Hard Truth Distilling Co. Releases Origin Series of Limited Barrel Whiskeys 

Only 35 barrels of the original whiskeys created during its early years of development and exploration are available for a limited time.

Nashville, Ind. (November 7, 2022) – Hard Truth Distilling Co., an Indiana-based sweet mash distillery, today announced the release of its Origin Series – three, limited-supply, single barrel whiskeys crafted in Kentucky during Hard Truth’s early exploration into what is now their distinguished whiskey portfolio, including the award-winning Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey.

Limited to only 35 barrels and three expressions, bottles of Hard Truth Kentucky Sweet Mash Bourbon Whiskey (BW-1, 12 barrels), Wheated Bourbon Whiskey (BW-2, 12 barrels) and Rye Whiskey (RW-1, 11 Barrels), are currently available in six states: Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee.

“It’s a rare opportunity to taste our history,” said Hard Truth Master Distiller Bryan Smith. “We are calling this limited release our origin story, and we are thrilled that others can experience and taste it. It’s fair to say we will never produce a whiskey with these flavor profiles again.”

Smith said Hard Truth sweet mash whiskeys originated with a clear vision of a state-of-the-art sweet mash distillery and the savor-worthy whiskeys it would produce. “And, while in the process of making that vision become a reality, we partnered with a Kentucky distillery, which, under my direction, produced a small number of whiskey barrels with unique Hard Truth mash bills,” said Smith.

Hard Truth Distilling Co., based in Nashville, Indiana, currently produces more than 20 premium spirits, and all of its products are made with 90 percent locally produced ingredients. Smith said that is another reason these barrels are so uncommon for the Indiana-based distillery.

John Behling, Hard Truth’s Chief Marketing Officer, said the company is preparing to release other extremely limited whiskeys. “No details yet, but Bryan is preparing other unique casks for sale on a rationed basis,” said Behling. “Stay tuned for more information.”

All three Kentucky Single Barrel releases are bottled at barrel strength, uncut and unfiltered. Each expression has an MSRP of $69.99. Flavor profiles are as follows:

HARD TRUTH KENTUCKY SWEET MASH BOURBON WHISKEY (BW-1) — 12 Barrels

Hard Truth Kentucky Sweet Mash Bourbon, Mash Bill #1, features a classic bourbon mash bill containing corn, rye, and malted barley.

• Appearance: Tawny
• Nose: Deep caramel, toasted almond, dill, and sweet candied fruit
• Palate: Rich apricot marmalade, brown sugar, oak, and bold black pepper
• Finish: Warm and lingering notes of fruit that fade to coffee and butterscotch

HARD TRUTH KENTUCKY SWEET MASH WHEATED BOURBON WHISKEY (BW-2) — 12 Barrels

Hard Truth Kentucky Sweet Mash Wheated Bourbon, Mash Bill #2, features a mash bill containing corn, wheat, and malted barley.

• Appearance: Tawny
• Nose: Sweet hints of marshmallow, nougat, and baking spices with a touch of vanilla
• Palate: Big notes of maple, orchard fruit, and oak with a hint of toffee
• Finish: Bold, warm, and lingering with caramel carrying baking spices

HARD TRUTH KENTUCKY SWEET MASH RYE WHISKEY (RW-1) — 11 Barrels

Hard Truth Kentucky Sweet Mash Rye, Mash Bill #1, is the predecessor to Hard Truth’s Indiana Sweet Mash Rye, Mash Bill #1.

• Appearance: Tawny
• Nose: Brown sugar, sweet dill, baking spices, and dried fruit
• Palate: Caramel and honey with rich dill, golden raisin, and cracked black pepper
• Finish: Balanced and lingering, maple and oak fade to hints of fruit and mocha

About Hard Truth Distilling Co.

Headquartered in Nashville, Indiana, Hard Truth Distilling Co. produces more than 20 premium spirits, including critically acclaimed Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey and top-selling Hard Truth Cinnamon Vodka, Hard Truth Toasted Coconut Rum, and Hard Truth Toasted Coconut Rum Cream.

Hard Truth’s spirits are distributed in Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming with several new states coming on board in late 2022 and 2023.

Founded in 2015, Hard Truth Distilling Co. quickly outgrew its original production facility, and, by 2017, construction had begun on its current facility, a distillery housed in a 50,000-square-foot building equipped with a state-of-the-art Vendome Copper & Brass distilling system. Hard Truth’s destination campus spans 325 wooded acres in Brown County, Indiana — an artists’ colony and tourist destination known for its natural beauty.

Visit hardtruth.com for the complete Hard Truth experience.

ARTEMIS ORION
First Launch Accomplished

Invergordon 30 Year Old 1991

Specialist online Scotch whisky merchant and bottler, TheWhiskyBarrel.com, is proud to release the second bottling of its ARTEMIS whisky series commemorating the first flight of the Artemis space program. A new single cask Scotch whisky selected from a unique cask distilled at Invergordon distillery at Easter Ross in the Highlands of Scotland.

