by admin | Dec 14, 2022 | IN THE NEWS
Louisville, KY (December 13, 2022) – Barrell Craft Spirits® (BCS), the original independent blender of unique aged, cask-strength whiskey recognized for its expertise since 2013, has promoted Stefanie Bair to Director of Sales – US, effective January 1, 2023.
Stefanie joined Barrell Craft Spirits in 2019 as the Colorado Brand Development Manager and became Director of Sales (West) in January 2022. In her new role, she will assume responsibility for all major US markets, reporting to Chief Sales Officer William Schragis, who will continue to oversee Sales and Product Innovation Strategy. Previously, Stefanie worked as an On-Premise Specialist for William Grant & Sons in New York City and as a Brand Ambassador for Fernet/Fratelli Branca USA.
“We’re delighted to promote Stefanie, who contributes a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to our team,” said Barrell Craft Spirits Founder Joe Beatrice. “She’s a true talent when it comes to brand building, event management and product training. She’s also an excellent communicator with a keen eye for detail, all of which is essential for driving our future growth efforts in the US.”
For more information, follow Barrell Craft Spirits® on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram or visit barrellbourbon.com.
Barrell Craft Spirits®
Louisville-based Barrell Craft Spirits® is the original, pre-eminent independent blender of unique, aged, cask strength whiskey and rum. Recognized for our blending expertise since 2013, we skillfully design, produce, and launch leading, unique products that surprise and delight whiskey aficionados and novices alike.
Barrell Craft Spirits®, Barrell®, Barrell Bourbon® and Barrell Rye® are registered trademarks owned by Barrell Craft Spirits LLC.
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by admin | Dec 5, 2022 | IN THE NEWS
Cask Strength Wheated Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Tokaji and Single Malt Cask Staves Now Available in California and Online
Los Angeles, CA (December 5, 2022) – Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. has collaborated with Los Angeles Distillery (LAD) on Broken Barrel’s first distillery Collaboration Collection —a cask strength wheated bourbon whiskey finished with Tokaji and Single Malt staves— which will be released exclusively for purchase at retail in California and online.
Broken Barrel’s unapologetic whiskeys are known for exemplifying the impact a non-traditional barrel finishing practice has on a final whiskey – specifically by using broken barrel staves from multiple combinations of barrel types in tandem. This limited-edition release marks a new journey for Broken Barrel Founder & CEO Seth Benhaim, who approached Total Wine & More and Dr. Lewis Harsanyi of LAD earlier this year about a collaboration.
Benhaim hails LAD as one of California’s most impressive distilleries – a true state-of-the-art facility led by Dr. Harsanyi, who for the past 35 years has sold, imported and built brewing and distilling systems to some of the industry’s most acclaimed producers. In 2014, Harsanyi founded his own distillery, which today houses one of the most breathtaking and sophisticated distilling operations in the craft spirits industry.
For this special release the two companies selected three, five-plus year-old wheated bourbon barrels. Each has been aging in new charred Hungarian white oak, selected specifically by the Hungarian-born Dr. Harsanyi, whose origins and extensive knowledge of oak barrels insists on their quality and distinct profile. Using that heritage to his advantage, Dr. Harsanyi customized to his own specifications the densest, top quality new Hungarian white oak barrels.
“Hungarian barrel staves are far denser (30-34mm) than American staves (25-28mm). For this project, I developed custom 200L elongated barrels and then carved wood grooves into the staves of each to increase the wood surface area (+68%) and impart more flavor,” said Harsanyi.”
Benhaim has experience sourcing both liquid from multiple distilleries and barrels from around the world, and has mastered blending multiple broken barrel cask staves in tandem to create, develop, and refine the flavor, feel and finish of his limited-release whiskeys. For this expression, he suggested using Tokaji-aszu staves, (known as the “king of wines and wine of kings”) as well as Harsanyi’s favorite, ex-single malt barrel staves, to reveal a last and final sweet-leathery kick to the bold cask strength wheated bourbon. During the finishing process, the barrels were emptied into their own drums before adding broken barrel staves to finish the whiskey, in this case for just a few months.
“Our personal connection and the combination at every step of the process is something all whiskey enthusiasts will appreciate, enjoy and share,” said Benhaim. “This special collaboration was made exclusively for our best customers in our home state of California.”
