New Booze December 2016: Lots of New Gins and Scotch Whiskies
December 21, 2016
New Booze for December 2016 features a range of new tequilas, a bunch of imported gins (and one experimental US one), a slew of scotch whiskies, one very old Irish whiskey, and more.
The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 3
September 2016 National
$350 per 750ml bottle
Following in the footsteps of Tun 1509 Batches 1 and 2, The Balvenie Malt Master David Stewart MBE will now present Tun 1509 Batch 3. To create Batch 3 of Tun 1509 – which will be limited to just 8,850 bottles worldwide, and only 2,100 available in the US – David selected 31 casks from the distillery’s aged stocks. He used 12 sherry butts distilled between 1989 and 1992, 11 American oak hogsheads distilled in 1989 and eight refill American Oak butts distilled in 1992 and 1993. All were transferred to the single marrying vessel known as the “tun.” Higher strength at 52.2% and non-chill filtered.
www.thebalvenie.com
Highland Park FIRE Edition
November 2016 National
$300 for 750ml
Matured exclusively in 100% refill Port wine casks, FIRE Edition follows the release of ICE Edition; 15 year old single malt with an ABV of 45.2%.
highlandpark.co.uk
A. Smith Bowman Rye Expectations Gin
November 19, 2016 Only be available at the A. Smith Bowman Distillery Visitor Center in Fredericksburg, VA
$34.99 for 375 mL
The Experimental Series will explore a wide variety of spirits delving into unique recipes, wood types, exotic fermentables, and the use of local ingredients such as grapes, apples, pears, grains, and much more. The first offering, a gin titled Rye Expectations is a one-time only release, and is the first release ever from A. Smith Bowman’s new custom microstill, George, installed in early 2015. This gin is a custom recipe created by Master Distiller Brian Prewitt, distilled three times and crafted using a distinct rye grain base including Virginia rye and a botanical mix of juniper, coriander Spanish orange, and angelica. It is 90 proof.
asmithbowman.com
Templeton Rye Special Reserve 10 Year Old
Dec 1 2016
6,080 bottles $149.99 for 750ml
Templeton Rye Whiskey honors its 10th anniversary with the launch of Templeton Rye Special Reserve 10 Year Old. Templeton has released just 6,080 bottles, made from 34 barrels, all packaged in a hand-numbered commemorative box.
templetonrye.com
Aberfeldy 16
Winter 2016/2017 National
$89.99
Aberfeldy 16 presents a new version of the highland-style malt, offering a taste more mature than the already popular 12-year-old with a little less body than the coveted 21-year-old. Like the other marques, the soothing Scotch uses water sourced from the Pitilie Burn, where alluvial gold is picked up and incorporated into the malt.
http://www.aberfeldy.com
Craigellachie 17
Winter 2016/2017 National
$144.99
Craigellachie 17 is produced in old-fashioned worm tubs, adding extra flavor and creating a dram to rival whiskies twice its age with a distinctive, meaty character. While the big, bold and unadulterated taste remains true to the brand, the new marque is identified with more “sweet” flavors than those of the existing age-statements.
http://www.craigellachie.com
Novo Fogo Single-Barrel Cachaças 1-5
Nation wide
$49.99 and $69.99 depending on age
1. Single-Barrel Cachaça, Barrel 85 (SRP $49.99)
2. Single-Barrel Cachaça, Barrel 216 (SRP $49.99)
3. Single-Barrel Cachaça, Barrel 33 (SRP $69.99) After resting for three years in oak.
4. Single-Barrel Cachaça, Barrel 86 (SRP $49.99) Aged for just one year in a single oak barrel.
5. Single-Barrel Cachaça, Barrel 152 (SRP $69.99) Aged for 3 years.
novofogo.com
La Caravedo Torontel Pisco
October 2016; available now All states
$32.99 for 750 ml
Pisco Portón announces La Caravedo Torontel. La Caravedo Torontel is a pisco puro, which means it is made from a single varietal of the eight grape varietals allowed by Peruvian law to make pisco. La Caravedo Torontel is made from the torontel grape, which is an aromatic varietal that evolved on the Peruvian coast and provides a strong floral bouquet and velvety texture. It is distilled in Hacienda La Caravedo’s original falca stills, and there are 8 pounds of grapes in every bottle. It is single distilled to proof and is 40% alc/vol or 80 proof.
