Here are some new spirits launching. The text is taken from these brands' press releases.
Berentzen Wild Cherry Liqueur
Berentzen announces the introduction of Berentzen Wild Cherry Liqueur, a light fruit liqueur with the flavor of wild cherries. Made with fresh, all-natural ingredients, Wild Cherry joins Berentzen Apple and Berentzen Pear.
Berentzen, founded in Germany in 1758, has been producing high quality liqueurs for more than 250 years. The core of every Berentzen flavor comes from 100% winter wheat. All natural flavors are then added.
Berentzen Wild Cherry (16% Alc./Vol.) is available nationally. Available in 750ml and 1L sizes, Wild Cherry will retail for a suggested price of $19.99/750ml. Visit www.BerentzenUSA.com for more information.
Pimm’s Blackberry & Elderflower (UK Only)
Pimm’s Blackberry & Elderflower is now available nationwide. This twist on the iconic summer favourite blends the quintessential British flavours of fruity blackberries and fragrant elderflower. Based on a new Pimm’s blend, this first ever flavoured infusion from Pimm’s is perfect served over ice, mixed with lashings of lemonade, and topped with the freshest blackberries you can get your mitts on, perfect choice for adding some sunshine to summer shin-digs with chums and it tastes just as good on those not so sunny days. RRP £15.49 for 70cl; 250ml pre-mix can (5.4%ABV), RRP £1.85
St. George California Agricole Rum (July 2013)
St. George Spirits will release its initial bottling of St. George California Agricole Rum at the end of June 2013. Bottles will start hitting shelves nationally in July. St. George California Agricole Rum is the re-launch of the California craft distillery's Agua Libre Rum, first released in 2010. While St. George California Agricole Rum is a new name and sports a new label design, the rum itself is the same spirit under the name Agua Libre.
St. George California Agricole Rum is made from fresh sugarcane, not molasses, in the style of a rhum agricole or cachaça. The sugarcane is grown in the Imperial Valley of Southern California. Immediately after harvest, stalks of sugarcane are shipped to the St. George Spirits distillery in Alameda, where the stalks are run by hand through a sugarcane press in order to extract fresh juice. The freshly pressed, uncooked cane juice is then fermented and distilled in the distillery's 500-liter copper pot still.
The SRP is $50 for a 750ml bottle at 43% ABV.
Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams 2013
This month, Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky celebrates the launch of the 2013 Cask of Dreams Limited Edition Bottling, exclusive for the USA.
Cask of Dreams is a special marriage of Glenfiddich whiskies taken from a selection of American oak barrels holding matured whiskies of a variety of ages, with the youngest at 14 Years Old. This whisky was then decanted into virgin American oak barrels to bring an intense and powerful vanilla sweetness. Glenfiddich Cask of Dreams will be available in a very limited quantity of 6,660 bottles at select retailers starting in June with a recommended retail price of $99.
Canadian Mist Flavors (June 2013)
The makers of Canadian Mist announce the release of Mist Flavors in the United States. Launching in 14 markets beginning in June, the three products – Peach Mist, Cinnamon Mist and Maple Mist – are crafted with Canadian Mist which is mingled with proprietary liqueur. Canadian Mist is triple distilled and aged in white oak barrels, charred to expose the "red layer" and create a light-tasting, flavorful whisky. The whisky is then added to the proprietary peach, cinnamon or maple liqueur to create the unique, smooth taste of Mist Flavors.
Mist Flavors will be introduced in 14 markets this summer: Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.Peach Mist, Cinnamon Mist and Maple Mist are available in 50ml and 750ml bottle sizes in select U.S. markets. Each bottle will be presented at 70 proof with a suggested retail price of $9.99 for a 750ml bottle.
Castello Mio Sambuca
Castle Brands announces that Castello Mio Sambuca is now available in the US in "classico" style as well as espresso. The classic Castello Mio Sambuca Superiore is a unique combination of all the traditional sambuca flavors with a secret blend of herbs and spices. One of the great traditions of sipping sambuca is to add three coffee beans to it, allowing the natural coffee flavors and aromas to lightly infuse the glass. Legend has it that this will also bring you good luck. Castello Mio Sambuca Espresso takes that tradition one step further - with an infusion of real Italian deep roast coffee beans added to the classic sambuca. Both products retail for a SRP of $24.99.
Luxardo Aperitivo
Luxardo, in partnership with Anchor Distilling Company, introduces Luxardo Aperitivo to its family of Italian liqueurs. Luxardo Aperitivo (11% ABV, 750 mL, SRP $19.99) expresses the rich aperitivo tradition for which it was named. This amari, or liqueur category of Italian bitters, is an infusion of herbs, roots & citrus. The mild alcohol content & bitter orange flavor offers a complement to several fruit juices, wines and Prosecco. The favorite Italian cocktail is the Spritz, or the mix of Prosecco and Luxardo Aperitivo.
