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Puncher’s Chance® Bourbon Unveils 12-Year-Old Limited Release: The D12TANCE

March 1, 2022 by evebushman

EUGENE, ORE. (PRWEB) – Wolf Spirit’s Puncher’s Chance® Bourbon has announced its first-ever limited release offering – The D12TANCE Straight Tennessee Bourbon. Aged for 12 years in traditional stone and wood rickhouses and finished in California Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, The D12TANCE is now available at fine spirits retailers at $120 SRP for a 750 ml.

Just 70 barrels of The D12TANCE, sourced from the IJW Whiskey Company in Louisville, Kentucky, were born from a mash bill of 84 percent corn, eight percent malt, eight percent rye and a proprietary yeast strain. With a complex aroma of vanilla, dark cherry fruit and toasted oak, this Tennessee Bourbon yields incredible flavor. At a respectable 96 proof, the warm hint of caramel and vanilla hits the palate first. As the proof gently fades, the tongue picks up a long, fruity finish reminiscent of the French Oak wine barrels in which the liquid rested for two months.

The D12TANCE is the second release from Puncher’s Chance – a new American Whiskey entry from Wolf Spirit, out of Eugene, Oregon, and comes on the heels of the fall 2020 release of the company’s foray into aged dark spirits with the release of Puncher’s Chance Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The brand name of Puncher’s Chance itself is a boxing reference, denoting that almost anyone is possible of a knockout punch, no matter what the odds. Naming our latest aged spirit entry The D12TANCE is a double entendre – referring both to the age of the liquid and the 12 official rounds in a formal boxing match.

Says Umberto Luchini, Founder of Wolf Spirit, “As a relative newcomer to the whiskey category, Wolf Spirit knew the liquid for Puncher’s Chance The D12TANCE needed to pack a punch (pun intended) if we wanted to make our mark, which is why we partnered with the talented team at IJW.”

“With The D12TANCE, we are finishing a 12-year-old Bourbon in wine casks, which is quite unique, as you usually see much younger whiskies receiving this treatment. This was critical to us because we didn’t want the fine Bourbon overpowered by the wine barrel finishing. Our goal was to use the finishing to coax more of the existing characteristics out of the whiskey,” Luchini continues.

The D12TANCE comes housed in the traditional Puncher’s Chance jet-black bottle with a gentle fade at the bottom to reveal the amber liquid within. The Puncher’s Chance tiger, a common symbol in boxing and MMA fighting, again graces the label, but this time in striking gold leaf making it easily identifiable on the backbar.

The D12TANCE is best served neat or on the rocks to truly experience the subtle effects the finishing has on this perfectly-balanced and nuanced liquid.

With only 2,000 cases produced for the U.S. market, The D12TANCE may be purchased in California, Florida, Kentucky, Colorado, Oklahoma and New Mexico (Southern Glazer’s); New York, Tennessee and Georgia (Empire); Massachusetts and Rhode Island (Atlantic Beverage); Missouri (Major Brands); Connecticut (Murphy); and Wisconsin (Badger/Frank).

Find Puncher’s Chance online at http://www.puncherschancebourbon.com and on social media Instagram and Facebook @puncherschancebourbon.

ABOUT WOLF SPIRIT
Perhaps the only liquor company in the world founded in an old laundromat (Nanny’s Wash & Dry, to be exact), Wolf Spirit is a true Eugene, Oregon original, producing fine, handcrafted products that capture the pioneering spirit of the American northwest. Founded by Campari Group veteran Umberto Luchini and helmed by longtime spirits industry expert Bradd Levitan, Wolf Spirit embodies the traits of its namesake. Guided by instinct and fueled by a hunger for brands with authentic stories, Wolf Spirit is building a pack of unique products with courageously bold identities that come together with purpose. Our premium brands include Puncher’s Chance® Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Tom of Finland® Organic Vodka, Blood x Sweat x Tears® Vodka and Bosscal Mezcal. Launched in 2017, Wolf Spirit’s products are now available in more than 35 states across the US with a keen focus on national and regional on- and off-premise chains. Find out more at https://wolfspiritdistillery.com/.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: aroma, barrels, bourbon, cabernet sauvignon, California, cask, finish, French oak, fruit, malt, Oak, Oregon, palate, rye, spirits, tennessee, vanilla, whiskey

Duke Spirits, Committed to Philanthropy in the Spirit of John Wayne, Introduces New Grand Cru Tequilas to Reserve Line-up

February 13, 2022 by evebushman

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. (PRWEB) – Duke Spirits is riding high with a new Grand Cru tequila release and a wave of popularity for the legend behind the label: John Wayne, affectionately known as “The Duke.

