Alcademics

On this page I keep track of much of the new spirits brands hitting the market. With the surge in craft distilling I can't keep up with everything (especially when they're only for sale in one state), but here are the larger ones anyway. 

For new mixers hitting the market, check out the Mixer Picks.

 

11/2/17: Conncullin Irish Gin from Connacht Distillery

Conncullin Irish Gin (47% ABV) is named for Loch Conn and Loch Cullin, two lakes in County Mayo that supply Connacht Distillery. Master Distiller Robert Cassell has developed Conncullin Irish Gin with a citrus, elderberry and juniper. Conncullin Irish Gin is pot distilled using Irish botanicals. 

Conncullin Irish Gin will be available in NY, NJ, PA, MA, MD, NH and DE. SRP $29.99

 

 

10/30/17: Diplomático Rum Launches The Distillery Collection

Diplomático Rum announces the release of its new Distillery Collection with Single Batch Kettle and Single Barbet Column rums. A Batch Kettle still was brought to Diplomático’s distillery in 1959. This semi-artisanal batch distillation method was originally employed in Canada for the production of American whisky. The distillate is made from sugar cane honeys, and is aged in American white oak barrels.

The Barbet Column distillation system, originally created in France was also brought to the distillery in Venezuela the same year, 1959. The Barbet column is made of 100% copper, a type of metal that enables the elimination of undesirable sulphur compounds which form in the fermentation process. Aged in American white oak barrels and using molasses. Each expression of the Distillery Collection has a standard retail price of $79

 

10/26/17: Highland Park Full Volume single malt scotch whisky

100% ex-Bourbon casks. Distilled in 1999 and bottled in 2017.

Available from specialty spirits retailers and bars in the US from November 2017 (SRP: $100 – $110 /750ml).

 

10/20/17: Compass Box “Phenomenology” ($180) and “No Name” ($125) Whiskeys

Phenomenology –  Phenomenology is a school of thought in psychology that focuses on phenomena, or, the experiences that we get from our senses--what we see, taste, smell, etc. It is a way of thinking about ourselves and the very personal, subjective nature of experience. To celebrate the subjective nature of whisky tasting, Compass Box encourages drinkers to experience this whisky without preconception and to first describe the ‘phenomena’ of the liquid for themselves, in their own words and ideas, before information on the component whiskies will be released. In December 2017, after the whisky is accessible to the world, recipe information and tasting notes will be shared on the Compass Box website.

Additionally, the most curious consumers can request recipe information at any time via email or direct messaging on social media provided they first share their own tasting notes or flavour descriptions, and that they agree to keep the secret until the information is published.

No Name –  The second limited edition whisky, No Name, is the peatiest Compass Box release to date. In the spirit of phenomenological thinking, this whisky was given No Name to let the whisky speak for itself. The idea for this limited edition was sparked by the discovery of a parcel of casks of mature, heavy-peated single malt whisky from a well-known distillery located along Pier Road, in the Southeast of the island of Islay. The peat profile of this malt whisky is different to that of The Peat Monster, the staple peated Blended Malt Scotch Whisky in the Compass Box range, so the parcel of casks was set aside for a special limited edition release. The recipe is primarily composed of malt whisky from the distillery along Pier Road. The tempering malt – an elegant and restrained peaty malt whisky – is from the Islay distillery located in Port Askaig. A small proportion of malt whisky from a much-loved distillery in the Northern Highlands village of Brora was added to give dimension, fruit character and an ethereal element to the blend. To finish things off, a touch of malt whisky finished in French oak was also added.

 

10/20/17: Old Potrero Hotaling’s 11 Year Old Rye Whiskey

Old Potrero introduces Hotaling’s 11 Year Old Whiskey, a single-barrel, pot-distilled 100% malted rye whiskey aged in once-used charred fine-grain American oak barrels that previously held Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey. Hotaling’s Whiskey, which varies from other Old Potrero whiskies in the barrel-aging, commemorates the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, celebrates San Francisco's remarkable rebirth, and the A.P. Hotaling & Co whiskey warehouse on Jackson Street that miraculously survived the disaster.

(50% ABV; $115 SRP). This new release is extremely limited, with less than 200 bottles available in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas and New Jersey. For more information on Old Potrero, visit AnchorDistilling.com or email [email protected].

 

10/20/17: Yuzuri Yuzu Liqueur

Made by the same team who created Kikori Whiskey, Yuzuriis citrus liqueur made from freshly harvested Japanese yuzu, rice, and mountain water.

Handpicked fruit is blended with spirits distilled from locally grown rice and mountain water from Kikori Whiskey's birthplace on the Island of Kyushu in Southern Japan. Every piece of fresh yuzu fruit is cut and squeezed by hand before its juice, fruit and peels are steeped for 30 days with locally grown sugar beets and Australian sugarcane.

30%ABV $45

 

10/20/17: Lock Stock & Barrel 18-Year Straight Rye Whiskey

The Cooper Spirits Co. announced the launch of Lock Stock & Barrel 18-Year Straight Rye Whiskey. The third and newest release in the celebrated Lock Stock & Barrel series, it follows the 2016 introduction of the 16-year. Lock Stock & Barrel 18-year is double distilled from a rare mash bill of 100 percent rye grain. A “robust cut” is selected by master distillers, then the unfiltered spirit is aged in new charred American Oak barrels in cold weather for 18 years and bottled at 109 proof. 

It is available in limited quantities across the nation at a suggested retail price of $229.99. www.lockstockandbarrelspirits.com

 

10/20/17: Stranahan’s Sherry Cask

Stranahan’s Rocky Mountain Single Malt Whiskey is announcing a new expression to its line of American single malt whiskeys: Stranahan’s Sherry Cask. Master Distiller Rob Dietrich developed Sherry Cask by taking his four year-aged Rocky Mountain Single Malt whiskey and transferred it to 500 liter Oloroso Sherry barrels to finish. The barrels are procured from the Andalusia region of southwestern Spain, known to many oenophiles as the Sherry Triangle. The barrels have aged sherry wine for over 40 years.

Stranahan’s Sherry Cask is bottled at 47% ABV (94 proof) and will be available nationwide for $79.99 (750ml).

 

10/20/17: El Tesoro 80th Anniversary Edition Tequila

The process begins with the 100% estate-grown blue agave which grows for up to eight years in La Alteña’s soils and highlands climate, giving them a spiciness. Once the agave reaches maturity, it is harvested by hand, removing the waxy stem. It can take El Tesoro’s jimadores up to three years to completely harvest a field. After harvest, the piñas are cooked in an old-fashioned hornos oven for three days. The cooked pinas are then crushed to release their juice under a two-ton volcanic tahona wheel. For this 80th Anniversary Edition, the liquid extracted is then distilled to 85 proof* at a low temperature in copper stills, that were made to Don Felipe’s specifications. El Tesoro is believed to be the only tequila to distill to proof, with no sugar or water added.

As of October 2017, El Tesoro 80th Anniversary Edition will be available only in the U.S. with a suggested retail price of $199.99 (750ml).