ORION First Launch Accomplished

Artemis 1 is the first launch of the Orion spacecraft. It is to be a test flight orbiting the Moon before returning to Earth in the coming weeks and followed by a crewed lunar landing expected in 2025; the first since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Invergordon 30 Year Old 1991 Vintage Single Cask

Selected from a single barrel (ex-Islay) cask distilled at Invergordon distillery, Highlands, yielding 204 numbered bottles at natural cask strength 47.0% abv.

Product Page HERE 

Nose: Constellation of peat smoke, ecliptic fruit salad and mango, rocket fuelled demerara sugar and lunar honey.

Taste: Big bang of tropical fruits, solar bonfire embers, orbital blood oranges and total eclipse of chocolate ginger.

Finish: Meteor shower of vanilla pods, deep space pomegranate with a soft sweet gravitational pull.

PRICING

Each bottle retails at: £150 GBP inc. VAT / €143 EUR / $149 USD / c$198  (+ P&P)

Q) What is the product called?
A) – ORION First Launch Accomplished Invergordon 30 Year Old

Q) When will this product be released/was it released?
A) Wednesday 16th November, 2022.

Q) Where is it available?
A) Scotland, off-trade, TheWhiskyBarrel.com.

Q) Is this product already available in other markets?
A) Scotland only, TheWhiskyBarrel.com ships worldwide.

Q) How much is it?
A) Each bottle retails at £150 GBP inc. VAT / €143 EUR / $149 USD / c$198  (+ P&P)

Q) Who handles the product’s distribution?
A) In-house at TheWhiskyBarrel.com.

Q) How many bottles are there?
A) 204 bottles.

Q) What is the ABV of this product?
A) Natural cask strength.

Q) Why has this product been launched?
A) Limited Edition single cask exclusive for TheWhiskyBarrel.com online whisky shop.

The Whisky Barrel is a specialist online whisky and spirits merchant based in Fife, Scotland and was established in 2007. In 2019 The Whisky Barrel won The Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade. The Whisky Barrel is also a winner of the Whisky Magazine Online Retailer 2018 and was International Wine & Spirits Competition runner-up in 2016. *N.B. Prices correct at the time of publishing and are subject to currency fluctuation.

The Whisky Barrel    E: info@thewhiskybarrel.com
Visit www.thewhiskybarrel.com
Find us on: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & Instagram

Heaven Hill Distillery Announces Fall 2022 Edition of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Series

BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the release of the Fall 2022 edition of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey at 19 years old, the oldest to date in this specific line. Comprised of barrels produced in September 2003, and bottled in October of 2022, the tenth national release ushers in the latest edition to the hallmark series which adds to the bottled-in-bond legacy.

Bottled in an ornate decanter, the fall edition denotes a black label, consistent across all fall releases. As was the case for the past editions, this edition’s tax strip, which has always been a signature of transparency on bottled-in-bond products, will disclose when the liquid was produced and bottled. The Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond fall edition will be available in the 750ml size on an allocated basis. It meets the strict requirements of a bottled-in-bond: the product of a single distillery from a single distilling season, aged a minimum of four years, and bottled at 100 proof or 50% alcohol by volume. This edition is available at the suggested retail price of $240.

The Fall 2022 edition of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the first 19-year-old of the nationally released series and features Bourbon pulled from across three floors of rickhouse F and one floor of rickhouse X at Heaven Hill Distillery’s main campus. As a leader of the Bottled-in-Bond category, Heaven Hill is proud to offer a premium product within this special class that showcases the authenticity and quality of the American Whiskey portfolio. Acquired in 1999 by Heaven Hill, the legendary Old Fitzgerald line is well-known for its distilling pedigree and intriguing story behind its namesake, John E. Fitzgerald, whose legacy is also heralded by the Larceny Bourbon brand.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.9 million barrels aging in more than 65 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky, Parker’s Heritage Collection, and Old Fitzgerald along with its extensive Bottled-in-Bond label collection. Heaven Hill Distillery held the title of 2020 Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year, the second Whisky of the Year for Heaven Hill Distillery in the past four years. In 2019 Heaven Hill Distillery was named San Francisco World Spirits Competition Distillery of the Year, Best in Show Whisky, and previously held the titles of 2018 San Francisco Spirits Word Spirits Competition Best Bourbon, 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year. For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely.  Drink Wisely.”

GLENALLACHIE ROLLS OUT

THIRD BATCH OF 21-YEAR-OLD

The celebrated Speyside distillery introduces Batch Three of

its revered aged cask strength single malt

After a year of 50^th anniversary celebrations for its veteran Master Distiller, Billy Walker, The GlenAllachie Distillery today launches a third iteration of one of its oldest core range expressions: The GlenAllachie 21-year-old Cask Strength Batch 3 Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Batch 3 (UK RRSP £275), a very limited global release of 2,400 bottles, follows in the footsteps of highly sought-after previous instalments of the annual expression.

The new ultra-premium small-batch Scotch whisky marries single malt matured in three vintage Pedro Ximénez Sherry puncheons.

Each cask was personally selected and expertly blended by industry leader, Walker, who over the course of his 50-year-long career has earnt recognition for demonstrating exceptional wood management capabilities and peerless sensory instinctiveness.