Availability
The 2022 Distillery Collaboration is now available at Total Wine & More locations throughout California, and within both the Broken Barrel gift shop and L.A.D. gift shop. The expression features a mash bill of 51% corn and 49% wheat and an Oak Bill™ (Benhaim’s term to denote the combination of various barrel staves used), of 80% Tokaji Aszu staves and 20% Ex Single Malt staves. The liquid was bottled at 130-132 proof (65%+ ABV) and has a suggested retail price of $110.
To date, Benhaim has purchased whiskey barrels from over a dozen countries. In addition to Broken Barrel’s core portfolio (California Oak, Small Batch, Heresy Rye and Cask Strength), he will have released 25 unique whiskeys with varying Oak Bills by year’s end. Past limited-releases have incorporated various types of barrel staves including: Barbadian Rum, French Oak, Cognac, Armagnac, Islay, Maple, Mizunara and Amontillado. Individually, these types of oak barrels are not typically used on 95% of all bourbon or rye whiskey produced, and rarely if ever are three types of oak used at the same time to finish American whiskeys.About Broken Barrel Whiskey Co.
Founded in 2017, Broken Barrel Whiskey is a portfolio of premium whiskeys sourced from the historic Owensboro Distilling Co. in Kentucky. The core expressions feature exclusively Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey, which are further aged and finished using various types and combinations of barrel staves. For more information, please visit www.brokenbarrelwhiskey.com
About Los Angeles Distillery
With a vision to produce luxury brand spirits, Los Angeles Distillery carefully planned and directed an innovative spirit-making process – from the selection of the ideal tree for our casks, to the superb composition of ingredients for our spirits, to our modern distillation techniques for consistent results – so that we may bring you excellent spirits. LA Distillery produces gin, rum, vodka, and whiskey; its whiskey portfolio includes American Single Malt, Rye Whiskey, and a variety of bourbons. All are available for purchase at www.lawhiskeystore.com
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by admin | Nov 30, 2022 | IN THE NEWS
Distillery Reserve Series Holiday Offering Available Via StillAustin.com Beginning Monday, December 5 at 1:00pm CST
Austin, TX (November 30, 2022) – Still Austin Whiskey Co., a homegrown distillery in the heart of South Austin, will introduce its latest Distillery Reserve Series offering—a straight bourbon whiskey finished in cognac casks— beginning Monday, December 5 at 1:00pm CST via the Still Austin website, www.stillaustin.com. The bourbon is distilled from 100% Texas grains with a mash bill of 70% white corn, 25% rye and 5% malted barley, aged for more than two years in new charred American Oak barrels, finished in French cognac barrels for 17 months, and bottled at 108 proof (54% ABV). This limited-edition spirit opens on the nose with intimations of marzipan, candied pear, molasses and fig and delivers tastes of dried apricots and cranberries, lemongrass, almonds and cassia spice, with lingering afternotes of dried lemon peel, black currants and ginger powder.
As part of these annual holiday releases, Still Austin partners with a local Texas artist to create the art for the bottle label. For this year’s release, the award-winning grain-to-glass distillery turned to Austin-based up-and-coming abstract muralist Kel Brown. A rising star in the local art scene, Brown has been making his mark on the outdoor walls of Austin as well as in the city’s art galleries. A former artist-in-residence at Pine Street Station, he has collaborated with the SXSW music festival, the City of Austin, and the George Washington Carver Museum. Each label for this sumptuous whiskey has been individually hand-painted as Brown allowed the spirit to inspire his innate sense of color and form.
How to Purchase
Consumers will have the chance to purchase a 750ml bottle beginning Monday, December 5 at 1:00pm CST by visiting StillAustin.com. The price is $120 per bottle plus tax, which will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Limit one per customer. Patrons can pick up their bottles at the Still Austin distillery (440 E. St Elmo Road Unit F) on Friday, December 9, beginning at 12pm. Bottles must be picked up at the distillery and cannot be shipped.
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 Still Austin 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 distillery to make the highest quality whiskey. 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. For more information, visit www.stillaustin.com
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 Road in the heart of Austin, Texas. All spirits are hand crafted using grains grown by Texas farmers. Still Austin’s collection of spirits includes the flagship Straight Bourbon Whiskey (aka “The Musician”), Cask Strength Bourbon, Straight Rye Whiskey (aka “The Artist”), and American Gin (aka “The Naturalist”). 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.