9/26/17: Distillerie des Alpes Routin Original Rouge, Routin Blanc, and Routin Dry Vermouth

Vermouth Routin is one of just two remaining producers of Vermouth in the French Alps town of Chambéry. Vermouth Routin is imported by Seattle’s Back Bar Project (backbarproject.com). Routin creates all three of its vermouth bottlings by macerating botanical ingredients, including spices, flowers, and plants, in Jacquere wine, an AOC certified Vin de Savoie local to the Chambery region and highly regarded for its use as a base for vermouth. To the maceration, French sauvignon blanc is also added to reach the desired balance. Unlike the Routin Blanc and Dry, which are both unaged, Vermouth Routin Original Rouge is aged in oak barrels for six months, after which, aged vermouth is blended with unaged vermouth in equal parts to reach the desired balance.

Vermouth Routin Original Rouge (ABV 16.9 %) The original Vermouth made by Routin and true to the original recipe, Vermouth Routin Rouge has a burnished, claret-colored appearance with a light and floral start turning to darker notes of coffee and demerara at the finish. MSRP $22.99

Vermouth Routin Blanc (ABV 16.9 %) Also based on a very old recipe kept in the distillery, Vermouth Routin was re-introduced to production in 2015. It has a crystalline appearance with bright citrus and floral notes, a palate of softer fruits like melon and lychee and a fresh and lively yet balanced finish with notes of spice from thyme, wormwood and clove. MSRP $22.99

Vermouth Routin Dry (ABV 16.9 %). It has a pale yellow straw appearance with prominent aromas of lemon peel, eucalyptus and rose petals and a hint of thyme at the start. Lemon and rose linger on the palate along with wormwood, rosemary, juniper and lemongrass.  MSRP $22.99

 

9/26/17:  Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Cherry Wood Smoked Barley

Woodford Reserve 2017 Master’s Collection limited edition release: Cherry Wood Smoked Barley is one of the first Kentucky Bourbons to use malted barley that has been exposed to cherry wood smoke. Rather than using natural malted barley, which is used in Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Master Distiller Chris Morris modified the grain recipe by selecting malt that had been smoked with cherry wood during the kilning process.

Cherry Wood Smoked Barley will be available for purchase in select markets within the United States and in limited international markets beginning in November with a suggested retail price of $99.99 (varying by market) for a 750ml bottle presented at 90.4 proof.

9/25/17:  Glenfiddich Winter Storm

Glenfiddich announces the launch of Glenfiddich Winter Storm, the first-ever single malt Scotch to be finished in ice wine casks. The resulting liquid is aged 21 years,.  Glenfiddich Winter Storm is the newest release in the Glenfiddich Experimental Series, joining Glenfiddich India Pale Ale Cask Finish and Glenfiddich Project XX (twenty). Created by Malt Master Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich Winter Storm was inspired by a trip to Canada’s renowned Peller Estate winery in January 2016.  Kinsman returned to the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown and began experimenting with several French oak Ice wine casks from the Canadian winery, filling them with various Glenfiddich aged malts for up to six months.

Glenfiddich Winter Storm retails for $250. There will be 650 9-liter cases available in select markets, and there will be no further releases of the 2017 ice wine vintage.

 

9/22/17: Silent Pool Gin

Now available in the U.S.. The distillation process introduces 24 botanicals at different points throughout distillation. Fresh floral and citrus notes are grounded by earthy and spicy cassia bark and cubeb. The finish is achieved with the help of local honey. 

Silent Pool Gin is now available in California. The gin is 43% ABV and retails for approximately $65.  www.silentpooldistillers.com. 

 

9/21/17: Buffalo Trace 2017 Antique Collection

• George T. Stagg weighs in at 129.2 proof this year.  This year’s release contains bourbon from barrels filled in the spring of 2002. This batch contained 309 barrels, a few more than last year. Storage location of these barrels varied across warehouses C, K, M and Q. 
• William Larue Weller uncut, unfiltered, wheated recipe bourbon was distilled in the winter of 2005 and aged in Warehouses D, I, and P. This bourbon registers in at 128.2 proof.  
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye is uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey. This year’s Handy was distilled in the spring of 2011; aged on the third, fourth and fifth floors of Warehouses K, L, and Q, and weighs in at 127.2 proof.
• Eagle Rare 17 Year Old. The 2017 edition has been aging on the first, second and third floors of Warehouses C, K and P. This 90 proof bourbon was aged for seventeen years.
• Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old. The barrels for this whiskey were filled in the spring of 1998, and then put into a stainless steel tank in 2016 to stop further aging and evaporation.
  
  The 2017 Antique Collection whiskeys will be available in limited quantities this October. Suggested retail price is $90 per bottle. For more information visit http://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/brands/antique-collection.

9/16/17:  Old Potrero Malted Rye Whiskey Finished in Port and Stout Barrels

100% malted Rye Whiskey is aged in new, toasted, extra fine-grain American oak barrels, similar to the 18th Century style, with special finishes.  Old Potrero Straight Malt Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels (57.3% ABV; $100 SRP)

Old Potrero Straight Malt Whiskey Finished in Stout Barrels (55.4% ABV; $100 SRP)
Long ago in the distillery, Fritz Maytag, founder of Anchor Distilling, had some apple brandy aged in once-used charred straight rye barrels. After that apple brandy was done aging, the brewery used those barrels to age a stout for about a year. The distillery got those same barrels back and added 18th Century whiskey to them for 6 months. 

 

9/16/17: The Yamazaki Mizunara 2017 Edition

Yamazaki Mizunara Cask 2017 Edition is presented at 48% alcohol by volume (96 proof) with a suggested retail price of $1,000.00 (750ml).

From the founding house of Japanese Whisky, this Yamazaki limited edition has been aged for 18 years exclusively in rare Japanese Mizunara oak.

whisky.suntory.com

 

9/15/17: Speyburn 15 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Single Malt Scotch Whisky brand Speyburn has added a new limited release expression to its portfolio. The 15 Years Old is created using fresh spring water from the Granty Burn, a stream flowing with soft and clear spring water and a major tributary of the River Spey. This expression has been matured in American oak and Spanish oak casks and is neither chill-filtered nor colored.

3,500 cases of the Speyburn 15 Years Old will be made available from the distillery annually. The selection is bottled at 46% abv (92 proof) and will be offered as a limited release in the U.S. from importer 375 Park Avenue Spirits as of November at a suggested retail price of $65.

 

9/15/17: Highland Park Magnus

Magnus will be available from specialty spirits retailers and bars exclusively in the US and Canada beginning September 2017 (SRP: $39.99/750ml). 40% ABV.

Aged using a high proportion of Sherry seasoned American oak casks along with refill casks. 

 

9/15/17: Giffard Crème de Fruit de la Passion and Caribbean Pineapple 

Giffard Caribbean Pineapple (ABV 20%).
Giffard Caribbean Pineapple is made by macerating sun-ripened pineapples in alcohol for up to six weeks. A touch of clove, nutmeg, and seven-year aged rum are added. MSRP $33.99.

Giffard Crème de Fruit de la Passion (ABV 16 %).
Known by a variety of names around the world, passion fruit are often referred to as maracuya, liliko’i, granadilla and, of course, fruit de la passion. MSRP $27.99.

 

9/14/17: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye has a grain bill of 70 percent rye, 18 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley and is carefully charcoal mellowed; at 90 proof.

Hitting shelves in October, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye will be available across the U.S. in 50ml, 750ml and 1-liter bottle sizes. Tennessee Rye will be offered at a suggested retail price of $26.99 for a 750ml bottle.

