INTRODUCING HAN SHAN: THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE FROM HUDSON WHISKEY’S “MAKING THE CUT” CHALLENGE AND  OUR NEW BRAND AMBASSADOR

NEW YORK – July 7, 2014 – All hail the new Hudson brand ambassador! Actually, all hug the new Hudson brand ambassador- here at Hudson Whiskey, we’re all about love over laud. The amount of love for each hand-dipped bottle of whiskey, love for each local New York-sourced ingredient we use, and love for each member of our distillery is immeasurable, which brings us to Han Shan. We fell in love with his knowledge of the whiskey landscape, his enthusiasm for Hudson, but above of all, we fell in love with him! Which is why we’re thrilled to announce Mr. Han Shan as the new face of Hudson Whiskey. 

To be honest, we fell in love with all of our delightful and charismatic candidates- “Making the Cut” was not a search for the pre-eminent mixologist or an encyclopedic spirits mind, but for the next member of the Hudson family. We took three finalists up to the Hudson distillery at Tuthilltown, New York and taught our  prospective ambassadors what it is that makes whiskey “Hudson Whiskey”, why we source everything locally, and generally what it means to be part of the Hudson clan. In the end, while we’re excited to have three new friends, we found that Han was the full human embodiment of Hudson’s ideals and identity. Congratulations! 

As the new face of Hudson, Han will circle the country, speaking with bartenders, restaurant owners, whiskey enthusiasts and journalists, hosting tastings, connecting with fans via social media and representing our brand in the national press. 

“From sampling bourbon and rye straight from barrels in the rickhouse to exploring the dramatic mountain trails overlooking the distillery to late-night storytelling with the other candidates at the beautiful Hudson Valley farmhouse, Making the Cut was truly a beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime experience,” says Han of his time at the distillery. “I cannot fully express the level of my excitement to spread love for this wonderful whiskey, and for being graciously welcomed into the family.” Adds Gable Erenzo, co-founder, distiller, and former brand ambassador for Hudson: “When we started this project, I never dreamed that we would find someone as passionate and dynamic as Han. To be honest, I can’t help but see a bit of myself in him and I couldn’t imagine a more perfect friend to take over for me as ambassador. 

For a full look at Han’s journey to spirits stardom, head to HudsonWhiskey.com/MakingTheCut; who knows, maybe you’ll discover a thing or two that might help you become the next member of our little family here at Tuthilltown. You can also keep an eye on our website to find out when Han might be coming to your town so you can say hello yourself- we’re sure he’d love to meet you! 

About Hudson

Hudson Whiskey has become an iconic American Whiskey since the first of its signature 375 ml bottles were shipped in 2005.  In this short time, the micro distillery in upstate New York has quickly received acclaim not only for the quality of its marques, but also for its ground-breaking status: As well as being the first legal pot-stilled whiskey distilled in New York state since prohibition and sourcing 90% of its grains from within 10 miles of the distillery, Hudson’s signature expression – Baby Bourbon – is also the first ever New York state-produced bourbon. Hudson Whiskeys have an ABV of 46% and include a range of diverse and innovative marques including Hudson Baby Bourbon (RRP of $44.99), Hudson Four Grain Bourbon (RRP of $44.99), Hudson Manhattan Rye (RRP of $44.99), Hudson Single Malt (RRP of $44.99) and Hudson New York Corn Whiskey (RRP of $38.99) For more information, visit http://www.hudsonwhiskey.com/

About William Grant & Sons

William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distills some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s most awarded single malt Glenfiddich^®, The Balvenie^® range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch Grant’s^® along with iconic premium spirits brands Hendrick’s^® Gin, Sailor Jerry^® Rum, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey and Milagro^® Tequila. 

William Grant & Sons has been honored as “Distiller of the Year” by the prestigious International Wine & Spirit Competition and International Spirits Challenge ten times over the past 15 years. 

Founded in 1964, William Grant & Sons USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of William Grant & Sons, Ltd. and features one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios in the USA with brands including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Hendrick’s Gin, Sailor Jerry Rum, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, Milagro Tequila, Grant’s, Hudson Whiskey, Gibson’s Finest, Monkey Shoulder, Clan MacGregor, Reyka Vodka, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Montelobos Mezcal, Ancho Reyes, Lillet, Art In The Age, The Knot and Raynal French Brandy. For more information on the company and its brands, please visit http://www.grantusa.com/.