Chosen from the Speyside-based distillery’s enviable inventory of over 50,000 casks held on-site, the Spanish Sherry casks have imparted bold and complex flavour attributes, joining the distinctive heather honey character of The GlenAllachie’s house style.

The antique walnut-hued liquid is said to deliver refined qualities of “black grapes, fresh espresso, brandy butter and stem ginger, leading to indulgent dark chocolate fondant”.

Encased in a luxurious suedette-lined pine green box with gold foil detailing, the whisky was bottled at its natural cask strength of 51.5% ABV, with no added colour and without undergoing chill filtration.

Commenting on this latest launch, Walker said:

“Whisky is a waiting game, and after years of careful planning, I never tire of the anticipation; it’s pure excitement. Each and every cask at the distillery is regularly monitored to ensure we bottle the very best whisky available for each expression. This is what led me to pick these three richly seasoned Sherry puncheons to create this new batch of our 21-year-old. The outcome is a multifaceted drinking experience that exudes sheer elegance. A whisky that I will sip and savour at the end of this milestone year.”

The launch coincides with the release of the next batch of The GlenAllachie’s multi-award-winning 10-year-old Cask Strength offering: Batch 8 (UK RRSP £65). Presented at a punchy 57.2% ABV, the spirit boasts “intense waves of cinnamon spice, comforting mocha, honeycomb and candied walnuts”.

Both The GlenAllachie 21-year-old Cask Strength Batch 3 (UK RRSP £275) and 10-year-old Cask Strength Batch 8 (UK RRSP £65) will become increasingly available over the coming weeks from specialist retailers worldwide.

ABOUT GLENALLACHIE:

One of Scotland’s few independently owned and managed distilleries, The GlenAllachie is led by industry veteran, Billy Walker, who boasts a 50-year tenure in whisky. With an emphasis on wood policy, The GlenAllachie’s cask budget for 2022 stands at an eye-watering £2m/$2.6m. With 16 on-site warehouses holding over 50,000 casks, we have complete control of the end-to-end maturation process.

The GlenAllachie focusses on quality over quantity, which is why we chose to reduce our production capacity from 4million to around 800,000 Litres of Alcohol and increase our fermentation period to 160 hours for an ester rich, fruity spirit.

We believe age and integrity matter, which is why all our whiskies carry an age statement, and are bottled at a minimum of 46% ABV, natural colour and non-chill filtered for maximum flavour experience.

Our other brands are MacNair’s Boutique House of Spirits – encompassing Lum Reek Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and Exploration Rum – and White Heather Blended Scotch Whisky.

Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com

Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie    |    Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie    |    Instagram – @theglenallachie_

TASTING NOTES

The GlenAllachie 21-year-old Cask Strength Batch 3 – 51.5% ABV

• Colour: Intense Walnut.
• Nose: Waves of black grapes, raisins and dark chocolate orange, with hints of coffee, stewed fruits and treacle syrup.

• Taste: Lashings of heather honey, cocoa dusted truffles and sultanas, followed by bursts of espresso coffee, mixed currants and brandy butter, with gingersnaps on the finish.

The GlenAllachie 10-year-old Cask Strength Batch 8 – 57.2% ABV

• Colour: Intensely Rich Mahogany.
• Nose: Bursting with mocha, nutmeg and walnut oil, with notes of heather honey, sweet raisins and dried red berries.

• Taste: Lashings of cinnamon spice, molasses and honeycomb, followed by ginger, espresso and dark chocolate, with hints of nutmeg and fennel on the finish.

THE OXFORD ARTISAN DISTILLERY RELEASE SINGLE CASK RYE WHISKY

8th November, 2022, Oxford UK, The Oxford Artisan Distillery have launched their latest batch of Oxford Rye Whisky, which will be exclusively made available through specialist retailer, Master of Malt and Master of Malt Trade.

Oxford Rye Whisky, The Tawny Pipe, is finished in a single 30-year-old Tawny Port Pipe. The oldest whisky to be bottled by the distillery so far, it is fragrant and velvety with a combination of sweet and savoury notes, showing a deep interaction between the distillery’s sustainably-farmed heritage grains and the exceptional single port cask.

All previous batches of Oxford Rye Whisky were produced from heritage grain harvested in 2017, the year the distillery first went in to production. This latest batch represents the last grain harvest of that year, grown on a single farm, in Sandy Lane, Oxford.

With a mash bill consisting, 90% Maslin and 10% Malted Barley (Maslin being a mixed crop of Rye and Wheat – giving a ratio of 70: 20: 10 Rye, Wheat and Barley), and fermentation undertaken in oak vats before being double distilled, the liquid spent one and half years in New American Oak, before being transferred to a single Tawny Port Pipe (cask #114) for two years and nine months. The former port cask had previously spent 30 years in the port industry.

Master Distiller, Francisco Rosa comments: “Through a long standing relationship with Portuguese coopers and winemakers, I was very lucky to be able to obtain a cask of this age and quality. Tawny Pipes are the oldest casks being used in Port, so the wine has had decades to soak deep into the wood and leave its character; they are full of big oxidised sweet Port flavours.”