Malibu Sundae and Malibu Swirl, May 2013
Malibu announces the launch of two dessert-flavored additions to the Malibu family marking the brand’s debut into the confectionary spirits segment. Malibu Sundae combines the brand’s signature coconut taste with the flavor of chocolate ice cream while Malibu Swirl pairs the flavor of coconut with the taste of strawberries and cream.
Malibu Sundae, and Malibu Swirl, 21% ABV will be available in 1L, 750ml, and 50ml sizes and will retail for a suggested price of $14.99/750ml.
Expresiones del Corazon Tequila, June 2013
Expresiones del Corazon, a limited, tequila collection aged in barrels from Buffalo Trace, and made at the Casa San Matias Distillery located in the Los Altos region of Jalisco. Offered in five unique expressions: Buffalo Trace Reposado, George T. Stagg Anejo, Sazerac Rye Anejo, Old Rip Van Winkle Anejo, and Blanco.
Using 100% blue agave from the highlands of Jalisco in Mexico, the brix was measured to determine sugar levels before harvest, rather than a traditional clear cut. Two sets of agave were harvested, one with a lower sugar content and flavored a little drier, and one with a higher sugar content considered a little sweeter for agave, resulting in more floral notes. The result was a harmonization of the two sets of agave in the amazing Blanco, which was then used as the base for the other four Expressions noted above. The agave was then slow cooked in stone ovens, infused with oxygen to further enhance the flavor and aroma, and then double distilled.
Expresiones del Corazon will be available nationally in mid-late June. Quantities are limited, with only 6,000 bottles of each variety available. Suggested retail prices range from $59.99 to $89.99, depending on expression.
Buffalo Trace Reposado – 10.5 months in Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels. 80 proof.
George T. Stagg Anejo – 22 months in George T. Stagg Bourbon barrels. 80 proof.
Sazerac Rye Anejo – After 24 months in Sazerac Rye Whiskey barrels. 90 proof.
Old Rip Van Winkle Anejo – 23 months in the wood of Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon barrels. 80 proof.
Blanco. 80- proof.
Tapatio 110-Proof Blanco Tequila (May 2013)
Carlos Camarena, the iconic distiller of Mexico’s 75-year-old Tequila Tapatio brand has launched a 110-proof Tequila. Tapatio 110-Proof Blanco (55% alc. by vol.) was distilled at Alteña Distillery from 100% estate-grown blue agaves in the Arandas Highlands of Mexico. Under Master Distiller Carlos’ Camerena, the agaves were hand-selected for ripeness and slow-baked for four days. After being crushed, the agave ‘Mosto’ was fermented in small wooden fermenters using their proprietary 75 year-old yeast culture. The ‘Mosto Muerte’ was then double-distilled in small (90-250 gallon) Alambiques Tequilano copper pot stills and aged lightly in stainless.
Suggested retail for Tapatio 110-Proof Blanco is $48 (1 Liter). It is available in CA, WA, OR, TX, NY, NJ, CT, FL and MO.
Ron Barceló Imperial Premium Blend 30 Aniversario
Ron Barceló Celebrates 30 Years Since the Introduction of Ron Barceló Imperial with a Limited-Edition Release of Ron Barceló Imperial Premium Blend 30 Aniversario. Each year since Miguel Barceló first created Ron Barceló Imperial in 1980, private reserves of this prestigious ten-year-old blended rum were set aside for two years of additional aging. Aged in barrels made from selected cuts of white oak, these reserves, some from the Bordeaux house of Château d’Yquem, each with different grades of toasting, were blended to create the limited edition Imperial Premium Blend 30 Aniversario in 2011.
Only 9,000 bottles of the Imperial Premium Blend are bottled annually, and of that 9,000 only 600 are allocated to the United States where this Dominican rum was recently introduced. The Imperial Premium Blend 30 Aniversario is 43% alcohol by volume.Ron Barceló Imperial Premium Blend retails for $120.00 per 750ml bottle and is currently available for sale in Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. For more information or to request an interview, please visit www.ronbarcelo.com
Sia Scotch (June 2013)
SIA Scotch Whisky, a blended whisky distilled in Scotland and matured, blended and bottled by Douglas Laing & Co., Ltd., is heading for US shelves. Created by Scotch Enthusiast, licensed bartender and former Creative Director Carin Luna-Ostaseski, SIA is a blend of Speyside, Highlands and Islay malts, specifically created to appeal to a contemporary palate. The product is initially available in San Francisco.
SIA (43% ABV) is expected to be on shelves beginning in June with a retail price of $44.99 (750ml). SIA is imported by Spirit Imports, Inc. of Sunrise, FL. Named after the Gaelic word for the number six, SIA is the first Scotch to be funded through Kickstarter, the crowd sourcing website that is commonly used to fund start-up projects such as films or tech innovations. For additional information, visit www.SiaScotch.com.