” Duke Spirits, makers of Duke Grand Cru Bourbon and Rye Reserves, worked with son Ethan Wayne to craft Duke Spirits Grand Cru Tequila, three new ultra-premium single estate tequilas from the highlands of Jalisco. Duke Tequila is launching with a $50,000 donation and will donate a portion of all proceeds to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

Made at an historic distillery in Jalisco, Mexico, the new limited-edition Duke Grand Cru Tequila collection was finished in the same French oak wine barrels used to finish Duke Grand Cru Whiskeys, creating a unique and exquisite flavor profile inspired by John Wayne’s personal memoirs, recipes and spirits collection. Duke Grand Cru Founders Reserve Reposado, Extra Añejo, and six-year-old Commemorative Extra Añejo Limited Edition, commemorate John Wayne’s love for Mexico, his connection to the land and his pursuit of the perfect tequila.

“It is an honor to launch Duke Tequila and share part of his story with consumers throughout the United States,” said Chris Radomski, Founder of Duke Spirits. “John Wayne loved authentic spirits, and spent many years on location in Mexico, developing a profound love for its people and culture. He gave back to so many in his lifetime and we are proud to support his family’s living legacy with the John Wayne Cancer Foundation.”

Duke Spirits is connecting with consumers nationwide through a series of TV spots. Son Ethan Wayne discovered his father’s lost memoirs, liquor collection and special blends sealed since 1979. The Duke was often quoted as saying that if he was going to have a drink, “it had better be a good one.

” Together with Duke Spirits’ Founder Chris Radomski, Wayne reveals the personal stories that inspired the family. Click here to view Duke Spirits on Fox Business and Fox News.

The new limited-edition Duke Grand Cru Tequila collection includes Duke Grand Cru Founders Reserve Reposado (SRP: $64.99), Extra Añejo (SRP: $149.99), and six-year-old Commemorative Extra Añejo Limited Edition (SRP: $249.99). Visit Duke Spirits website and connect with us for interviews and more information.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: anejo, barrels, bourbon, California, charity, distillery, estate, flavor, French oak, grand cru, jalisco, mexico, recipe, reposado, Reserve, rye, spirits, tequila, united states

California Cowboy Whiskey and Moonshine Bandits have announced their partnership to launch Bucked Up Bourbon

December 19, 2021 by evebushman

LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) – California Cowboy Whiskey and Moonshine Bandits have announced their partnership to launch Bucked Up Bourbon. This straight bourbon is smooth tasting and behaves with the same maturity and poise of a veteran aged spirit, but still has the kick and flavor of an outlaw whiskey.

Moonshine Bandits

“Over the years we have consumed thousands of gallons of whiskey in every dive bar, saloon, and biker festival all across America, but it wasn’t until we taste tested California Cowboy’s whiskeys that we felt there was a bourbon worthy of the MSB brand,” commented Big Tex from Moonshine Bandits. “We would put Bucked Up Bourbon against any other brand. Our bourbon is super smooth and built for anyone that lives life on the edge. Let’s get Bucked Up!”

Jeff Szafarski from California Cowboy Whiskey added, “At California Cowboy Whiskey we have collaborated with many great people over the years but we could not be more excited than to be working with Moonshine Bandits. Driven by our shared love for whiskey and a good time, we created something truly special with Bucked Up.”

California Cowboy Whiskey is a whiskey brand inspired by the persistent, independent, and determined. True to the craft, our high-quality whiskeys are aged for a minimum of two years in newly charred American oak barrels with no added flavors or coloring.

California Cowboy Whiskey is proud to give back and be a voice for America’s wild horses. They have partnered with the Wild Horse Sanctuary in Shingletown, California, which has been rescuing unwanted wild horses since 1978. With a mission to protect and preserve America’s wild horses as a living national treasure, the sanctuary provides 5,000 acres of lush mountain meadow and forest land for these animals to live out their days. With every purchase of California Cowboy products, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to help preserve and give a home to wild horses.

Moonshine Bandits are a national touring band with over 200,000,000 YouTube views and Billboard charting Country albums that have debuted at the top of iTunes and Amazon charts. The group’s blue-collar work ethic and unwavering persistence have helped them land the #1 spot on CMT.com and garnered press attention from the likes of Rolling Stone, Billboard, Yahoo, Kerrang!, Loudwire, Taste of Country, and the Digital Journal. Connecting with fans on all levels, Moonshine Bandits have built a solid “Shiner Nation” of loyal fans, established Operation Packing Company, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that specializes in sending supplies to our Troops overseas, produced beef jerky and legal moonshine. Moonshine Bandits won a 2018 Telly Award for their “Take This Job” music video featuring David Allan Coe.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: aged, American oak, bar, barrels, bourbon, California, color, craft, flavor, moonshine, non profit, tasting, whiskey

Blue Run Spirits Unveils Its First Distillation From Bourbon Hall of Famer Jim Rutledge – Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon Whiskey

November 24, 2021 by evebushman

GEORGETOWN, KY. (PRWEB) – The first Blue Run Spirits whiskey with Bourbon legend Jim Rutledge serving as the contracted master distiller is now available. Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon Whiskey can be found in select retailers in the U.S. and Canada, as well as online at BlueRunSpirits.com. This is the company’s second fall release, following closely on the heels of the instantly sold-out, gold medal-winning Blue Run Kentucky Straight Golden Rye Whiskey.

Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon is a small-batch whiskey and is the first Blue Run product with Bourbon Hall of Famer Jim Rutledge overseeing the production (on all previous Blue Run products, except Golden Rye, Jim served as the Liquid Advisor). Rutledge distilled this batch at Castle & Key Distillery.

“For a four-year-old Bourbon, I’m impressed with the quality of this release, and I look forward to evaluating the subsequent releases of these barrels – after additional maturation,” said Jim Rutledge.

Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon is distilled from a 65% Yellow Corn, 30% Rye, 5% Malted Barley mash bill. Just 100 carefully selected barrels were chosen for this bottling, each toasted to a #4 alligator char and aged in Frankfort and Bardstown, KY. Blue Run High Rye Bourbon clocks in at 111 proof.

“As we celebrate our one-year anniversary as a company, we wanted to release something that really made a statement and honored the deep traditions of whiskey making,” said Mike Montgomery, CEO and cofounder of Blue Run Spirits. “The legendary Jim Rutledge helped us craft a bold, spicy Bourbon that even at 111 proof is incredibly sippable, with a pronounced, memorable finish. We are very excited to see how these barrels evolve over time for subsequent bottlings.”

On the tongue, Blue Run High Rye Bourbon is a caramel beauty full of baking spices and a toasted oak frame that crescendos with a stone fruit and black pepper finish. Each bottle features an iridescent coating on the brand’s signature gold butterfly to create a prismatic, rainbow-hued medallion, making it easily identifiable on any back bar.

Since Blue Run Spirits launched in October 2020, the company has released five whiskies: the inaugural 13-Year-Old Bourbon; 13.5-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon, which was awarded top category honors at the prestigious 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition winning Best Single Barrel Bourbon – 11 Years & Older, as well as a Double Gold Medal; 14-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon, which won Best Small Batch Bourbon – 11 Years & Older, along with a Double Gold Medal; and the most recent release – Golden Rye Whiskey – which received a Gold Medal in San Francisco.

Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon Whiskey is available for $89.99 SRP and can be found wherever high-end luxury Bourbons are sold. It will be followed by several holiday releases.

Blue Run Spirits can be purchased in Kentucky, Louisiana (RNDC); Georgia (Savannah); South Carolina and Tennessee (Advintage); Washington, D.C., Maryland and Delaware (Prestige-Ledroit); Illinois and Colorado (Breakthru); California and Florida (Park Street); New Jersey (Fedway Associates); Canada (Evergreen); and online through Seelbach’s at http://www.bluerunspirits.com/shop.

Find Blue Run Spirits online at http://www.bluerunspirits.com, and on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT BLUE RUN SPIRITS
Blue Run Spirits is a new kind of spirits company, creating a unique luxury proposition by tapping into the deep heritage and craft that makes a truly great whiskey, then elevating it through a modern design and marketing lens to reach a younger, broader and more diverse whiskey drinker. The company’s founders include a Nike designer, the first director-level employee at Facebook, a hospitality executive, a political advisor, and a philanthropist – all huge whiskey fans and individuals who acutely understand how to build demand and buzz for a contemporary consumer product. They are backed by a team of advisors including Nike marketing experts; the Campari communications veteran behind Wild Turkey and the Aperol Spritz; a former spirits distributor; and others with deep industry experience. The Blue Run name is a nod to one of our founder’s upbringing in Georgetown, KY.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: aged, barrels, bourbon, distiller, finish, flavor, kentucky, Oak, proof, rye, spice, spirits

Waterford Whisky Launches The Cuvée一Bordeaux-Inspired Single Malt

November 16, 2021 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – Terroir-driven Irish whisky producer Waterford Distillery announces the launch of its definitive single malt一The Cuvée一in the United States. Inspired by Bordeaux’s greatest chateaux, Waterford Distillery has applied the same methodology to create the ultimate in whisky flavor complexity, a genuine innovation for the spirits industry, called The Cuvée. 25 totally unique Waterford Single Farm Origin Whiskies, drawn from distinct terroirs of Southern Ireland, have been married together to create the ultimate layered, profound and compelling tasting experience.

Photo: Forbes

Each Single Farm Origin—an individual Waterford Single Malt Whisky in its own right—is made exclusively from Irish-grown barley, harvested, malted and distilled separately for complete flavor integrity. While the distillery has reveled in such individuality, it is only when there is a fusion of individual terroirs that Waterford Whisky can fulfill its ambitions to create the ultimate single malt whisky. To create The Cuvée, Head Distiller Ned Gahan layered together 25 individually distilled Single Farm Origins, drawn from a combination of premium American and French oak barrels.

“Coming from a wine background I have always been intrigued by how the very greatest Bordeaux wines were made,” says Founder and CEO Mark Reynier. “Rather than generically bundling up their grapes into a single wine they went to the effort of making several individual wines instead, each one expressing a terroir-derived personality of its own. Only after months of maturation are these component wines assembled—each bringing its own flavor character—to make a single profound wine of greater complexity, the Grand Vin. Why not with whisky? This is the vision seven years in the making, the essence of the Waterford project. Here the whole is even more than simply the sum of its parts: the result is our vision of how to create the most complex and profound single malt possible.”

