GSN Spirited News: March 1st 2022 Edition

Proximo Spirits’ Sexton Single Malt Irish whiskey has unveiled a new bottle to commemorate the final season of AMC series The Walking Dead. The packaging depicts themes of The Walking Dead across The Sexton’s black hexagonal bottle, which features a decaying silver label and a walker’s head in the place of the brand’s trademark skeleton logo. The Sexton’s The Walking Dead-inspired release will be available in limited quantities at wine and spirits retailers across the country starting at the end of February at a suggested retail price of $30.

Pernod Ricard has announced Midleton Very Rare 2022, the latest release in the collection of rare and high-end Irish whiskies from Irish Distillers. This year’s edition is bottled at 40% abv and is made from whiskies aged between 12 and 33 years matured in first-fill and refill Bourbon casks. Midleton Very Rare 2022 is rolling out now to select retailers for a suggested price of €200, or roughly $226.

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has agreed to distribute Insólito Tequila in multiple states across the U.S. The Tequila is made by brothers Octavio and Alberto Herrera at the Premium de Jalisco distillery for Spirits Innovation Partners and the country band Midland. The brand is signing on with SGWS roughly one year after its launch and will be distributed as part of SGWS’ Craft Collection Luxury Spirits division. Insólito Tequila is now available in Texas, California, Florida, New York, Illinois, Colorado, and Arizona through Southern Glazer’s, retailing in the $40-$50 range.

County Wicklow, Ireland’s Glendalough Distillery has announced a new single malt whiskey finished in Japanese Mizunara oak, set to hit shelves next week. The 7-year-old single malt is bottled at 46% abv. Glendalough 7-Year-Old Single Malt Mizunara Finish will be available in select locations across the U.S. beginning February 28 for a suggested price of $100 a 750-ml.

Brown Water Spirits, the maker of O.H. Ingram River Aged, is expanding the whiskey brand into the Minnesota market. Ingram River Aged is currently available on shelves in Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Tennessee, as well as online. The range includes Ingram River Aged Straight Whiskey, Straight Rye, Flagship Bourbon, and Straight Bourbon Whiskey, all aged on a proprietary floating rickhouse moored in Ballard County, Kentucky.

Upscale Tequila brand Montagave has launched in select U.S. markets. Produced by fourth generation family-run distillery Tequila Cascahuín, Montagave’s inaugural release, Montagave Blanco Héritage, rested for 29 days in red wine barrels from Bordeaux, and was bottled at 41% abv. It retails at $75 a 750-ml. and is debuting in Colorado, New York, and California, with additional markets slated for later this year.

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.

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 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 Brews News: June 29th 2021 Edition

Monaco Cocktails has secured distribution for its spirits-based RTDs in grocery stores in multiple states across the U.S. The company is kicking off this new placement with its variety 6-pack featuring Citrus Rush, Tequila Lime Crush, and Blue Crush, with all three at 9% abv. The 6-pack is now available in Chicago-area Mariano’s, Jewel-Osco, Tony’s Finer Foods, and Binny’s; Michigan’s Kroger stores; Roundy’s in Wisconsin; Albertsons in Southern California; and Winco Foods located in Arizona, California, Indiana, and Nevada. 

Smirnoff is introducing a line of Pink Lemonade variants across its vodka, flavored malt beverage and hard seltzer ranges. To introduce the Pink Lemonade lineup, Smirnoff is airing several new TV spots, which debuted earlier this month. The brand’s Pink Lemonade vodka retails at $12 a 750-ml., while the Smirnoff Ice Pink Lemonade FMB launched this month at $9 a 6-pack. Also forthcoming is Smirnoff Seltzer Pink Lemonade, which will hit shelves later this summer.

St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania-based Straub Brewery has introduced Sabrina’s Signature Series—Wild Berry Sangria Spritzer, a new RTD named for the Straub family matriarch. The 5% abv spritz starts with a red blend base and adds apple, raspberry, and elderberry juices, plus sparkling water. Sabrina’s Signature Series joins Straub American Lager, American Light Lager, American Amber Lager, Hop Blaster IPA, and seasonal releases in the Straub portfolio.

