Templeton Distillery

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

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.