The Cuvée is a culmination of Waterford’s Single Farm Origin Whiskies, each one defined by its own Irish-grown barley, each one distinctly different—all of them Waterford single malts. Waterford Whisky takes flavor so seriously that it starts not just with selecting the right grain, but by prioritizing where that grain was grown and harvested in Ireland. Waterford uses only barley; which has been shown by scientists to contain nearly 100 major flavor compounds. Waterford partners with dozens of farmers to grow the barley for its whiskies. Each farm’s harvest is carefully monitored in the field and at the distillery, where it’s malted, mashed, fermented, distilled, and matured as a single product—no mingling with another farm’s harvest. Every stage of the process is optimized to bring out the natural characteristics of the grain. The distinct flavors in the new-make spirit, before it’s aged into whisky, show remarkable differences from farm to farm.

The resulting spirit has notes of red apples, bread crust, green foliage, lavender, digestive biscuits, oranges, fresh mint, coffee cake, with a distinctly oily, textured palate delivering grapefruit, lemon zest, dark chocolate, cherries, granola and marmalade with an extraordinary length of flavor.

The Cuvée’s aesthetic is a work of art in itself. To create a visual representation of the layers of complexity in the bottle, Waterford Distillery commissioned leading Irish visual artist Leah Hewson to design “Binary Assimilation” which is displayed proudly on Waterford’s flagship blue bottle. Hewson’s original artwork reflects the intricate nature of such a milestone product. ”Binary Assimilation celebrates the many layers and complexities of Waterford’s approach to whisky production.

The brand’s scientific and methodical approach reflects my own and this provided an inspiration to sync art, flavor and character into something visually striking,” says Leah Hewson. “By building the piece in layers through color, I was able to create new dimensional effects to match the concept of the Cuvée.” Two computer-generated images that are depicted in paint have been divided into strips and overlaid with opaque and transparent red and green stripes, and a neon squiggle in to create ’ambiguity and illusion.’

“This is no ordinary whisky—it is our lodestar, a key milestone on our terroir-driven journey—our raison d’etre,” adds Mark Reynier. “Its vision, evolution derived from unprecedented logistics, merits an equally outstanding label. One that shared the elemental construct, evoking vibrancy, a bold statement and a multi-layered feel.

A label unlike any other, for a whisky unlike any other.”

The Cuvée is bottled at 50% ABV with no chill-filtration, no coloring—a totally natural whisky. It is available for $95 nationwide at fine retail stores.

About Waterford Whisky
Waterford Whisky is on a quest to unearth whisky’s most natural flavors. Unashamedly influenced by the world’s greatest winemakers, Waterford brings the same intellectual drive, methodology and rigor to unearth the nuances that make Waterford Whisky the most profound single malt ever created. Across southern Ireland, warmed by the Gulf Stream, temperate, moist air crosses fertile soils to produce a verdant landscape and the world’s finest barley. Since barley is the source of malt whisky’s complex flavors, it makes abundant sense to focus on where and how the barley is cultivated. Those flavors are shaped by place, by the soils that nourish its roots, by the microclimate in which it ripens. By terroir. Waterford is a whisky of the world, born of Irish barley. For more information, please visit https://waterfordwhisky.com/

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: American oak, barrels, Bordeaux, cuvee, distillery, flavor, French oak, grapes, ireland, Single malt Irish Whiskey, spirits, terroir, united states

A New Hero Rises in WhistlePig’s The Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacific

November 14, 2021 by evebushman

SHOREHAM, VT. (PRWEB) – WhistlePig is pleased to reveal the eighth edition of The Boss Hog: LapuLapu’s Pacific. Like each edition of The Boss Hog before it, WhistlePig explores uncharted territory in the world of Rye to create a whiskey that is powerfully complex, distinctly unique from anything they’ve done before, and – keeping true to The Boss Hog’s promises as introduced by WhistlePig’s founder – stupendous. LapuLapu’s Pacific is not only the eighth edition of WhistlePig’s most sought after annual limited edition, but also the sequel to The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic, released last year and awarded Best Rye Whiskey at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Continuing the epic circumnavigation voyage across the Pacific, The Boss Hog VIII features Straight Rye Whiskey aged for nearly 18 years in new American Oak, followed by a double finish in high toast barrels that previously held small batch, single island, aged Philippine Rum.

Photo: One More Dram

The Boss Hog VIII draws inspiration both historically and symbolically from the Philippines where Magellan met his fate at the hands of Filipino hero LapuLapu during the battle of Mactan. Magellan’s journey ended in the Philippines on April 27, 1521, when the local victory dispelled the Spanish fleet. Five hundred years later, LapuLapu is celebrated as a symbol of strength and independence – his likeness captured in the hand-made, collectible pewter pig that crowns The Boss Hog. For avid collectors, no home bar is complete without The Boss Hog VII and VIII sequel.