 

9/14/17: Avuá Jequitibá Rosa Cachaça and Avuá Still Strength Cachaça

Avuá Still Strength Cachaça
(45% ABV, 750ml, $45.00 SRP)
Avuá Still Strength Cachaça is a pot-stilled cachaça, bottled at 90 proof. The uncut spirit blends out to 45 percent, versus Avuá Prata Cachaça, which is blended to 42 percent. Rested in stainless-steel casks. 

Avuá Jequitibá Rosa Cachaça
750ml / 40% ABV / $70.00 SRP
Avuá Jequitibá Rosa is aged for up to two years in a Jequitibá Rosa wood cask, a high density hardwood found only in central and Southern Brazil.

 

9/5/17: The GlenDronach Kingsman Edition 1991

The GlenDronach Distillery, producer of sherried single malt whiskies, is pleased to announce the release of The GlenDronach Kingsman Edition 1991, a collaboration with Marv films and Twentieth Century Fox to mark the release of “Kingsman: The Golden Circle.” A total of 240 bottles are allocated for the U.S. market at a suggested retail price of $900 (750ml/48.2% ABV). It will be sold at select U.S. specialty retailers beginning in early fall 2017. 

www.glendronachdistillery.co.uk

 

9/5/17: New Zealand Whisky Collection

The New Zealand Whisky Collection, comprised of the oldest whiskies produced in the Southern Hemisphere, will be available in the U.S. via Anchor Distilling Company. The New Zealand Whisky Collection features expressions produced between 1987 and 1994 at the Willowbank Distillery in Dunedin on the South Island of New Zealand. In 2010, New Zealand Whisky Collection founder Greg Ramsay discovered and purchased the last 443 barrels of cask strength whiskies at the distillery, which had been mothballed at the end of the 20th century. Today, this  stock of old and rare whiskies is continuing to mature in a seaside bondstore in Oamaru, on the eastern coast of New Zealand.

Distilled using local barleys and snowmelt from the Southern Alps, the single malt whiskies in the New Zealand Whisky Collection, which reflect the last remaining stock of what was once the world’s southern-most distillery, are produced using traditional Scottish methods of copper pot stills.

Dunedin DoubleCask 16 Year Old (40% ABV; $85 SRP, 375ml)
A blend of 70% single malt and 30% grain whisky (made from unmalted barley in the Willowbank Distillery). After aging in American Oak for 6 years, transferred to French Oak ex-New Zealand red wine casks for 12 Years.

High Wheeler 21 Year Old Single Grain (43% ABV; $95 SRP, 375ml)
Also a blend of 70% single malt and 30% grain whisky (made from unmalted barley in the Willowbank Distillery), this expression is aged in American Oak, ex-bourbon for 21 years.

Oamaruvian 16 Year Old Cask Strength DoubleCask (58.4% ABV; $115 SRP, 375ml)

South Island 25 Year Old Single Malt (40% ABV; $230 SRP, 375ml)
Distilled in traditional copper pot stills using New Zealand grown malt barley. With this expression, New Zealand reached a milestone by becoming only the fifth country to release a 25-year-old single malt.

 

9/5/17: Paul John 'Bold' Indian Single Malt Whisky 

  John Distilleries Ltd. announces the launch of its ‘Bold’ expression. A peated single-malt whisky, Bold is available at a suggested retail price of $75, and joins the Paul John U.S. portfolio that also includes Brilliance (SRP $60), Edited (SRP $65), Select Cask Classic (SRP $95) and Select Cask Peated (SRP $100). 

Paul John Single Malt Whisky is a spirit distilled in the tropics of Goa, India. Made from six-row barley grains that are grown at the foothills of the Himalayas, this single malt is aged for a minimum of five years.

pauljohnwhisky.com

 

8/16/17: Nikka Coffey Gin and Nikka Coffey Vodka

Nikka Coffey Gin (47% ABV, $50 SRP)
A barley and corn-based spirit is the heart of this gin. In addition to traditional gin botanicals such as juniper, angelica, coriander, and lemon peel, Coffey Gin’s contains Japanese citrus, including Yuzu, Kabosu, Amanatsu and Shikuwasa, plus apples and Japanese Sansho pepper on the finish. Nikka conducts individual distillations with the various botanicals before creating the final blend and diluting to proof.

Nikka Coffey Vodka (40% ABV, $45 SRP)
This vodka is made on Coffey Stills from corn and barley. Like the gin, Nikka distills the corn and barley separately before creating a blend. It is filtered with white birch charcoal.

 

8/16/17: The Balvenie Peat Week Aged 14 Years (2002 Vintage)

The Balvenie releases a peated expression – The Balvenie Peat Week Aged 14 Years (2002 Vintage), now available in the U.S. A product of trials and experimentation, The Balvenie Peat Week was conceptualized by The Balvenie’s Malt Master David Stewart MBE and Ian Millar, former distillery manager and current Prestige Whiskies Specialist at William Grant & Sons. In 2002 The Balvenie distilled a batch of heavily peated malt, which was laid down to mature at the distillery in Dufftown. Since this moment, the distillery has dedicated one week each year, aptly named Peat Week, to using only peated barley in its production, to craft a different style of The Balvenie liquid with enhanced smoky notes.

The Balvenie Peat Week (2002 Vintage) is a single vintage bottling. This non-chill filtered expression was bottled at 48.3% ABV with liquid matured solely in American Oak casks, with an SRP of $99. 

 

8/15/17: Copper & Kings  American Dry Gin and American Old Tom

Louisville-based Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. is launching two Kentucky copper pot-distilled gins; an American Dry Gin using an apple brandy base, and an American Old Tom Gin using a grape brandy base. Both gins are double-distilled using no neutral spirits, and are non-chill filtered. The gins have no added flavors or colors post distillation. Classic gin botanicals are steeped in brandy low-wine (first distillation) then redistilled together with vapor distilled botanicals in the gin basket.

The company also continues its founding tradition of launching an annual limited release, barrel-aged gin. The 2017 edition was aged for 14 months in an ex-Cognac cask. The gin is per tradition themed upon a cat, with an illustrated pink panther, and named L’inspectuer.

Copper & Kings American Dry Gin (92 proof/46% ABV) $35 / 750mL
Copper & Kings American Old Tom Gin (100 proof/50% ABV) $40 / 750mL
Copper & Kings L’inspectuer Limited Release Gin (100 proof/50% ABV) $40 / 375mL

 

8/14/17: Jim Beam Vanilla

Jim Beam officially announced the latest addition to its flavored portfolio, Jim Beam Vanilla. Jim Beam Vanilla blends Madagascar vanilla bean liqueur with classic Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey.

Bottled at 70-proof, Jim Beam Vanilla has a suggested retail price of $15.99 for 750mL, and is now available in bars and retail locations nationwide.

 

8/14/17: Koskenkorva Vodka from Finland

Koskenkorva Vodka is produced in Finland, in the village of Koskenkorva. The Koskenkorva distillery has its own bioenergy power plant and uses unfiltered spring water and barley from nearby fields. Finland has a short and intensive growing season. During the summer months, the sun does not completely set. Locally sourced barley comes from within a 120 mile radius from the distillery, and with the help of water and a continuous distillation process.