lacaravedo.com
Dubliner Irish Whiskey & Dubliner Honeycomb Liqueur
US Launch: Fall/Winter, 2016 National
$27.99 for 750ml
The Dubliner Irish Whiskey, first unveiled in Dublin, Ireland, in 2015, is now available in select markets in the United States. The Dubliner is a new Irish Whiskey; a blend of single malt and grain whiskies. The Dubliner is fully aged in American Bourbon Barrels for no less than three years.
The Dubliner Honeycomb Liqueur is a blend of honeycomb, caramel and Irish whiskey.
dublinerwhiskey.com
Opihr Gin
US Launch: Fall/Winter 2016, National
$34.99 for 750ml
Opihr Gin is a unique style of London Dry Gin distilled using exotic botanicals, herbs and spices from along the Ancient Spice Route, now available in the United States. Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin's botanicals include spicy Cubeb berries from Indonesia, Black Pepper from India and Coriander from Morocco. The botanicals in Opihr Gin make the journey to their final destination, the oldest distillery in England, G&J Distillers, where the botanicals are married with English spirit.
opihr.com
Greenall's Gin
US Launch: Fall/Winter 2016 National
$17.99 for 750ml
Greenall’s The Original London Dry Gin, which has been distilled by England's oldest gin distillers for more than 250 years, is now available in select markets across the United States. First produced in 1761, Greenall’s The Original London Dry Gin takes its name from the Greenall family who bought the Cheshire distillery in the 1800s. Greenall’s continues to be distilled in Warrington by G&J Distillers (formerly G&J Greenall) using traditional copper pot stills and botanicals. Today, G&J Distillers is owned by The Quintessential Brands Group and is the #3 selling everyday gin in the UK.
greenallsgin.com
Herradura Colección de la Casa, Reserva 2016 – Port Cask Finished Reposado
December 2016 National
$89.99
Tequila Herradura announces the release of the fifth Colección de la Casa, Reserva 2016 – Port Cask Finished Reposado, a reintroduction of the critically-acclaimed Colección de la Casa, Reserva 2012. It is made from 100% blue agave, aged for 11 months in medium-char American oak casks, and then aged for an additional two months in hand-selected vintage port casks from the renowned Duoro Valley in Portugal. Bottled at 80 proof.
herradura.com
The Teeling 24 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
December 2016 National
$499
Teeling Whiskey has released a new bottling from its Vintage Reserve Collection – the Teeling 24-Year-Old Irish Single Malt, consisting of some of the oldest Irish Single Malt Whiskey ever bottled. The Teeling 24-Year-Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey was distilled in 1991 and double matured, first in Bourbon casks, then in Sauterne wine casks. This small batch bottling is limited to just 1,000 bottles.
TeelingWhiskey.com
Usquaebach An Ard Ri Cask Strength
October 2016 Most Major Retailers, National
$200.00
Usquaebach Scotch Whisky, (pronounced “oos-ke-bah”), a blended Highlands Scotch imported by family-owned Cobalt Brands, announces the release of its first new blend in nearly 25 years, the Usquaebach An Ard Ri Cask Strength. Translated from Gaelic as “the high king,” the An Ard Ri is an ultra-premium, high-proof blend of more than 20 single malt casks, aged between 10 and 21 years. The An Ard Ri is made with casks from Master Blender Stewart H. Laing’s personal collection. Mr. Laing selected from a range of Highlands whiskies, including Inchgower, Benrinnes, Craigellachie, Glengoyne, Dailuaine, Blair Athol, and Auchroisk. At 57.1% ABV, the 2,000 bottle limited release.
usquaebach.com
Expresiones Del Corazon: Buffalo Trace Reposado, Old Rip Van Winkle Anejo, Thomas H. Handy Anejo, Artisanal Blanco
Fall/Winter 2016 (Available now) Expresiones del Corazón are available nationally, however quantities are very limited.
