverage Co. to import and distribute Brandy Saint Louise in the U.S. The 43% abv French brandy is blended from spirits aged between three and 10 years. It launched in 2018. Brandy Saint Louise retails at $35 a 750-ml. and is distributed to 20 states.

Uncle Val’s Gin is expanding its lineup with new release Zested. It’s a citrus flavored gin, distilled five times and infused with Bergamot orange, coriander, barley malt, and juniper. Zested joins Botanical, Restorative, and Peppered in the Uncle Val’s portfolio, which is part of 3 Badge Beverage Corp., developed by 3 Badge president August Sebastiani as an homage to his Italian uncle Valerio Cecchetti. Zested is at 45% abv and will launch in early September for a suggested $40 a 750-ml.

Diageo has announced a new, highly limited expression for Tequila Don Julio. The new release, Primavera, begins as Don Julio Reposado before aging for an additional period in orange wine casks. Don Julio Primavera is bottled at 40% abv and only 15,000 cases will be available this year at a suggested retail price of $99 a bottle. Though the release is quite limited for now, Diageo says that Primavera will return in spring 2022. 

Harridan, a New York-based vodka, has made its debut with distribution handled by Park Street. The spirit is distilled from New York-grown corn at Ovid, New York’s Myer Farm and bottled at 44% abv. Brand founder Bridgette Taylor chose the name and proof in tribute to women who have been denigrated for being too bold. Harridan is now available in 48 states and through e-commerce services like Drizly and ReserveBar with a suggested price of $60 a 750-ml.

Milton, Delaware-based Dogfish Head Distilling Co. is launching its first single malt whiskey, called Let’s Get Lost. Distilled from a custom blend of malted barley and aged for more than three years in charred oak barrels, it’s available now in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. Dogfish Head shared early samples of the 51% abv expression last holiday season, leading Whiskey Advocate to give it 92-point rating. Dogfish Head was acquired by Boston Beer Co. in 2019.

Compass Box has announced Canvas, the latest blended malt whisky from the well-regarded independent bottler. The blend comes in at 46% abv and features whisky matured for three years in casks that held Vino Naranja, a Spanish fortified wine from Condado de Huelva that ages on orange peels. Only 5,880 bottles will be available worldwide. In the U.S., the whisky will retail for a suggested price of $150 and will be available on ReserveBar, Flaviar, and in other e-commerce channels. Canvas also has an interactive component whereby customers can create their own label designs. The bottle’s QR code links to a label template where customers can input a photo, sketch, or any other artwork and then print it out for use on the bottle.

Beam Suntory and Aston Martin have teamed up for a new series of travel-retail-exclusive bottlings of Bowmore Islay Scotch whisky. The Designed by Aston Martin series is kicking off with limited edition packaging for Bowmore’s 10-, 15-, and 18-year old whiskies. The Bowmore 10-year-old is paired with Aston Martin’s LM10, the 15-year-old is inspired by the Aston Martin Atom, and the 18-year-old by the DB MKIII. The whiskies are rolling out now in global travel retail for around $59, $80, and $121, in order of age.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: June 15th 2021 Edition

Armagnac house Château de Laubade has collaborated with Kentucky’s Bardstown Bourbon Company to create the Traveling Barrel, a limited-release eau de vie de vin d’Armagnac finished in a Bourbon barrel. The 48.4% abv spirit is made from two barrels of 8-year-old Armagnac (one distilled from Ugni Blanc and one from Baco) that spent eight months finishing in a Gascony oak barrel used to mature a Bardstown Bourbon whiskey. Only 698 bottles of Château de Laubade the Traveling Barrel will be available in select retailers in New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, California, and Washington state.

Seattle-based Westland Distillery has unveiled Westland American Single Malt Whiskey, its new flagship label, which will replace the previous core trio of Westland American Oak, Sherry Wood and Peated. Those expressions will be discontinued, though they will remain on retail shelves until supplies are depleted. Westland American Single Malt ($60 a 750-ml.) was distilled from six different types of barley and matured in five different cask types for 40 months on Washington’s Olympic peninsula. Going forward, Westland’s range will include the new flagship label and the annual releases from its Outpost Collection, comprised of Garryana ($150), Colere ($150), and Solum, whose first release is slated for 2023.

Campari America has added a new high-end rum to the Appleton Estate family. The new expression, Appleton Estate 15-year-old Black River Casks, is rolling out now and will be available nationally. The 43% abv rum was created by master blender Joy Spence, who is currently celebrating her 40th anniversary with Appleton, and takes its name from the Jamaican river used to proof Appleton’s rums. The 15-year-old rum retails for around $65 a 750-ml. In addition, Spence and Appleton have also relaunched the brand’s 21-year-old rum ($150) with a new bottle and flavor profile to retailers across the U.S.

