lagavulin

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

Irish Distillers has introduced a new single pot still Irish whiskey, Powers Signature Release. The whiskey will roll out in the U.S. and Ireland beginning this month. Powers Signature Release has been matured mainly in American Bourbon barrels, with the subtle inclusion of whiskey matured in Oloroso Sherry casks. The extension, first unveiled at Whisky Advocate’s WhiskyFest Chicago in April, is the second single pot still whiskey to join the range, after Powers John’s Lane. Concurrent with the debut of the new expression is the announcement that Powers Gold Label is also being given a new packaging and new recipe, featuring a higher abv (43.2%) and will be non-chill filtered (also rolling out in the U.S. this month).

Austria’s Mozart Distillerie is set to launch its Mozart R.G. Chocolate Cream liqueur in the U.S. early next year. Made with a blend of gourmet chocolate, vanilla, fresh cream and cocoa butter, Mozart RG Chocolate Cream is aged in Bourbon oak casks for a minimum of six months. The new offering is positioned as a super premium extension to Mozart Distillerie’s Mozart R.G. chocolate liqueur range, which includes Gold Chocolate Cream, White Chocolate Cream, Black Dark Chocolate and Dry Chocolate Spirit expressions.

Absolut vodka has launched Absolut Amber—a new oak-aged expression—in the North American travel retail channel. Handcrafted by master blender Per Hermansson, Absolut Amber is created using a blend of Swedish, American and Bourbon barrel-aged spirits and oak-macerated spirits. According to the company, the 40%-abv offering is a “transformative” product designed to blur the line between white and dark spirits. Absolut Amber is currently available at JFK International Airport, Miami International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, as well as in Panama’s travel retail segment and select on-premise venues, with additional markets in the pipeline.

Diageo has unveiled the 10 single malt Scotches set to launch under its annual Special Releases series this year. The limited edition lineup will include a 37-year-old Lagavulin (1,868 bottles available); 12-year-old Lagavulin; 28-year-old Talisker (3,000 bottles); 21-year-old Cardhu (6,000 bottles); 28-year-old Singleton of Dufftown (3,816 bottles); 36-year-old Convalmore (2,980 bottles); 21-year-old Oban (2,860 bottles); Caol Ila Stitchell Reserve; 34-year-old Port Ellen (2,958 bottles); and 35-year-old Brora (2,944 bottles). Ranging in price from around $108 to $3,030 a bottle, the series will be available across the U.S., Northern Europe and select Asian markets starting this fall.

Campari America’s X-Rated liqueur brand has introduced Tropix, a new pineapple- and coconut-flavored offshoot. Made with French vodka, Tropix is a yellow-hued liqueur targeted toward off- and on-premise cocktail and shot occasions. The new offering is also being positioned as a low-calorie, female-friendly option, claiming to offer 81 calories per 1.5-ounce serving. Rolling out this month, Tropix will be available in 375-ml., 750-ml. and 1-liter formats, priced at around $24.99 a 750-ml.

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Campari America has extended its Wild Turkey brand with Wild Turkey Spiced, a new flavored Bourbon offering intended to compete against spiced rums. Retailing at $22.99 a 750-ml., Wild Turkey Spiced’s sweet and spicy profile is said to resemble spiced rum and is suggested to be consumed neat or with cola. Campari says the 86-proof entry is positioned as a male-targeted trade-up from spiced rum and is intended to bring rum drinkers into the Bourbon fold.

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Beam Inc.’s Jim Beam Bourbon brand has launched Jim Beam Maple in the U.S. A blend of natural flavors and Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey, the new 70-proof entry features brown maple, wood and caramel notes. In national distribution this month, Jim Beam Maple retails around $15.99 a 750-ml.

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Trinchero Family Estates has created a new rum brand, Sugar Island, to join its spirits division, TNS Brands, which was launched last year. Made with Caribbean sugar cane, Sugar Island features spiced and coconut-flavored expressions, both retailing around $18.99 a 750-ml.