Cocktail of the week: Black Cherry Mule

• This is the latest entry in an every-Saturday feature. To provide it, I comb through all sorts of sources -- my own archives, bar books, readers' suggestions, distillers' ideas -- even press releases from breathless PR people seeking to get their clients' products mentioned. If you have a favorite recipe to share, don't hesitate to send it along.

Looking for something a little out of the ordinary? Something refreshing, but with a bit of a kick? Then you'll probably enjoy the Black Cherry Mule.

Ingredients:

2 ounces Belvedere vodka 

6 fresh cherries 

Dash of simple syrup 

Dash of fresh lime juice 

Dash of Peychaud bitters

Muddle all ingredients thoroughly. Then, shake and strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with a float of ginger beer and garnish with a while fresh cherry. 

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Spirited art for the people

The Russian artist Yuri Gorbachev has been honored by having his work displayed in the Louvre in Paris and the White House in Washington, DC. However, his latest project is a bit more plebian.

Stolichnaya recently released a series of limited edition bottles of its vodka at Gatwick and Heathrow airports in London. The artwork was designed by Gorbachev.

He said of the design “It incorporates the four elements -- earth, air, water and fire -- that join together to make Stoli one of the world’s most distinctive vodkas. Earth and water feed the grain, which gains strength from the clean air, while fire represents the passionate spirit of Stoli.”

Vicki Gilmour of Blackjack Promotions, the agency handling the product rollout, said, said: "Our staff commented on receiving great feedback from the many passengers who sampled the cocktails, and if this wasn’t proof enough the ... bottles sold above target for the first month."

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Buffalo Trace Antique Collection due out

Buffalo Trace Distillery has announced the release this month of its 2011 Antique Collection, featuring five limited-release whiskeys of various ages, recipes and proofs.

The collection:

• Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old
• Eagle Rare 17 Year Old
• George T. Stagg
• William Larue Weller
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye

The Antique Collection, introduced more than a decade ago, will be available in limited quantities starting in late September. Suggested retail price is $70 eachBuffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company in Frankfort, KY.

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Cornwall's first single malt in 300 years

• From Harpers Wine and Spirits Trade Reviews

CORNWALL, England -- Two Cornish drinks producers have teamed up to create what they claim is the first whiskey to be produced in Cornwall in over 300 years and the oldest whiskey to be launched in England for more than a century.

The limited edition Hicks & Healey Cornish Single Malt 7 Year Old Whiskey is the brainchild of St. Austell Brewery and Healey's Cyder Farm.

Made with Maris Otter barley grown in Trerulefoot, southeast Cornwall, and spring water, the wash was mixed at St. Austell Brewery's traditional Victorian brewhouse, before being transferred to Healey's Farm and passed through a double distillation in a traditional copper pot still. The best cut was then collected and filled into American bourbon charred casks.

"It's taken 300 years to craft Cornwall's first premium whiskey and seven years to age it," said David Healey from Healey's Cyder Farm. "In Cornwall we like to take our time in order to get things right -- and it's well worth the wait."

"We are all delighted with the results which help consolidate Cornwall's position as a leader in the UK drinks sector," added James Staughton, St. Austell Brewery's managing director and great-great grandson of the brewery's founder Walter Hicks.

The whiskey has been bottled unfiltered at a cask strength of 61.3% abv. It is available in 50cl bottles in a wooden presentation box with two glasses, priced at £150 (US$243).

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Final days for whiskey book discount

My new book, "Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y In Jiggers and Shots," will officially be released on September 6.

The retail price then will be $18.95, but you can get a hefty 33% pre-release discount from Amazon.com by going here.

It is a collection I co-wrote and edited with essays from numerous writers famous in the field, from F. Paul Pacult to David Wondrich to Tom Wolfe.

You'll discover the spread of whiskey throughout the world and how it helped build countries. Read profiles of some of the most famous giants of the industry as Jack Daniel, George Smith and the Beam family.

Plus, go behind the scenes of Prohibition to check out the legendary gangsters, small-time rumrunners, a famous NASCAR champion who made his mark as a moonshine runner. And, you'll get insiders' looks at legitimate whiskey-making in such diverse spots as Scotland, Ireland, the U.S., South Africa, India and Japan.

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Perfect weekend for a Hurricane Cocktail

One of the most enduring fruity, summertime adult drink is the Hurricane Cocktail, also a favorite during Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

And, what better weekend for it than this one, what with Hurricane Irene creating concern and damage all along the Eastern Seaboard.

As with so many drinks, the precise recipe is argued, with regional preferences abounding In that spirit, I'm offering several variations.

NEW ORLEANS CLASSIC

Yields 10 drinks

10 ounces white rum
10 ounces Jamaican Dark rum
10 ounces Bacardi 151 rum
30 ounces orange juice
30 ounces pineapple juice
5 ounces grenadine syrup

Combine all ingredients and mix well in a chilled pitcher.Serve in large glasses over crushed ice with an orange slice as garnish.

O'BRIEN'S BAR VERSION

Yields 2 drinks

2 ounces light rum
2 ounces dark rum
2 ounces passion fruit juice
1 ounce orange juice
juice of a half a lime
1 tablespoon simple syrup
1 tablespoon grenadine
Orange slice and cherry for garnish

Squeeze juice from half a lime into shaker over ice. Pour the remaining ingredients into the cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a hurricane glass (see shape above). Garnish with a cherry and an orange juice.

