GSN Spirited News: November 2nd 2021 Edition

Templeton Distillery, part of the Infinium Spirits portfolio, is launching the third expression in its Cask Finish Series. The latest whiskey is Templeton Rye Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish, made from American straight rye whiskey aged a minimum of six years in charred oak barrels. It was then rested an additional nine months in Sherry casks sourced from the Marco de Jerez region of Spain that aged Sherry anywhere from eight to 20 years. It’s at 46% abv and is available in limited quantities in the U.S. for $50-$55 a 750-ml. Previous entries in the series include Maple and Caribbean Rum Cask Finish. 

Louisville, Kentucky’s Michter’s has announced the 2021 edition of the brand’s 20 Year Old Bourbon. The whiskey comes in at 57.1% abv with the barrels chosen by master distiller Dan McKee and master of maturation Andrea Wilson. Michter’s 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon will begin to roll out in limited quantities across the U.S. in November, carrying a suggested retail price of $750 a 750-ml. This is the first release of 20-year-old Bourbon from Michter’s since 2019.

Louisville, Kentucky-based Angel’s Envy has announced the 2021 edition of the distillery’s cask strength Bourbon, the tenth annual release from the company. This year’s edition comes in at 60.35% abv and comes in a commemorative wooden box. Only 14,760 bottles will be released this year, available in select retailers—including the Angel’s Envy distillery store—across the U.S. Angel’s Envy 2021 Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels will begin to roll out on December 1, with a $230 suggested retail price.

Campari America has officially entered the Cognac category, introducing the Bisquit & Dubouché brand. Bisquit & Dubouché offers a flagship VSOP ($59 a 750ml.) and high-end XO ($180). Both offerings will initially launch in select states, focusing on California, Texas, and Florida, in accounts where the premium plus and super-premium business is concentrated, with plans for further expansion in 2022.

Procera, a new ultra-premium gin from Nairobi, Kenya, has launched in the U.S. The 44% abv gin is made with a blend of African botanicals, notably its namesake variety of juniper, indigenous to Kenya. Procera is also made with pink peppercorn, orris root, coriander, Swahili lime, Pixie orange, and green tea, among other botanicals. The gin is packaged in hand-blown bottles made by local glassblowers. Handled by New York-based Innovation X Marketing, Procera is now available in New York and online for a suggested retail price of $85 a 750-ml.

Johnnie Walker has unveiled High Rye Blended Scotch Whisky, which features a unique mash bill of 60% rye aged in American oak barrels, along with some of the notable single malts that make up the traditional Johnnie Walker blend, including Cardhu, Caol Ila, and Glenkinchie. The 45% abv expression is now available across the U.S., retailing at $35 a 750-ml. 

Pernod Ricard’s Smooth Ambler has kicked off a new collection of whiskies, the Founder’s Series, with a cask strength rye. The new whiskey is made from a mash of 88% rye and 12% malted barley and is distilled at Smooth Ambler’s West Virginia distillery. The Founder’s Series cask strength rye is a limited release and only six batches of less than 400 cases will be produced each year. The whiskey will begin rolling out in November in select stores in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, North and South Carolina, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas with a suggested price of $55 a 750-ml.

Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners is launching the Fuji whisky brand in the U.S. Fuji Single Grain Whiskey ($95) is now available at select establishments nationwide, with its flagship label ($60) slated to arrive in November. Both expressions will be available nationwide on and off premise. Named after one of Japan’s most iconic landmarks, Mt. Fuji Distillery is situated just miles from the peak of Mt. Fuji. 

Islay Scotch whisky distiller Bunnahabhain has announced Cask Strength 12 Year Old, a new annual release. The 2021 edition of the whisky is bottled at 55.1% abv and was matured in ex-Sherry casks. The whisky will be available beginning November 18 and carries a suggested retail price of $100. 

