William Grant

Newport WineFest Runs This Weekend

Filed under: Wine, Events

This weekend will see some serious wining and dining at the Newport WineFest 2010 on the waterfront in Newport, Rhode Island. The event takes place on August 20-22, 2010 at the Newport Yachting Center. The event offers wine tastings, gourmet dishes and special spirits events.

Luxury spirits company William Grant and Sons will have a large presence at the event showcasing their Milagro, Hendrick's Gin, Sailor Jerry, Glenfiddich and Balvenie brands. Milagro tequila and Hendrick's will both have a 35' x 35' activation area which will include a tent, bar and lounge areas. Stoli, Sailor Jerry, Glenfiddich and Balvenie will share a 4-sided pavilion where they will sample refreshing summer cocktails and many Scotch variants.

The weekend's festivities include a grand tasting from 6pm to 11pm on Friday night with a special mixology demo at 10pm. On Saturday the Grand Tasting runs from 5 – 10pm with a 5- 7pm: Grand Cru Tasting featuring high-end variants of Balvenie, Glenfiddich and others. On Sunday there is a chefs and champagne brunch in the morning with another grand tasting from12 – 5pm including a 3:30 pm demo of Milagro's Freshest Margarita. Tickets are available for individual events or an all-event pass can be picked up at the door for $335.

Tags: balvenie, food and wine, milagro, newport winefest, William Grant, wine festival

William Grant's Spirits of Summer

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

When the weather finally warms up in these parts we look forward to sitting out in the garden with the sun, the birds, a good book and a tall cool drink. We recently had the chance to try some great new candidates for quaffing - three (relatively) recent entries and one true classic - courtesy of William Grant & Sons spirits. Reyka is the first and only vodka to be distilled and bottled in Iceland. The small-batch, hand-crafted, ultra-pure spirit is distilled in a copper still imported from Scotland using barley, wheat, and spring water filtered through 4,000 year-old lava rock. Milagro super premium tequila is crafted in small batches from estate-grown 100% blue agave hand-selected in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. Using traditional clay ovens, Milagro slow roasts the agave six times longer than most tequilas, and uses a triple distillation process that imparts exceptional smoothness.

Sailor Jerry Rum bears the signature of Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins, the father of old-school tattooing. Distilled to 92 proof, it's a strong, spiced, smooth spirit. Made from Sailor Jerry's personal recipe, it's handcrafted from pure, rich dark molasses, blending Carribean-style rum with vanilla, caramel and various spices. And Lillet, an aperitif blended from 85% wine and 15% citrus liqueurs from France, was established way back in 1872. The wines are carefully selected in the Podensac area and citrus liqueurs are produced through the maceration of cold fruit peels in pure distilled spirits over several months. It's then aged in oak to acquire a soft, rich character. We're partial to the Blanc variety with its hints of honey, candied orange, lime, and mint.

Tags: aperitif, France, Iceland, Lillet, Lillet blanc, LilletBlanc, Mexico, Milagro, Reyka, rum, Sailor Jerry, SailorJerry, summer cocktails, SummerCocktails, tequila, vodka, William Grant, William Grant Sons, WilliamGrant, WilliamGrantSons