With limited space, the distillery are not able to mature all of their casks at one time on site, however, this batch of whisky has been fully matured in the stillhouse, exposed to the variations in Oxford’s climate.

Rosa comments: “We only have around 40 casks on site all the time as we are one of the tiniest whisky distilleries. The casks are literally stacked by the stills, fermenters and mash tun, they are exposed to the day-to-day life of the distillery and its environment. The door is always open during working hours, so the ‘place factor’ is enhanced.”

The velvety character of the Tawny port perfectly complements the nuttiness of the rye, uplifting the classic sweet and savoury notes with rich pudding flavours of crème brulée, raspberries, treacle and prunes.

Oxford Rye Whisky is a celebration of farmers letting nature work its magic in a healthy field, regenerating the land, and supporting biodiversity with every harvest.

Oxford Rye Whisky, The Tawny Pipe is bottled at 56% ABV and priced at RRP of £95.00. From 8th November, 2022, 587 bottles will be made exclusively available through Master of Malt and Master of Malt Trade.

www.theoxfordartisandistillery.com

Tasting Notes for Oxford Rye Whisky, The Tawny Pipe (Batch #009),

Aroma: Fruity character from refreshing grapefruit, raspberry and prunes, sweet notes of banana split, cereal, muscovado sugar and vanilla with a hint of fennel, hazelnut and cinnamon.

Palate: Creamy texture like a creme brûlée with raisins, prunes and some spices.

Finish: Black and pink peppercorns play with mint and mango chutney.

Overall: With a deep interaction between fruits and grains, this a fragrant and treacle-y whisky with sweet and savoury vibes from our distillery.

The Oxford Artisan Distillery:

The distillery opened for business at its purpose-built site in Oxford on 27th July 2017.

It is Oxford’s first ever distillery and produces whisky with total provenance from grain to glass. The Oxford Artisan Distillery is rare amongst UK distilleries in producing its own spirit, rather than purchasing Grain Neutral Spirit (GNS) from other sources, using biodiverse populations of ‘heritage’ grains grown through a new approach to grain farming known as Restorative Continuous Grain Cropping (R-CGC). 

About Heritage Grain:

The Oxford Artisan Distillery is the only distillery to use genetically diverse populations of heritage grains – revived from historical sources by a leading archaeo-botanist and grown sustainably on over 350 acres, known as land races, both close to Oxford and on prestigious estates such as Highgrove and Sandringham. The distillery’s grain contributes to biodiversity and soil health in the English countryside. The grains are the result of John Lett’s lifelong research on heritage grains: John has spent a large part of his life sourcing and growing heritage grains together, as polycultures. John takes 30-100 varieties of grain, mixes them up, and grows them together in the same field, at the same time. These sustainable fields are similar to what you would have seen in medieval times – the grains are grown specifically for the distillery, making The Oxford Artisan Distillery the only distillery in the world with a license to use John’s grains, grown exclusively for flavour and not yield.

Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® Inducts Six New Members

Event photos, provided by Patricia Longmire, are available here.

BARDSTOWN, Ky. – The Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® today returned after a two-year pause and inducted six industry luminaries into its elite ranks during a ceremony at My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown.

Inductees included two distillery founders, influential lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, a groundbreaking industry veteran and the acclaimed grandson of a Bourbon baron. The ceremony was paused the past two years due to COVID-19.

Making this year’s event additionally significant, it was the first Hall of Fame ceremony in its 20-year history to include a sitting Kentucky Governor among its guests.

“Bourbon is a signature Kentucky industry that employs thousands of our people to produce a product known and loved around the world. The Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame ceremony is a great chance to celebrate both the pioneers and the innovators whose vision and craftsmanship keeps pushing bourbon to new heights,” Gov. Andy Beshear said.

“I am honored to take part in this celebration and look forward to seeing where the next generation of leaders in this field will take us.”

The Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® recognizes individuals and organizations that have made a significant and transformational impact on Bourbon’s stature, growth and awareness. It is the highest honor given by the signature industry.

The invitation-only ceremony was held in conjunction with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, which runs Sept. 16-18 in Bardstown.

Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association which founded the Hall of Fame in 2001, congratulated the inductees in front of a packed crowd of more than 200 Bourbon dignitaries at the historic landmark.

“This year’s esteemed class celebrates the visionaries, artisans and partners that have made Kentucky Bourbon – and our beloved Commonwealth – the gold standard of American whiskey,” Gregory said.

“We are thrilled to welcome them to the Hall of Fame and, on behalf of our industry, offer a humbled and heartfelt thank you.”

This year’s inductees are, in alphabetical order (full bios, as provided by each inductee, are attached in the below link):

·     Retiring Rep. D. Chad McCoy, R-Bardstown, Majority Whip, Kentucky House of Representatives, two-time recipient of the KDA’s “100 Proof” award for public service and champion of several landmark pieces of legislation.