UV Vodka Salty Watermelon and Peach (May 2013)
Phillips Distilling Company (Phillips) today announces two juicy new flavor additions to the UV Vodka portfolio, UV Salty Watermelon and UV Peach. Just in time for summer, the new flavors extend UV Vodka’s award-winning selection to 19 flavors. UV Salty Watermelon is the world’s first salted fruit flavored vodka. The flavor was inspired by memories of eating salted watermelon during hot summer days. Phillips experimented with various amounts of salt with all-natural watermelon flavors until they arrived at the blend of sweet, ripe watermelon and a hint of salt to bring out the flavor.
UV Vodka is distilled four times for premium quality and activated carbon filtered to ensure the highest level of purity and the perfect pH balance. UV Salty Watermelon and UV Peach are available in all bottle sizes with a suggested retail price of $12.99 for a 750mL bottle.
Five Gabriel Boudier Liqueurs
21st Century Spirits, a Los Angeles-based importer and producer of wine and spirits, extends its import portfolio holdings with France's Gabriel Boudier to include five new liqueurs. Four of the five new liqueurs will broaden the Gabriel Boudier Mixologist Range from 8 to 12 liqueur flavors with the addition of premium flavors: Caramel, Hibiscus, Darjeeling Tea and Vanilla and Cognac. The fifth Gabriel Boudier introduction is a special dedication to the late French Chef, Bernard Loiseau whose collaboration with Gabriel Boudier to create a unique cherry and chocolate liqueur blend lives on through the Gabriel Boudier Bernard Loiseau Morello Cherries and Chocolate Liqueur bottling, now available to U.S. purchasers nationwide.
The Caramel, Hibiscus, Darjeeling Tea and Vanilla and Cognac flavor additions to the Gabriel Boudier Mixologist Range join the original Mixologist Range portfolio, including: Lychee, Apple, Maraschino, Orange, Parfait Amour, Pomegranate, Ginger and Williams Pear.
Suggested retail pricing for a 750 ml bottle of the existing Gabriel Boudier Mixologist Range, as well as all five new liqueurs, including Gabriel Boudier Bernard Loiseau Morello Cherries and Chocolate Liqueur is $30 USD.
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See more New Booze by clicking the link below.
Malibu Island Spiced Rum (May 2013)
Malibu Island Spiced is Caribbean rum infused with coconut, vanilla and a hint of cinnamon. A first for the spiced rum and spirits categories, Malibu Island Spiced takes a lighter approach, using Truvía® all natural sweetener to give you the full flavor you love with fewer calories. With only 70 calories per serving*, this light amber rum is 30% alc/vol (60 proof), and retails at a suggested price of $16.99 for 750 ml.
Reserve Jean de Lillet 2009 (April 30, 2013)
Maison Lillet announces the release of Reserve Jean de Lillet 2009 (SRP $39.99), a limited-edition vintage cuvee. This premium reserve of Lillet is a unique creation blended with the 2009 vintage wine from the Sauternes region of Bordeaux. Similar to its other varieties, the Jean de Lillet then adds an orange liqueur crafted from sweet orange peels from Spain and bitter oranges from Haiti, a small amount of quinine from Peru is also added to the blend. The aperitif then went through a more extensive aging process - similar to a Bordeaux grand cru - including 12 months in French oak barrels, a third of this time in new oak barrels. Jean de Lillet can be enjoyed immediately but will also improve with age (recommended aging is ten to 15 years).
The concept of assembling vintage cuvees was important to the Lillet brothers and the Maison has kept this age-old winemaking tradition going through the production of Jean de Lillet cuvees, which he started in 1993. The name Jean de Lillet is a tribute to the Lillet family’s earliest known ancestor who settled in Podensac, France, in 1680.Beginning April 30th
Jean de Lillet will be available for purchase through Astorwines.com as well as select New York and San Francisco retailers.
Bols Yogurt Liqueur (June- August 2013)
The product is made from natural ingredients, with no added colorants, with an ABV of 15%. Made from the highest quality fresh yogurt, Bols Yogurt Liqueur has a unique sweet and sour taste profile, and a natural, smooth flavor making it a perfect, versatile ingredient for mixability. It’s unique in the sense that it doesn’t curd when used with sodas or fresh juices in contrast to other well known cream based liqueurs. It has a very low fat percentage which makes it the perfect addition to current food and drink trends. The suggest retail price for a 750ml bottle is $17.99. Bols Yogurt Liqueur will roll out in Florida by June 1 and in California by July 1 with plan for a national roll out in August 2013.