Koskenkorva Original Vodka is now available in the US. At 40% alc/vol, the suggested retail price is $24.99 per 750ml bottle. www.koskenkorva.com

 

8/3/17:  Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale Bitter

The bitter joins the range of vermouths including the recently launched Riserva Speciale Vermouths Rubino and Ambrato. It will be available in the US in October. The press release is illegible, but I can make out 100% natural ingredients, original 1872 recipe, Saffron, Angostura and Columba. SRP is $26.99 and ABV is 28%.

 

 

7/29/17: Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey

Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey, a whiskey brand inspired, Nathan “Nearest” Green, launched in Portland, Oregon on July 19, 2017. The aged whiskey debut in Portland will be followed by Nashville, Tennessee. Green was the first African-American master distiller on record in the United States.  Green helped in Tennessee over 160 years ago, with a process now known as the Lincoln County Process; and the Uncle Nearest team worked with two Tennessee distilleries still making whiskey. This product is placed in new American oak barrels close to the same 110-proof Green was known for.Price: $59.95 (*Oregon price, will vary by market)
Proof: 100

 

7/29/17:  2017 Parker’s Heritage Collection Bourbon

Heaven Hill Distillery announced the 2017 limited edition release of Parker’s Heritage Collection – an 11-year-old, Single Barrel Bourbon. The eleventh edition will be shipping into select markets across the country beginning in September. Bottled at 122 proof (61% abv) and non-chill filtered, with an SRP of  $129.99.

 

 

7/24/17: Don Q Piña Rum

Destilería Serrallés Inc., the producers of Don Q, is proud to announce the release of Don Q Piña, the brand’s fifth flavored expression. This new product is made with aged rums ranging one to one-and-a-half years in American white oak barrels and infused with 100% natural pineapple juice. 

30% ABV $13.99 SRP

 

7/24/17: Dulce Vida Pineapple Jalapeño tequila

Dulce Vida has officially launched its first Pineapple Jalapeño flavored tequila. Dulce Vida’s Pineapple Jalapeño tequila is made with 100% Blue Weber Agave Blanco tequila then infused with real pineapple, jalapeño and other natural flavors. 

Dulce Vida Pineapple Jalapeño Tequila is launching nationally and currently available in markets such as Texas, California, Illinois, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia. SRP $19.99

 

7/15/17: Copper & Kings Destillaré Curaçao and Mistelle 

Louisville-based Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. is launching a new line of alembic distilled liqueurs to complement its core American Brandy products. Named Destillaré, the liqueurs are non-chill-filtered, copper pot-distilled brandy base infusions without the addition of sugar or colorants.  The first two products – an intense orange Curaçao and a limited release fortified Mistelle - will be available in August 2017.

Destillare Intense Orange Curaçao (90 proof/45% ABV) $35 per 750mL bottle
Destillare Fortified & Infused Mistelle (60 proof/30% ABV) $40 per 750mL bottle. Limited Release.

CopperandKings.com

 

7/15/17: Kilbeggan Single Grain Irish Whiskey

The notion that “single grain” describes a whiskey made with just one grain is a common misperception. Rather, the term refers to whiskey made in a single location using malted barley and at least one other grain. Kilbeggan Single Grain is made of 94%  corn plus 6% malted barley.

 After aging in ex-bourbon barrels, it is finished in a marriage of ex-bourbon and various fortified wine barrels. 

Available beginning in late June 2017 with a suggested retail price of $29.99 (750ml) 86 proof, it joins the U.S. portfolio alongside Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey (40% ABV).

 

 

7/10/17: Old Pulteney Stroma Malt Liqueur

Stroma is a  blend of malt whiskies from Old Pulteney's portfolio. Bottled at 35% ABV, Old Pulteney Stroma Malt Whisky Liqueur has a suggested retail price of $34.99 per 750ml bottle and is currently available in ten states in the United States (CA, CO, DC, IL, MD, MA, NV, NY, SC, TX); the liqueur will continue to roll out to select markets in coming months.

 

7/7/17: Kimo Sabe Mezcal Colección de las Maravillas

Kimo Sabe  announced it is launching a limited release luxury line of Mezcal titled Colección de las Maravillas, with the first edition of the collection, Cinco de Noviembre, set to debut in July at Tails of the Cocktail. Cinco de Noviembre is a blend of rare agaves, sonicated, then rested in glass for 26 months. The limited edition release of 700 bottles will be offered in select cities across the U.S. and internationally, priced at $511.

The process began with a year-long search to find the six  varieties needed that could be harvested sustainably. The  process of combining flavors began with blending single and double distillations and then marrying them in a third distillation. Finally, in a step unique to Kimo Sabe, the final distillation was harmonized by Kimo Sabe's proprietary sound wave technology and then left to rest slowly in glass for over two years. 

 

7/5/17:  Fabriquero Sotol 

Fabriquero Sotol, a collection of traditional distillates produced in the Denomination of Origin Sotol, has launched its first product from the Mexican state of Durango. Fabriquero Sotol Durango is produced from wild Dasylirion wheeleri, known as “The Desert Spoon.” Currently one of only two sotols produced in Durango, Fabriquero Sotol is made by Don Héctor Jiménez using traditional methods passed down to him in his father’s vinata - or distillery - that has been producing this spirit for close to 100 years.

Sotol, like the greatest distillates of the world, has a Denomination of Origin that is composed of 3 states in northern Mexico – Durango, Coahuila, and Chihuahua. The sotol plants used to create this exquisite spirit are 100% estate-grown, and at maturity are half of the size of typical agave plants. These plants are picked individually and cooked for 5 days in a lava rock-lined pit using acacia and mesquite. They are then crushed by hand before being fermented in open air.

Fabriquero Sotol will be available nationwide in limited quantities with a suggested retail price of $64.99. For more information on Fabriquero Sotol, including cocktail recipes, please visit http://fabriquero.mx.

 

7/5/17: Black Bowmore 1964 50 Year Old

Bowmore Islay Single Malt Whisky, the oldest licensed distillery on Scotland’s isle of Islay, announces the U.S. release of the fifth and final edition of the exclusive Black Bowmore 1964 distillation. The last cask  of Black Bowmore 1964 has spent 50 years maturing in Bowmore’s No.1 Vaults, the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouse, making this whisky the most aged expression of the Black Bowmore series. 159 bottles were produced and released globally. This July, a portion of these bottles will be available stateside as part of the Bowmore 50 Year Old VAULT LEGENDS Collection at a suggested retail price of $25,000 (750ml/40.9% ABV).

Black Bowmore was distilled on November 5, 1964, and over the years, has become one of the most rare and sought-after single malt whiskies ever created. With four releases – in 1993 (29 Year Old), 1994 (30 Year Old), 1995 (31 Year Old) and 2007 (42 Year Old).

 

7/1/17: Early Times Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

Early Times is releasing a limited-edition Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky in tribute to the 75th anniversary of the original Early Times bonded bourbon recipe. Early Times Bottled In Bond Bourbon is made today as it was decades ago, with water, a high corn mash bill and a proprietary yeast strain. The distillate rests in new, charred American oak barrels for a minimum of four years.

Hitting shelves next month across select markets including Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Oregon, bourbon enthusiasts can now enjoy a special-release Bottled In Bond expression at the suggested retail price of $22.99 for a 1-liter bottle.

 

 6/14/17: Slane Irish Whiskey

Created by Brown-Forman and the Conyngham family of Slane, whose roots in the Irish village date back more than three centuries, ts signature Triple Casked maturation process uses virgin oak, seasoned oak and sherry casks.