·     The late Stephen Francis Thompson, Founder and President, Kentucky Artisan Distillery (Lifetime Achievement Award), former president of Brown-Forman Distilleries and a pioneering resource for craft distilleries across the country.

·     Julian P. Van Winkle, III, President, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, heralded grandson of Bourbon legend Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle, creator of the ultra-aged premium Pappy Van Winkle brand and the very first James Beard winner from Kentucky, as well as numerous other accolades.

·     Andrea Marie Wilson, distinguished industry veteran, Chief Operating Officer and Master of Maturation at Michter’s Distillery and, in 2009, the first woman to chair the KDA Board of Directors.

·     Retiring U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Louisville, Co-Founder of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus and Chair of the House Budget Committee, who helped lead a permanent reduction on the federal excise tax on distillers among other key measures.

·     Kaveh Zamanian, Founder, Whiskey Maker and CEO, Rabbit Hole Distillery, left Iran in 1979 during the revolution and founded Rabbit Hole in 2012. He blends the immigrant whiskey maker tradition with time-honored methods, diverse perspectives and modernist aesthetics.

Following the induction ceremony, guests and inductees attended an exclusive reception sponsored by Independent Stave Company, a KDA “Champion” level industry member. ISC President & CEO Brad Boswell and his father, John, are both Hall of Fame members.

The two-year break due to the pandemic allowed the KDA to evaluate its Hall of Fame processes and protocols, Gregory said. The prestigious event is known for its intimate celebration of the industry’s most revered champions and attracts dignitaries from around the world.

This year, for the first time ever, a blue-ribbon committee of renowned Hall of Fame members reviewed and selected inductees. Candidates are nominated each year by the KDA and its member distilleries in three categories: Industry, Roll of Honor and Lifetime Achievement.

The selection committee includes all living recipients of the Parker Beam Lifetime Achievement Award: Jimmy Russell, Master Distiller of Wild Turkey; Bill Samuels, Jr., Chairman Emeritus of Maker’s Mark; Max Shapira, Executive Chairman of Heaven Hill Brands and Even Kulsveen, Executive Director of Willett Distillery.

Also serving were Kevin Smith, Chairman of the KDA Board of Directors and Vice President of Kentucky Bourbon Affairs for Beam Suntory; Chris Morris, Governor of the Order of the Writ – Spirit of Kentucky Bourbon Society and Vice President and Master Distiller at Brown-Forman Corp.; and noted author Dixie Hibbs of Bardstown, who was appointed by the KDA President.

The KDA also commissioned glassblowing artist Brook Forrest White, Jr., of Flame Run in Louisville to craft unique and contemporary awards that incorporate Bourbon-inspired motifs such as amber colors, oak, copper and water.

A student of the late famed glass artist Stephen Rolfe Powell at Centre College in Danville, Ky., White’s work has been recognized nationally, including at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and at several distilleries in Kentucky.

Bourbon is one of Kentucky’s most treasured industries, a booming $9 billion economic and tourism engine sustaining more than 22,500 jobs with an annual payroll topping $1.23 billion each year, over $285 million in local and state taxes and $1.8 billion in federal alcohol taxes.

A key export, the iconic industry is currently in the middle of a $5.2 billion building boom, from innovative new tourism experiences to expanded production facilities, bottling centers and aging warehouses, all to meet the growing global thirst for Kentucky Bourbon.

Bourbon production has skyrocketed more than 435% since the turn of the century.

Kentucky now boasts more than 10.3 million barrels of Bourbon aging in warehouses across the Bluegrass, the most in its revered distilling history. Distillers filled more than 2.4 million barrels in 2020 alone, the third year in a row that production topped the two million mark.

Cardrona Distillery Unveils Special Release to Celebrate Seventh Birthday

New Zealand’s award-winning Cardrona Distillery is celebrating a milestone seventh year of production tomorrow [Saturday 5^th November] by introducing an outstanding new single malt whisky to its luxurious range of small batch spirits – The Otago Pinot Cask.

The celebratory release is an exquisite marriage of four locally sourced, hand selected Felton Road Pinot noir casks. The result is an extraordinary dram from a New World Master. With only 1,217 bottles available, the distillery’s first 700ml bottle is the perfect gift for any discerning whisky lover keen to explore New Zealand’s leading-edge contributions to the art of distilling.

A Cardrona’s spokesperson explains:

“Cardrona Distillery uses a revolutionary method to preserve the casks’ rich Pinot noir seasoning, bringing them to the distillery within hours of the wine leaving the barrel and immediately charging them with new make spirit.  

The casks are then matured in the extreme environment of the Cardrona Valley, which itself plays a vital part in the maturation process. Temperatures can vary from -10°C in winter to a soaring 40°C in summer, and at 600m above sea-level with zero humidity – there really is nowhere on earth quite like the Cardrona Valley. The elements have all played a part in this expression, melding the spirit into a simply extraordinary whisky. We can’t wait for the UK’s discerning whisky afficionados to sample a dram.”