THE HURRICANE!

Yields 2 drinks

1 ounce vodka
¼ ounce grenadine syrup
1 ounce gin
1 ounce light rum
½ ounce 151 brand rum (dark añejo rum makes a good substitute)
1 ounce amaretto almond liqueur
1 ounce Triple Sec
grapefruit juice
pineapple juice

Pour all but the juices, in order listed, into a "hurricane" glass three-quarters filled with ice. Fill with equal parts of grapefruit and pineapple juice, and serve.

Note: Rum drinks are famous for a rum "float" on the top. A dark añejo rum such as Brugal makes a nice finishing touch.

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Absolut Orient Apple has 'secret' ingredient

Just when you think the variety of infused vodkas must have topped out, along comes another.

This one is Absolut Orient Apple, now available in some U.S. markets. Most tasting results say the fruit is evident more in the aroma than in the taste. That may be because rather than an apple, the "Orient Apple" on this infusion is more commonly known as the gently flavored Asian pear.

Absolut Orient Apple is available at a suggested retail price of $20.95 for the 750ml bottle.

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Cocktail of the Week: French 75

• This is the latest entry in an every-Saturday feature. To compile it, I'll be combing through all sorts of sources -- my own archives, old bar books, readers' suggestions, distillers' ideas -- even press releases from breathless PR people seeking to get their clients' products mentioned. If you have a favorite recipe to share, don't hesitate to send it along.

Mixologist Chris McMillian of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel's Library Lounge in New Orleans is known as a master of the classics.

This is one of his favorites, named after the famous French World War I artillery piece, the 75mm howitzer, also called a "French 75" ("Soixante Quinze" in French) and is a favorite New Orleans brunch drink.

Ingredients:

1½ ounces gin (preferably Bombay White Label)
1 ounce simple syrup
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
Champagne

In a pint glass, pour gin, simple syrup and lemon juice. Mix with a shaker. Use a strainer to pour the mixture into a Champagne flute and slowly top off the glass with champagne. Give the drink a brief stir and garnish with a lemon spiral.

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Deep discount for new BARRELS & DRAMS whiskey anthology
by: williamdowd



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Drambuie issues limited Jacobite Collection

If you have $5,725 and are one of the first 150 people to get in line, you may be in luck.

The Scottish liqueur maker has launched the extremely-limited Jacobite Collction priced at £3,500 (US$5,725) per set. It features a hand-blown crystal decanter containing a blend of 45-year-old whiskies.

Each of the 150 sets in the Jacobite Collection -- named for a series of anti-English uprisings that took place between 1688 and 1746 -- is in a solid wood presentation box containing a hand-etched crystal replica of the Spottiswoode Amen glass and a large crystal decanter stopper.

It also comes with a letter-pressed, hand-bound 32-page leather booklet written by whisky author Ian Buxton. It details the history of both Drambuie and the Jacobite Rebellion.

Incidentally, if you're interested in how the Jacobite uprising is treated in Scotland, go here to read my report about the updated battlefield at Culodden that effectively ended the action.

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An interstate earthquake chat

From the National Hurricane Center.

I'm among the apparently very few here in Upstate New York who felt nothing during Tuesday's earthquake. Perhaps that is a result of my famously brilliant balance, or my equally famous unawareness of what goes on around me.

Anyway, I was in the midst of an e-chat with Paul McCann, owner/distiller of Parched Group in Richmond, VA, where he makes the exquisite craft vodka named Cirrus.

It was Paul who alerted me to what was going on. Here's a bit of the back-and-forth. Obviously, there were time gaps between the messages.

PAUL: Cirrus just launched in GA and will be launching in MD Oct 1.

BILL: That's good news. Best wishes.

PAUL: We just had an earthquake. No damage.

BILL (obviously oblivious): Seriously?

PAUL: Yep, 6.0.

BILL: Any damage to your facility? (Apparently the shock waves radiated all the way up here, but I never felt it. Living atop a mountain helps, I guess.)

PAUL: No damage here fortunately. This building was constructed in '46. They don't build 'em like this anymore. I was a little worried about the old smoke stack that is 200 ft tall but I don't see any problems. If there are maybe the hurricane will blow it over; hopefully sway from my building...

As noted, the next East Coast worry is the progress of Hurricane Irene, now gathering strength in the Caribbean.

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Glenmorangie names new president

Paul Skipworth

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- After a 14-year run as president and marketing director of the Glenmorangie Company, Paul Neep is moving to the non-executive chairman slot. He is being succeeded by Paul Skipworth.

The distiller, owned by French luxury goods giant Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, produces Glenmorangie Single Highland malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay malt. It left the blended whisky field in 2009.

Skipworth will be charged with charting the company's further efforts to increase market share. Last year, Glenmorangie opened a new bottling facility at the Alba Campus in Livingston, Scotland

The plant was built to allow for an increase in production to meet future demand for premium single malt whisky in such markets such as Asia, Europe and the U.S.

"Going forward, we are planning further investment in advertising and promotions to build our brands in key markets," Skipworth said. "We will continue to benefit from the strong global distribution network of Moet Hennessy."

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Cocktail of the Week: Triple Orange Margarita

• This is the latest entry in an every-Saturday feature. To compile it, I'll be combing through all sorts of sources -- my own archives, old bar books, readers' suggestions, distillers' ideas -- even press releases from breathless PR people seeking to get their clients' products mentioned. If you have a favorite recipe to share, don't hesitate to send it along.