French malt whisky producer Alfred Giraud has launched Voyage, the first whisky in the Exploratory Series, a new line of whiskies for the U.S. Voyage is bottled at 48% abv and made from two French single malts matured in new French Robinia casks and Sauternes wine casks before finishing in ex-Cognac casks. Only five casks were selected for the initial release, with the whisky available at select retailers in Florida, New York, and California at a suggested price of $180 a 750-ml. In addition, Voyage will be available through the brand’s website and on ReserveBar.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: July 28th 2020 Edition

Portland, Oregon’s Freeland Spirits has launched Freeland Dry Gin, a new Navy Strength spirit. The 57% abv offering is juniper forward, and according to the company also has notes of mulling spices, green olives, citrus, and pine forest. To celebrate the launch, Freeland is selling $60 Martini kits from its tasting room and will host a virtual happy hour on Instagram at 5pm Pacific time on July 30. Freeland Dry Gin is rolling out now for around $35 in Oregon, Washington, California, Illinois, Florida, and New York.

Clase Azul Tequila is introducing a new high-end Gold expression. The new offering, limited to 6,000 bottles retailing at $300 each, is a blend of Clase Azul Plata and an eight-year-old extra añejo that was first aged in Bourbon barrels and then finished in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. It comes in a decanter that’s a combination of glass with high heat ceramic featuring a 24k gold trimming. The Clase Azul portfolio includes also includes Plata, Reposado, Añejo, Ultra Añejo, Mezcal, and La Pinta Pomegranate Liqueur made with Tequila.

Memphis, Tennessee’s B.R. Distilling Company has added a new expression to its Blue Note Bourbon line: Juke Joint. The 46.5% abv whiskey is a non-age-statement expression and joins the company’s 9-year-old Blue Note Premium Small Batch Bourbon (bottled at 46.5% and distilled in Tennessee). Juke Joint is sourced from Kentucky and bottled by B.R. Distilling after at least three years. It’s now available in Tennessee for $30 a 750-ml. with wider distribution to follow.

Lansdale, Pennsylvania-based Boardroom Spirits has launched several new products. A new rum brand called Ship’s Cat is available in two varieties, White Rum (40% abv, $22 a 750-ml.) and Navy Strength (64% abv, $28). Boardroom American Dry Gin (44% abv, $27) and cinnamon honey whiskey Fire Bear (35% abv, $27) have also joined the lineup. Like many other distillers, Boardroom has expanded its online sales capabilities with delivery and curbside pickup options as well and has begun selling prepared cocktails such as Passion Fruit Rum and Elderberry Cucumber Cooler (both $38 a 750-ml.). The distillery runs on 100% renewable energy.

Puerto Rico’s Destilería Serrallés has expanded its Don Q family of rums with Reserva 7 Años. The 7-year-old spirit is bottled at 40% abv and blended from both column and pot still distilled rums aged in American oak. The release is packaged in Don Q’s new bottle design—created by U.K.-based Stranger and Stranger—that features an updated logo for the brand. Don Q Reserva 7 Años will be available in select retailers across the U.S. beginning in August, for a suggested price of $25 a 750-ml.

F!ve Cocktails, a line of canned cocktails with spirits plus four or fewer ingredients, is now available nationwide. The company was founded by CEO Felipe Szpigel and CFO Roberto Schuback, both former AB InBev executives from the brewing giant’s craft beer division and ZX Ventures, respectively. The line includes Moscow Mule (9% abv), Margarita (10% abv), Mojito (9% abv), Gin and Tonic (11% abv), Watermelon Vodka Soda (5.9% abv), and Paloma (9% abv). All are now available across the U.S. in 4-packs for around $10.

Johnnie Walker is introducing four new offerings coinciding with the brand’s 200th anniversary.The first is Johnnie Walker Blue Label 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Design, which features special packaging illustrating some of the key scenes in the brand’s history. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Legendary Eight is a new blend of whiskies from eight legendary distilleries that all existed in 1820, including some whiskies from long-closed “ghost” distilleries. John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend is billed as a complex Scotch inspired by the flavors found in the Walker family’s grocery store during the 1860s, and a blend of whiskies from distilleries operating at that time. Finally, John Walker & Sons Bicentennial Blend includes whiskies from ghost distilleries such as Pittyvaich, Cambus, and the soon to be re-opened Port Ellen, all aged at least 28 years. The new expressions will launch in October.

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