CHIVAS BROTHERS RAMPS UP PRODUCTION OF HAND SANITISER FOR THE NHS

Evan Williams Bourbon Launches American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund

2020 funds will support nonprofit organizations that serve the veteran community negatively impacted by COVID-19

BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Evan Williams Bourbon today established the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, continuing the brand’s support of veterans since launching the American-Made Heroes program and limited-edition label in 2015.

As an American-made and American-owned brand, Evan Williams recognizes true American heroes each year by sharing their exceptional stories of honor, bravery and service to their community on a special edition label. The American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund will extend this recognition by helping to fund independent, nonprofit organizations that support veterans and their families. The purpose of the foundation is to provide a platform for sharing inspiring veteran stories, raising public awareness for causes impacting the veteran community, and supporting nonprofit organizations that help veterans and their families through a specialized grant program.

Jack Daniel’s Continues Friday Night Livestreams with Kesha Performance Benefitting Sweet Relief Musicians Fund

Weekly artist livestream to support musicians in need

LYNCHBURG, Tenn (April 30, 2020) – Jack Daniel’s today announced the continuation of their multi-genre weekly Friday night livestreams aimed at raising money for musicians in need amid COVID-19. GRAMMY-nominated popstar Kesha is the next artist in the line-up to perform Friday, May 1^st, at 7pmEST.

Airing live on Kesha’s Facebook and Instagram page, the livestream will feature a five-song set including never before performed songs from her new chart-topping album High Road. Fans will be able to donate in real time to Sweet Relief’s COVID-19 fund, a 501c3 providing financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers to provide immediate assistance with medical expenses, lodging, clothing, food and other vital living expenses to those impacted due to sickness or loss of work, through a link on the Facebook livestream.

In recent weeks, Chase Rice, Ashley McBryde and Rotimi have participated in the Jack Daniel’s livestreams from home and helped raise thousands of dollars for Sweet Relief. Additional artists will continue to perform every Friday night live on their social channels to connect with fans through the power of music and help raise money for Sweet Relief.

About Jack Daniel’s:

Officially registered by the U.S. Government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel’s is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails. Today, Jack Daniel’s is a true global icon found in more than 170 countries around the world and is the most valuable spirits brand in the world as recognized by Interbrand.

About Kesha:

The singer/songwriter, named one of Time Magazine’s Time 100, has sold more than 14 million total album equivalents worldwide, has approximately 6.9 billion audio streams and 1.7 billion video streams worldwide, and has had 9 Top 10 hits on The Billboard Hot 100. In 2017, Kesha’s critically acclaimed #1 album ‘Rainbow’ earned her the first GRAMMY nominations of her career and was called “an artistic feat” by Entertainment Weekly.  Her latest album ‘High Road’ was released on January 31st via Kemosabe/RCA Records, and was called a body of work “wise and wild in equal measure” (Billboard)  that “electrifies from the inside out” (American Songwriter).

Sazerac Company Donates N95 Masks to Healthcare Industry to Help with Covid-19 Pandemic

America’s Largest Producer of Distilled Spirits Donates Nearly 15,000 Respirator Masks

in Wake of Ongoing Need 

LOUISVILLE, KY (April 27, 2020) – The Sazerac Company, the largest producer of distilled spirits in North America, is donating 14,800 N95 respirator masks to the healthcare industry in various markets across the country.

            In addition to the donation of N95 masks, Sazerac is supplying all of its team members with cloth face covers for personal protection.  Team members working at all of Sazerac’s production facilities will receive face covers for each shift they work as the company produces hand sanitizer for some of the world’s largest organizations in healthcare, government, military, retail, distribution, airline, pharmacy, and banking industries.

            “Unfortunately N95 respirator masks remain scarce, so we are happy to be able to supply these to the healthcare industry in the fight against this pandemic,” said Matt Maimone, Sazerac’s chief operating officer.

Maimone adds, “We know the demand for hand sanitizer on an industrial scale is still great. To date, we’ve produced nearly 2,000,000 liters of hand sanitizer across our sites in North America and are continuing to source more ingredients to produce more every day.  Our workforce has risen to the occasion to help meet this demand, and we appreciate their willingness to step up.”

The initial run of sanitizer started in Kentucky at its Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, and Sazerac continues to increase production at The Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro and across its other locations.

In addition to providing face covers to team members, all Sazerac plants have taken additional steps to operate in a safe and responsible manner and are following all CDC guidelines including rigorous cleaning, observing six feet social distancing, mandating its team members to stay home if not feeling well, and implementing protective screens where appropriate.