Ronaldo P. Colli, mixologist at the Americano restaurant in San Francisco, was asked by the makers of Gran Gala Triple Orange Liqueur to come up with a seasonal margarita showcasing their product. He came up with an excellent one, and here it is.

INGREDIENTS:

1½ ounces ultra premium tequila
¾ ounce Gran Gala Triple Orange
1 ounce orange juice, freshly squeezed
½ ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
¼ ounce agave nectar
1 lime wheel
1 orange peel

Pour Gran Gala, tequila, orange juice, lime juice, agave nectar and orange peel into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled glass filled with ice. Strain into a chilled margarita glass if you prefer your margarita up. Garnish with a lime wheel and the same orange peel on top of the cocktail. Salted rim is traditional, but optional.

(Agave nectar is a natural sweetener. Adjust according to desired sweetness. Available at gourmet stores or from online retailers.)

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Isle of Skye 12 coming to U.S.

ISLE OF SKYE, Scotland -- In just a few weeks, Isle of Skye 12 Blended Scotch Whisky will be available in the U.S. for the first time.

Ian Macleod Distillers, owner of the brand, announced today it is attempting to follow up on satisfactory sales of its 8-year-old expression that was introduced to the U.S. market in 2009.

The noted whisky expert and judge Jim Murray describes Isle of Skye as "an absolute must for any Islay-philes out there -- in fact, a must for everybody. Your taste buds are beaten up and caressed simultaneously. One of the most enormous yet brilliantly balanced whiskies in the world."

Isle of Skye 12 Year Old will carry a suggested retail price of $38.99 for the 750ml bottle from mid-September.

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2nd release in Taylor collection unveiled

FRANKFORT, KY -- Buffalo Trace Distillery today announced the second release in its Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr. collection.

The E.H. Taylor Jr. Single Barrel Bourbon was aged for 11 years, 7 months in the warehouse Taylor built in 1881. It bottled at 100 proof (50% alcohol by volume).

It joins the Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon Buffalo Trace released earlier this year that began a line to be released one-by-one over the next few years. The vintage label and canister are reminiscent of Taylor’s bottles nearly one hundred years ago.

Taylor was a great-nephew of President Zachary Taylor. He was mayor of Frankfort, and a member of both the Kentucky General Assembly and State Senate. He is recognized as one of the pioneers of the bourbon industry.

The E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel will be available at a suggested retail price of $59.99 per 750ml bottle.

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Washington gets state's first potato vodka

SNOHOMISH, WA -- Many craft disillers are making their own vodkas, but most use a grain mixture. The ​Skip Rock Distillery is taking a different path, producing the state's first potato vodka.

Skip Rock, founded 13 months ago, is owned and run by Ryan and Julie Hembree, who are not reluctant to let people know their undertaking is "a homebrewing hobby gone wild."

Ryan, a former agriculture coordinator for Snohomish County, has a formal education in winemaking. The couple pair spent a week in Louisville, KY, several years ago to study distillation techniques at Woodford Reserve.

The majority of Skip Rock's potatoes are grown in the state's Skagit Valley. The distillers use a 75%-25% mix of Yukon Gold and red potatoes.

In addition to running his own facility, Ryan does much of the distilling for Mac Donald Distillery. The two distilleries share a tasting room at 104 Avenue C in Snohomish. Phone: (360) 862-0272.

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Acid spill shuts Scottish distillery

X marks site of affected distillery.

LEVENMOUTH, Fife, Scotland -- A Diageo distillery that makes whiskey for some major brands was hit by a major chemical spill today.

Workers were safely evacuated by firefighters called to the Cameronbridge Distillery after thousands of liters of nitric acid spilled from a container. Some of it mixed with water, releasing dangerous gases into an outer safety tank called a bund.

There has been no word on how much of an effect the problem will have on the production flow of spirits.

The plant creates the base grain spirit used in such brands as Johnnie Walker, J&B, Bell’s, Black and White, Haig and White Horse. It also makes the grain-neutral spirit for Archers, Pimm’s, Smirnoff, Tanqueray and Gordon’s Gin.

Officials said thousands of liters of 60% nitric acid solution leaked from a 28,000-liter container. Nitric acid is a colorless, corrosive liquid which can cause severe burns. It is a common element used in plant disinfecting.

Site manager Jim McCowen said from the scene, "One of the process tanks has sprung a leak and it’s collected in the bund. Because the bund had a small amount of water in it, the acid has reacted and released a gas. It’s been contained in that tank, but until the specialist contractor gets here, the fire service is here to monitor the situation."

A Diageo spokesman later said, "No one has been injured and the spillage is being contained safely, with no environmental impact."

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Bols introduces alcoholic foams

By now, the idea of a foam component on dishes served at avant garde restaurants is commonplace. But, the Dutch liqueur maker Bols has come up with the first alcoholic foam.

The molecular mixology product is designed to be used with cocktails, sparkling wine, sodas, coffees and desserts.

Foam Bols is created using a special pump and a patented ingredient. The foam, which holds up for about 15 minutes. is available in six flavors: banana, blue, crème de cassis, amaretto, peppermint and white cacao.

