GSN Backbar Review: May 16-20, 2016
Contributed by on May 21, 2016
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Beam Suntory is unveiling new limited release expressions for two of its super-premium American whiskey labels. This month, the small-batch Booker’s brand is being extended with Booker’s Rye, a 13-year-old unfiltered rye whiskey bottled at 68.1% abv. The first rye whiskey for Booker’s, it’s debuting in very limited quantities at about $300 a 750-ml. bottle. Also launching in May is Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon. Aged for 14 years, the 50%-abv expression is available in three different batches, retailing at around $130 a 750-ml. bottle.
Wyoming Whiskey is launching a new Private Stock Barrel Program for retailers and restaurants next month. Accounts nationwide will be able to choose their own private barrel from five different 100-ml. samples ranging from 92-97 proof. Each barrel yields between 34-38 cases. The Kirby, Wyoming-based company’s portfolio includes a flagship Small Batch Bourbon ($43), as well as Single Barrel Bourbon ($60) and Barrel Strength Bourbon ($199).
Pernod Ricard’s Glenlivet single malt brand is introducing its first single-cask Scotch whiskies to the U.S. market under The Glenlivet Single Cask Edition Pullman Train Collection. The three single-cask offerings include Pullman Club Car (aged 18 years in Sherry butt), Pullman Twentieth Century Limited (aged 19 years in European oak butt) and Pullman Water Level Route (aged 15 years in American oak hogshead). About 1,500 bottles of the Pullman collection are coming to market, retailing at $350 apiece. The range highlights The Glenlivet’s historical ties to first-class railroad company Pullman, which offered 2-ounce miniatures of the brand as the only Scotch whisky in its U.S. dining cars.
Heaven Hill Brands is releasing a special “American Hero” edition of its Evan Williams Black Bourbon to honor military veterans. Available nationwide through July 4, the red, white and blue bottle features individual stories of different U.S. heroes with stars and stripes on the label. Evan Williams’ American Heroes bottle retails for about $25 a 1.75-ml. and is being supported by a national advertising campaign
Impact “Hot Brand” RumChata is relaunching its philanthropic Freedom Bottle this summer. The limited edition package, retailing around $20 a 750-ml., will be available through July 4, with all sales benefiting the Lone Survivor Foundation (LSF). Since launching in 2014, RumChata’s Freedom Bottle program has raised more than $485,000 for LSF, which supports wounded service members and their families. RumChata grew 12% to over 600,000 cases in the U.S. last year.
Moët Hennessy USA has unveiled a new special edition of its Ardbeg single malt brand, Dark Cove. A no-age-statement, 46.5% abv malt, Ardbeg Dark Cove is a blend of whiskies matured in ex-Bourbon and dark Sherry casks. Launching at the end of this month, Dark Cove ($110 a 750-ml.) is limited to a release of 1,100 nine-liter cases. Ardbeg, an Islay malt, has nearly tripled in size in the U.S. market over the past five years, to over 20,000 cases.
Hangar 1 Vodka, part of the Proximo Spirits portfolio, has launched Fog Point, a limited edition made with San Francisco fog water. The product is made in collaboration with FogQuest, a non-profit dedicated to creating sustainable water sources.
All information courtesy of Shanken News Daily
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