With a suggested retail price of $29.99 for a 750ml bottle, Slane Irish Whiskey (40% ABV), which launched in Ireland in April, will roll out in New York early this summer, followed by limited markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Pacific Northwest and the West Coast. 

For its introductory expression, top quality mature spirits from across Ireland were sourced, including Single Malt and Single Grain whiskeys. They were divided for further aging between three distinct cask types: Heavily toasted, lightly charred virgin oak from Brown-Forman’s cooperages; Seasoned oak that formerly held American whiskey; Oloroso Sherry casks from Spain.

 

6/13/17: Redemption Wheated Bourbon 

While most wheat-forward bourbons have between 20% and 30% of the grain in the mash bill, Redemption’s Wheated Bourbon contains 45% winter wheat, 51% corn, and 4% malted barley. Complimented by four years of aging in new oak barrels and the high wheat content, this whiskey is mellow and nutty and a long smooth finish, even at 96 proof.

($45.99 SRP) www.redemptionwhiskey.com

 

6/12/17:  Glendalough Distillery’s Wild Botanical Gin

The newly-debuted gin from Glendalough Distillery, known for their poitins and whiskeys, is available in the United States for the first time in June 2017. Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin from Glendalough Distillery uses fresh botanicals (never dried) from the valley of Glendalough. Classic gin botanicals like juniper, coriander, angelica root, orris root, licorice root, licorice bark, fresh organic lemons form the base of this gin. Some of the fresh botanicals included included are fresh pine shoots, watermint, sweet woodruff, elderflower, rose petals, ox eye daisies, mountain heather flowers and fraughan berries (wild blueberries), sloe berries and pine. The fresh botanicals are sustainably foraged by Geraldine Kavanaugh and then slow-distilled by stillman, Rowdy Rooney.

Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin will be available at leading bars and restaurants beginning on Thursday, June 1. The Wild Botanical Gin will also be available in 750 ML bottles online at www.ezras.com and at top retailers across the US for $29.99-34.99. For additional information on the Wild Botanical Gin, please visit www.glendaloughdistillery.com/our-gin-new-releases.

 

 

6/10/17:  George Remus Bourbon from MGP 

MGP Ingredients, owner of George Remus Bourbon, named after the legendary "King of the Bootleggers," has released George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey.  MGP acquired the George Remus whiskey label in November 2016 from Queen City Whiskey Co. in nearby Cincinnati. George Remus Straight Bourbon is a high-rye blend of bourbon whiskies aged over four years. 

George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey retails for a suggested $44.99 per 750-ml bottle, and is available as of June 2017 in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin and Nebraska, and in Minnesota as of July 1, 2017.

 

6/3/17: Compass Box The Double Single Blended Scotch Whisky

One single grain whisky and one single malt whisky. Bottled at 46% ABV, a total of 5,838 bottles of The Double Single will be released worldwide – launching first in Europe where it will be available in select specialty retailers from 1st May 2017 and in the US from 1st June 2017 at £150 / $175 SRP. 

 

5/27/17:  Galliano L’Aperitivo 

Galliano, best known for Galliano L’Autentico, announces the brand’s L’Aperitivo expression is available nationwide. The Italian bitter or “amaro” is the latest addition to Galliano’s  portfolio which also includes Galliano Ristretto.  An Italian bitter with Mediterranean notes, mild sweetness, Galliano L’Aperitivo is a blend of 50 ingredients including herbs and Mediterranean citrus such as orange, bergamot, bitter orange, chinotto, tangerine and grapefruit.

Maraschi e Quirici distillers produce the liqueur near Turin, the recognized birthplace of aperitivo hour, and where Galliano products have been made since 1896. 80 percent of the ingredients are sourced from the botanical- and sunshine-rich Alpine region of Northwest Italy. Galliano L’Aperitivo is bottled at 24% ABV. The recommended retail price is $16.99 for a 375 ml bottle.

 

5/27/17: Copper & Kings Floodwall American Apple Brandy 

Copper & Kings second aged apple brandy expression celebrates Louisville's Butchertown neighborhood. The Louisville floodwall, finished in 1957, protects the city from the natural disaster of the flooding of the Ohio River. A blend of  exclusively copper pot-distilled apple brandy aged in bourbon barrels and 250-liter Oloroso sherry casks sourced in Spain, Floodwall American apple brandy has a minimum age of four-year-old brandy and is 100-proof alcohol strength.

Floodwall is non-chill filtered with no post-distillation addition of apple flavor or essences, no boisé (oak flavor or infusion), sugar or caramel color.(100 proof/50% ABV)
$40 per 750mL bottle
http://www.copperandkings.com/

 

5/26/17: Frísco California unaged grape brandy

San Francisco-based North Channel Distillery announces the debut of Frísco, the company’s inaugural spirit distilled from wine made from California grapes. Inspired by Pisco, the grape-based spirit native to Chile and Peru, Frísco introduces a modern, locally-produced taste for a globally-minded audience.

Made in San Francisco from grapes sourced from neighboring California vineyards, Frísco is double distilled on a copper pot still, followed by charcoal mellowing – a technique rarely used on this type of spirit.

Frísco is a 45 percent alcohol by volume immature brandy produced and bottled at Seven Stills of SF, a San Francisco-based  distillery. Frísco is now available in a 750ml format for a suggested retail price of $35 in California and New York with rollouts planned for additional markets later this year. For more information, visit www.friscoliquor.com.

 

5/26/17: Brinley Shipwreck White Reserve Rum

Brinley Shipwreck is adding Brinley Shipwreck White Reserve to its line of rums. Set to launch nationwide directly after the Memorial Day holiday weekend, Brinley Shipwreck White Reserve (SRP $23) joins a star fleet of six rums, flavored with natural ingredients sourced from around the world: Coconut, Coconut Cream, Coffee, Mango, Spiced, and Vanilla. (40% abv)

http://www.brinleygoldshipwreck.com/

 

5/11/17: Rabbit Hole Distilling Bourbon, Gin, Rye, Sherry Finished Bourbon

Rabbit Hole’s inaugural products on the market have innovative mash bills, including the star of the show, the Kentucky Straight Bourbon - the only bourbon on the market where barley is the secondary grain (70% corn, 10% malted wheat, 10% malted barley, 10% honey malted barley). 

Rabbit Hole’s Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey. Comprised of 95% Rye, this spirit is distilled and aged in Kentucky.  For the Sherry finished expression, sourced Straight Bourbon Whiskey is finished in 30-year old PX Sherry Casks from Spain.  Imported London Dry Gin from England, is aged in in Kentucky Rye Barrels. 

Bourbon - $49
Rye - $59
Sherry Finish - $79

 

5/10/17: Orphan Barrel Rhetoric 23 Bourbon Whiskey

Rhetoric 23 is the fourth in the Rhetoric series of progressively aged whiskeys. Aged three years longer than the first release, it is slightly more mature and carries a higher proof. The whiskey will continue to be aged and re-released annually, so you can collect the series and compare the whiskeys side-by-side. Rhetoric stocks were found in the old Stitzel-Weller Warehouses in Louisville, Ky. The whiskey was distilled (between 1990- 1993) at the Bernheim Distillery historically located at 17th and Breckenridge in Louisville, Ky., while owned and operated by United Distillers. The whiskey is bottled in Tullahoma, Tennessee. 