About Sazerac

Sazerac is one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers with operations in the United States in Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Maryland, California, and global operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, India, Australia and Canada. For more information on Sazerac, please visit www.sazerac.com.

Chicago’s Hometown Spirits Company Donates Hand Sanitizer During Covid-19

Buffalo Trace Distillery Releases

Experimental Wheat Bourbon

Bourbon Aged Four Years, Cut with Water, Aged Eight More Years

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (April 23, 2020) Buffalo Trace Distillery is releasing its first experimental whiskey for 2020, a wheat recipe bourbon aged for four years, cut with water, then re-barreled and left to age for another eight years.

The barrel, filled with Buffalo Trace’s wheat mash recipe and entered into the barrel at 114 proof, was put away to age in one new barrel on Dec. 10, 2007. After four years of aging in Warehouse C the barrel was removed, the bourbon was cut with water to lower it down to 100 proof, and then put back into the same barrel and left to age another eight years in the same warehouse.

Although unusual to interrupt the aging process, the distilling team at Buffalo Trace is pleased with the results.  “We’ve always known water was a necessary component in making whiskey,” stated Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley. “This experiment helped us to understand how important a role water actually plays in whiskey production.  The result of this experiment led us to a bourbon that is actually one of my favorite experiments.”

Wheatley describes this bourbon as having a “nose that is sweet and floral, with notes of oak, vanilla, and a bit of leather. There’s a really smooth creamy mouthfeel here.  The taste is a pleasing balance of butterscotch, honey, and wood with a crisp finish.”

This is the 23^rd  experimental release from Buffalo Trace Distillery, having started with its first experimental release in 2006. In total, there are more than 25,000 experimental  barrels of whiskey aging in the warehouses of Buffalo Trace Distillery, the largest number of experimental barrels ever held in inventory at the National Historic Landmark Distillery, and most likely the world. Each experimental barrel has unique characteristics that differentiate them in distinct ways. Some examples of experiments include unique mash bills, types of wood, and different barrel toasts. Buffalo Trace also has an experimental warehouse, Warehouse X, which is designed to explore the extent of environmental influences on the flavor profiles of whiskey.

The Experimental Collection is packaged in 375ml bottles, and each label includes all the pertinent information unique to that barrel of whiskey. These whiskeys retail for approximately $46.99 each and will be available in May.  Experimental Collection releases are generally quite small and have limited availability.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

BLACKS BREWERY & DISTILLERY KINSALE MOVE ONTO THE NEW PHASE OF WHISKEY FOUNDERS CLUB

Blacks Brewery and Distillery. Sam & Maudeline Black…..there is no stopping this pair who already have their eyes firmly on their next endeavour – the whiskey market. Always looking for a unique angle, and bringing creativity to their business, be that in the form of seasonal craft beer recipes, production methods or eye-catching packaging, Maudeline & Sam wanted to make their whiskey journey special too. They have achieved this by opening up their business to other whiskey enthusiasts who wish to share in their passion with the Blacks Whiskey Founders Club.

Already boasting over 100 members, the Blacks Whiskey Founders Club gives whiskey lovers the opportunity to purchase their own cask of whiskey, starting from €6,500. This club allows members to create their very own personalised and branded whiskey, with a cask expected to deliver over 397 bottles of pot still single malt Irish whiskey, or to use this as an investment opportunity and after the five-year maturation period sell back their cask to Blacks. This buy-back scheme will generate a minimum 4% annually compounded (approx. €280 per year per cask) return on a members initial investment.

Phase one of this €1million project has now been completed, the installation of two copper whiskey stills. With the club still open for new members to join, and with lots of different cask options to choose from for example ex bourbon, sherry or port, the next key date in the diary is the first annual Blacks Whiskey Founders Club party, which is set to take place on Friday 18th September. This annual event gives members an opportunity to network and check in on their whiskey, becoming an actively engaged part of the distilling process. During the day members will have a choice of some social activities such as golfing and a Kinsale Harbour sailing trip,  while in the afternoon there will be tours of the distillery and brewery, with lots of spirit and beer tasting.

Speaking in relation to the Blacks Whiskey Founders Club , Sam Black commented, ‘This really is a unique opportunity for whiskey enthusiasts, who otherwise would not be in a position to produce whiskey alone. It was my passion for brewing and my wifes support that gave me the push to open Black Brewery & Distillery and I want to share that experience with others. Some of our members who have already joined plan to bottle and label their whiskey to gift to family, friends, as corporate client gifts and to sell some on the secondary whiskey market, while for others its an investment opportunity, but one in which they to play an active role in also creating a piece of our famous Irish whiskey heritage. The next few weeks mark a huge milestone in this project as the actual whiskey production begins. I look forward to watching our club grow, adding more people to the Blacks family and getting to meet a lot of these face to face at our annual get-together.’