Rob Rademaker of the Bols Bartending Academy, says, "Bols is the first company in the world to introduce instant foam from the bottle. We’re excited to see how it will be received in the bartending community and among consumers."

Foam Bols was launched in London, and is expected to be made available internationally within the next year.

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Celebri-quote: Daniel Craig

• Daniel Craig may be a star in his own right. but when he met the legendary Harrison Ford before they began filming "Cowboys & Aliens," he felt intimidated, as he revealed in an interview with Esquire magazine.

"You rarely get these opportunities to actually speak to people you admire. I think it's human nature to get a bit nervous around people like that, but certainly a coupe of large malt whiskies helped loosen my tongue.

"I was very open about how much he's influenced me. He's Harrison Ford, you know? He knows how to ride a horse, shoot a gun, build a house, fly a helicopter. But he's also very funny, very dry. Thank God. Could have gone either way, I suppose."

[Go here for more Celebri-quotes.]

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Heaven on a stick for $1,000

• This is an installment of "Gotta Have ...", my ongoing series of occasional postings on unusual spirits products.

In this time of global fiscal uncertainty some people might think it decadent, perhaps indecent, to spend $1,000 on a popsicle.

I agree. It is ridiculous, wasteful, condescending, unfeeling .. and I want one.

This tidbit, available only at the swanky Marquis Los Cabos Resort in Mexico, is made from Tequilas Premium Clas Azul Ultra ($1,500 a bottle) laced with 24-carat gold flakes. Mmmmm. Chilly and shiny.

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Grant's joins the RTD market

This one is mostly for my friends in the UK, although one never knows how inventive consumers can become in obtaining what they want despite various shipping rules.

The whiskey distiller Grant’s has announced the launch of its first ready-to-drink (RTD) product, Grant’s Scotch Whisky and Cola.

A second RTD will be launched at a date to be determined: a whisky and ginger drink.

"RTDs are the fastest growing category in the UK off-trade -- with RTD cans in dynamic growth, up 48%," said James Stocker, marketing controller for Grant's at its UK distrbutor, First Drinks, "so we felt this was a really important area to exploit."

Grant’s Scotch Whisky and Cola and Grant’s Scotch Whisky and Ginger are, or will be, available at 6.6% abv (13.2 proof) in 250ml cans priced at £2 (US$3.25).

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'Trends' that make you say 'Huh?'

OK, so what are the "experts" telling you that you'll be drinking for at least the next year?

The Food Channel, CultureWaves and the Mintel research firm teamed up to create the TV channel's annual "Top 10 Beverage Trends" list released this week.

Kay Logsdon, editor-in-chief of The Food Channel, said the list confirmed what the network has seen in the marketplace.

"It indicated we're drinking more water these days, although we like to dress it up a little. And, it told us that coupons have little or no influence on whether we purchase a beverage at a fast-food restaurant."

Here are the "trends," in the words of the great seers.

1. D.I.Y. Flavor: Many of us are taking flavor matters into our own hands.

2. Parental Discretion Advised: We're still seeing lots of buzz around beverages and kids.

3. Iced Coffee Is Scalding Hot: Consumption of this cold caffeinated beverage has heated up.

4. For Medicinal Purposes Only: There's certainly no shortage of ways to "drink to your health."

5. Sipping Seasonally and Simply: In much the same way we're eating local and choosing foods when they're in season, we're making a more conscious effort to drink that way, too.

6. Fast Food Beyond the Fizz: There are changes happening here, too, with specialty drinks getting as much play as burgers and fries.

7. Craft Beers: The Buzz Is Back: While overall beer sales are flat these days, sales of craft brews are seeing double-digit increases.

8. Bourbon Booming: The retro revival of the classic cocktail has hip, young consumers bellying up to the bar for whiskey.

9. Show Biz: While the food generally takes center stage in restaurant exhibitionism, beverages are being offered more starring roles.

10. Drinking Ourselves Thin: We want to enjoy our drinks without drinking in the extra calories."

If most of these 10 "trends" leave you saying "Huh?," you're not alone.

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Four Roses joins brewer for party time

The new loft space. (WHAS11 photo)

LOUISVILLE, KY -- Many a local and visitor has spent time at the Maker's Mark Bourbon House & Lounge downtown. Now, Four Roses is getting in on the branding act.

Bluegrass Brewing Company this week held a grand opening for its new Four Roses Bourbon Barrel Loft. It is located on the third floor of BBC's downtown location at 3rd and Main streets, opposite KFC Yum! Center.

Jim Rutledge, Four Roses' master distiller, said "We supply [Bluegrass Brewing] with a number of barrels, a minimum of 14 a month, to age their beers. And they'll age them up to a couple of months. It gives them really nice flavorful beers. And that was the beginning of the relationship."

The loft can accommodate up to 150 for a seated dinner or 175 for a cocktail or beer tasting event.

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Bacardi challenging Captain Morgan with Oakheart

September will bring many things -- a new school year, changing colors of foliage, an occasional nip in the air, and a rum giant's challenge to the market leader in spiced rum.

Bacardi, the global leader in traditional rum with 55% of the market, according to Nielsen rankings, in September will bring to market Bacardi Oakheart, a spiced rum aimed directly at category leader Captain Morgan's dominance.

It will be interesting to see if this challenge fares any better than Bacardi's first spiced rum, Bacardi Spice, that was discontinued in 1998 after a mere two years of existence.