 The Cardrona Day Special Release: 2022 Otago Pinot Cask is non-chill filtered and naturally flavoured. RRP £175

Tasting notes

Colour: warm rose gold

Nose: black amber plum and nectarine

Taste: raspberries, poached nectarines, toffee, roasted cashews and baking spices. 

www.cardronadistillery.co.uk

 Instagram:  @cardronadistillery     Facebook: @cardonadistillery    LinkedIn:@cardonadistillery

Desiree Reid

About Cardrona

Cardrona is a unique brand, distilling hand-crafted luxury spirits in New Zealand’s stunning Southern Alps to share with the world. The Cardrona story is infused with the magic of the Cardrona Valley and the incredible vision and determination of founder, Desiree Reid, who sold her family farm to pursue her dream of building a modern, family-run distillery in her native New Zealand. She chose the Cardrona Valley for its unspoilt tranquillity, crisp clean air and the availability of superb quality local ingredients, perfect for foraging across the seasons. Most importantly, it gave her access to the crystal-clear, mineral-rich Alpine waters of New Zealand’s highest mountain pass for production.

Glenmorangie extends technicolour brand campaign shot by Miles Aldridge

— Whisky invites drinkers to explore new corners of its delicious and wonderful world —

Last year Glenmorangie Highland single malt Scotch whisky welcomed drinkers into its wondrous world with a colourful brand campaign shot by celebrated photographer Miles Aldridge. It so delighted global audiences, that Glenmorangie is extending the campaign with six new scenes, inviting people to share the simple joy of its delicious whisky. Created in partnership with Aldridge and communications agency DDB Paris, with the tagline “It’s kind of delicious and wonderful”, the campaign’s continuation invites global audiences to explore new corners of Glenmorangie’s world, from November 2022.

Glenmorangie’s whisky creators are endlessly imaginative in their quest to dream up delicious whiskies. They craft their more delicate, fruity spirit in stills as tall as a giraffe, to create more space for taste and aroma. Then they age it in the world’s finest casks – all to bring joy to whisky lovers old and new. The desire to share this delicious enjoyment more widely, remains at the heart of Glenmorangie’s extended campaign, which depicts moments of indulgence enjoyed with friends or alone. Like their predecessors, the new scenes are rooted in the brand’s bold orange hue, and saturated with colour, a realm in which Aldridge is admired worldwide. With its more wonderful version of reality, the brand invites people to immerse themselves further in Glenmorangie’s world.

The campaign won hearts and minds around the globe when it launched in late 2020, and was described by Adweek as “a delightfully unexpected technicolor dream”.  Caspar Macrae, Glenmorangie Global Marketing & Business Director, said: “We’re so delighted with the impact of the campaign so far, and how wonderfully it has reflected our brand and our whisky, that we wanted to extend it further for drinkers to enjoy. With these new scenes, we’re inviting the viewer to step even deeper into the world of Glenmorangie, where everything is ‘kind of delicious and wonderful’.”

From a hot-air-balloon ride with friends to a visit to a barber shop or a trip to the fortune teller, each of the new scenes showcases a moment of delight, seen through Glenmorangie’s lens. Featuring drinkers enjoying Glenmorangie Original, Glenmorangie Lasanta or Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban, either neat, over ice or in different cocktails, they hint at the kind of indulgences large and small, so yearned for in Covid times.

Alexander Kalchev, Chief Creative Officer at DDB Paris, DDB said: “In the aftermath of the pandemic, we all have new appreciation for being able to spend time with friends, travel and treat ourselves. And we wanted to draw on that in the campaign, by celebrating moments of pleasure spent together, as well as elevating small moments you can have at home. Of course, working with Miles brings a wonderful richness and detail to the storytelling, which we hope will draw the viewer deliciously into Glenmorangie’s universe.”

Aldridge made it his mission to further elevate each occasion into a more wondrous version of itself, increasing his focus on the moving image, used larger sets and added playful, visual nods to Glenmorangie’s brand symbol, the giraffe, and anagrams of its name. He said: “Ambition really flexed its muscles through every concept. We were able to expand and think big and supersize everything. For example, the scene with the woman in the greenhouse, began with just a woman in a greenhouse. But then, it became interesting to me that she would have a greenhouse so big, it would have two floors and that she would need to ascend stairs to reach a gigantic plant creation. The use of visual clues to the brand: giraffes… anagrams… is far wilder and bolder. I genuinely don’t think consumers will have seen anything like this campaign before. It works in such an original way.”

To celebrate the launch of the new campaign in the UK, Glenmorangie will be opening its first ever ‘Wonder Hotline’ – an immersive pop-up phone box in Spitalfields Market, Shoreditch, running from Tuesday 15^th until Saturday 19^th November.

Adventure seekers are invited to step inside the bright orange phone box and answer a series of wild and wonderful questions; their answers will direct them to a local drinking hot spot to enjoy a free Glenmorangie cocktail – bars include: Cocktail Trading Company, Light Bar, Coupette, Milroy’s and Seed Library.