Absolut Elyx (April 2013)
Every part of the production of Absolut Elyx, from seed to bottle to distribution, is performed within a 15 mile radius of Ahus in the Skane region. At the heart of the old Absolut distillery where Elyx is perfected, stands a single column continuous distillation unit made entirely of copper and dates back to 1921. The copper surfaces inside the column have a catalytic effect on some of the trade compounds in the spirit, removing unwanted impuritities and adding a remarkably smooth texture.
The Absolut Elyx bottle is shaped like a modern decanter with real copper accents. With a suggested retail price of $49 a bottle for a 1L, Absolut Elyx is being launched in New York, Miami and Los Angeles. Select other major metropolitan markets will be added over time as the product is discovered and advocated by consumer and trade influencers.
Johnnie Walker Double Black (April 2013)
This formerly limited-edition version of Johnnie Walker is joining the permanent line. "The deeper, more intense flavors of Johnnie Walker Double Black derive from the combination of selected aged, naturally smoky whiskies and whiskies matured in deep-charred oak barrels, all carefully blended to bring out the smokiest flavors," commented Master Blender Jim Beveridge.
Johnnie Walker Double Black is now available nationwide with a suggested retail price of $40. For more information, please visitwww.JohnnieWalker.com/en-us.
High Rise Vodka (Spring 2013)
Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. is launching High Rise Vodka in limited markets.
High Rise uses the finest, softest winter wheat from the Finger Lakes region of New York and the pristine limestone water that flows through the glacial soils of the landscape. The Vodka has been distilled five times to produce an aromatic and creamy Vodka suitable to the era.
High Rise Vodka will be launched this spring in 11 markets in the United States. The 80 proof flagship Vodka will be complemented by two flavors – Cherry and Citrus. Available in three varieties, (50ml, 750 ml, 1.75L), the product will compete in the premium Vodka segment at $12.99 for 750ml and $21.99 for 1.75L. For more details, visit www.highrisevodka.com.
Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka (April 2013)
Deep Eddy introduces Ruby Red, a refreshing ruby red grapefruit infused vodka made with quality, all-natural ingredients including 100% pure cane sugar and spring water from an aquifer deep in Texas Hill Country. Ruby Red will be available in stores beginning April 2013.Ruby Red is free of artificial coloring and high-fructose corn syrup. Consumers can purchase Ruby Red in four sizes: 50 ml, 750 ml, 1 liter and 1.75 liter.
Ruby Red is available for sale in the following states: Texas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Arkansas and Washington D.C. More states will be added in the months to come.For more information about Ruby Red and the Deep Eddy portfolio, please visit www.deepeddyvodka.com.
Absolut Cilantro (May 2013)
Poised to capitalize on ever-expanding cocktail curiosity, ABSOLUT CILANTRO is a contemporary and vibrant flavor expression that combines the distinctly aromatic essence of cilantro with the zesty notes of ripe, juicy lime.
Like all ABSOLUT VODKA Flavors, ABSOLUT CILANTRO is made with all natural flavors and no sugar added. Available in May 2013, ABSOLUT CILANTRO (40% ABV) will be offered in 50ml, 750ml and 1L sizes and will retail for a suggested price of $20.99/750ml.
Avua Cachaca (April 2013)
Later this month Americans will get their first taste of Avuá Cachaça available in two expressions – Prata (unaged) and Amburana (wood aged). The spirit will initially available only in New York. Avuá, like all Cachaças, is presented as a first press product rather than rum which is often distilled from molasses, a byproduct of sugar. Avuá sets itself apart by being produced by a modest family distillery that’s been in operation since 1923 in a small, lush town in a valley four hours north of Rio de Janeiro. Working with their third generation distiller, who happens to be one of the few female distillers in Brazil, they developed a formula composed of spirit aged in a rare Brazilian hardwoods known as Amburana. For more information about Avuá, please visit www.avuacachaca.com
The Bols yogurt has been here in China for a few years already. Can't say I've seen it in anything really interesting. Certain friends swear by it though.
Posted by: Seamus | April 26, 2013 at 06:44 PM
I still have some 2004 jean de lillet from when it was only available at corti bros.
it did not prove to be as age worthy as they say and become sort of frail like a too old white wine.
so many years ago I heard the same age-ability claim for borolo chinato so I put a bottle of marcarini in a trunk. I probably drank it when it was seven or eight years old and it wasn't age worthy either.
the jean de lillet was not much fun in cocktails but was so much fun to enjoy with dessert. really great stuff.
though the king of both those genres for me today is Vergano.
Posted by: stephen | May 07, 2013 at 07:50 AM
“I found your blog to be very informative to your niche, and if I ever need more information on bartending ideas, I will check back to your site.”
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Posted by: bartenders411 | May 10, 2013 at 09:30 AM
I also have Lillet 2004 from corti bros. looks like I should have used it sooner. It was great four years ago. I've had no luck getting the new release from Youngs. It sounds like its not available or sold out at the wholesaler level.
Posted by: Erik | May 30, 2013 at 10:07 AM