by admin | Oct 21, 2020 | IN THE NEWS
Second Expression in the company’s “Distillery Reserve Series” Available for Purchase on October 31 Beginning at Noon
Austin, TX (October 21, 2020) – Still Austin Whiskey Co., a homegrown distillery situated in the heart of South Austin, will release a limited-edition Monster Mash cask strength single barrel whiskey under its special “Distillery Reserve Series” just in time for the Halloween holiday.
The new expression features grains that are 100% grown by Texas farmers. The whiskey was handmade from grain-to-glass at the distillery, aged for 26 months in new charred American Oak barrels,and bottled at 106.53 proof (53% ABV). The (monster) mash bill contains 63% Non-GMO white corn, 17% Winter Hawk wheat, 10% malted rye, 8% rye and 2% malted barley.
The genesis of this whiskey started when the team discovered five “super sacks” in the distillery which were all less than half full. Lead Distiller John Schrepel decided to see what happened when he combined each of the remaining grains found in each sack. The result turned out even better than he could have imagined.
“At Still Austin, we don’t take ourselves too seriously and creating the Monster Mash expression was a whimsical way to celebrate Halloween,” said Schrepel. “Because this is such a limited-edition offering, we encourage folks to come to the distillery right at noon when we open on Halloween to purchase their bottle.”
When & Where to Buy
The team only produced two single barrels of Monster Mash – about (500) 750ml bottles – which retail for $100 each. Bottles can only be purchased via the distillery’s Tasting Room beginning on Saturday, October 31 at 12:00pm. Those who purchase a bottle will receive a complimentary, limited-edition 12×16 poster of the Monster Mash label, signed by Austin-based artist Dan Grissom of “Biscuit Press.”There will also be a special Halloween surprise for those who come dressed in costume.
Monster Mash Tasting Notes
Nose: apricot, allspice, creamy maple pecan, roasted nuts, candy corn, date palm
Palate: Reese’s peanut butter cups, almond butter, MilkyWay candy bar, Chocolate covered cherries, toasted marshmallow, amaretto, pecan praline, Werther’s original vanilla creme soft caramel hard candies
Finish: nutty, toasted marshmallow, Cadbury cream egg
Online Contest
Additionally, the team is running an online contest which gives one lucky participant a chance to win a trip for (2) to Texas (specifically Austin, Dallas, Houston or San Antonio), and includes hotel (two nights), transportation and a $150 per diem for meals and incidentals. In order to qualify, folks must post a picture of themselves dressed in a Halloween costume to the Still Austin Facebook @StillATX or Instagram page @Still_ATX and use the hashtag #MonsterMashTrip. Still Austin will select and post five finalists to its social pages on November 5, and then allow its social community to vote on the grand prizewinner until 11:59pm CST that day. Limit one vote per person. The winner will be announced on November 6, 2020. Visit www.stillaustin.com for full contest rules.
Grain-to-Glass Philosophy
Still Austin is an independent craft whiskey distillery founded in 2015, focusing on a true grain-to-glass concept that produces the highest quality whiskey by perfecting every part of the process and using local resources and sustainable practices. The team is committed to carrying out each part of the process in-house. That means never sourcing whiskey from another distillery, and instead always hand-making everything from scratch, and managing everything in-house – milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, barreling and bottling.
The distilling team is led by Head Distiller John Schrepel, Master Blender Nancy Fraley and veteran Master Distiller Mike Delevante, one of the most experienced and respected distillers in North America who designed the Still Austin distillery to make the highest quality of bourbon. That includes a 42-foot custom-made column, “Nancy,” (and her sister copper-pot still, “The Queen”) which give the distillers serious creative license to create unique new flavors and spirits.The team also uses Texas weather to its advantage. The region’s high heat, humidity and rapidly shifting temperatures encourage spirits to move rapidly in and out of the oak barrels and mature relatively quickly—but, if this process is left unchecked, it can also cause the bourbon to have heavy oak flavor or harsh tannic qualities. To prevent this, Still Austin uses a meticulous six-month slow water reduction technique focused on flavor and balance, which gives the alcohol a softness on the palate and brings more “mature” notes, like vanilla and caramel, to the forefront. For more information, visit www.stillaustin.com
About Still Austin Whiskey Co.