It's a long uphill struggle. Captain Morgan has 71% of the category. Spice has grown more than other segments this year, up 3.2% percent to make up nearly 30% of the total rum market.

Oakheart will carry a suggested retail price of $12.99 for the 750ml bottle.

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Buffalo Trace widens unaged availability

FRANKFORT, KY -- The flow of white whiskies in the U.S. is reaching flood stage.

More and more micro-distilleries in numerous states have been going to market with unaged spirits, perfectly understandable considering they don't have the financial reserves to hold them over until their spirits would have aged in the wood.

However, they're not the only ones producing clear liquor. Buffalo Trace Distillery has just unveiled two new unaged whiskies -- White Dog Wheated Mash and White Dog Rye Mash. They join White Dog Mash #1, which is used to make Buffalo Trace's signature bourbon, in the company's clear portfolio.

The clear whiskeys are bottled at barrel proof. The Wheated Mash White Dog from Buffalo Trace is distilled from corn, barley and wheat. The soft wheat offers less bite and ages gracefully to eventually become W.L. Weller and Pappy Van Winkle Bourbons. This whiskey goes into barrels at 114 proof, the same strength as this White Dog.

The Rye Mash White Dog is made from corn, barley, and rye grains. When aged, this White Dog will become Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey. The 125 proof is barrel strength -- before aging.

Originally, the new unaged whiskies were to be sold only at the Buffalo Trace distillery gift shop. However, consumer demand has changed that, according to the company. All three Buffalo Trace White Dog offerings now are being made at a available in 375ml bottles only at a suggested retail price of $15.99 per bottle. The three offerings are packed in one case.

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Gordon's to Gordon: F--- off

Those of you sick of seeing celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's face on TV -- some nights he's the total prime time lineup for Fox -- may be jealous of people living in the UK who will be seeing a bit less of the noted pottymouth.

Ramsay has been dropped as the face of Gordon's gin in the UK, not so coincidentally after sales began falling during his three-year stint on TV, billboards and in print.

According to The Mirror of London, "In November 2009, Ramsay was blamed by industry insiders for a 3% slump in sales of Gordon’s. Trade magazine The Grocer quoted brand expert Alan Morrison, consultant at Value Engineers, saying, 'I’m not sure a foul-mouthed, top-flight chef with a bad reputation is what they are looking for.

"Kate Waddell, head of consumer brands at Dragon Rouge, added, 'Ramsay has been over-hyped and commercialized. When a category is in the ascendant, this would seem the wrong tack to be pursuing'."

Two of his UK shows, "Ramsay's Cookalong" and "Kitchen Nightmares," have been sponsored in part by Gordon's, which is owned by international drinks giant Diageo.

Ramsay has been replaced by Brit TV actors Philip Glenister and Emilia Fox.

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Captain Morgan and a splash of water

Divers check out the Satisfaction.

• Wales Online just posted this story on underwater archaeology involving the ship of the Welsh sea captain after whom the ubiquitous rum is named.

Pirate Sir Henry Morgan’s flagship Satisfaction has lain on the seabed for 340 years.

Sand and mud have swept through the wreck until just two inches of its hull were visible. But, archaeologists found the Welshman’s prize vessel in waters off Panama in the nick of time.

The U.S.-led team, which earlier this year found six iron cannons believed to be from Morgan’s once powerful fleet, said it was like chancing upon a "needle in a haystack."

Divers have now found wreckage including about 52 feet by 22 feet of a 17th-century wooden hull’s starboard side. It contains numerous unopened cargo boxes and several large coral-encrusted chest but, as yet, has yielded no treasure.

Believed to have been born in Llanrumney, Cardiff, in 1635, Sir Henry sailed to the Caribbean as a young soldier. Although widely known as a pirate, he was in fact a privateer, having the backing of the English crown to terrorize the Spanish.

After gathering enough money to captain his own ship he eventually became the "admiral" of a fleet of privateer ships, plundering wealthy Spanish cities in the Americas, seizing islands, fighting battles, boarding treasure ships and earning a fortune.

The 17th Century Welsh buccaneer’s legend lived on in books and films such as the 1935 swashbuckler "Captain Blood," starring Errol Flynn, loosely based on Morgan’s life. And he is one of the inspirations of the Hollywood blockbuster series "Pirates of the Caribbean."

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First legal SC moonshine on the way

• From Reuters

GREENVILLE, SC -- Two entrepreneurs are taking advantage of South Carolina's new micro-distillery laws to make traditional moonshine whiskey legally in the state for the first time.

The Dark Corner Distillery will open here next month, where engineer Joe Fenten and longtime homebrewer Richard Wenger will produce and sell small batches of 100-proof moonshine from a custom-made copper still.

The distillery, housed in a 1925 building, will also include a tasting bar and a museum dedicated to the history of the Dark Corner, the local mountains that were once full of moonshiners, feud and mayhem, Fenten, 27, told Reuters.

The area was settled, along with the nearby Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, by Scots, Irish and Welsh who migrated down through the Appalachian mountain chain from Pennsylvania in the 1700s.

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Whiskey history anthology out in September

Dept. of Shameless Self-Promotion:

Sterling Publishing of NYC will be going to market in September with "Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y In Jiggers and Shots," an anthology tracing the people, politics and products of the global industry.

