alcohol

Willem Dafoe Stars in Ad For Jim Beam

Filed under: Spirits

Premium Bourbon Jim Beam has tapped actor Willem Dafoe for an unusual TV ad campaign.

Directed by Dante Ariola and created by New York ad agency StrawberryFrog, the ad uses Dafoe to talk about the choices we make in life and how they define who we are. "Life boils down to a series of choices," says Dafoe in the voiceover. "All choices lead you somewhere; bold choices lead you where you are supposed to be."

In between the statements, the commercial surprises and amuses the viewer with images of Dafoe as chess player, circus clean-up man, fashion designer, plant manager, sumo wrestler and trapeze artist. The commercial's last image is of a bottle of Jim Beam, suggesting this is the bold choice bourbon drinkers must make.

Tags: alcohol, bourbon, Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, spirits, StrawberryFrog, whisky, willem dafoe

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Belvedere 80 Vodka Review

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

It's not easy to craft a new vodka that isn't more hype than hooch. But Belvedere gets credit for creating a discernible, interesting new expression.

Belvedere 80 Unfiltered Vodka is distilled four times from Dankowskie Diamond Rye, which is a rare and super premium baker's grade grain that gives the vodka an elegant full bodied taste that has hints of baked breads, sea salt and white pepper. Price $31.00.

The unfiltered vodka is unique for Belvedere, which follows a filtration and distillation processes with its other expressions.

The last Belvedere expression we tried was Belvedere Intense, a 100-proof vodka.

Tags: alcohol, Belvedere 80, Belvedere vodka, liquor, spirits, vodka

Lion's Pride Whiskey First Chicago Distilled Since Prohibition

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The first whiskey legally produced in Chicago since Prohibition will be available just in Midway this year, but it will get distribution beyond Illinois in the New Year.

Launched November 6, Lion's Pride Organic Whiskey, distilled at Koval Distillery in Ravenswood, comes in four single-grain expressions: rye, oat, dark rye and dark oat. Price is $48.00 for a 750 ml bottle.

Named in honor of Lion Birnecker, the son of Koval's owners Sonat and Robert Birnecker, Lion's Pride joins a line of vodka, liqueurs and other spirits made in the Birneckers' copper still.

Tags: alcohol, Lions Pride whiskey, liquor, organic, organic liquor, organic whiskey, rye whiskey, whiskey, whisky

Fortune Brands Breakup Would Put Premium Spirits Brands In Play

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Activist investor Bill Ackman has been given a four-week deadline to propose changes to the board of Fortune Brands, the company that is parent to Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Laphroaig and Courvosier, as well as Pinnacle and Scotty Cameron golf equipment, which could lead to the break-up of the conglomerate.

Since disclosing his holding last month, Mr Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, has kept quiet about his plans. However, his record suggests he wants Fortune's board to explore breaking up its stable of consumer brands starting with its spirits business, which includes Jim Beam whiskey and that distillery's small-batch Bourbon brands, and Courvoisier cognac.

Ackman holds an 11% stake in the company, which has always been viewed as an odd throw-back type conglomerate of disassociated businesses. Besides the spirits brands, and golf equipment, Fortune also operates home and home-security businesses and brands such as Moen, Masterlock, as well as kitchen cabinet brands.

In the past month, Ackman has held talks with Fortune's management about its corporate structure, shareholder value, etc. Ackman has four weeks to file a slate of his own candidates for the company's board to be voted on at the general meeting in April.

The most obvious buyers of FB's liquor businesses are drinks giants Diageo and Pernod Ricard of France. Gruppo Campari, which owns Wild Turkey and other brands, also could be interested in acquiring some of the brands. Bacardi would also be a factor in bidding. It is possible that Fortune Brands spirits brands would go to different companies, each looking for its own strategic additions.

Fortune's other brands include Cruzan Rum, Canadian Club, Effen Vodka, Ardmore single-malt, Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry, Teacher's Scotch Whiskey and DeKuyper spirits.

Fortune Brands shares are trading around $60.00, up more than 10% since October 7, and up from its 52-week low of $37.05

Tags: alcohol, Bill Ackman, bourbon, Courvosier, Fortune Brands, Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Laphroaig, Makers Mark, Masterlock, Moen, Pinnacle, scotty cameron, spirits, whiskey, whisky

WhistlePig 100% Rye Whiskey

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

WhistlePig Farm Distillery, a Vermont-based distillery, has launched WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey, a new 100 proof whiskey made of rye grain.