The Philippines is one of the world’s lesser-known Rum producers. The Rum barrels for The Boss Hog VIII make their own long journey from a small island just southwest of Cebu, where the famous battle occurred. They previously held small batch Rum for between seven and ten years. Just like Rye Whiskey, extended barrel aging enriches Rum’s vanilla, caramel, and oak notes, mellows the profile, and adds layers of complexity to the final spirit. A high toast profile imparts another dimension of toffee and spice flavors.

“On the heels of Magellan’s Atlantic, it was a great challenge to find the perfect finish for the most special Rye barrels in our warehouse. We were already tracing Magellan in depth, and when we discovered LapuLapu’s story we knew we had to track down the best Philippines Rum barrels we could for the sequel. Before maturing Rum for 7-10 years, the barrels were coopered from American Oak and originally held bourbon. In this way, they’ve made their own circumnavigation from American whiskey to the Philippines, and back again to us in Vermont,” says Meghan Ireland, Blender, WhistlePig Whiskey.

“The whiskey rest first in 7-year-old small batch Philippine Rum casks, followed by a shorter finish in 10-year-old small batch Philippine Rum casks. The older rum is darker and bolder, requiring less time for its barrels to impart notes in the whiskey. The end result is an amazingly unique and delicious whiskey.”

“Like all of our boldest experiments, this one was not without its trials,” adds Ireland. “We actually attempted to send the whiskey itself around the world to Spain, to finish in the place where just one ship from the original fleet finally returned. Those barrels have yet to come back to us, so for the most daring collectors out there, the hunt is on.”

On the nose, lush vanilla aromas give way to delicate tropical notes including underripe bananas, freshly picked lemon and molasses. Upon tasting, LapuLapu’s Pacific offers an abundance of fresh ground cinnamon with citrus zest, butterscotch, and lights notes of toffee. The finish is rich with tanned leather, light brown sugar, nutmeg and allspice with a long-lasting black pepper rye spice.

The Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacfic is available in a 750ml bottle and is bottled at proof, between 104.8 – 106.5 (52.4-53.3% ABV), with a suggested retail price of $499.99. Like the other editions of The Boss Hog before it, LapuLapu will be sold at a variety of premium liquor stores, bars and restaurants across the United States and is now available for sale at shop.whistlepigwhiskey.com.
About WhistlePig Whiskey

Founded in 2007, WhistlePig has become the #1 distiller in the ultra-premium and luxury Rye Whiskey category in North America, featuring the bold and often untapped flavor of Rye. WhistlePig is leading a surge of innovation in the emerging field of North American whiskey. As the most decorated Rye whiskey – having received the coveted ‘Best in Show Whiskey’ title from the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, WhistlePig is widely viewed as the world’s finest Rye. With the opening of its distillery on its 500-acre Vermont farm in the fall of 2015, WhistlePig has also become one of the leading farm-to-bottle Rye whiskeys in the world.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: aged, american, American oak, aroma, bar, barrels, blender, bourbon, cask, competition, finish, flavor, nose, restaurants, rum, rye, san francisco, spice, spirits, tasting notes, whiskey

Eastside Distilling Launches Burnside Black

November 2, 2021 by evebushman

Portland, Ore. — Portland craft distillery, Eastside Distilling, announces the national release of the Burnside Black Barrel Strength Rye Whiskey, a Bourbon Casked Double Barrel Rye. It is the newest, premium product in the Burnside Whiskeys® lineup, and recently won gold at the New York International Spirits Competition.

As with the other expressions in the Burnside portfolio, Burnside Black was rested in select Oregon white oak (Quercus Garryana) barrels, but it is special because it was also Bourbon Cask-Matured, resulting in a very distinctive flavor profile. Notes of green grass, wildflower honey, toasted hazelnut, leather, and honey caramel with a mellow tannic finish makes the release a stunning representation of Burnside’s meticulously blended whiskeys. As with all the releases, the Burnside Black uses pure Mt. Hood, Oregon water for superior taste and quality.

According to Jason Ericson, Eastside’s Head Distiller, “Oregon oak imparts a deep vanilla and clove flavor that American white oak cannot match. Quercus Garryana has high tannin levels requiring a minimum three-year seasoning period to ensure the bitter and astringent qualities of tannins do not over-influence our whiskey. The longer the staves are seasoned, the more the tannins break down, creating a darker, sweeter, and fruitier flavor than whiskey aged in American oak barrels.”

Eastside has the largest collection of Oregon white oak barrels dedicated to whiskey in the world. Since Oregon oak is a species of conservation concern, Eastside only uses responsibly harvested oak trees to age its Burnside Whiskeys®, reflecting the company’s commitment to sustainability. They have recently partnered with American Forests, the nation’s oldest conservation organization, to help protect and restore the Oregon white oak habitat in the Willamette Valley. They will plant 5,000 oak trees as part of the restoration of the Oak Savannah in the Pacific Northwest. Furthermore, Eastside has joined the One Trillion Trees Initiative with the global goal of one trillion trees conserved, restored or grown by 2030.