The "self-promotion" part is that I edited and co-wrote the book. What the "editing" part consists of includes selecting material by established writers, doing condensations and text editing, creating the thematic scope and flow of the book, and reviewing and signing off on the design, illustrations and overall look of the book. (Note: The writing part was easier.)

Among other authors I chose as contributors are such spirits-industry stalwarts as F. Paul Pacult, David Wondrich, James Rodewald and 20 others, including a gentleman with a literary place in history by the name of Tom Wolfe. His essay on NASCAR legend Junior Johnson's endeavors as a moonshine runner is a gem.

The hardcover book is 232 pages, and priced at $18.95 in the U.S. and $22.95 in Canada.

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Mount Gay launches higher-proof rum

Mount Gay Rum this month is releasing a new, higher-proof expression to the market.

Mount Gay Rum Eclipse Black is admittedly targeting a younger demographic, the company says. It is made from a blend of single- and double-distilled rums aged from two to seven years, resulting in a rum that is 50% abv (100 proof).

Master blender Allen Smith ages Eclipse Black in lightly-charred Kentucky white oak casks.

The blend will be available at a suggested retail price of $24.99 for the 750ml bottle.

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Aussies begin voluntary liquor warnings

• From The Associated Press

SYDNEY, Australia -- Australia's liquor industry today (tomorrow, Aussie time) launched a voluntary program to label its products with health warnings, possibly to preempt future criticism that it is contributing to excessive drinking that is part of the national culture.

About 80% of alcohol sold in the country -- beer, wine and spirits -- will carry the warnings, primarily aimed at teenagers and pregnant women, said Trish Worth of DrinkWise Australia, a group funded by the alcohol industry.

The group, founded in 2005, aims to overturn the traditionally benign view that Australians have had of drinking, even among teenagers. According to DrinkWise, the average Australian starts drinking alcohol at 15½ years of age and more than a quarter of 14- to 19-year-olds are putting themselves at risk of harm at least once a month.

"We see physically mature teenagers and assume that their brains are mature, but they are not," Worth told reporters. "We have to challenge ideas that are so traditional and historic in Australia."

The first few products with warning labels are already in stores but most others will introduce them gradually over the next few months, she said.

The three principal messages are "Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix," ''It is Safest Not to Drink While Pregnant," and "Is Your Drinking Harming Yourself or Others?"

The voluntary move comes ahead of an expected government decision later this year to make warnings mandatory in Australia, similar to some 14 other countries including the U.S.

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Benromach unveils trio of new whiskies

The new trio of products.

Benromach, the Scottish whisky maker, has added three new expressions to its portfolio.

• Benromach Wood Finish Hermitage is a smoky single malt matured in sherry and bourbon casks, before being transferred into oak casks for 22 months.

• Benromach Cask Strength is a single malt with a peaty edge, bottled at 59.9% abv (119.8 proof).

• Benromach 30 Years Old is a single malt matured in sherry casks with a hint of peat.

David Urquhart, joint managing director of Gordon & MacPhail, owners of the boutique distillery, said, "While different in taste, they all have that recognisable Benromach quality, which is achieved by using the finest malted barley, pure spring water from the Romach Hills and the highest quality casks."

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For $200K, this Tribute can be yours

William M. Dowd illustration

• This is part of "Gotta Have ...", an ongoing series of occasional postings on unusual spirits products.

Chivas Brothers is considered Scotch whisky royalty, so it seems fitting that the whisky and gin maker has created a new blend in homage to The Honours of Scotland, the oldest crown jewels on the British Isles.

The blend is an addition to the company’s Royal Salute whisky range, and has been sampled only by its creator, Master Blender Colin Scott. Just 21 bottles of what is being called Tribute to Honour have been created, an homage to mark Scott’s 21 years of service.

The blend’s whiskies -- all at least 45 years old -- were selected from the Royal Salute Vault at the Strathisla distillery in northeast Scotland. They are presented in a bottle, dressed in diamonds and gold from the Garrard jewellery brand.

Each flagon of Royal Salute Tribute to Honour will be available beginning in September 2011. They are individually numbered and priced at £124,000 (US$200,000).

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The Rickey, nation's capital official drink

A chilled Rickey.

WASHINGTON, DC -- While Congress and the White House continue their maddening lack of achievement when it comes to the nation's financial situation, politicians in the city that hosts them have come to agreement.

The District of Columbia City Council has unanimously proclaimed The Rickey the city's official drink.

The Rickey is anything but a newcomer to the cocktail scene. Popular lore has it that it was created in 1883 by one Colonel Joe Rickey who had a bartender at Shoomaker's bar add a lime to his daily dose of bourbon with lump ice and Apollinaris sparkling mineral water. It originally was called the Joe Rickey.

That's one version, anyway. Rickey, a popular gambler, Democratic lobbyist from Missouri and man about town, was quoted by a newspaper in 1900 as saying he never actually drank Rickeys. Oh, well.

By the 1890s, a gin version of the drink surpassed the original in popularity. The D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild celebrates July as "Rickey Month."

Shoomaker's was a well-known bar, opened in 1858 by Captain Robert Otto "Charley" Hertzog and Major William Shoomaker and located at 1331 E Street near the National Theater. Both German immigrants had served as officers in the Union Army in the Civil War, and had their names anglicized. After they died, Colonel Rickey, who had owned a piece of the business, bought full ownership in 1883.