Proximo Spirits has expanded the 1800 Ultimate Margarita family with black cherry, the brand’s latest fruit-flavored RTD cocktail. The new release comes in at 9.5% abv and is flavored with cherries, plums, and other orchard fruit, plus orange, vanilla, and lime. It joins 1800’s original Margarita, pineapple, peach, watermelon, jalapeño lime, and raspberry in the Ultimate Margarita family.

Drifter Craft Cocktails has launched with a new portfolio of spirits-based RTDs. The new line comes in three flavors: Spicy Margarita, Passion Fruit Caipirinha, and Moscow Mule (all 7% abv). The Caipirinha is made with Avuá cachaça, the Brazilian sugarcane spirit, as the base of the cocktail. The Margarita is made with Paladar Blanco Tequila from Jalisco, Mexico and the Mule is made with Griffo Pot Distilled Vodka from California. Drifter Craft Cocktails are available now through select retailers, the on-premise, and online for a suggested $20 a 4-pack.

Yakima, Washington’s Bale Breaker Brewing Company has announced Moxee Made IPA, the fourth release in the brewery’s IPA Rotator series. The 6.2% abv ale is made with Mosaic, Citra, Ekuanot, and Pahto hops plus homegrown Pils, Pale, Munich, and Dextrine malt. The beer is now available in Bale Breaker’s taproom on draft and to-go in 6-packs of 12-ounce bottles. Moxee Made will receive wider distribution in Washington State, Oregon, and Idaho through the beginning of July.

Information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: April 6th 2021 Edition

Four Roses is expanding distribution of its Small Batch Select Bourbon into 13 new markets, including Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The 52% abv offering, a blend of six Bourbons all aged a minimum of six years, retails at $60 a 750-ml. and debuted in 2019.

Casa Don Ramón Tequila has introduced three new expressions to the U.S. They include a Platinium Plata, as well as Reposado and Añejo Cristalinos. The brand’s Reposado Cristalino matured for four months in a combination of American and French oak before filtering, while Don Ramón Añejo Cristalino was aged in the same combination for one year. All three spirits are bottled at 40% abv and distilled from 100% blue agave. The range retails from $42-$46 and is part of Dialce’s family of Tequilas, which also includes Tequila Don Alvaro, Tequila Buen Amigo, and Tequila Valerosa.

Denver-based Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, part of the Proximo Spirits portfolio, has announced Bushmills Cask, the latest barrel. The 47% abv whiskey is matured first in American oak before finishing in casks that previously held Bushmills Irish whiskey. The whiskey is the first release in the brand’s Distiller’s Exclusive Series and retails for $70 a 750-ml.

Santo Spirits, the agave spirits-focused brand from musician Sammy Hagar and chef Guy Fieri, has released a new Reposado Tequila expression. Santo Reposado is made by distiller Juan Eduardo Nuñez and is matured for five months in charred American oak barrels before bottling at 40% abv. Santo’s Reposado Tequila is now available across the U.S. for a suggested price of $40 a 750-ml. It joins the brand’s Blanco Tequila and Mezquila, an agave spirit distilled from a blend of Blue and Espadín agaves.

Beam Suntory is targeting the low-calorie spirits market with Pinnacle Light & Ripe, a new collection of flavored vodkas with 75 calories per 1.5-ounce serving. The brand extension has debuted with two flavors—Apricot Honeysuckle and Guava Lime—each at 30% abv. Both flavors of Pinnacle Light & Ripe are now available across the U.S. for around $11 a 750-ml.

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits has added Horse Soldier Bourbon to its portfolio across the distributor’s national footprint. The veteran founded brand will be part of SGWS’ new Fine Wine and Artisanal Spirits program. This will expand the whiskey brand’s existing partnership with Foley Family Wines, which recently aligned with SGWS nationally. The Horse Soldier portfolio consists of the brand’s flagship Bourbon (43.5% abv), a small batch release (47.5% abv), and a barrel strength variant.

Beam Suntory-owned Laphroaig has announced a new limited edition 10-year-old single malt Scotch whisky finished in Oloroso Sherry casks. The whisky is bottled at cask strength—48% abv—after spending 12-18 months finishing in Sherry casks. Laphroaig 10-Year-Old Sherry Oak Finish is rolling out now across the U.S. where it will retail for a suggested price of $90 a 750-ml. For this release, only 4,450 cases will be available globally.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: March 9th 2021 Edition

Sagamore Spirit in Baltimore, Maryland has launched Distiller’s Select Tequila Finish, a new rye whiskey marrying Mexican and American spirits. The 49% abv whiskey is blended from two rye mash bills (one high rye and one low rye) before finishing in Extra Añejo Tequila barrels. Sagamore Spirit Distiller’s Select Tequila Finish is rolling out now across the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $69 a 750-ml.

Proximo Spirits’ Maestro Dobel has partnered with the PGA Tour to become the first official Tequila of the Tour. The multi-year partnership will feature retail signs and activations across the U.S., promoting the Tequila and its association with the PGA Tour. At the upcoming Players Championship, the brand will unveil the Diamante Tee Time, a new Tequila, green tea, and jalapeño cocktail created for the partnership. In addition, the brand’s releases will be featured during the Players Championship and supported by digital and social activations throughout the year

Austin, Texas-based Still Austin Whiskey Co. has launched new packaging for The Naturalist, the distillery’s rye-based gin. The new label’s art features a woman in nature, with nods to many of the botanicals in the spirit. The Naturalist is distilled from a mash of 70% Brasetto rye and 30% corn, all sourced from Texas. The spirit is infused with juniper, coriander, cinnamon, and elderflower, along with eight other botanicals before proofing down and bottling at 45% abv. The newly packaged gin is now rolling out to retailers throughout Texas, where it will sell for around $32 a 750-ml. and $16 a 375-ml.

St. Paul, Minnesota’s Kinky Beverages has added a new Fruit Punch flavor to its lineup of liqueurs and RTD cocktails. Kinky Fruit Punch liqueur comes in at 17% abv and is a blend of cherry, orange, and pineapple flavors with vodka. The RTD version is a 5% abv malt-based beverage made with the same flavors and sold in 6-packs. The liqueur retails for around $20 a 750-ml. and the cocktails for around $9. Both are available across the U.S. Kinky is part of the Prestige Beverage Group portfolio.

Single malt Scotch whisky GlenDronach is launching a new Cask Bottling Batch 18 Collection in the U.S. The collection includes cask bottlings from 1990 ($600, 51.4% abv), 1994 ($415, 51.3% abv), 2005 ($150, 58% abv) and 2008 ($120, 59.8% abv), bottled from Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez and Port Pipe casks. GlenDronach, a Highlands single malt known for Sherry cask aging, is part of the Brown-Forman portfolio.

Diageo has launched a line of canned cocktails under the Crown Royal brand. The 7% abv RTDs come in three flavors—Whisky & Cola, Washington Apple, and Peach Tea—all made using either Crown Royal’s original whisky or one of the brand’s flavored variants. Crown Royal’s new RTDs are available nationwide in 4-packs of 12-ounce cans and as individual cans, priced at around $15 and $4, respectively.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: October 6th 2020 Edition

Biddeford, Maine’s Round Turn Distilling has launched Bimini Coconut, a new flavored gin. The 47% abv gin is made with juniper, grapefruit, and hops, before fat washing with coconut to naturally infuse the gin. Bimini Coconut is available in California, Maine, New York, and Massachusetts for around $35 a 750-ml. The new spirit sits alongside Bimini gin, Bimini Barrel Reserve No.-1, and Bimini Overproof in the distillery’s lineup.

Minnesota-based Phillips Distilling Co. announced the release of Douglas and Todd Small Batch Bourbon Cream Liqueur. As the name implies, the new product is made from the company’s Douglas and Todd Bourbon, aged a minimum of four years in new charred oak barrels, then blended with cream and vanilla bean flavors. It’s available now as a limited release retailing for $35 a 750-ml. at select retailers and coming soon to online sales. The Phillips Distilling portfolio also includes UV Vodka, Prairie Organic Spirits, and Revel Stoke Whiskies, among others.

Proximo Spirits has launched Bushmills 28-Year-Old Single Malt Cognac Cask, the first in the brand’s new Rare Casks series. The 46.7% abv whisky first aged in Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks for 11 years before spending an additional 17 years in Cognac casks. Fewer than 500 bottles of the whiskey will be available, exclusively in the U.S., for a suggested retail price of $500 a 750-ml.

Mystic, Connecticut’s Prima Barista has launched a new ready-to-drink hard coffee, made with vodka. The 12.5% abv drinks come in two flavors—Mocha Hard Iced Frappé and Vanilla Hard Iced Latte—and contain roughly the same amount of caffeine as a 1-ounce shot of espresso per 200-ml. bottle. Prima Barista’s coffee cocktails are now available in Florida and Indiana at retail for around $19-$20, and for direct shipping to over 30 states across the U.S.

Edrington-owned Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky has launched Cask Strength No.-1, the first release in its new cask-strength collection. This edition comes in at 63.3% abv and matured in Sherry-seasoned American oak casks for a range of years before blending and bottling. The non-chill-filtered whisky will be released yearly. Highland Park Cask Strength No.-1 retails for around $90 a 750-ml. and will be available online and in specialty retailers across the U.S.

Kahlúa is extending with a new Blonde Roast Style liqueur. Made with medium roast coffee and hints of caramel, toffee and citrus flavors, Kahlúa Blonde Roast Style is at 20% abv and suggested to be served with tonic or coconut water. Pernod Ricard-owned Kahlúa posted 6% growth in NABCA channels in the 12 months through June. 

Dan Aykroyd and John Alexander’s Crystal Head vodka has launched Onyx, a new vodka distilled from Blue Agave. The new brand extension is bottled at 40% abv in an opaque black bottle. The agave for the spirit is sourced from a single farm in Mexico and the final product is bottled without additives or sweeteners. Crystal Head Onyx will retail for around $55 a 750-ml. and joins the brand’s original release, made from Canadian corn, and Aurora, made from English wheat, in the full-time lineup.

High West, part of the Constellation portfolio, has introduced two bottled whiskey cocktails, Barrel-Finished Manhattan and Barrel-Finished Old Fashioned. Both are made using a blend of Bourbon and rye, then finished in rye barrels. The Old Fashioned is at 43% abv, while the Manhattan is at 37% abv. Rolling out nationwide, High West’s new bottled cocktails retail at $50 a 750-ml. (containing 12 cocktails) and $30 a 375-ml.

Mount Gay Rum, part of the Rémy Cointreau portfolio, is launching a new limited edition, Master Blender Collection: The Port Cask Expression. Created by master blender Trudiann Branker, the new bottling is a blend of rums distilled in a traditional column still and aged for five years in Tawny Port casks, together with rums double distilled in a copper pot still and aged for 14 years in American whiskey casks and finished in Tawny Port casks for one year. Retailing at $175 a 750-ml., Mount Gay’s new luxury Port Cask expression is a cask-strength at 55% abv and is limited to 2,100 bottles in the U.S.

Código 1530 Tequila is releasing a new limited-edition extra añejo expression, the George Strait Origen. The new expression aged over six years in French white oak barrels that previously held Napa Valley Cabernet. The 40% abv spirit will retail for $350, with only 1,200 bottles available nationwide. The six barrels used to create the Tequila were hand-selected by Código co-founder and country music legend George Strait. Código 1530 reports that it’s seen rapid gains in the year-to-date, registering growth of 40%.