Founded in 2015 by three Austin families, Still Austin Whiskey Co. is a true grain-to-glass Distillery, located at 440 East St. Elmo Roadin the heart of Austin, Texas. All spirits are hand crafted using grains grown by Texas farmers. Still Austin’s collection of spirits includes Still Austin’s flagship Straight Bourbon Whiskey, High-Rye Bourbon Whiskey, and Still Rye Gin. Still Austin places a high value on sustainability, with a focus on cutting carbon emissions through local sourcing, increasing the biodiversity of the region through heritage grains, returning spent grains to local ranchers to feed their animals, and operating a distillery that is designed for energy efficiency and water conservation.
by admin | Oct 19, 2020 | IN THE NEWS
Initial Offering Includes Original Elderflower Mint Lime & Citrus
New York, NY (October 20, 2020) – Cool Cat, a refreshing new line of low-calorie wine spritzers, recently launched its first two flavors in select markets: Original (Elderflower Mint Lime) and Citrus.
Named “Best Ready to Drink Beverage” and awarded a Gold Medal by The Fifty Best earlier this year, the naturally flavored spritzers feature a base of California Pinot Grigio, cane sugar, and are naturally gluten free. At 6.9% ABV they pack a punch, but are a better alternative to many other alcoholic beverages, containing just 150 calories and two carbohydrates per 12-ounce can.
More than a drink, Cool Cat is a unique lifestyle brand that offers refreshing wine cocktail experiences with the ease and convenience of a canned drink for a new generation of doers, explorers, seekers, and creators.
“We’re building a uniquely delicious beverage brand, but also a community of fearless Cool Cats,” said co-founder and CEO Rocco Venneri. “As a minority business owner, it’s essential that we’re inclusive of all genders, ethnicities, and sexual orientations, and bring together like-minded individuals who share similar values and experiences.”
Cool Cat tastes great right out of the can, but can also be poured over ice or used as a mixer in cocktails. Cool Cat has started popping up at New York hot spots likeThe Standard Hotel and STK Downtown, and on the cocktail menu at Bottino, which is currently featuring an Autumn Sangria made with Cool Cat Original.
The spritzers are also ideal for Cool Cats on the go – they’re portable; recyclable; park, beach and festival friendly; and provide more bang for the buck than a traditional bottle of wine. The suggested retail price for a 4-pack of 12oz cans (355ml) is $17.99.
The duo of spritzers is now available for purchase online at www.drinkcoolcat.com and at select on-and off-premise locations in New York, Connecticut, and Georgia. While some said 2020 was “poised to be the summer of the wine spritzer,” Cool Cat is just getting started. The team plans to launch the lifestyle brand in several new markets in the coming year and will also introduce two new flavors. To find a store near you visit, https://drinkcoolcat.com/store-locator. Cool Cat is offering free shipping on all orders through December 2020.
For more information, follow the brand @drinkcoolcat on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Spotify, or visit www.drinkcoolcat.com.
About Cool Cat
Cool Cat is a minority owned, operated and led lifestyle company founded in 2018 in Chelsea, NYC. Launched in April 2020, Cool Cat Wine Spritzers are currently distributed in New York, Connecticut and Georgia with plans to expand into additional markets in 2021. Discover the brand online at drinkcoolcat.com or on Instagram and Facebook @drinkoolcat.
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by admin | Oct 13, 2020 | IN THE NEWS
Ultra-Premium Limited Release Highlights Special Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Matured for 15 Years
Louisville, KY (October 14, 2020) – Barrell Craft Spirits® (BCS), the award-winning independent blender and bottler of unique aged, cask-strength sourced whiskey and rum, has unveiled its most recent Bourbon release from the Barrell Craft Spirits Line, a special blend of straight bourbon whiskeys matured for a minimum of 15 years. Distilled in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, this ultra-premium limited release was crafted and bottled in Kentucky at peak maturity (104.9 proof, 52.45% ABV). In addition to Bourbon, the Barrell Craft Spirits Line also includes Whiskey and Rum.
Named “Best American Whiskey of 2018” by whiskey authority Fred Minnick in Forbes Magazine,this year’s complex release offers a bouquet shifting between heady minerals, tart fruits, woodsy spices and rich, nutty notes; with a delicacy that belies the explosion of oak on the palate. The addition of water brings out a creaminess which transforms the nose into a lush and tropical experience; bright but mature with exotic fruit notes rarely found in such old bourbon.
“We’re thrilled to introduce the third release of Bourbon within the Barrell Craft Spirits Line,” said Founder Joe Beatrice. “For this annual release, we identified and blended some exceptional barrels to taste that are defined by absolute balance and deep flavor layering.”