The distilleries of Bardstown, Kentucky, including Heaven Hill, the James B. Beam Distilling Co., Bardstown Bourbon Company, Preservation, and Log Still have come together to celebrate their shared history, with each distillery contributing whiskey to a new limited-edition line of Bourbon whiskies. Beginning in September, the new whiskies—all sharing the same bottle design and housed in a gold-embossed navy blue box—will roll out to the distilleries’ on-site tasting rooms. The release dates will be spaced to allow collectors to make trips to each distillery and complete the set.

Diageo has added a new 8-year-old Bourbon whiskey to the George Dickel family. The 45% abv whiskey was created by Cascade Hollow distiller and general manager Nicole Austin, who selected barrels of whiskey that showed more traditional Bourbon notes, distinct from Dickel’s Tennessee whiskey offerings. George Dickel 8-Year-Old Bourbon is now rolling out in select markets across the U.S. for a suggested price of $33 a 750-ml.

Intrepid Spirits’ Mad March Hare Poitin has received a new bottle design. Inspired by Celtic art and mythology, the new design links Mad March Hare with the long history of poitin, which has been made in Ireland since the sixth century. Retailing at $30 a 750-ml., Mad March Hare is at 40% abv, with the new look hitting the market now.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Brews News: June 1st 2021 Edition

Branded coconut supplier CoCo & Co is debuting Sunboy, a line of RTD cocktails made with coconut water and fruit. The company has previously provided coconut cocktails at music festivals and other events in partnership with Diageo and Pernod Ricard. The drinks, all at 5% abv, come out June 1 in Passion Fruit, Pineapple, and Tangerine flavors, and in variety packs. Sunboy products contain no added sugar or artificial flavors, and are gluten free.

New York-based KBrews Inc. has launched Màkku Passion Fruit, the latest release in the company’s line of lightly carbonated, rice-brewed drinks. The 6% abv brew is only lightly filtered, giving it a silky and creamy texture, and it’s made without any artificial sweeteners. The new addition will roll out this summer and will join the brand’s original, blueberry, and mango expressions. Twelve-ounce cans will retail for around $3.50 and will also be available in 4-packs in the brand’s 21-state distribution footprint.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: May 25th 2021 Edition

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has been tapped as the national distributor for Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila. Southern will initially launch 818 in the California market, and continue to roll it out across the country in the months to come. 818 includes Blanco ($45 a 750-ml.), Reposado ($55), and Anejo ($65) expressions and is sustainably produced in Jalisco, Mexico.

Heaven’s Door, Bob Dylan’s American whiskey brand, is introducing a limited-edition 10-year-old Bourbon finished in Redbreast Irish whiskey casks for 15 months. Retailing at $99 a 750-ml., the new entry is at 50% abv. Its bottle features a new gate design created by Bob Dylan in his Black Buffalo Ironworks studio, as well as Redbreast’s iconic Robin. The core Heaven’s Door range includes a Straight Bourbon (46% abv, $50), Double Barrel Whiskey (50% abv, $50), and Straight Rye Whiskey finished in cigar barrels from Vosges, France (46% abv, $80).

Blanco, Texas-based Milam & Greene Whiskey is launching a new Castle Hill Series. Batch 1 comes in at 54.25% abv and is made from a blend of 13-year-old Bourbon whiskies bottled at barrel proof. The final blend was assembled from 20 barrels. The new line of whiskies is named for the Texas Military Institute, aka the Castle, which houses Milam & Greene’s blending facility and will soon be home to a new tasting room. Batch 1 is available in extremely limited quantities in select retailers for a suggested price of $120. 

New York-based importer Olé & Obrigado has introduced Nordés, a Spanish gin, in select markets across the U.S. The Galician gin is made using local botanicals including bay laurel, lemon verbena, eucalyptus, and salicornia, among others, and is bottled at 40% abv. Nordés is available in New York, Boston, Washington DC, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, and northern and southern California, ahead of a full national push in 2022. The gin retails at a suggested price of $40 a 750-ml.

Agua Mágica has launched its namesake mezcal to select retailers across the U.S. The ensemble mezcal is made from both Espadín and Tobalá agave in San Juan del Río, Oaxaca, before bottling at 40% abv. The brand’s first release is extremely limited, and it comes in two packages: the bottle on its own, which retails for $65, and a boxed edition featuring illustrations for $95. 

Diageo has announced Copper Tongue, the newest release in the Orphan Barrel line of high-end whiskies. The latest addition to the brand is a 16-year-old Tennessee Bourbon, distilled and matured at Cascade Hollow Distillery (the home of George Dickel). Copper Tongue is bottled at cask strength—in this case 44.9% abv—and will be available in limited quantities in select markets across the U.S. for a suggested price of $100. This release is the first Orphan Barrel whiskey helmed by Nicole Austin, Cascade Hollow’s general manager and distiller.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily