Still Austin Whiskey Co.

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

Newport, Oregon-based Rogue Ales & Spirits has partnered with Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto on Morimoto single malt whiskey. The new, limited edition whiskey is made from a base of Morimoto Imperial Pilsner and Morimoto Black Obi Ale, both of which are previous collaborations between Rogue and Morimoto. The two beers were distilled and then barreled in American oak casks, where they spent over two years resting in Rogue’s Ocean Aging Room by the Pacific Coast. Finally, they were finished for 1.5 years in Oregon oak barrels that previously held Rogue’s Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout. The 85 proof whiskey is available at Morimoto restaurants, Rogue pubs, and retailers across the U.S.

Disaronno International has announced The Busker, a new Irish whiskey brand, featuring four releases. The line of whiskey was distilled by County Carlow’s Royal Oak Distillery and covers all four major styles of Irish whiskey: the Busker will launch with a blended whiskey, a single grain, a single malt, and a single pot still whiskey. The Busker blend will retail for around $25 and the other expressions for around $30. In January 2019, Disaronno parent company Illva Saronno took full ownership of the Royal Oak Distillery, following the dissolution of the company’s partnership with Walsh Whiskey.

Two Brooklyn, New York-based bar professionals have teamed up with New York Distilling company to bring a new line of canned cocktails to New York and New Jersey. Social Hour, created by Julie Reiner and Tom Macy of the borough’s Clover Club, launches with three varieties: Gin and Tonic (11.5% abv, made with Perry’s Tot gin), Whiskey Mule (10.5% abv, made with Ragtime rye), and Pacific Spritz (8%, Finger Lakes-sourced rosé, grapefruit, passionfruit, sparkling water). The releases are now available in 4-packs of 250-ml. cans for $20.

Texas-based Still Austin Whiskey Co. has launched their inaugural straight Bourbon whiskey throughout the Lone Star State. The 49.2% abv whiskey is made from a mashbill of 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% wildfire malted barley. The whiskey is aged for at least two years and is produced from Texas-grown grains malted, mashed, and distilled at the company’s grain-to-glass distillery in Austin. Still Austin Straight Bourbon whiskey is now available for around $45 a 750-ml. Still Austin also offers a limited release Bourbon and a gin distilled from Texas-grown rye.