The whiskey is hand selected by Dave Pickerell, master distiller at this Vermont distillery. WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey retails at a suggested price of $69.99 for a 750ml bottle. That runs higher than most Rye on the market. Rittenhouse, for example, retails for $19.99 in most outlets. Ri(1) retails for about $48.00.

WhistlePig is already being served at several New York restaurants like Blue Hill, Pastis, Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park and The Standard Hotel.

WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey, aged in new American oak barrels for a minimum of 10 years, is hand bottled in Vermont's Champlain Valley at WhistlePig Farm. The whiskey is available in California, Illinois, New York and other select markets. Unlike many rye whiskies, WhistlePig is 100% rye and is bottled at 100 proof, making this a perfect choice for cocktails.

On the nose, WhistlePig offers nice wood notes from the oak casks, with hints of vanilla and caramel. Notes of dried orange peel, cinnamon, allspice and clove also appear, hinting at the flavors to be found inside.

Tags: alcohol, liquor, Rittenhouse Tye, rye, Rye whiskey, spirits, whiskey, whisky, Whistlepig

Compass Box Releases Tenth Anniversary Special Edition

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Compass Box president John Glaser is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the brand with a new expression called Flaming Heart blend.

For Flaming Heart, Glaser says he sought to create an unusual balance among sweet, peat and spice that he'd found in an early Compass Box limited edition he called Eleuthera. "Eleuthera was this lovely balance of sweet and and fruity, with spice and peat," he said, while drawing the comparison.

Compass Box's 10th Anniversary Flaming Heart malt Scotch whisky is being produced in a limited release of 4,000 bottles (1,800 available in the U.S.). It should be available at better whisky shops in the major U.S. markets, as well as abroad by October 25.

Compass Box is a blender, not a distiller. The company offers five "base" labels--Asyla (malt and grain blend), Oak Cross (10- to 12-year-old Highland single malts), The Peat Monster (10- to 16-year Islay, south shore and Ardmore blend), The Spice Tree (10- and 12-year Highland blend), and Hedonism (12- to 28-year whiskies).

Flaming Heart is made from single malt whiskies from six distilleries located in the northern Highlands and Islands. Primarily whiskies from distilleries located in the villages of Brora (Highlands), Port Askaig (Islay) and the Isle of Mull (Islands), 40% was aged in refill American oak, while 31% was aged in first-fill American oak and 29% in new French oak.

Tags: alcohol, Compass Box, Compass Box Peat Monster, flaming heart, liquor, whiskey, whisky

Four Roses Bourbon: Anniversary Single-Barrel and Barrel-Strength

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Four Roses 2010 single barrel, barrel-strength limited edition Bourbon has been out a few months, but it was only recently that I caught up with it for a sample. I wish I had come on it sooner.

Four Roses newest was aged 17 years, an uncommonly long time for Bourbon. The occasion for the release is the 100-year anniversary of the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Bourbon aged that long can turn out mighty woody. But these folks didn't let that happen. The notes are warm caramel, spiced oranges and cloves. The smooth mouth feel belies the high-proof content. But then the liquid gold seems to run down to your ankles, and warms you from within.

There are about 2,300 bottles of the 100th Anniversary Limited Edition to go around, retailing at between $75 and $100 a bottle. I'd recommend this to any whiskey cellar. And think about buying two--one to drink and one to shelf.

Tags: alcohol, barrel-strength Bourbon, Bourbon, four roses bourbon, liquor

New Spirit: The Balvenie 17 Year Peated Cask

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Speyside Scotch distillery The Balvenie has released a new limited edition expression, a 17-year old that is finished in a peated Islay cask. This is not the first time that the Balvenie have dabbled in peat. A previous limited edition, Islay Cask, sold out fast and is considered a collectible, selling well North of $200 in the secondary market.

Balvenie Peated Cask, $130.00, is comprised of a marriage of 17-year old Balvenie finished in new oak and 17-year old finished in casks that had previously held an unreleased experimental heavily-peated Balvenie distilled in 2001.

The nose on this expression is honeyed malt, which is The Balvenie's signature, soft oak dried apricots, orange liqueur, with some wood smoke notes chasing the fruit. The smoke is more pronounced on the tongue: indeed it overshadows the fruit. There is a saltiness in the finish typical of Laphroaig.

As Islay malts have grown in popularity, some of the Speyside and Highland distilleries, that generally do not malt their barley with peat, have been playing around with peat finishing to broaden their portfolios.

The Balvenie 17 is interesting, but not as pleasing, I think, as its core expressions. If you want peat, buy an Islay malt I say.