In 1914, the bar operation moved to 1311 E Street. The stretch of E street between the Willard Hotel and 13th street was known as "Rum Row." Shoomaker's closed in 1917 shortly after passage of the Sheppard Act that caused the District to go dry prior to Prohibition.

A classic Rickey recipe:

• 2 ounces gin
• Juice of 1 lime
• Club soda
• Lime wedge for garnish

Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour the gin and lime juice over the ice.Top with club soda, Garish with lime and serve.

Obviously, the choice of gin brand is yours. And, adding a splash of other flavors such as fruit juices and liqueurs can make variations on a theme.

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Smirnoff adds coconut flavored vodka

Chalk up another flavored vodka offering from Smirnoff.

The world's top-selling vodka has added Smirnoff Coconut Flavored Vodka, an infused version of Smirnoff No. 21.

Like its predecessors, the new infused expression is triple distilled and filtered 10 times, then modified with natural flavorings.

"Coconut has taken the beverage category by storm, becoming a popular flavor that consumers are calling for," said David Tapscott, Smirnoff brand director.

Smirnoff Coconut is available nationwide at a suggested price of $12.99 per 750ml bottle.

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Santana buys into tequila producer

Santana at Casa Noble

The seminal Mexican guitarist Carlos Santana has become a shareholder and board member of the Casa Noble Tequila brand.

In a statement on his official website, the Grammy Award winning guitarist said he was drawn to the company -- which dates to the late 1700s -- because of his love for tequila, saying, "I feel at home with my new family at Casa Noble. They strive for excellence and don't take shortcuts. Just like the music of Santana, one note or one drop. they are the same thing. You have to feel each note from your heart."

Santana's family roots date back to Jalisco, the Mexican state where tequila first began being produced and where most of it still is produced.

"When I visited the distillery, I immediately felt spiritually connected to the Hermosillo family and Casa Noble," he wrote, noting that he will have a "hands-on role" in the company.

Jose Hermossilo, CEO of Casa Noble, said, "The linkage between Casa Noble and Carlos Santana will create broader recognition that Casa Noble's triple distilled, organically certified tequila is truly one of the finest ultra-premium spirits."

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Mescal is making its move

Mescal leaves.

• From The New York Times

ZUMPAHUACÁN, Mexico -- Eyes pop open, mouths contort, a chorus of crisp "ahhs" rings through the room.

The mescal, the Mexican firewater best known in the United States for the worm in the bottle, has incinerated the tongue, scorched the back of the throat and begun its lava flow to the stomach.

No shots here; the drink is sipped and savored, swirled about the mouth like the finest of wines, inducing a chaser of haughty adjectives.

"Citrusy." "Honey-scented." "Woody," come the assessments from the gathering. Far from a college dorm party, it is a group of mostly 20- and 30-something professionals discovering the finer points of the artisanal version of the drink at a recent tasting in this farming village two hours from Mexico City.

"This is clean liquid," Fructuoso Garcia, 84, one of a handful of producers in this region, stood and declared to the group. "We don’t put anything in to beef up the flavor. This is nothing like you get from the factory."

Mr. Garcia is one of several local producers fighting to share in the boom in Mexican spirits, with mescal, against all odds, taking a star turn.

It is moving a bit out of the shadow of tequila, the far more popular and, let’s face it, smoother spirit that has won fans (and hangovers) around the world.

[Go here for the full story.]

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'Orkney Inga Saga' 3rd bottling debuts

Earl Haakon, the third expression in the Highland Park distillery's "Orkney Inga Saga," is being released worldwide.

The first two bottlings in the series celebrated the influential 11th Century Earl Magnus who was canonized to become Saint Magnus only 20 years after his death. Haakon was the man who ordered the execution of Magnus.

Earl Haakon is an 18-year-old cask strength single malt, made in one vatting at 54.9% abv (109.8 proof). Only 3,300 bottles are being made available worldwide. They are available from specialist independent whisky retailers throughout the UK, at the Highland Park distillery and online at a price of £160 (US$261).

The bottle is black glass, made in the same way as the previous two bottlings, Earl Magnus and Saint Magnus, and is presented in an open black wood gift box.

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Drambuie introduces new premium version

Drambuie Liqueur has come up with a new blend of old Speyside malts called Drambuie 15.

It is a slightly drier expression of the standard liqueur, bottled at 43% abv (86 proof).

"We have more than 100 years experience in laying down malt reserves to be used in the production of Drambuie," said Cherie Koster, senior brand manager. "From these reserves we have hand-selected the very best rare 15-year-old Speyside malts to infuse with the elixir, creating a premium new product."

Drambuie 15 was introduced to coincide with the annual Tales of the Cocktail event in New Orleans. It now will be rolled out nationally. Suggested retail price is $56 for the one-liter bottle.

The original Drambuie was created more than 260 years ago exclusively for Prince Charles Edward Stuart of Scotland. It is a unique combination of aged whiskies, heather honey and a proprietary blend of herbs and spices, a recipe kept secret since 1745. The name is from the Gaelic "an dram buidheach," meaning "the drink that satisfies."

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Pumpkin pie liqueur available for autumn

All sorts of exotics fruits have been used in liqueurs and infused spirits in the past decade as the scramble for consumer attention ratchets up. But, Heaven Hill Distilleries has reached back for an old-fashioned American ingredient.