“Oregon white oak trees have been an important part of the sustainability, values, and aesthetics of the state for hundreds of years and we are committed to helping Oregonians protect existing trees while growing the next generation of oaks,” says Janet Oak, Chief Brand Officer.

In addition to planting 5,000 Oregon white oak trees in the Willamette Valley, Eastside Distilling is also running an in-store promotion: for every bottle of Burnside Whiskey purchased, they will plant an Oregon white oak tree. Burnside Black Barrel Strength Rye Whiskey ($69) can be found in OR, WA, CA, ID, MT, WY, CO, AZ, and TX. The link to purchase here: https://shop.eastsidedistilling.com/ with nationwide shipping.

About Eastside Distilling  
Eastside Distilling, Inc. (NASDAQ: EAST) has been producing high-quality, award-winning craft spirits in Portland, Oregon since 2008. The company’s distinguished product lineup includes its newly released Eastside limited-edition spirits portfolio, Azuñia Tequilas®, Burnside Whiskeys®, Hue-Hue Coffee Rum®, and Portland Potato Vodkas®. Eastside is widely recognized for its expertise in blending, aging, and finishing distillates hand-selected from the finest spirit producers worldwide and using locally grown ingredients and pure Oregon water for superior taste and quality.  For more information, please visit www.eastsidedistilling.com, or follow Eastside Distilling on Instagram and Facebook.

About American Forests
American Forests is the oldest national conservation organization in the country. The organization has more than 1,000 forest restoration projects in every state in the nation, planted nearly 65 million trees, and helped expand tree canopy in dozens of major cities and urban areas. Today, American Forests continues to be a leading advocate for forest conservation in the United States, and believes trees are a solution to two major current crises: climate change and social inequity.

About 1t.org
The US Chapter of 1t.org is co-led by the World Economic Forum and American Forests, the United States’ oldest conservation organization. Launched in August 2020, the chapter is supported by the US Stakeholder Council: a multi-stakeholder, bipartisan group of senior representatives from across the public and private sector. The US Chapter facilitates the leadership of US-based companies, non-profits, governments and individuals to help 1t.org reach its goals with unprecedented scale and speed. Since launching, the US Chapter has mobilized pledges to conserve, restore and grow more than 955 million trees to cover 2.8 million acres by 2030 — including billions of dollars pledged towards supporting activities such as workforce development, nursery capacity, technological tools and financing mechanisms. Pledges are accepted on an ongoing basis. To submit a pledge, please visit US.1t.org.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: American oak, barrels, bourbon, competition, distill, flavor, fruit, fundraiser, gold medal, New York, Oak, Oregon, rye, spirits, sweet, tannic, whiskey

Tasting Casa Mexico Tequila

October 29, 2021 by evebushman

Received some interesting tequila from Casa Mexico for review, what made it interesting you may ask?

Well, for one the two aged expressions, the Reposado and Añejo, benefitted from time in new American oak barrels that weren’t “tainted (by) the flavor of old whiskey” and char – which I couldn’t wait to sample for myself.

Tasting:

(The quoted sections are from Casa Mexico)

Blanco

“The Blanco tequila is a straightforward expression without any aging.”

Toasted corn, cream, vanilla bean, citrus, mown grass and without any nose burn at all; tingly mouthfeel, some of the same notes from the nose on the taste – the cream, vanilla and citrus – with an extra-long finish. Highly sippable.

Reposado

“The Reposado ages for a minimum of six months…in new American White Oak Barrels…The new American oak barrels allow a truer expression of the tequila to shine through without tainting the flavor with the char of old whiskey.”

A bit sweeter nose than the Blanco, with aromas of Kettle Corn, vanilla icing, dates and figs; and again no burn. The taste was smoother than the Blanco, but spicy on the palate, with background flavors of white pepper, vanilla yogurt and dried citrus fruit – and an even longer finish. Pleasantly quaffable on its own.

Añejo

“Añejo ages for a minimum of 12 months…in new American White Oak Barrels, a twist on traditional aging methods.”

Nose: Vanilla bean ice cream, sweet cream, incense, no pepper or spice and that clean American oak simply resonating throughout. Flavor: Extremely smooth, reminded me of a sweet rye whiskey, pepper and hard butter toffee candy. Extremely pleasant. Made a Añejo Old Fashioned with this one. (Build over ice in a Martini shaker: two ounces Casa Mexico Añejo, one dash aromatic bitters and ½ teaspoon simple syrup or agave. Shake, pour into iced Martini glass, garnish with orange peel.)

From Casa México:

Founded by Mexican-American Eric “Don Buccio” Buccio, Casa México was born from a dream to create a high-quality tequila that celebrates his family’s Mexican heritage and rich traditions while supporting its farmers and creators. The brand is now championed with fellow Mexican-American partners, actor Mario Lopez and boxer Oscar de la Hoya.