Diageo is bringing back Cîroc vodka’s White Grape expression for the holiday season. Five times distilled from French grapes, Cîroc White Grape is rolling out now. Cîroc slipped 9% to 1.4 million cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank, amid intense competition in the U.S. vodka category. In Diageo’s full fiscal year through June, the brand’s net sales fell by double-digits, with the decline partially offset by good results for limited-time offers like White Grape.

Minnesota’s Tattersall Distilling has launched a bottled Manhattan, made from 100% Minnesota grown rye, aged in charred American white oak barrels, and blended with Tattersall Italian-style liqueur, Sherry, and bitters. This is the distillery’s fourth ready-to-drink cocktail, joining Old Fashioned, Bootlegger, and Salty Dog. It retails at $35 a 750-ml. and carries an abv of 35%. The new entry will roll out first in Minnesota, with Wisconsin to follow shortly after. Tattersall’s portfolio is distributed to 30 states.

Whiskeysmith Co., a new line of flavored whiskies from Colorado-based Old Elk, has launched nationally via Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits. The line is launching with three flavors—Chocolate, Banana, and Pineapple—and all come in at 30% abv. Beverage director Melinda Maddox said the brand is aimed at home and on-premise mixology, and as a one-step home cocktail alternative. Whiskeysmith is now available across the U.S. and retails for between $25 and $30, depending on the market.

Brown-Forman has launched Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition, a new ultra-limited luxury release from the American whiskey brand. The newcomer is bottled at 45.2% abv and, after its initial maturation in American oak, aged for an extra three years in ex-Cognac casks. The whiskey is bottled in a handmade crystal decanter from Baccarat that’s reminiscent of the standard Woodford bottle but engraved in gold with both Woodford’s and Baccarat’s logos. It’s now available in limited quantities for $2,000 a 750-ml. 

Teeling Irish whiskey has announced a new addition to the distillery’s portfolio, Blackpitts Peated Single Malt whiskey. The 46% abv whiskey is triple distilled and matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sauternes casks. According to managing director Jack Teeling, the smokiness of triple distilled peated whiskey is quite distinct; he described it as more like “barbecue-style smoke,” compared to the briny or medicinal peated whiskies of Islay, Scotland. Blackpitts Peated Single Malt whiskey will launch globally in January 2021, for a suggested price of $75 in the U.S.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: September 29th 2020 Edition

Moët Hennessy USA is set to launch A Tale of Cake, the newest limited release from single malt Scotch brand Glenmorangie, in October. The 46% abv whisky was finished in Tokaji casks. A Tale of Cake’s launch will be accompanied by a promotional campaign involving cocktails and cake recipes by Jeremy Le Blanche and Dominique Ansel, respectively, to go with the new whisky and with Glenmorangie’s core releases. The whisky will retail for around $99 a 750-ml.

Brown-Forman has announced a new three-batch Bourbon release to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Old Forester. The three whiskies will each be at cask strength and bottled in amber-colored glass reminiscent of hand-blown bottles used in the 19th century. Batch 1 is bottled at 62.8% abv and is made from 46 barrels; Batch 2 is made from 48 barrels and bottled at 63.2% abv; and Batch 3 is assembled from 53 barrels and is at 63.4% abv. Old Forester 150th Anniversary Bourbon is bottled unfiltered—only barrel char sediment has been removed—and will be available in limited quantities across the U.S. for around $150 a 750-ml.

Goslings Rum is offering a new limited release called Papa Seal Single Barrel Bermuda Rum. It was blended from a range of pot- and column-distilled rums that run between 10 and 21 years aged in white oak barrels and aged another two years in Bermuda, ultimately bottled at 41.5% abv. Only 1,500 bottles of Papa Seal 2020 will be available nationwide, each hand-labeled with its barrel number, bottle number, and bottling date. Beginning next month it will be available at select retailers in 16 states as well as online, retailing for $199 a 750-ml.

Edrington has announced the sixth and final release in the Macallan Edition Series. The Macallan Edition No. 6 is a 48.6% abv whisky made from liquid matured in both European and American Sherry-seasoned oak casks. Tying in with the launch, the Macallan has started a partnership with the Atlantic Salmon Trust to support efforts to protect at-risk fish, including in the Macallan’s own section of the river Spey. The Macallan Edition No. 6 is rolling out globally this month and will retail for around $150 in the U.S. Last year, the Macallan was at 268,000 cases in the U.S., according to Impact Databank.

Heaven Hill Brands has released a packaging refresh for parts of the Evan Williams family of whiskies. Evan Williams Black’s new label sports a richer gold color and a black and gold capsule with Evan Williams’s signature. The bottled-in-bond release features a green and white label that more prominently shows the higher proof and the standards of bonded whiskey; the capsule shows the tax strip designating the whiskey as bonded. Evan Williams’ flavored releases will now feature a centered label and the new bottle shape.

Minnesota-based Prestige Beverage has added Davidoff Cognac to its import portfolio for the U.S. The company is now rolling out Davidoff’s V.S. ($35), V.S.O.P. ($50), and X.O. ($150) releases—all bottled at 40% abv—in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, North and South Carolina, North and South Dakota, Nevada, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin.

William Grant & Sons has relaunched Milagro Select Barrel Reserve, the brand’s luxury-priced tier. The full line—Blanco ($40), Reposado ($45), and Añejo ($55)—is returning to market in new bottles inspired by Mexican architectural works and featuring an engraved agave plant and colors specific to each release.

Proximo Spirits has made former special edition Kraken Black Roast Coffee rum a permanent addition to the line. The 33.3% abv rum is made from macerating the brand’s Trinidadian spiced rum with coffee beans to create a richly spiced and sweet spirit, according to the company. Kraken Black Roast Coffee rum is now available across the U.S.

Sombra mezcal, part of the Davos Brands portfolio, has unveiled a new bottle design. The new packaging, which rolls out this fall, takes its inspiration from the vaso veladora, glass cups traditionally used to contain prayer candles that are common in Oaxacan churches. The updated design also includes a refreshed logo, copper lettering, and a reduced glass weight to be more eco-friendly. Sombra, which translates to “shadow,” is at 90 proof and retails at $35 a 750-ml.

Clase Azul Tequila has announced the launch of the 2020 edition of its Día de Muertos Tequila, set to hit shelves on October 1. The 40% abv spirit is made from a blend of Clase Azul’s Plata, 8-month-old reposado, and 5-year-old Ultra—aged in ex-Sherry casks—Tequilas. The 2020 Día de Muertos Tequila is a limited release and only 2,000 bottles will be available globally, retailing for around $400 a 750-ml.

The Dalmore has launched the latest release in its Principal Collection, a 12-year-old single malt finished in Sherry casks. The 43% abv whisky is initially aged for 10 years in American oak barrels previously used to mature Bourbon before finishing for up to three years in casks that held Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry. The Dalmore 12-year-old Sherry Cask Select single malt is now available in the U.K. and major Asian markets with a U.S. launch to follow in 2021.

Plantation rum has extended its portfolio with two new Fijian rums. Plantation Isle of Fiji is a permanent addition to the range. Distilled in pot and column stills at Rum Co. of Fiji, and then double-aged in Fiji and France, it’s at 40% abv and retails at $25 a 750-ml. Plantation Fiji Vintage 2005 is the first offering in Plantation’s new Birds of Paradise vintage collection. It was first distilled in triple column stills and aged for 14 years in Bourbon casks in the mild climate of the Fiji Islands, then spent an additional year in Ferrand French Oak barrels in the House’s cellars in Cognac. The limited edition is at 50.2% abv and retails at $80.

Chicago-based House of Somrus is adding to its range with a new Coffee Cream liqueur. The line extension is made with coffee and chicory, together with real dairy cream from Wisconsin and quintuple-distilled Caribbean rum. Retailing at $25 a 750-ml., it carries an abv of 13.5% and is rolling out across 21 states.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: April 28th 2020 Edition

Newport, Oregon’s Rogue Ales and Spirits has expanded distribution of its line of canned cocktails, bringing four RTDs to markets across the U.S. In addition to the national push, Rogue has launched a new flavor—Grapefruit Vodka Soda—and added a variety 8-pack featuring two cans of each flavor. Rogue’s full line of canned cocktails, including Ginger Lime Vodka Mule, Cranberry Elderflower Vodka Soda, and Cucumber Lime Gin Fizz are rolling out now nationally in 4-packs of 12-ounce cans plus the variety pack.