The mash bill for Rhetoric Whiskey is 86% corn, 8% barley and 6% rye.

 90.6 proof, 45.3% (ABV)  $120 (750ml)

 

5/10/17: Don Q Signature Release, Single Barrel 2007 Rum

Destilería Serrallés Inc. presents the second addition to its exclusive “Single Barrel” collection with the debut of the limited edition Signature Release, Single Barrel 2007 Rum.

Don Q’s Master Blender Jaiker Soto and sixth-generation distiller Roberto Serrallés selected rum barrels aged in American White Oak casks since 2007 in the tropical climate of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The chosen stocks used in this release are bottled straight from the barrels, no blending involved. Only 4,000 cases of this limited edition rum will be released.

Don Q Signature Release Single Barrel 2007 is available at select liquor stores throughout the country with a MSRP of $39.99 at 40%ABV.

 

 

 

5/10/17: Don Papa Rum from the Philippines 

The Bleeding Heart Rum Company (BHRC) is bringing the majestic spirit of the Philippines to the U.S. market with the arrival of Don Papa Rum, the first small-batch rum from the Philippines known for its rich, sweet style and citrus notes. The rum is aged up to seven years in an ultra-humid climate in American oak barrels.

Beginning in May 2017, the rum will first be available at select retailers in New York City and Boston, followed by other retailers nationwide (SRP $39.99/750ml).

 

 

5/8/17: Jura 10 Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Jura 10 is the first release in Jura’s new core line for the U.S. Hailing from one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, this whisky marries peated and unpeated malt with a Sherry cask finish.  It is matured for ten years in American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels with an aged Oloroso Sherry cask finish.

Jura 10 is available at retailers nationwide with a suggested retail price of $54.99 per 750ml bottle (40% ABV).

JuraWhisky.com 

 

5/2/17: Highland Park Valkyrie Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Highland Park Single Malt Scotch – the northernmost Scotch whisky distiller – announces the release of Valkyrie. A special edition bottling, Valkyrie follows the ancient Nordic legend of the Valkyries – avenging horse-backed angels who combed the battlefields for the bravest of their fallen warriors. It is  the first in a series of three Viking Legend releases, followed by Valknut and Valhalla in 2018/19. 

“The whisky itself, created by our Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion, dials up more of our smoky notes by incorporating more of our heathery peated malt. This creates a richer, fuller phenolic note that has balance due to the sweeter, heathery character of our moorland peat but it is a slight departure from our core 12 Year Old whisky.”

Available from specialty spirits retailers in the US beginning June 2017, with an SRP of $80 (45.9% ABV). 

 

 

4/30/17: Seersucker Southern Style Gin

Azar Family Brands, maker of Cinco Vodka, announces the release of Seersucker Southern Style Gin bringing to market a new gin-taste profile complemented by citrus, clove honey and mint. Seersucker, the first Southern-style gin on the market, is now available throughout Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Oklahoma & Rhode Island. For more information about Seersucker Southern Style Gin, please visit www.seersuckergin.com.
 

SRP $26 for 750ml

 

4/23/17: ITALICUS - Rosolio di Bergamotto comes to the US

This brand is now distributing in the United States with Royal Dutch Distillers, starting in New York, Florida, Illinois, California and Texas, and soon to reach other states.

rosolioitalicus.com

 

4/10/17: California Aqua Vitae Aquavit from Geijer Spirits

"We chose a balance of more savory botanicals to give this traditional spirit a California "vibe."" The botanicals are macerated overnight and then pot-distilled in micro batches.  

Neutral Grain Spirit (Corn) with Caraway, Fennel, Dill, Ginger, Grapefruit Peel, Black Pepper, Sage, Clove and Cardamom.

Bottled at 40% ABV, SRP $36 www.geijerspirits.com

 

 

 

4/6/17: 123 Spirits launches Cráneo Organic Mezcal

Cráneo Organic Mezcal’s estate-grown espadín agave also expresses the character of their distinct terroir at 5,600 feet of elevation in Santiago Matatlán in Oaxaca, Mexico. After slow-roasting the espadín agave hearts in an old-fashioned pit fire, the pressed agave juices go to oak fermentation tanks to undergo the natural, open process without additional yeast or sugar, before double-distillation.

SRP: $60 http://www.mezcalcraneo.com/

 

4/3/17: Two new expressions from Mezcales de Leyenda

Mezcales de Leyenda announces the expansion of itsmezcal line with two new expressions sourced from Agave in two different Mexican states – Puebla and San Luis Potosí. Mezcales de Leyenda now offers five different mezcals, from five different regions, using five different types of agave plants. The first of the two new mezcals is Puebla, which is produced from agave poatorium, or “Tobala.” One of only two mezcals currently produced in Puebla, the agaves are cooked in a lava rock-lined pit for four days, then fermented in open-air oak vats, and double-distilled in a copper alembic still. To the north, San Luis Potosí comes from salmiana agave grown on the rocky and arid central Mexican plateau. The agaves here are cooked in traditional clay ovens for two days, then fermented in natural vats for four days before being copper distilled. 

Puebla and San Luis Potosí are available in limited quantities at a suggested retail price of $84.99 and $79.99 respectively. For more information on Mezcales de Leyenda, please visit http://www.mezcalesdeleyenda.com.

 

4/03/17: Glenfiddich Project XX

Glenfiddich announces the U.S. launch of the next iteration of the Glenfiddich Experimental Series, Project XX.  Glenfiddich Project XX  is the result of a collaboration between 20 whisky experts and Glenfiddich’s Malt Master, Brian Kinsman. He invited these experts each to select a cask, 20 in total, from a warehouse at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown.  After each expert had chosen a single cask, from aged malts matured in port pipes to ancient sherry butts and first fill bourbon casks, Brian produced the final variant to reflect their individual tastes and interests, married together in a small batch vatting.

(SRP $79.99), 47% ABV 
www.glenfiddich.com

 

3/29/17: Merlet XO Cognac and Cherry Liqueur

Merlet XO cognac is the fifth of a range alongside other premium cognacs including VS, VSOP, Brothers Blend and Sélection St Sauvant. Merlet XO Cognac is a blend of several eaux-de-vie from different growing areas of the cognac region, with about half from the Fins Bois cru, and the other half from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne crus. The product ages from six years-old to over 15 years-old, making the average age over 10 years.

Sœurs Cerises is the revival of Cherry Brandy. Several specific cherry varieties, including Morello, have been selected. It is a combination of two production methods. The fruits are macerated in neutral alcohol and the resulting infusion is married to a distilled cherry spirit, blended as well with some cherry juice to keep fresh acidity. A touch of a young family cognac is then added.

The Cognac is 40% ABV and retails for approximately $89.95. The Liqueur is 24% ABV and retails for $29.95.
http://www.merlet.fr./

 

3/28/17: Rieger’s Monogram Whiskey

J. Rieger & Co. will launch the first Rieger’s Monogram Whiskey in nearly a hundred years, a limited annual series from the Kansas City distiller. A blend of 11-year Rye and 9-year Corn Whiskey, Rieger’s 2017 Monogram Whiskey is finished for 18 months in century-old Olorso Sherry Botas supplied by Williams & Humbert, one of the oldest Sherry producers in Jerez, Spain.