Tags: alcohol, Islay malts, Laphroaig, peated whisky, The Balvenie, The Balvenie 17 year-old peated cask, whiskey, whisky, whisky tasting

Bacardi Introduces Reserva Limitada Founder's Blend Rum

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Back in the early days of the Bacardi rum distillery, the Maestro de Ron (rum master) created a special blend just for the family of founder Don Facundo Bacardi. It remained exclusive to the family for generations, finally being released to local markets in the Caribbean – Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Aruba – to celebrate the opening of the distillery's visitor center back in 2003.

Aged in lightly-charred American white oak barrels for 10-16 years, the Reserva Limitada is now reaching the American market as the company's top-of-the-line "founder's blend". The deep reddish-gold dark rum has a nose of vanilla, oak and dried fruits.

Initial availability will be limited to just 1,000 cases (with six 750ml bottles per case), each bottle selling for a suggested price of $110.

Tags: alcohol, bacardi, bacardi founders blend, bacardi reserva limitada, maestro de ron, puerto rico, ron, rum, spirits

The Glenlivet Celebrates Expansion with new Founders Reserve

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Over the course of the summer, The Glenlivet underwent a £10 million expansion of its highland distillery. The project was overseen by its new Master Distiller Alan Winchester and which promises to help the distillery remain the top-selling single malt in the United States, to say nothing of its market domination overseas.

None less prominent a figure than Charles Prince of Wales was on hand together with the parent company executives to dedicate the new facility. Fortunately the 184-year-old distillery isn't about to keep the celebrations to itself though: to commemorate the expansion, The Glenlivet has released a new bottling called the Founders Reserve.

With a rich citrus nose and palate of clementines, caramel, cinnamon and raisins, the Founders Reserve will be available in strictly limited quantities at $375 per 750ml bottle.

[Source: WDJK]

Source

Tags: alcohol, founders reserve, glenlivet, glenlivet founders reserve, spirits, the glen livet, the glenlivet, whiskey, whisky

India's Amrut Readying Ultra-Premium Rum

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Indian distiller Amrut, which caused a sensation in the West last year after having its single-malt whisky rated #3 in the world by The Whisky Bible, has its eye on extending its new-found brand cachet into premium or ultra-premium priced rum.

Amrut makes most of its revenue, in fact, from selling rum and brandy inside India--Old Port Rum and Silver Cup Brandy. The company's chairman says Amrut blenders have been working on a luxury-priced rum that would be a blend of Caribbean and Indian rums. No release date is set yet.

Tags: alcohol, amrut, amrut intermediate sherry, Amrut Kadhambam, glenfiddich, rum, single-malt whisky, The Glenlivet, whisky

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Flavored Vodkas Continue To Climb at High and Low Ends

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Liquor store owners are becoming shelf challenged to handle all the flavored vodkas spirits companies are turning out. It's gotten to the point where industry experts aren't sure if the proliferation of flavored vodkas is answering a demand, or if the growth of sales isn't literally being driven by the avalanche of products.

Flavored vodka sales were up 16% last year, compared with a 1% gain for traditional vodka. So, it's easy to see why the liquor marketers keep the flavors coming. Burnett's Vodka now has 20 flavors! The addition of flavors ranging from coconut to root beer has the obvious and intended result of attracting more women to spirits, especially young women But the flavors attract the young men as well, and have been a force in taking them away from beer.

After all, vodka is the least expensive spirit to actually manufacture. It is usually derived from grains, grapes or potatoes, and doesn't require any aging. The flavors are pretty easy to come by. So the task for the distiller, in the end, is to find the right flavor of quality to achieve the mouth-feel and finish that is desirable.

A round-up of recent flavored vodkas shows that there is no end of flavors hitting the shelves. The other reason so many are coming is that it is cheap to test the market to see what sticks. If a particular flavor doesn't stick, the changeover or elimination of the flavor happens easily and with minimal cost.

What can you look for? And what is good?

CÎROC, a French ultra-premium vodka, made from select Mauzac Blanc and Ugni Blanc grapes grown and harvested in the Cognac and Gaillaic regions of France, is one of the finer and more interesting vodkas to hit the market in the last several years even without the addition of flavors. And I was surprised to see that Red Berry and Coconut were the first ones out of the gate. I was expecting flavors from CÎROC more reflecting the French sensibilities: Elderberry or perhaps Apple to suggest a Cognac and Normandy fusion.

