Foundry Distilling Co.

St. Paul, Minnesota-based Prestige Beverage Group has added two new whiskies—Tullibardine and Highland Queen—to its portfolio. Tullibardine adds a new single malt to Prestige’s range, including a variety of cask-finished whiskies as well as luxury-priced vintage offerings which can date back decades. Highland Queen is a new contender in blended Scotch for Prestige, which will market the brand’s lineup from its entry level to its luxury-priced blends.

Longmont, Colorado-based Left Hand Brewing Company is releasing Sinister Malt Whiskey in partnership with Foundry Distilling Co. The first release of the collaboration, Sinister Whiskey was inspired by Left Hand Brewing’s Milk Stout Nitro and was distilled from a similar mashbill. The liquid dates from 2019, when Left Hand stopped short of adding lactose or beginning fermentation and instead shipped the liquid to West Des Moines, Iowa, where Foundry Distilling is located. Aged two years in charred oak barrels, the whiskey is at 47.5% abv. Sinister will be available starting in May in Colorado, Iowa, and other select markets, priced at $60 a 750-ml. The two partners are planning three additional whiskey collaborations.

Denver, Colorado-based Stranahan’s has updated its flagship original release with new packaging and older liquid. The 47% abv single malt whiskey is now a blend of 4-, 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old spirits aged in charred American oak barrels. The whiskey’s updated packaging features a new label on the lower half of the bottle as well as a reimagining of Stranahan’s offset yellow label on the top half.

Ardbeg single malt Scotch whisky is introducing Scorch, a new limited edition. Matured in heavily charred American ex-Bourbon casks, Ardbeg Scorch is aimed firmly at devotees of smoky Islay malts. It’s bottled at 46% abv and will roll out June 1, retailing at $120 a bottle.

Casa Noble Tequila has revamped its ultra-premium range, unveiling refined liquid and overhauled packaging for its Single Estate Organic Blanco ($44), Reposado ($50), and Añejo ($55) expressions. The brand’s new packaging features taller, sleeker bottles with a crest featuring Tequila cues like agave, coa harvesting blades, and a barrel. The redesigned brand, part of the Constellation portfolio, is launching nationwide.

Our/New York, Manhattan’s first legal distillery since Prohibition, backed by Pernod Ricard, has partnered with Rethink Food to create a limited-edition basil-flavored vodka. The 35% abv spirit is distilled from corn and blended with a basil extract made using locally sourced basil by Brooklyn-based urban farm Square Roots. The new vodka is limited to 1,800 bottles that will be available to bars, restaurants, and retailers across New York City by April 22, just in time for Earth Day.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

Seattle, Washington’s Westland Distillery has announced the Outpost Range, a new series of whiskies to be released beginning in November and continuing through 2023. First up will be Garryana American Single Malt Whiskey, the fifth edition of the distillery’s Garryana-aged malt. The November release comes in at 50% abv and is made with peated spirit. The second release, Colere, will be released in spring 2021. It’s bottled at 50% abv and is made with Alba barley. Future Colere releases will be dedicated to distilling different varieties of barley. The final release, Solum, will use locally sourced peat.

Bacardi is mounting a renewed push into spiced rum, reintroducing its former Oakheart label in a new incarnation as Bacardi Spiced. Noting that spiced rum is the only segment of the rum category to show volume growth over the past decade, Bacardi is launching Spiced ($13) nationwide this month, targeting at-home occasions and both new and existing spiced rum consumers.

Ireland’s West Cork Distillers has launched a new, limited release IPA Cask Finished Irish Whiskey in the U.S. The 40% abv whiskey is a blend of 75% grain whiskey, distilled from wheat, and 25% malt whiskey that matured for four years before blending and finishing for six months in casks that held Blacks of Kinsale’s IPA. Through M.S. Walker, West Cork Distillers IPA Cask Finished Irish Whiskey will be available across the U.S. for around $33 a 750-ml.

Kansas City, Missouri-based Boulevard Brewing has partnered with West Des Moines, Iowa-based Foundry Distilling Co. to turn Boulevard’s Unfiltered Wheat Beer into a whiskey. The result is called Midnight Ritual, a 44.5% abv malt whiskey that’s aged more than two years in charred oak barrels. The release promises to be the first in a series of partnerships between the two producers, turning more brews into limited edition whiskies. Beginning next month, Midnight Ritual will be available in very limited quantities in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska.

Phillips Distilling Company has launched Prairie Organic Sustainable Seasons, a new line of botanical and fruit flavored spirits. The 30% abv flavored vodka comes in three varieties: Grapefruit, Hibiscus, and Chamomile; Watermelon, Cucumber, and Lime; and Apple, Pear, and Ginger. Each contains 75 calories per serving and all are made with organic ingredients and without added sugar. The trio is rolling out nationwide for a suggested price of $22 a 750-ml.

Proximo has expanded 1800 Tequila with a new, luxury-priced extension, 1800 Cristalino. The 40% abv spirit is made from 100% blue agave and aged for 16 months in American and French oak before finishing for six months in Port barrels. The añejo Tequila is then filtered to remove the color imparted by the barrel. 1800 Cristalino is now rolling out in select markets across the U.S. for $65 a 750-ml.

375 Park Avenue Spirits has added Ming River Baijiu to its import portfolio, effective October 1. The importer, a division of Sazerac, will handle the brand’s sales and will also support Ming River’s marketing efforts in the U.S. Ming River is a young brand—created in 2018—from China’s oldest continuously operating distillery. The spirit is distilled from red sorghum and bottled at 45% abv. 375 Park Avenue will offer Ming River in 750-ml. and 50-ml. bottles.