 104 proof. Only 1,000 bottles were made. Available at select retailers, the suggested retail price is $99.99.

 

 

3/24/17: Glenmorangie Pride 1974 

Glenmorangie Single Malt Whisky announces a new limited edition release – Glenmorangie Pride 1974 – the third expression in the distillery’s Pride series. Only 503 crystal decanters of the $9,050, 41 year old single malt exist, arriving in the U.S. in April 2017.

This single malt whisky owes its character to the marriage of two whiskies from two casks, one matured for its entire life in ex-bourbon casks, the other in ex-Oloroso sherry butts. www.glenmorangie.com

 

3/23/17: Martell VS Single Distillery

This blend unites eaux-de-vie from a single distillery. 

Martell VS Single Distillery will be available in U.S. markets including California, Washington DC, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, Texas and Michigan this March with a suggested retail price of $34.99.

 

 

 

3/21/17: Hochstadter’s Family Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey

Hochstadter’s Family Reserve is made from 100 percent farm-grown rye grain and aged 16 years in newly charred American Oak Barrels. Sourced from Alberta Distillers Limited, this offering is bottled at barrel proof in Philadelphia, PA.

SRP  $199.99

http://www.hochstadtersvattedrye.com/

 

3/16/17: The Whiskey Barons Collection from Campari America: Bond & Lillard and Old Ripy

Bond & Lillard: Distilled and bottled and at the Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY, this Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is aged a minimum of seven years in timber warehouses and is charcoal filtered. This filtration process simulates the aeration process that happens in the barrel, converting more aggressive congeners to esters that end in more elegant top notes. Proof: 50% alc./vol. (100 proof) Price: Suggested retail price for 375mL: $49.99

Old Ripy: Old Ripy is a combination of 8-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon with 12-year-old and younger whiskies for added complexity and oak. It is distilled at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Anderson County, aged in timber warehouses and non-chill filtered to retain congeners, fusil oils, lipid fats and proteins we believe you would find in the original.  Proof: 52% alc./vol. (104 proof) Price: Suggested retail price for 375mL: $49.99

Both whiskies are only available for purchase in select markets, including California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York City, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. 

 

 

3/16/17: Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Triple Grain American Oak

This limited-edition blend is the result of experiments focusing on the influence of bourbon and rye whiskey flavors on Scotch. Aged for at least 10 years in American oak, including bourbon casks, Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Triple Grain American Oak is crafted using five whiskies including grain from the now closed Port Dundas distillery and malt from Mortlach on Speyside.  

Available nationwide with suggested retail price of $29.99(750ml) while supplies last.
www.JohnnieWalker.com

 

 

 

3/15/17: Kavalan Amontillado, Manzanilla, Moscatel, PX and Port Cask Single Malts

Kavalan’s new Amontillado, Manzanilla, Moscatel, PX and Port matured single malts will arrive on shelf in the U.S. beginning this April 2017.

Kavalan Amontillado Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky  (750ml, 50-60% ABV; $599 SRP)
Kavalan Manzanilla Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky  (750ml; 50-60% ABV; $599 SRP)
Kavalan Moscatel Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky (750ml; 50-60% ABV; $599 SRP)
Kavalan PX Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky (750ml; 50-60% ABV; $699 SRP)
Kavalan Port Cask Single Malt Whisky (750ml; 50-60% ABV; $299 SRP)

 

 

 

3/14/17:  Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey 

This 100 proof, Bottled-In-Bond, small batch recipe bourbon was aged for 12 years and is a limited edition release. Made from a distinct bourbon recipe using corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley, this bourbon was distilled in 2005, entered into the barrel at 104 proof. This Four Grain Bourbon is the ninth and latest release in the collection of E. H. Taylor, Jr. whiskeys, rounding out the collection of Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon, Single Barrel Bourbon, Warehouse C Tornado Surviving Bourbon, Barrel Proof Bourbon, Straight Rye Whiskey, Small Batch Bourbon, Cured Oak Bourbon and Seasoned Wood Bourbon. 

This special bottling of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey will be available starting in April in limited supply. The suggested retail price is $69.99 per 750ml bottle.

 

  3/8/17: Appleton Estate JOY Anniversary Blend

To commemorate master blender Joy Spence’s 20th anniversary and pay homage to her years at Appleton Estate, the distillery is releasing “JOY,” its first 25-Year-Old Rum. It includes two rum marques: The first of these
marques was laid down to age in 1981 - the year Spence joined the Appleton Estate team, and the second is
her favorite marque of pot still rum.

Appleton Estate’s “Joy” Anniversary Blend is bottled at 90 proof (45% alc./vol.) and retails for an MSRP of $250.

 

 

3/1/17: Stony Point Whiskey from  Griffo Distillery

  Griffo Distillery releases their first whiskey, Stony Point. Stony Point Whiskey is made with organic corn and rye grain grown in California and sourced from local suppliers. The entire process is done onsite in Griffo’s 6,000 square foot distillery in Petaluma, CA. From milling the grain, to distillation, to aging the spirit in locally coopered oak barrels. Made with a rye-high bourbon mash bill and aged in 2-year seasoned French and American oak Bordeaux barrels.

The whiskey will launch with a party on March 11. Details here.

 

 

2/24/17: Mount Gay Rum 1703 Master Select

  The 1703 Master Select blend features a blend of copper column and copper pot rums from Mount Gay’s oldest reserves – ranging from 10 to 30 year old rums – created and hand-picked by Master Blender Allen Smith. The company releases one batch of 1703 Master Select annually (previously named 1703 Old Cask Selection). Approximately 12,000 bottles will be released worldwide as part of this year’s batch.

Offered in 750ml or 700ml bottles dependent on country at 43 percent alcohol by volume (86 proof), 1703 Master Select will sell for a suggested retail price of $150. 
www.mountgayrum.com

 

 

2/23/17: LiDestri Cask & Crew Straight + Flavored Whiskey 

Cask & Crew straight and flavored whiskeys are a 51%/49% blend of fine three-year-old Canadian rye and classic barrel aged American corn whiskey respectively. The brand’s three initial flavors include a straight blend of rye and whiskey (40% ABV), and two that are “corrected” with Walnut Toffee or Ginger Spice (35% ABV).

Priced at $24-$26.99 for 750 ml bottles, Cask & Crew’s Batch 1 is currently sold in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Connecticut, Maryland and Kentucky, and will be available in 12 states by spring. With brisk sales, Batch 1’s 22,500 bottles (7500 per flavor) are expected to sell out by March and LiDestri is gearing up production for Batch 2.

 

 

2/23/17: Wild Turkey Master's Keep Decades, Second Edition

Wild Turkey is celebrating the 35th anniversary of Master Distiller Eddie Russell by releasing Master's Keep Decades. It’s the second limited-edition Bourbon in the Master's Keep series.

Made from a blend of whiskies aged 10 to 20 years, this 104 proof (52% alc. /vol.)  Available nationally and at the Wild Turkey Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Decades will retail for $150 for a limited time.

 

 

2/22/17: Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year Old Bourbon

A one-time bottling of Van Winkle bourbon will soon be released. Only 11 barrels comprise this batch of 710 bottles. The barrels were distilled in the spring and fall of 1989 and stored on the lower levels of a metal clad warehouse built in 1935 at the Van Winkle family distillery in Shively, Ky. In 2002 the barrels were moved to Buffalo Trace Distillery, where they continued to age for another 12 years on the lower floors in Buffalo Trace’s brick warehouses.  In 2014 the Buffalo Trace team moved the barrels into stainless steel tanks to halt the aging process. 