CÎROC Red Berry and Coconut: 70-Proof, $34.99. The Coconut infused vodka is nicely buttery and carries the scent of a tasty macaroon. I drank it frozen, and was happy. then tried wit a splash of pineapple juice and ice. After sipping that, I added a bit of cream and a dash of Angostura Bitters, which pleased my group the most. The Red Berry is fruity as you would expect, but maybe a tad sweet. I drank this frozen, as well as with a bit of soda and ice. I would prefer a dryer fruit finish, especially with an ultra-premium, but I still like the base grape vodka of CÎROC, and believe it works as a better mixer than some cheaper flavored grain vodkas.

Gallery: Flavored Vodkas Fill High and Low Ends of Vodka Market

Tags: alcohol, Burnetts Vodka, Chambord Vodka, Ciroq, Flavored Vodka, ketel one oranje, Rokk Vodka, Smirnoff, Smirnoff Blue, vodka

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Elements 8 Creates Spiced Rum

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Elements 8 rum has created a new barrel infused spiced rum. The rum is a blend of fruits and spices that occur on St. Lucia, where Elements 8 Rums are distilled. Flavors including cinnamon, ginger, clove, star anise, vanilla, honey, nutmeg, orange, lemon and coconut are infused within the barrel before being finally blended with the other single rums. The result is a balance of 10 indigenous spices married with fine aged rum. it can be sipped neat or used to add a new twist to an Old-Fashioned or to spice up a Dark and Stormy. The rum is being sold in the UK and will be available in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges for £36.99.

Tags: alcohol, elements 8, rum, spiced rum

British Polo Players to Take Breathalyzer Tests - Prince Harry, This Means You

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Sports

Champagne is the perfect accompaniment to the aristocratic sport of polo, but if you're playing rather than merely watching it at Britain's most prestigious fields you'll have to do your quaffing after the match. The game's regulatory body in the UK, the Hurlingham Polo Association, is introducing random alcohol testing for players in a bid to promote professionalism. Yes, that includes polo and party-loving royal Prince Harry (above). The limit will be set at half the amount considered unsafe for driving a car. Failing a breathalyzer test will not get a player banned for the season, the Guardian notes, but they will be prevented in playing in the day's match.

Many polo pros have welcomed the move, pointing out that a "good lunch", i.e. one accompanied by plenty of bubbly, never improves performance or safety. "It's always been in our regulations that alcohol and drugs aren't acceptable," notes HPA's chief executive David Woodd, "but now we have the machines which we didn't have before and a doctor or official on hand to use them....At the country club I wouldn't argue that there are players who will have a decent lunch and play afterward. But at the top end of the sport, most of them won't even eat, never mind drink, before they play."

Tags: alcohol, Champagne, country club, drinking, equestrian, horses, polo, Prince Harry, royalty, spirits, sporting, sports, UK

The Spirits of Father's Day. Ten Bottles To Buy Dad.

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

With Father's Day sneaking up on June 20, it is never too late to get Dad a gift he will appreciate if he keeps a bar and the better liquor retailers are open.

Choosing ten bottles as choices or Father's Day is not easy. But I apply a few criteria for gift giving suggestions.

1. Don't just get Dad a bottle of what he always drinks. If he drinks Wild Turkey week-to-week, think about a Small-batch bourbon that gets opened for special occasions, like when you surprise him with a Sunday afternoon visit he didn't expect.

2. Stay within his wheelhouse. If he drinks whisky 80% of the time, and hasn't made a Rum drink in 20 years, don't spend your money on an expensive Rum just because you like the bottle or the box it comes in.

3. Don't go for Vodka. Even if he drinks Vodka 90% of the time, I have yet to find the bottle of vodka I thought was worthy to give as a gift. It's colorless with barely a distinguishable taste. That doesn't say, "I love you Dad," in my book.

4. Think about introducing him to a new expression that is related to his taste. If he likes Islay (peaty) single-malt whiskies, buy one you don't see on his shelf that is more than he would spend on himself.

5. If he really is focused on one brand, like Glenmorangie Scotch, Jose Cuervo Tequila or Jack Daniels, you can't go wrong by buying him one of those distillery's premium or limited edition expressions. If he buys 12-year old Glenmorangie for himself, for example, he should love it if you buy him the 18-year old or one of the other premium or super-premium expressions.

If you are still stymied, and want an extra degree of novelty, go to www.johnniewalker.com, and take the Father's Day quiz, which asks the gift-giver to match the characteristics of their father to the right expression of JW: Red, Blue, Green, Gold or Black. I took the quiz for myself, and found that the best match for me is Johnnie Walker Gold.

Here are ten bottles I eagerly recommend for Dad, covering a few different categories: whisky, bourbon, rye, Port, Tequila and an after-dinner digestif.

Gallery: Ten Great Pours For Father's Day