Founded in 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky, BCS selects and blends products that explore different distillation methods, barrels and aging environments, and bottles them at cask strength. Every batch is produced as a limited release and has a distinct flavor profile. BCS’s extensive stocks of high-quality casks mean they can craft extraordinary blends that maximize the nuances of each ingredient. Creative finishes, a liberated approach to blending, and a deep-seated commitment to releasing each whiskey at cask strength and without chill filtration guides every product release.
Joe remains intimately involved with every step of the production process at BCS, using his exceptional palate to choose and create great spirits alongside Tripp Stimson, the Chief Whiskey Scientist and Director of Distillery Operations, who joined BCS in 2017 after having spent nine years with Brown Forman Corporation. National Director Will Schragis, an experienced sommelier, rounds out the team with an active role in product development.
Beginning this month, Barrell Craft Spirits will make 12,000 (750ml) bottles of BCS Bourbon available at select retailers within the brand’s current 45 U.S. markets and online via the BCS website at www.barrellbourbon.com for the suggested retail price of $250.00, which includes a classic black storage case.
For more information, follow Barrell Craft Spirits on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram or visit www.barrellbourbon.com.
Barrell Craft Spirits
Barrell Craft Spirits is an independent blender and bottler of unique aged, cask-strength sourced whiskey and rum spirits, that is recognized for its blending expertise. The company selects and blends products that explore different distillation methods, barrels and aging environments, and bottles them at cask strength. Every batch and single barrel is produced as a limited release and has a distinct flavor profile.
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by admin | Oct 13, 2020 | IN THE NEWS
Proprietary Distillation Process Results in a Luxury Tequila of Unparalleled Flavor Made With 100% Blue Agave
New York, NY – PaQuí Tequila is officially launching to the trade in six states, including NY, CA, FL, GA, SC and TN. PaQuí is an exciting addition to the Tequila category because it was specially created to express the best parts of the blue agave fruit’s more than 600 aroma and flavor compounds, avoiding the harsh bite of most Tequilas.
All three expressions of PaQuí Tequila – Silvera, Reposado and Añejo – are also available for retail purchase online at PaquiTequila.com, with shipping to 40 states and Washington D.C.
“I created PaQuí because I felt there had to be a better tasting Tequila – one that fully expresses the beautiful aromas and flavors of the blue agave fruit, without the harsh bite that is so common in Tequila,” said PaQuí founder John Chappell. “I wanted to create a Tequila that is a pure pleasure to sip and enjoy in cocktails.”
A top finding in PaQuí’s consumer research uncovered that while a lot of people love the idea of Tequila, they don’t actually love the actual liquid. So founder John Chappell found a master distiller in Jalisco, Mexico — the highly respected Gilberto Jasso — who knew a different way to make Tequila.
Flavorful PaQuí Tequila stands out from other luxury Tequilas thanks to three key differentiators in the production process:
1) Only agave piñas that reach exactly 26 brix ripeness (sugar level) make the cut. These agave plants take seven or more years to mature;most mass production Tequilas are made with younger, less-ripe agave (as young as four years).
2) Fresh wine yeast – not airborne yeast – is used in the fermentation process, for control and consistency over the finished product. PaQuí also uses stainless steel fermentation tanks and pot stills to avoid “off” flavors.
3) A selective distillation process goes further than most major brands by separating the “heart” of the distillate to remove impurities that are harsh, bitter substances, allowing the pleasant aromas, fruit, minerals and soft texture to fully emerge.
The resulting Tequila is uniquely fruity, floral and complex, with a silky texture, long finish, and no harshness. PaQuí Silvera is unaged, PaQuí Reposado is aged for four months in ex-whisky barrels of American oak, and PaQuí Añejo is aged for 14 months in ex-whisky American oak barrels. Unlike its competitors, there is a great deal of restraint used in the oak aging, retaining the sweet agave fruit of the Silvera.
PaQuí Stands for Happiness
The word PaQuí means “to be happy” in the Aztec language, and the branding and liquid inside the bottle bring that emotion to life. The bottle design was inspired by an Aztec pyramid and the dancing Mexican warrior on the label in his headdress – but no weapon – inspires fun.
“The PaQuí liquid offers a new Tequila experience because the brand captures the emotion behind Tequila: Mexican culture, a sense of old-world craftsmanship and quality, and a sense of enjoyment, sociability and fun,” added Chappell.
PaQuí will be supported in-market with digital advertising, social media and PR campaigns to engage the trade as well as consumers. Already, PaQuí is available in more than 250 accounts in New York City, with an 85 percent reorder rate, demonstrating strong proof-of concept in arguably the most competitive market in the country.