Blacks Brewery and Distillery are among some of the lucky businesses who have been able to adapt their operations processes in order to remain functioning safely through this Covid19 pandemic. Not only are they still supplying beers and spirits to off-licenses and supermarkets across the country, but they are also playing their part in trying to fight this virus and support the community, with the production of much needed hand sanitiser. Despite their online sales increasing over the last month and sales staff required to focus their efforts here, Maudeline and Sam were still adamant that they were going to use their resources to help, and therefore redeployed members of their sales team, who would have primarily focused on on-trade pubs and restaurants.

Sales staff are now helping in the distillery to bottle and label hand sanitizer. This supply of hand sanitiser is being split between charities, such as Cork Simon and local Kinsale volunteers, and consumers. In addition to charity drops and for consumers through retail stores, when placing online spirit orders through the Blacks website consumers receive free sanitiser and one is also donated to a charity group in their name. Now that the new copper whiskey stills are installed they will also play a role in this sanitation process, as before whiskey production begins in the coming weeks the stills must undergo a cleaning run in manual mode with vinegar, followed by a sacrificial alcohol run which will also be transformed into hand sanitiser.

Commenting on the new edition to their production line Sam Black said, ‘We consider ourselves very fortunate to still be in a position to stay open and meet the demand of customers. It is a very hard time for the entire Irish community and we just wanted to play our part, no matter how small in helping during this crisis. When we became aware of the huge shortage of hand sanitiser for those on the frontline we realised we were in a unique position to be able to assist, and so we quickly went about altering our production process to start manufacturing and getting this into the hands of those who need it.’

To find out more about how to become a member of the Blacks Whiskey Founders Club www.blacksbrewery.com. You can also contact Paul, a member of the Blacks team at paul@blacksbrewery.com or stay connected online at Instagram/blacksbrewery Instagram/blacksdistillerykinsale, Twitter @BlacksBrewery or Facebook/BlacksOfKinsale

Diageo North America Pledges More Than $4 Million to the Bar and Restaurant Community

With hospitality workers facing unprecedented challenges from the impact of COVID-19, Diageo North America commits more than $4 million to support in their time of need

The Glencairn Glass to sponsor

Scottish International Crime Writing Awards 

Award winning Scottish family business Glencairn Crystal will sponsor the 2020 McIlvanney Prize for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year and the Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Novel of the Year, with its famous Glencairn Glass – the World’s Favourite Whisky Glass.

Both of the prestigious literary prizes will be awarded as part of the annual Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival, taking place from 18^th – 20^th September. Based in Stirling, Bloody Scotland has brought hundreds of crime writers – new and established –  to the stage along with enthusiastic festival attendees since 2012, with exciting events covering a range of criminal subjects from fictional forensics and psychological thrillers to tartan noir and cosy crime.

The McIlvanney Prize, in memory of William McIlvanney (the crime-writing ‘Godfather of Tartan Noir’) is Bloody Scotland’s annual prize awarded to the best Scottish crime book of the year with over sixty entries received for 2020. In 2019 Bloody Scotland also introduced a new prize to recognise the quality in new talent blossoming within crime writing – the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year.

Glencairn Crystal has produced the decanter for the winner of The McIlvanney Prize over many years, so it was a natural partnership for the company to come on board as sponsors of the prizes in their entirety. Created by Glencairn Crystal, the Glencairn Glass is the world’s favourite whisky glass and the official glass for whisky, endorsed by the Scotch Whisky Association.

Sponsoring the Bloody Scotland literary awards is the perfect partnership for the family run team at Glencairn who pride themselves on celebrating passion, hard work and creativity in every aspect of their business.

Kirsty Nicholson, Glencairn’s Design and Marketing Manager commented: “We are delighted to sponsor the McIlvanney Prize for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year and the Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Novel of the Year.  As a Scottish family-owned company we are excited and proud to be involved with such prestigious prizes that both celebrate and reward such a rich and talented tradition as Scottish crime fiction. Like Scottish crime writing, the Glencairn Glass is uniquely Scottish with a truly global appeal. We look forward to a great working relationship with Bloody Scotland and would like to wish all the authors who have entered the best of luck.”

Bob McDevitt, Director of The Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival said: “It’s great to see that in this time of great uncertainty, the Bloody Scotland prizes have attracted another great crop of Scottish crime novels for readers to escape into. It’s especially heartening to see so many excellent debut authors slugging it out with the more established names. I’m also really pleased to welcome Glencairn Crystal on board as a sponsor of the prizes this year and look forward to working with them in the future.”

