Intrepid Spirits

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

Spanish liqueur brand Licor 43 is releasing its first line extension in the U.S. The new spinoff is Licor 43 Horchata, a blend of Licor 43 Original and traditional horchata, made with tiger nut, sugar, cinnamon, and citrus. It’s at 16% abv and will be available nationwide for a suggested $28 a 750-ml.

Svedka vodka is introducing a new Cherry Limeade flavor. A blend of cherry and limeade flavors with a hint of citrus, the new entry is launching nationwide, retailing at $15 a 750-ml. and $16 a 1-liter. It joins Blue Raspberry, Strawberry Lemonade, Mango Pineapple, and others in the Svedka flavor portfolio.

Tia Maria has added a new liqueur to its U.S. portfolio: Tia Maria Matcha. The new release is made with Japanese matcha extract and is lightly caffeinated and bottled at 17% abv. The new liqueur is rolling out now across the U.S. with a suggested price of $25 a 750-ml.

Intrepid Spirits is launching Cocalero Negro, a new botanical spirit, in the U.S. The 29% abv, South American-inspired offering is infused with a proprietary blend of botanicals and herbs, and is billed as a spicier take on the original Cocalero expression. It’s rolling out now in select markets, retailing at $30 a 700-ml.

Iowa’s Templeton Distillery has expanded its core lineup, adding a new 10-year-old whiskey. The new whiskey is an extra aged single barrel variant of the company’s standard rye, bottled at 52% abv and retailing for around $85. In addition to launching the new core offering, Templeton has refreshed the packaging for its entire line—including the 4- and 6-year old flagships—with the new packaging showing the whiskey’s age on the neck and a new label set low on an embossed bottle.

Diageo is launching Johnnie Blonde Blended Scotch Whisky, billed as a sweeter, smoother expression of the Johnnie Walker brand aimed at introducing new audiences to Scotch whisky. Debuting initially in the Houston market, Johnnie Blonde is at 40% abv and retails at $25 a 750-ml. To support the launch, the brand has partnered with Houston-based public art consulting firm UP Art Studio on a Big Walls Big Dreams mural-painting festival that will refresh public art in Houston neighborhoods.

Beam Suntory has launched Old Overholt 114 nationally. The 57% abv rye whiskey is aged for four years and non-chill filtered. It joins the brand’s 43% abv release and more recent Old Overholt Bottled in Bond brand extension. Previously the high-proof variant was exclusive to Ohio and Pennsylvania but is now rolling out across the U.S. for around $33 a 750-ml.

Heaven Hill Brands has expanded Carolans Irish Cream, adding a new cold brew coffee-flavored expression to brand’s lineup. The 17% abv liqueur blends coffee, chocolate, and the brand’s original Irish Cream for a new creation aimed at fans of both coffee and sweet liqueurs. Carolans Cold Brew is rolling out now across the U.S. for around $16 a 750-ml.

Angel’s Envy has announced a new, limited-edition whiskey hitting shelves in time for Father’s Day. For this special edition—the third in the distillery’s Cellar Collection—Angel’s Envy finished the whiskey in Madeira casks before bottling at 50% abv. Only 3,360 bottles are launching in all, with 400 bottles set aside for sale at the company’s distillery and 600 for sale to members of Angel’s Envy 500 Main club. The remainder will be available in select retailers in Kentucky, New York, California, Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, and Texas at a suggested price of $230 a 750-ml.

Actor Nick Offerman and Diageo-owned Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky have extended their partnership, with the distillery releasing a new Lagavulin Offerman Edition for Father’s Day 2021. The 11-year-old whisky spent four months finishing in Guinness barrels from Maryland’s Open Gate Brewery before bottling at 46% abv. Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Guinness Cask Finish will retail at around $80 a 750-ml. and will be available for a limited time nationwide.

Texas distiller Still Austin has released a cask strength bottling of its Bourbon whiskey to retailers throughout the Lone Star State. The 59% abv whiskey—like the company’s lower-proof Bourbon—is made from a mash of 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% wildfire-malted barley, with all grains sourced from Texas. The new whiskey is a limited release, with 1,100 cases available now and another 1,100 cases to be released in September. Still Austin Cask Strength Bourbon will retail at $65 a 750-ml.