PaQuí Tequila is the first distilled spirit to be launched by Tequila Holdings, Inc., an independent spirits company founded by career beverage executive John Chappell in New York, NY. PaQuí recently conducted a successful fund-raising campaign on StartEngine.com, becoming one of just 85 companies to reach the allowed limit of Regulation C fund-raising campaigns ($1.07 million raised over a six-month period). PaQuí Tequila is available wholesale in six states and online at PaQuí Tequila.com. The suggested retail price for each 750ml bottle of PaQuí Tequila is: Silvera at $49.99; Reposado at $59.99 and; Añejo at $69.99.
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by admin | Oct 13, 2020 | IN THE NEWS
New expression joins award-winning Kentucky Rye, also from historic Kentucky distillery
BOSTON, October 13, 2020 — Latitude Beverage Co., in partnership with Owensboro Distilling Company (formerly O.Z. Tyler), is expanding the Wheel Horse Whiskey portfolio with Wheel Horse Bourbon. Following the successful launch of Wheel Horse Rye earlier this year, Latitude continues to collaborate with the historic Kentucky distillery to bring this new Bourbon to life.
Wheel Horse Bourbon was aged between two and four years at Owensboro Distilling, the westernmost distillery along the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Crafted by Master Distiller Jacob Call, a third-generation distiller and seventh-generation Kentuckian, Wheel Horse Bourbon is a Straight Bourbon whiskey made from a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. This whiskey is produced through the traditional sour mash method, distilled in copper stills, and matured in hand-selected, 53-gallon, charred American oak barrels. It is non-chill filtered and bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV).
“It has been an honor to carry on the 135-year tradition of this historic distillery, which was recently renamed so we could better honor its storied past,” said Jacob Call, Master Distiller at Owensboro Distilling. “We reopened for production in 2016 after being closed for more than seven decades, and Wheel Horse was one of the first national brands to show off our whiskey. We’re excited to partner with Latitude Beverage again on the release of Wheel Horse Bourbon. You’re going to love it.”
“Launching Wheel Horse in partnership with Owensboro Distilling has been an exciting endeavor,” said Terry Lozoff, Latitude Beverage’s Spirits Director. “Wheel Horse Rye has quickly gained a loyal following and has received several accolades, including a 94 point rating from the New York International Spirits Competition. Owensboro Distilling is making fantastic whiskey, and this new Bourbon is the perfect example of the high bar they’ve set as they fully re-enter the Kentucky Bourbon scene.”
Wheel Horse Bourbon Whiskey is available in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Tennessee. Also, after quickly selling out of batch one, the second batch of Wheel Horse Rye Whiskey will be available in these markets in early November. Both expressions have a suggested retail price of $27.99 for a 750ml bottle, making both the Bourbon and Rye an affordable luxury for whiskey lovers.
For more information and to purchase Wheel Horse Bourbon and Rye, visit www.wheelhorsewhiskey.com and follow @WheelHorseWhiskey on Facebook and Instagram.
About Latitude Beverage Company
Latitude Beverage is the innovative, Boston-based company behind a portfolio of national wine and spirits brands, including 90+ Cellars, Iron Side, Mija Sangria, Magic Door Vineyards, Corte Fiore, Steel Dust Vodka and Wheel Horse Whiskey. The company was founded in 2007 by Kevin Mehrawho saw an opportunity to make high-end wine more accessible by purchasing oversupply from highly rated wineries across the globe, bottling the wine under his own labels, and selling it to consumers at a lower price. This unique business model, based on the centuries old function of the négociant, became the foundation for 90+ Cellars. The company is now recognized as one of the fastest growing wine companies in America (IMPACT Hot Brand 2015, 2016, 2017). For more information, visit ninetypluscellars.com.
About Owensboro Distilling Co.
Owensboro Distilling Co. (a subsidiary of Green River Distilling Co.) is the fourth largest independent Bourbon distillery in the United States, located in Owensboro, Kentucky. Founded by John W. McCulloch in 1885, DSP-KY-10 received national and international acclaim for its whiskey. The distillery endured fire, Prohibition, multiple owners, and a period of decline to reemerge today. Under the leadership of Master Distiller Jacob Call, the distillery produces 90,000 barrels of Bourbon and rye a year for bulk, private brand, private label partners. The distillery is the Westernmost spot on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and welcomes visitors from around the world. For more information, visit www.greenriverdistilling.com.
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