Xed

Zeke Bronfman and Nate Medow are partnering to launch Xed, a new canned sparkling cocktail brand. Pronounced “Crossed,” the new entry is brewed from cane sugar and comes in four 5.7% abv expressions: Vodka Soda, Gin + Tonic, Moscow Mule, and Mojito, all of which contain 1 gram of sugar, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 120 calories a 12-ounce can. Xed is initially planning to launch in New Jersey in April in 6-packs of cans, with expansion to New York to follow. Bronfman and Medow are classmates at Williams College. Bronfman is the grandson of the late Edgar Bronfman, Sr., who for decades led drinks giant The Seagram Company Ltd.

Seattle, Washington-based Westland Distillery has unveiled Coldfoot, a new limited-edition whiskey launching in conjunction with outdoor outfitter C.C. Filson’s line of clothes and gear of the same name. The 50% abv single malt whiskey is bottled without an age statement, but the company says it “traces major components of Westland’s five-year-old stock” and that peated and Sherry cask-matured whiskies are included. Westland’s Coldfoot will be available in extremely limited quantities—978 bottles—at a suggested price of $100 a 750-ml. Westland is part of the Rémy Cointreau portfolio.

Ardbeg, part of the Moët Hennessy portfolio, is launching Ardbeg Blaaack to commemorate the 20th anniversary of its Ardbeg Committee. The Islay-based whisky maker twenty years ago formed the committee to safeguard the legacy of the brand; it now boasts more than 100,000 members worldwide who are consulted on new bottlings and expressions. Named in reference to the sheep that the distillery takes its name from, Blaaack is a limited-edition release aged in Pinot Noir casks sourced from New Zealand and bottled at 46% abv. It retails at $140 a 750-ml.