Artisanal Blanco is $59.99, Buffalo Trace Reposado is $69.99, Old Rip Van Winkle Añejo is $79.99 and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Añejo is $79.99.
This line of tequilas are aged in barrels that used to hold whiskies from the Buffalo Trace Distillery. This year’s release includes tequilas aged in Buffalo Trace, Old Rip Van Winkle and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac barrels, as well as an Artisanal Blanco.
The Buffalo Trace Reposado was aged 10 and-a-half months in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels.
Old Rip Van Winkle Añejo was aged 23 months in Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels.
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Añejo was aged 19 months in Thomas H. Handy Sazerac whiskey barrels.
The Artisanal Blanco was held for 60 days in stainless steel.
All four expressions in this release are 80 proof.
expresionesdelcorazon.com
San Matías Tahona Tequila
Fall/Winter 2016 Available now in select markets. Additional markets will be added through 2017.
$59.99 for 750ml
San Matías Tahona is made from 100 percent Weber Blue agave, and is Casa San Matías’ first tequila produced using a traditional centuries-old process called the tahona method. The Sazerac Company is the sole importer for the tequila in the U.S. Once the blue agave is harvested from the Jalisco highlands, the heart of the agave (piñas) are slowly cooked in brick ovens and then crushed by the very same original tahona Basalt stone that Casa San Matías used more than 100 years ago. The juice is then fermented in pine wood vats, distilled twice in copper pot stills, bottled and hand-labeled.
www.sanmatias.com
The Real McCoy, Limited Edition 12-year-aged
Fall 2016 CT, MA, RI, NY, NJ. CO, TX, IL, WI, CA
$55.00
The Real McCoy rum announces the release of its new 2016 Limited Edition, which is a blend of rum that has been aged for 12 years in American oak bourbon casks, with rum that has been aged for 12 years in Portuguese Madeira casks. This blend has a high ratio of pot still distillate and is being released at 46 ABV (92 Proof). With only 3,000 bottles produced for worldwide distribution, this Limited Edition is an rare production by master distiller, Richard Seale, of Foursquare Distillery in Barbados.
realmccoyspirits.com
New Jefferson's Bourbons
Jefferson’s Reserve Old Rum Cask Finish: The partnership was born from an evening of drinking between Jefferson’s Bourbon founder Trey Zoeller and Malcolm Gosling of Gosling’s Old Rum. Trey aged Kentucky straight bourbon into Gosling's Rum Barrels, which previously housed Gosling’s Old Rum. (Retail - $79.99)
Jefferson’s Presidential Select 20 Year: Jefferson’s Presidential Select is a marriage of 17 barrels of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey blended together. (Retail - $200)
Jefferson’s Pritchard Hill: In a Twin Wood aging process, a blend of three bourbons having aged in new American Oak barrels were finished in French Oak casks that once held Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon from the high elevation, rocky slopes of the Chappellet vineyard in St. Helena, Napa Valley. (Retail - $89.99)
The Macallan 40 Years Old
The Macallan, the world’s ultimate luxury single malt Scotch whisky, unveils its latest exceptional whisky in the coveted Sherry Oak range, The Macallan 40 Years Old. This collectible, limited-release whisky represents only the second non-vintage release of a 40 year old expression to come from the iconic Speyside distillery. 500 bottles made available worldwide at a suggested retail price of $8,000.
Bowmore 1961 50 Year Old.
Only 200 bottles of this whisky were ever produced and have been released globally, only 50 bottles per year. This December marks the release of the final 50, only a small portion of which will reach U.S. shores.
Beginning this year, the famed Bowmore Distillery will issue a 50 year old Bowmore single malt Scotch vintage, both in the U.S. and in Europe. All the 50-year-old bottlings will have spent time maturing in the famed and hallowed Bowmore No. 1 Vaults, one of the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouses.
Destined for a collector’s case or as the ultimate holiday stocking stuffer, the Bowmore 1961 carries a suggested retail price tag of $23,000.
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