The Glenmorangie Wonder Hotline has been designed with floral artistry from LADYGARDEN and coincides with a takeover of the iconic Ebor Street mural with artwork created by Miles Aldridge.  Whisky-loving guests can also sample Glenmorangie cocktails alongside treatments booked directly at Taylor Taylor and Townhouse Nails between Tuesday 15^th and Thursday 17^th November.

https://www.glenmorangie.com/

Follow Glenmorangie on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Glenmorangie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheGlenmorangie 

nstagram: https://www.instagram.com/glenmorangie

Campaign credits:

Client: Glenmorangie
Global Head of Brand: Louise Dennett
Global Senior Brand Manager: Rebecca Bell

Agency: DDB Paris
Executive Creative Director: Alexander Kalchev
Art Director: Nicolas Malcorps
Art Director: Mathieu Masse

Photographer & Director: Miles Aldridge
Music: Michael Kiwanuka

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie’s Highland whisky makers use endless imagination and five key ingredients – wood, water, barley, yeast and time – to dream up delicious single malt whiskies. Known as the Distillers of Tain, they’ve been honing their craft for more than 175 years. In Scotland’s tallest stills, whose necks are as high as a giraffe, they produce a delicate and fruity spirit, ripe for experimentation. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, this crackerjack crew are on a mission to bring new flavours and possibilities to the world of single malt. 

About DDB Paris:

DDB is an international advertising agency, partially based in Paris (Omnicom Group). DDB is a full service integrated communication agency which combines creativity, culture and technology to bring to life ideas that unleash the business of brands. Working with brands in France and worldwide, DDB Paris accompanies Glenmorangie since 2018 on its global communication actions. 

About the campaign narrative:

Created in partnership with DDB Paris and Miles Aldridge, the campaign’s extension features seven moments of indulgence, elevated in the wonder-filled world of Glenmorangie. Shot in vivid technicolour, with an emphasis on Glenmorangie’s signature orange hue, each scene contains playful visual clues to the brand’s identity through drinks, anagrams of the word “Glenmorangie” and giraffe motifs (a homage to Glenmorangie’s brand symbol).

The details of each scene are as follows:

The Hot-Air-Balloon Ride

Three friends take a ride in a hot-air balloon in the evening. They land in the desert and watch the sun setting together, as they enjoy Glenmorangie cocktails. On the balloon’s basket is a sign reading “A Glee Morning”, an anagram of Glenmorangie. The brand’s signature giraffe can be glimpsed on the ice bucket.

The Barber’s Shop

A customer enjoys a neat serve of Glenmorangie in the barber’s chair, with a picture of a giraffe hanging on the wall, and the Glenmorangie anagram ‘Enamoring Gel’ displayed on hair care products. But when raises his glass to the mirror after his cut, his reflection is not quite as expected…

Pinball

A young couple play pinball in a technicolour bar. On the side of the pinball machine is the Glenmorangie anagram “Mega Neon Girl”, while the game itself features giraffes, hot air balloons and drinks, with the girls’ final score 1843, the year Glenmorangie’s Distillery was founded. The cocktail is poured over a sphere of ice, in a playful nod to the pinball itself.   

Home Cinema

A man relaxes on the sofa at home in formal wear with his bow tie undone, watching a film featuring hot air balloons and the Glenmorangie anagram ‘A Ginger Lemon’, with his dog by his side. On a side table is a lamp with a stand shaped like a giraffe. 

The Fortune Teller

A group of friends pay a visit to a fortune teller, who is equipped with a crystal ball and tarot cards featuring cocktails and giraffe symbols. She predicts a cocktail for each of them, which then magically appears. A book on the table is titled with the Glenmorangie anagram ‘Gleaming Reno’.

The Green House

A woman ascends the stairs in a glass house filled with exotic plants. She makes her way past a topiary giraffe and a table featuring Glenmorangie and a cocktail shaker, and plucks from a bush the perfect garnish of berries for her drink. Signage amid the greenery sports the Glenmorangie anagram ‘Gleaning More’.

About the soundtrack:

The track used on the film campaign assets is Cold Little Hearts by Mercury Prize-winning British singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka.

About the making of the campaign:

The campaign’s new scenes were shot in Prague in February 2022. Designed and built by much of the same team as had helped to create the original scenes, the new set was highly technical, with scenes ranging from a two-storey green house to a hot-air balloon ride.

About where to the campaign will be available:

The campaign will appear globally in print, digital, digital out-of-home and social media.

About Glenmorangie’s brand symbol:

The giraffe has long been Glenmorangie’s brand symbol, as it is the same height as the necks of the Highland Distillery’s copper stills. The tallest in Scotland, their height makes Glenmorangie’s spirit wonderfully light and fruity. But although the giraffe is known and loved at Glenmorangie and across the world, few are aware of the threat it faces in the wild. Numbers have fallen by 30% in just 30 years – and some types of giraffe are now critically endangered. Knowing how urgently the giraffe needs help, in early 2020 Glenmorangie pioneered a three-year conservation partnership with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation charity, the leading international charity dedicated to giraffe conservation and management in the wild. In this way, Glenmorangie is supporting efforts to protect giraffes in the wild in Africa.