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by admin | Nov 22, 2022 | IN THE NEWS
Ongoing Limited-Release Blends Feature an Alternate Blending Profile, Incorporate Rare Barrels
Louisville, KY (November 22, 2022) – Stellum™ Spirits, a national brand which celebrates the modern-day whiskey drinker, today introduced two new Stellum Black specialty blends. These blends feature an alternate blending profile and incorporate rare barrels to create limited edition bourbons and ryes that deliver robust flavor alongside profound complexity.
Stellum Black specialty blends offer consumers more in terms of rarity, collectability, and insight into the inspiration behind the blends themselves. Blending in steps and with smaller batches allows the team to utilize barrels or parts of barrels that are particularly unique while still having a major influence on the character of the whiskey.
The base for all Stellum Black specialty blends is a blend of Indiana bourbon/rye, which is then layered with older bourbons/ryes from Kentucky and Tennessee, creating a unique everyday whiskey.
These are the two latest limited edition blends:
- Hunter’s Moon
- This warm, oak driven bourbon is made in preparation for winter, inspired by the Hunter’s Moon of October. It is marked by a high rye spice and a robust woodiness meant for the time of year when days get shorter and the nights get longer. Bottled at cask strength (115.52 proof)
- The Lone Cypress
- This savory and delicate rye blend is defined by notes of dried herbs and pine, with a hint of salt-air salinity. It’s named for one of the world’s most famous trees, found on the picturesque coast of the Monterey Peninsula. Bottled at cask strength (115.34 proof)
All Stellum Black specialty blends have an SRP of $99. They are available at select retailers in 49 U.S. markets and online via the Stellum website at www.stellum.com. For more information, follow Stellum Spirits on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit www.stellum.com.
Stellum Spirits
Stellum™ Spirits is devoted to bringing American whiskey into the modern age with simple, elegant blends and single barrels selected with care and intention. Stellum Spirits is produced by Barrell Craft Spirits®, the original, pre-eminent independent blender of unique, aged, cask strength whiskey and rum since 2013.
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by admin | Nov 15, 2022 | IN THE NEWS
Limited Edition Ultra-Rare Cask Strength Bottling Features Older and More Rare Barrels Aged up to 25 Years
Louisville, KY (November 15, 2022) – Barrell Craft Spirits (BCS), the original, pre-eminent independent blender of unique, aged, cask strength whiskey and rum, today introduced BCS Gold Label Dovetail. This limited edition and ultra-rare expression boasts the same award-winning blend of whiskey finished in rum, port and Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Barrels as its classic, iconic counterpart, which won the Chairman’s Trophy at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and earned a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. BCS Gold Label Dovetail is created with the same finishing and blending method as Barrell Dovetail, but incorporates whiskeys aged up to 25 years, resulting in a more powerful and robust blend.
“Over the past several years, Dovetail has become a highly regarded expression within the BCS portfolio of products and the American Whiskey world,” said BCS Founder Joe Beatrice. “Following the recent success of BCS Gray Label Dovetail, we decided to apply the concept of ‘Dovetail’ to our oldest, rarest stocks. We left these component whiskeys in their finishing casks even longer and included some very high proof barrels to create a blend with an intensity matched only by its nuance and 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. 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 guides every product release.
BCS Gold Label Dovetail was distilled in IN, TN and Canada and bottled in Kentucky at 140.18 proof (70.09% ABV). The new expression is now available at select retailers within the brand’s current 49 U.S. markets and online via the BCS website at www.barrellbourbon.com. The suggested retail price for a 750ml bottle is $499.99.
In addition to BCS Gold Label Dovetail, Barrell Craft Spirits® offers multiple other special releases that highlight its blending expertise including: Barrell Seagrass, which won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition; Barrell Armida, which earned Best Barrel-Aged Bourbon at the LA Spirits Awards; Barrell Vantage, a blend of straight bourbons finished in Mizunara, French and Toasted American Oak Casks; and the various other BCS Gold and Gray Label bottlings.
For more information, follow Barrell Craft Spirits® on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram or visit www.barrellbourbon.com.
Barrell Craft Spirits®
Louisville-based Barrell Craft Spirits® is the original, pre-eminent independent blender of unique, aged, cask strength whiskey and rum. Recognized for our blending expertise since 2013, we skillfully design, produce, and launch leading, unique products that surprise and delight whiskey aficionados and novices alike.
Barrell Craft Spirits®, Barrell®, Barrell Bourbon® and Barrell Rye® are registered trademarks owned by Barrell Craft Spirits LLC.
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