Based in Los Angeles, CA, each tequila is crafted from 100% estate-grown blue agave from red volcanic soil in the Los Altos highlands region of Jalisco, Mexico, ensuring the highest quality possible. The tequila is created at Hacienda Capellanía in Jalisco, a farm and distillery boasting more than 100 years of jimador history, including several generations of family farming.

With a deep passion for the traditional distilling process, each of Casa México’s three tequilas are made using a traditional organic process with specific attention to eco-friendly measures. The water used for the distilling process is from a natural underground spring and gray water is repurposed to water the peaches, avocado and other crops grown on the estate. Hacienda Capellanía employs around 50 workers, paying fair wages with full benefits for employees to ensure their community and its families are taken care of.

Casa México Tequila currently boasts a trio of tequilas: Blanco, Reposado and Añejo. The Blanco tequila is a straightforward expression without any aging. The Reposado ages for a minimum of six months and Añejo ages for a minimum of 12 months – both in new American White Oak Barrels, a twist on traditional aging methods. The new American oak barrels allow a truer expression of the tequila to shine through without tainting the flavor with the char of old whiskey.

Casa México Tequila can be found in California, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Illinois. Distribution and expansion are growing quickly, with several other states in the pipeline including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Louisiana, Georgia, New Hampshire, and more. Additional national expansion throughout the United States is planned for 2022 and beyond.

Casa México Tequila

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: aging, American oak, anejo, aroma, barrels, blanco, cocktail, flavor, jalisco, los angeles, mexico, old fashioned, palate, reposado, spice, tasting, tasting notes, tequila, vanilla

Blue Run Spirits Unveils Award-Winning Fall Release

September 23, 2021 by evebushman

GEORGETOWN, KY. (PRWEB) – Blue Run Spirits’ first Rye Whiskey – already a Gold Medal winner at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition – is now available at select retailers in the U.S. and will be sold online at BlueRunSpirits.com beginning Monday, September 6 at 3 pm Eastern. Blue Run Kentucky Straight Golden Rye Whiskey is the fourth whiskey release since Blue Run launched in October of last year, having unveiled three award-winning, sold-out Bourbons in that time.

Blue Run Kentucky Straight Golden Rye Whiskey is a small-batch whiskey coming from just 91 select barrels, bottled at a very approachable 95 proof. Each bottle, adorned with an oxidized version of the Blue Run’s signature viceroy butterfly emblem, can be individually identified through a green neck strip with gold accents indicating the bottle number and the date it was bottled. The Golden Rye name is derived from both the distinct color of the choice grains that were used in the creation process and the resulting golden-hued whiskey.

“As any bartender or whiskey maker will tell you, Rye Whiskey can be a tough horse to train,” said Mike Montgomery, CEO and Co-Founder of Blue Run Spirits. “Our goal with our Golden Rye was to make it just as approachable as our Bourbons, but still maintain spicy elements that are the hallmark of Ryes. I think we were able to achieve the drinkability of Bourbon with the pronounced personality of Rye.”

This inaugural Rye Whiskey from Blue Run features a honey baked graham cracker aroma surrounded by sweet grains and wood sugar. The easygoing finish rests with honey and a dash of pear syrup, highlighted by touches of ginger that add just the right tingle.

Blue Run Kentucky Straight Golden Rye Whiskey follows Blue Run’s summer release, Blue Run 14-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon, which was awarded top honors at the prestigious 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition winning Best Small Batch Bourbon – 11 Years & Older, along with a Double Gold Medal. The company’s spring release, Blue Run 13.5-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon, was awarded Best Single Barrel Bourbon – 11 Years & Older, as well as a Double Gold Medal. Both bottlings sold out in minutes online.

Blue Run Kentucky Straight Golden Rye Whiskey is available for $99.99 SRP. It will be followed by a high-rye Bourbon in October. Additionally, Blue Run is contract distilling at Bardstown Bourbon Company this year, as they did at Castle & Key Distillery in 2020.

Blue Run Spirits can be purchased in Kentucky (RNDC); Georgia (Savannah); South Carolina and Tennessee (Advintage); Washington, D.C., Maryland and Delaware (Prestige-Ledroit); Illinois and Colorado (Breakthru); California and Florida (Park Street); and Canada (Evergreen) and online on http://www.bluerunspirits.com/shop.

Find Blue Run Spirits online at http://www.bluerunspirits.com, and on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT BLUE RUN SPIRITS
Blue Run Spirits is a new kind of spirits company, creating a unique luxury proposition by tapping into the deep heritage and craft that makes a truly great whiskey, then elevating it through a modern design and marketing lens to reach a younger, broader and more diverse whiskey drinker. The company’s founders include a Nike designer, the first director-level employee at Facebook, a hospitality executive, a political advisor, and a philanthropist – all huge whiskey fans and individuals who acutely understand how to build demand and buzz for a contemporary consumer product. They are backed by a team of advisors including Nike marketing experts; the Campari communications veteran behind the U.S. launch of Espolòn Tequila and the Aperol Spritz; a former spirits distributor; and others with deep industry experience. The Blue Run name is a nod to one of our founder’s upbringing in Georgetown, KY, where Bourbon began in the Bluegrass State.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: aroma, award, barrels, bartender, bourbon, competition, drink, finish, gold medal, kentucky, rye, san francisco, spice, spirits, sugar, u.s., whiskey

PENNINGTON DISTILLING COMPANY EARNS 17 MEDALS

September 21, 2021 by evebushman

Nashville, TN— Pennington Distilling Company earns 17 medals from the American Distilling Institute and the American Craft Spirits Association annual competitions.  