The 25 year Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon is bottled at 100 proof and will start shipping in April. Suggested retail pricing is $1,800 for a 750 ml bottle. 

 

2/17/17: Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1990

 The barley harvest from the previous summer proved problematic for whisky makers in 1990. It was hard to process through Scotland’s distilleries. The Distillery nurtured the spirit’s rare delicacy for 25 years in ex-bourbon casks, with a small parcel in ex-sherry casks.

Chill-filtered and bottled at 43% ABV; $630 U.S.

 

2/9/17: C3 CARCIOFO artichoke liqueur from DON CICCIO & FIGLI

C3 is a bitter aperitivo based on an infusion of three types of California-grown artichokes, cardoons, grapefruit, and 18 selected botanicals. It is aged in barrel for 12 months, and is 23% ABV. C3 is based on a traditional Italian recipe from 1911, a nod to the original DON CICCIO & FIGLI distillery, which produced liqueurs on Italy’s picturesque Amalfi Coast for nearly a century. Today, this recipe is being resurrected stateside by fourth generation family owner Francesco Amodeo who opened the Washington, D.C. distillery in 2012. 

SRP is $35.99. www.donciccioefigli.com

 

 

 

2/2/17:  MICHIGIN gin from Long Road Distillers

Grand Rapids-based Long Road Distillers will release a new seasonal gin on February 6. The gin was crafted from 100% Michigan ingredients, starting with water fresh from Lake Michigan, red winter wheat from Heffron Farms and juniper harvested by hand on Beaver Island. MICHIGIN's base spirit is distilled from red winter wheat from nearby Belding, Michigan, milled on site at the distillery on Grand Rapids' West Side. It was then redistilled with a variety of Michigan botanicals, including lemon verbena and fennel from Visser Farms in Zeeland, lemon balm from Creation Farms in Beulah, and Galena hops from the Michigan Hop Alliance in Northport.

Available in Michigan. longroaddistillers.com

 

 

2/1/17: Wyoming Whiskey Double Cask

Wyoming Whiskey is releasing a limited edition, sherry-finished bourbon this month. Wyoming Whiskey Double Cask is the first barrel-finished product from the Wyoming-based distiller. Pedro Ximenez barrels were chosen to compliment the flavor profile of five-year-old Wyoming Whiskey bourbon.

A limited release of 110 cases of Double Cask will be available for purchase in Wyoming, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Texas and California. Double Cask retails for $59.99 per 750 ml bottle.

 

 

2/1/17: Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced Rum 

A blend of Puerto Rican rums that have been aged for a minimum of three years and up to six years for this expression that differentiate Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced Rum from unaged spiced rums. A blend of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove add flavor to the Oak Barrel Spiced Rum. No artificial flavors or colors are added.

45% ABV, SRP $29.99. www.donq.com

 

 

 

2/1/17: Glenmorangie Bacalta

Glenmorangie Bacalta is the first Glenmorangie finished entirely in sun-baked Malmsey Madeira casks. First, Dr Bill Lumsden arranged for bespoke American oak casks to be created and heavily toasted. The casks were then seasoned to his specifications by Malmsey wine – the sweetest and most prized of the Madeira wines – which was baked within to maturity as the casks lay in the heat of Madeira’s sun. Emptied, shipped to Scotland and filled with specially selected spirit – already matured in ex-bourbon barrels.

Non chill-filtered and bottled at 46% ABV; $99.99 US SRP

 

 

2/1/17: The Macallan 1991 Fine & Rare vintage

The cask was filled with The Macallan new make spirit on March 28th 1991 and is bottled at a natural cask strength of 49.4% abv, deemed by the Master Whisky Maker, Bob Dalgarno, to be the ideal strength to fully realise and appreciate the intense yet soft palate of the 25 years old 1991 Fine & Rare vintage.

The 1991 Fine & Rare vintage will retail at approximately $10,000 USD per 750ml bottle.

 

 

1/26/17: Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked returns in Kentucky Only

Woodford Reserve announces the re-release of Double Double Oaked in its Distillery Series. Double Double Oaked is the result of finishing fully mature Woodford Reserve Double Oaked for an additional year in its second, heavily toasted, lightly charred, new oak barrel. 

Double Double Oaked is available for purchase in limited quantities beginning January 26 at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and select retailers in Kentucky. Double Double Oaked is presented at 90.4 proof with a suggested retail price of $49.99 for a 375ml bottle.

 

 

1/25/17: Bruichladdich New Releases

Wee Laddie Tasting set $66 at ReserveBar.com

Black Art 5 - Available March 1, The fifth incarnation of this limited (12,000 bottles globally) single malt and the first by head distiller Adam Hannett; as ever, the cask composition remains a mystery. 24 years old, 48.4%

Bruichladdich 10 Year Old's (second edition): The aged editions come in: Classic (unpeated), Port Charlotte (heavily peated) & Octomore (world's most heavily peated) and in a limited quantity of 18,000 individually numbered bottles globally.
These whiskies are hand made and bottled at the distillery using Islay spring water, without the use of chill filtration or the addition of artificial coloring.

Laddie 10: $65.99 Port Charlotte 10: $69.99 Octomore 10: $235.99 Available in select liquor stores and online, starting February 1, 2017.

 

1/24/17: Diplomatico Rum's Tradition Range 

Diplomático Rum launches the new Tradition Range featuring their flagship spirit, Reserva Exclusiva, and two new-to-market expressions, Mantuano and Planas.  Mantuano, 40% ABV, is a blended rum aged for up to 8 years. Planas, 47% ABV, aged up to 6 years, is a blended white rum.

The new tradition range will be available in key cities starting in February 2017 with Reserva Exclusiva (SRP $40), Planas (SRP $29). Mantuano (SRP $24). www.rondiplomatico.com

 

1/22/17: Spytail Black Ginger Rum

Spytail is based on a 19th Century French recipe of ageing Caribbean Rum with fresh ginger and spices in the barrel. The rum is distilled in the Caribbean and then aged, spiced, and blended at a small family distillery in the Cognac region of France.

Spytail is bottled at 40%-42% alcohol by volume. Retail price varies by market – in the USA, the 750 ml is available for $21.99-$23.99. biggarandleith.com

 

 

1/13/17: “Zmaj” Serbian juniper barrel aged absinthe from Copper & Kings American Brandy Co.

Matured 18 months in Serbian Juniper wood barrels, the double-distilled Muscat brandy base, non-chill filtered spirit is unadulterated by any post distillation infusion of flavors or essences. 

(130 proof/65% ABV) $60 per 750mL bottle

 

 

1/13/17: J.A. Magnus Reserve Bourbon

Washington, D.C based distillery, Jos. A. Magnus & Co., is proud to announce the creation of their latest limited edition bourbon, J.A. Magnus Reserve at suggested retail of $1,000 a bottle. Only 192 bottles were made. Once they are gone this product will never exist again.

J.A. Magnus Reserve is a cask strength blend of two rare "honey barrels" comprised of 16 and 18 year straight bourbons which were hand-selected by Master Blender Nancy "The Nose" Fraley.