THE GLENDRONACH REVEALS DEPTHS OF SHERRY CASK MASTERY WITH LATEST RELEASE 

The GlenDronach Distillery, hidden in the fertile landscape of the Forgue valley, deep in the east Highland hills, has released its latest richly sherried Single Malt.  The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 11 boasts exceptional depths of sherry wood maturation, continuing the legacy set out by distillery founder James Allardice in 1826, which marries Highland spirit to Spanish oak.

The GlenDronach Cask Strength offers connoisseurs a deep insight into the distillery’s character, by bottling at the whisky’s natural cask strength, as was the custom before the turn of the 20^th Century.   This eleventh batch of The GlenDronach Cask Strength is a richly sherried Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, matured slowly in fine Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks.

Master Blender Dr Rachel Barrie intricately composes each marriage of The GlenDronach Highland Single Malt for the deepest colour, with the exquisite duality of the Andalucían casks bringing depth, character and complexity to the robust Highland spirit.

She commented: “This eleventh batch of The GlenDronach Cask Strength embodies The GlenDronach‘s celebrated style of Spanish Oak maturation in fine Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucía.

“Add a drop or two of water to this latest expression to reveal a cornucopia of flavour – from richly spiced bramble wine and treacle toffee, to lingering Seville orange peel and nutmeg layered with caramel and maraschino cherry.”

As with all expressions of The GlenDronach, all of the natural colour is drawn from slow maturation in Spanish oak casks.

Tasting notes:

The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 11

Colour:  Deep bronze.

Nose:    Mulled cranberry, orange and clove liqueur meld with dark honeyed treacle on a base of nutty oak.

Palate:  Richly spiced bramble wine and treacle toffee interweave with chocolate raisin, cinnamon maple and sultana

Finish:   Lingering Seville orange peel and nutmeg layered with caramel and maraschino cherry.

ABV:     59.8%

RRP:     £68 UK RRP (Global markets may vary)

About The GlenDronach Distillery:

Nestled in the valley of Forgue, deep in the East Highland hills, is The GlenDronach, one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland. The GlenDronach is of true Highland style: a complex and full bodied spirit, perfect for slow maturation in Spanish sherry oak. At The GlenDronach Distillery, we have carried forth the tradition of our founder James Allardice since 1826, maturing our Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky in the finest Spanish Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks from Andalucía in Spain.

Our richly-sherried Highland Single Malts are recognised for their deep colour and complex flavour profiles, which range from the sweet fruity flavours of the Pedro Ximénez casks we select, to the dry and nutty notes of our Oloroso casks.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE GLENDRONACH DISTILLERY:

Visit: www.glendronachdistillery.co.uk 

Facebook: /TheGlenDronach

Twitter: @Glendronach 

Instagram: @Glendronach 

Lux Row Distillers introduces Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey

Newest addition to the Ezra Brooks brand family will be available in limited quantities starting in November

ST. LOUIS (Nov. 1, 2022) – Lux Row Distillers announced the newest variant in the Ezra Brooks brand family: Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey. A limited allocation of 3,000 six-pack cases of Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey will reach retail shelves across the country later this month at a suggested retail price of $79.99 per 750 ml bottle.

Like other members of the Ezra Brooks brand family, Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey is distilled using the highest-quality ingredients and charcoal filtered for mellow flavor and a smooth finish. Old Ezra 7-Year Rye features two rye mashbills (51% rye whiskey and 95% rye whiskey), is aged a full seven years and is bottled at full proof (114 proof, or 57% ABV) to deliver a full, complex flavor.

“With Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey, we’ve delivered a rye whiskey worthy of the Old Ezra label,” said Lux Row Distillers master distiller John Rempe. “This tasty 7-year-old rye offers slightly sweet and oaky tones with hints of vanilla and honey, and it finishes with a warm touch of spice and tobacco. It’s certain to become a favorite among both rye fans and fans of the Ezra Brooks brand family.”

The introduction of Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey comes on the heels of Old Ezra 7-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey’s recent “Best Overall Bourbon” win at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Like its bourbon namesake, Old Ezra 7-Year Straight Rye Whiskey features a high-end, custom-designed bottle. Its green, jewel-toned label is highlighted by a 7-year age statement and gold and copper foil accents.

About Luxco

Founded in St. Louis in 1958 by the Lux Family, Luxco is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Our mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners. Merged with MGP Ingredients, Inc. in 2021 (Nasdaq: MGPI), Luxco operates as MGP’s Brands Division and manages all MGP/Luxco brands. This extensive and award-winning spirits portfolio includes well-known brands from four distilleries: Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers, home of Ezra Brooks, Rebel, Blood Oath, David Nicholson and Daviess County; Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery, maker of Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey and Bowling & Burch Gin; Jalisco, Mexico-based Destiladora González Lux, producer of 100% agave tequilas, El Mayor, Exotico and Dos Primos; and Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where the George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Rossville Union Straight Rye Whiskey are produced. The innovative and high-quality brand portfolio also includes Everclear Grain Alcohol, Pearl Vodka, Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream, The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey, Green Hat Gin and other well-recognized brands. For more information about the company and its brands, visit luxco.com.