Davidson Reserve® is a big winner at the coveted 2021 ADI Judging of Craft Spirits Award earning Best of Class, Best of Category, and Gold.   The Davidson Reserve® Four Grain Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey, made with corn, wheat, barley and rye, topped the judging in the Distilled(1) & Certified Craft Distilled Spirits™ Whiskey division (specifically “grain to glass” distilleries).

Jeff and Jenny Pennington, co-founders of Pennington Distilling Company, state “We are very proud that our Davidson Reserve® Whiskies continue to showcase our passion to distill the best Tennessee Whiskey on our category.   Our entire team works hard every day to make Davidson Reserve an award-winning whiskey.”

Pennington Distilling Company also earned a Silver medal for the Davidson Reserve® Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a Bronze for the Davidson Reserve® Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey and a Bronze for each vodka, Pickers Vodka® and Walton’s Finest Vodka®.

In addition to the ADI awards, Pennington Distilling Company had an impressive tally at the American Craft Spirits Association Awards with the Davidson Reserve® Single Barrel Straight Tennessee Whiskey winning a Gold medal and eight Silver medals for other Davidson Reserve® whiskies and Walton’s Finest Vodka®.

About Davison Reserve


Davidson Reserve is the truest expression of what originally inspired the Pennington’s to open a distillery in Nashville.  It’s the first locally distilled six-year-old Tennessee Whiskey since Prohibition and is a reflection of Tennessee’s heritage and history that connects us to a long (and storied) history of distilling alcohol in our home state.


Davidson Reserve joins the very small club of Tennessee distilleries that perform every function of the production process on-site. At our facility in West Nashville, we do everything except grow the grain, which is sourced locally from Renfroe Farms just up the road in Huntington, Tennessee.  Davidson Reserve is one of the first distilleries in Tennessee to receive the sought-after “bottled-in-bond” designation since the laws were changed in 2009.

About Pennington Distilling Company
Pennington Distilling Company was founded in 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee by husband-and-wife team, Jeff and Jenny Pennington.  Located in the heart of their hometown, the Penningtons have personally crafted the finest in Tennessee Whiskey, vodka, and sipping cream.

From hand-selecting local farmers, gathering the best non-GMO grain, and remaining committed to “grain to glass“, to aging whiskey in oak barrels, combined with unique and flavorful spirit recipes, the Pennington Distilling Company brands are not only fan loved but also award-winning. The brands have garnered over 69 awards to date in competitions such as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the International Wine and Spirits Competition, SIP Awards, Beverage Tasting Institute/Tastings.com Awards, and the American Distilling Institute Awards.

For almost ten years, Pennington Distilling Company has worked diligently to bring the finest alcoholic beverages to the ever-changing and highly competitive spirits industry. The Pennington Distilling Company family of brands includes three proprietary mash bills: Davidson Reserve Tennessee Straight Sour Mash Whiskey®, Davidson Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey®, and Davidson Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey®. Davidson Reserve Four Grain® and Davidson Reserve Genesis® are both Tennessee Straight Bourbon whiskeys created by blending small batches of these mash bills together.

Pennington Distilling Company also produces Pickers Original Vodka® with additional fruit-infused flavors including Blueberry, Blood Orange, and Pineapple; Pickers Unplugged Vodka Soda® in assorted low calorie, zero carbohydrate, and gluten-free flavors; Pickers Crafted Cocktails® in assorted flavors; Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream® (Cream Liqueur made with Tennessee Whiskey) available in Original®, Mocha, Peanut Butter Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice; and Walton’s Finest Vodka®, which is named after Jenny’s father and made with 100% Tennessee red winter wheat.

For more information about the company, please visit www.penningtondistillingco.com.

Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream, Pickers Vodka, Davidson Reserve Whiskey, and Walton’s Finest Vodka are registered trademarks. ©2020 Pennington Distilling Company. Pennington Distilling Co., Nashville, Tennessee. PenningtonDistillingCo.com. October 2020. Please Enjoy & Drink Responsibly * 21 + ONLY

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: alcohol, american, barrels, best of class, blend, bourbon, bronze medal, competition, craft, craft cocktail, distill, distillery, farmer, flavor, fruit, glasses, gold medal, judge, prohibition, silver medal, spirits, tennessee, vodka, whiskey

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Eve Bushman

Eve Bushman, owner Eve’s Wine 101 and Eve Bushman Consulting.

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