The winner of the Scottish Crime Book of the Year will be awarded The McIlvanney Prize on Friday 18^th September. The award recognises excellence in Scottish crime writing, includes a prize of £1000, a Glencairn Crystal Decanter and nationwide promotion in Waterstones. The Bloody Scotland Debut Prize will receive £500 and a Glencairn Star Trophy.

For further information visit:

www.bloodyscotland.com and www.glencairn.co.uk

Notes

About Glencairn Crystal:

• The Glencairn Glass, created in 2001, is endorsed by the Scotch Whisky Association as the official glass for whisky.  Glencairn make over 3 million per year, across hundreds of brands, distributed to over 140 countries worldwide.

• Glencairn’s clients include leading drinks companies, brands and other outlets, including: BP, Brown-Forman, Cunard, Diageo, Houses of Parliament, Muller, Google, Scottish Parliament and the majority of the Scottish Whisky manufacturers, in addition to many of the international whisky and spirit producers. 

About Bloody Scotland, The McIlvanney Prize and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize:

• Bloody Scotland is Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival, providing a showcase for the best crime writing from Scotland and the world, unique in that it was set up by a group of Scottish crime writers in 2012. The festival uses a number of atmospheric, historic venues in Stirling’s Old Town setting it apart from other literary festivals.

• Over 60 entries have been received for the 2020 award. The longlist will be announced at the end of June after which a panel of judges including Karen Robinson (Editor of The Times Crime Club), James Crawford, chair of Publishing Scotland and presenter of BBC series, Scotland from the Sky, and Stuart Cosgrove, writer and broadcaster who was formerly a senior executive at Channel 4, will select the finalists. The winner of the debut prize will be selected by a panel including Lin Anderson, author and a founding director of Bloody Scotland and representatives from Waterstones and Glencairn Crystal. It is perfectly possible that a debut could also win the main prize.

• Previous winners of The McIlvanney Prize are Manda Scott with A Treachery of Spies 2019 (which she chose to share with her fellow finalists Doug Johnstone, Denise Mina and Ambrose Parry),  Liam McIlvanney with The Quaker 2018, Denise Mina with The Long Drop 2017, Chris Brookmyre with Black Widow 2016, Craig Russell with The Ghosts of Altona in 2015, Peter May with Entry Island in 2014, Malcolm Mackay with How A Gunman Says Goodbye in 2013 and Charles Cumming with A Foreign Country in 2012.

Buffalo Trace Distillery Announces

Kosher Whiskey Release 

Passover Ends with News of Three New Kosher Whiskeys

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (April 15, 2020) Buffalo Trace Distillery is releasing what it believes to be the first authentic Kosher Whiskey, under the guidance of the Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc-Kosher). Buffalo Trace began working with cRc in 2010.  The new whiskey is available in three styles, Kosher Rye Recipe Bourbon; Kosher Wheat Recipe Bourbon; and Kosher Straight Rye Whiskey. The three whiskies will starting shipping from Buffalo Trace after Passover ends on April 16, 2020.

Kosher law mandates that whiskey should not be owned or consumed by Jews during Passover. In 2012 the cRc oversaw the sale of new American Oak Kosher barrels in a contract of sale to a non-Jewish executive, Buffalo Trace Distillery President Mark Brown, where they were filled with whiskey and put away in specially marked “Kosher whiskey” barrels to age.

Once the whiskey reached its desired age earlier this year, the bottling lines at the Distillery were flushed completely beforehand to ensure the whiskey was not exposed to any non-Kosher spirits. This allocated whiskey will be released after Passover ends this year on April 16. Bottles will sell through wholesalers and retailers before Passover begins again in 2021.

            “This is a milestone in the spirits industry to produce a truly Kosher whiskey,” said Mark Brown, owner of the Kosher barrels at Buffalo Trace.  “We know Kosher products are very important to the Jewish community as well as a broader audience, we are fully committed to ensuring that the entire chain of custody remains Kosher so the purchaser has 100% confidence this is a Kosher whiskey.”

            “We’re excited that our partnership which we began ten years ago has come to fruition,” stated Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, kashrus administrator Chicago Rabbinical Council, “Our members have shown great interest in the prospect of being able to enjoy a Kosher whiskey. We are very happy Buffalo Trace has taken the steps to make sure this happens.”

            The new Kosher whiskey line is limited, but it will be an annual release each year after Passover. The labels depict both Buffalo Trace Distillery logo and the cRc-Kosher logo.  Each expression of Buffalo Trace Kosher Whiskey has a suggested retail price of $39.99 per 750ml bottle.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.