It is rolling out Fulton’s Harvest Pumpkin Pie Cream Liqueur for fall sales nationally. It is billed as "the first-ever pumpkin pie cream liqueur and is immediately reminiscent of homemade pumpkin pie complete with the flavors of rich vanilla, brown sugar and spices."

The liqueur had been tested in limited markets as a seasonal September-November product. This year it will be available during that period in 750ml bottles, at 12.5% abv (25 proof) for a suggested retail price of $9.99.

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Caviarcube the latest cocktail garnish

Looking for a way to make your cocktail party stand out from the crowd? How about a caviar-tini?

The Petrossian caviar house is offering the Caviarcube, cubes of -- what else? -- caviar packaged 16 to 18 per oil-filled glass jars.

Petrossian suggests alternating the cubes on a cocktail skewer with a cocktail onion and a caviar-stuffed olive or small balls of cucumber instead of onions.

Caviarcubes are available online at $45 per jar.

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Rescuing Ireland's potato vodka history

Non-historian Leary.

On his current national tour, the comedian/actor/writer Denis Leary rarely hits a wrong note, verbally or musically.

However, in a visit to Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" this week, he stepped in it, historically.

Leary, there to publicize the final-season debut of his FX channel show "Rescue Me," got to talking about potato vodka. Quoth he: "The thing for Irish guys is we're always amazed. ... We can't believe we had potatoes for years and we didn't invent potato vodka."

Well, Denis, "we" did.

Long, long ago, "our" (those of us with Irish linege) forebears did more with potatoes than just boil, bake, fry or mash them. As far back as the 16th Century they were distilled to create a clear spirit spelled variously poitin, potcheen and probably several other ways but pronounced "put-cheen." It is a vodka and Ireland's version of moonshine.

The potato was introduced to Ireland in 1589 by the adventurous Sir Walter Raleigh at his Myrtle Grove estate in County Cork. It quickly became a staple of the Irish diet, and was used in combination with malt yeast, barley, sugar and water to create a baor (beer) after fermentation for several weeks in wooden barrels. Later, some of it was distilled into the clear spirit that goes by many names in many countries, but all boils down to vodka.

Today, Boru is the top-selling Irish potato vodka.

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Puerto Rico getting new rum distillery

The former pharmaceutical complex.

CIDRA, Puerto Rico -- Commonwealth officials are hoping the opening of a new rum distillery in this central island town will help offset the economic blow created by the shift of Captain Morgan rum to neighboring St. Croix.

The Club Caribe LLC distillery is scheduled to open in early 2012 with projected output of 2 million gallons of rum its first year as part of a 20-year deal, according to Alberto Rivra, the senior vice president.

The local company is affiliated with, a Puerto Rican company that distributes Coca-Cola products in the U.S. territory.

Club Caribe expects to employ 25 people and invest $10 million in machinery and equipment when it moves into the former Glaxo Smith Kline pharmaceutical factory.

"We're going to have a significant production of rum on a global level," said Jose Perez-Riera, Puerto Rico's economic development secretary.

Puerto Rico's rum industry employs about 4,500 workers and generates $400 million annually, more than 70% of which comes from Bacardi.

The U.S. territory is expected to lose $140 million next year as a result of the lucrative production of Captain Morgan rum moving to the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands.

The new distillery eventually will produce up to 10 million gallons of rum, both to sell in bulk and as private labels including Club Caribe, a white rum; Black Roberts, a spiced rum; and Carlos Rum, a gold rum, Rivera said. The company will target the U.S. mainland market.

The anticipated production of 2 million gallons eventually will generate $20 million in revenue for the island, said Jorge Junquera, deputy executive director of the Puerto Industrial Development Company, a state corporation that promotes business on the island.

Diageo PLC's Captain Morgan distillery that opened late last year was created in exchange for a portion of the Amrican Virgin Islands' excise-tax revenue, estimated at $2.7 billion over 30 years. It is expected to generate more than $100 million a year in revenue for the next 30 years.

"We are losing a mountain of money with Diageo's departure," Junquera said, referring to Diageo terminating its rum production contract in Puerto Rico.

All but 25 cents of the $13.50 in federal excise taxes levied on per proof gallon of rum produced in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands goes back to the local governments to spend on infrastructure and public services.

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There's a new, young bourbon in town

LITTLE ROCK, AR -- Rock Town Distillery, Arkansas' first legal distillery since prohibition, today announced the debut of its first product -- Arkansas Young Bourbon Whiskey.

The spirit was pot distilled from a mash of corn and wheat grown in Arkansas, then aged in 5- and 10-gallon new charred oak barrels at the distillery.

"Young" bourbon is a particularly accurate description since it was aged just three to six months. The distillers refere to their process as "accelerated maturation techniques that includes small barrels and temperature cycling."

"Bourbon has a great southern tradition," said distillery owner and head distiller Phil Brandon, "and we wanted to make our bourbon from native Arkansas grains and age the whiskey in small barrels coopered in Arkansas. It's the first Arkansas Bourbon."

About 114 cases of this first release were bottled, at 46% abv (92 proof). They will be sold in Arkansas, Tennessee and Illinois at a suggested retail price of $24.99 for a 375ml bottle.

Rock Town Distillery is distributed by Glazers of Arkansas, Maxwell Street Trading in Illinois, and United Liquors Corp in Memphis.

The distillery is located in downtown Little Rock at 1216 East 6th Street. Phone: (501) 907-5244.

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