Proximo Spirits has announced a new, aged extension to the Jose Cuervo Tradicional family, the 100% blue agave Tequila extension of the U.S. market’s largest Tequila brand. The 40% abv spirit first matured for 12 months in new American oak before finishing for up to four months in barrels used to age Bushmills’ single malt whiskey. Jose Cuervo Tradicional Añejo is now available across the U.S. for around $33 a 750-ml. Last year, Jose Cuervo Tradicional crossed 200,000 cases in the U.S., according to Impact Databank.

Infinium Spirits has taken Los Arango Tequila nationwide, increasing production to meet newfound demand. The brand consists of a blanco, reposado, and añejo—all bottled at 40% abv—and is named for Pancho Villa (whose given name was José Doroteo Arango). The spirits are produced in Guanajuato, Mexico and the brand was revived in 2018.

Appleton Estate, part of the Campari portfolio, is adding an 8-year-old Reserve offering to its range. The newcomer is at 43% abv and is rolling out nationwide this spring, retailing at $29 a 750-ml. The launch of Appleton Estate 8-year-old Reserve coincides with a new look across the Appleton range. The makeover includes a sleeker bottle shape, a new cork closure, and a new label incorporating details on the production process, the Appleton insignia, and master blender Joy Spence’s signature.

Louisville, Kentucky’s Rabbit Hole has extended its lineup with Bespoke gin. The new spirit is a London Dry gin finished for nine to 12 months in Rabbit Hole’s Boxergrail rye whiskey barrels. The gin itself is made with angelica, coriander, juniper, lemon peel, licorice, orange peel and orris root, and bottled at 44.5% abv. Rabbit Hole Bespoke gin is now available for $50 a 750-ml. The company, part of the Pernod Ricard portfolio, is now making a push toward national distribution in the U.S.

While the backbone of the brand is Bourbon, Heaven Hill has recently expanded the family by adding a new rye whiskey. The $30 release initially launched in Oregon, Georgia, and North and South Carolina and is expanding from there. Elijah Craig Rye comes in at 47% abv and joins other Heaven Hill ryes including the high-end Pikesville Rye (55% abv) and the more accessibly priced Rittenhouse Rye (50% abv).

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily

GSN Spirited News: February 11th 2020 Edition

Pernod Ricard has unveiled a limited edition label for Jameson Irish whiskey, which is rolling out for St. Patrick’s Day. The new label includes designs by Dublin-based graphic designer Stephen Heffernan, aka Hephee. The bottles feature a QR code that brings up a website where fans can remix the label using Hephee’s designs and enter for a chance to win a Jameson bar sign matching their design (in some markets, consumers can also win bottles of Jameson with their custom labels).

Lucas Bols USA’s Passoã liqueur has announced a bottle and label redesign that highlights the brand’s natural passion fruit flavor. The new logo also features a sunset graphic (replacing a tropically colored Brazilian flag), above a reminder that Passoã is made with natural flavoring. The 20% abv liqueur retails for $18 for a 750-ml. and it’s recommended as an ingredient in sangria or a mimosa.

Austin, Texas-based Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey has released its latest portfolio extension, Chocolate Mocha Whiskey Cream. The 17% abv spirit blends whiskey and chocolate coffee cream liqueur, and is available across the brand’s 25-state distribution footprint. It joins Chocolate Cherry, Chocolate, Bourbon Ball, Chocolate Mint, and Caramel Turtle in Ballotin’s portfolio.

Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Tattersall Distilling is releasing a limited-edition collaboration with Surly Brewing Co. Tattersall has taken Surly’s Darkness Russian Imperial Stout and distilled it to create Darkness Bierschnapps, a 20% abv spirit. Two bottles of the Stout go into each 750-ml. of Bierschnapps and nearly 600 gallons were used in total to produce 200 cases. After distillation it is aged twice—in new charred white oak barrels and in the original stout barrels. It’s available now at select retailers throughout the Midwest, retailing for $30.

Beam Suntory has launched Courvoisier Avant-Garde Bourbon Cask Edition, the latest limited time offering for the Cognac brand. The spirit is made from Courvoisier’s VSOP blend and finished in Bourbon barrels before bottling at 40% abv. Due to labeling laws, the new Courvoisier is labeled as a spirit drink made of Cognac finished in Bourbon barrels. The brand is the third-largest Cognac brand in the U.S., and last year saw a successful launch for its Master’s Cask Collection Sherry Cask Finish.

Massachusetts-based M.S. Walker is adding Gin Lane 1751 to its import portfolio. The London-based, small-batch gin brand is produced by eighth-generation master distiller Charles Maxwell. Gin Lane 1751 includes four expressions: London Dry ($30 a 750-ml.), Victorian Pink ($35), Old Tom ($40), and London Royal Strength ($40).

Cognac Frapin has introduced three new limited-edition blends in the U.S. They include Cellar Master Edition No. 1 (retailing at $99, 46.7% abv), Collector Edition 1994 ($199, 40.8% abv), and Plume Frapin ($3,500, 40% abv). Cellar Master Edition No. 1 was aged for over 10 years, while Collector Edition 1994 aged for 24 years, and Plume Frapin spent more than 60 years in the distiller’s Paradis cellar, with only 100 carafes (finished with 18-carat rose gold) coming to the U.S.

William Grant & Sons has added two new offerings to its Glenfiddich Rare Collection, both dating from 1975. Glenfiddich Cask 4706 comes in at 48% abv and matured in a European oak Sherry butt. Cask 5114 was matured in a European oak hogshead, a rarity for the company, and is at 54.7% abv. The 44-year-old whiskies are bottled at cask strength and are non-chill-filtered. Only 100 bottles of each will be available at a suggested price of $9,000 a 750-ml.

Beam Suntory-owned Kilbeggan Irish whiskey is releasing a single pot still limited edition. The mashbill is based on a recipe used at the distillery more than a century ago that notably features oats in addition to raw and malted barley. It’s double distilled to 43% abv and is the second limited release to be fully distilled and matured at Kilbeggan following the distillery’s 2010 restoration. Kilbeggan Single Pot Still is rolling out in the U.S. this month, retailing for $45 a 750-ml.

Proximo Spirits and country music stars Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line have teamed up to create Wolf Moon Bourbon. The 40% abv whiskey is distilled from grain sourced from the Midwest and bottled after 4 years of aging in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. This is the second whiskey released by Florida Georgia Line members Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard, following 2016’s Old Camp Whiskey, also part of the Proximo portfolio. Wolf Moon is currently available in select markets and is rolling out nationally soon for a suggested price of $24 a 750-ml.

Woodford Reserve is launching a new Batch Proof whiskey as part of its Master’s Collection series. The newcomer is made with the same grain bill and process as Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon and bottled at 123.6 proof. Retailing at $130 a 750-ml., the limited edition whiskey is rolling out in select U.S. and global markets. Woodford is part of the Brown-Forman portfolio.

Winebow has partnered with the U.K.’s Halewood Wines & Spirits to bring two whisk(e)y brands to the United States beginning on March 1. First up is Crabbie’s Yardhead Single Malt Scotch, a 40% abv whisky distilled in the Scottish Highlands and matured in ex-Bourbon barrels. The whisky is positioned as an entry-level malt for drinkers first discovering the category and will retail at around $25 a 750-ml. Winebow will also handle distribution for Peaky Blinder Irish Whiskey, a 40% abv blended whiskey matured in Sherry casks. Peaky Blinder will retail at around $19 a 750-ml. Both whiskies will be available in 750-ml. and 1-liter bottles.

Courtesy of Shanken News Daily