News Briefs for June 9, 2023
June 9, 2023•Dewar’s is launching 19 Year Old The Champions Edition. The limited-edition whisky is being released in partnership with the 123rd U.S. Open Championship, held at The Los Angeles Country Club (LACC), June 15-18, of which Dewar’s is the official Scotch whisky partner for the third year running. The Champions Edition is extra-matured in red wine casks from Napa Valley. Bottled at 43% abv, it retails at $80 a 750-ml. and is rolling out to select fine wine and spirits retailers. An Impact “Hot Brand,” Dewar’s grew 20% to above 1 million cases in the U.S. last year.
•Blindfold, part of The Prisoner Wine Co. portfolio from Constellation Brands, is introducing a Sauvignon Blanc to its range. Retailing at $33 a bottle, the newcomer is fermented in a combination of stainless, new oak, and neutral oak and contains a small amount of Semillon. It’s debuting across the U.S. and joins Blindfold’s initial offering, Blanc de Noir, a white wine made from Pinot Noir, in the portfolio.
•Breakthru Beverage is adding Happy Dad Hard Seltzer to its portfolio in Missouri and Wisconsin. Billed as an easy-to-drink hard seltzer with low carbonation and electrolytes, Happy Dad debuted in June 2021 and has sold 4.2 million 12-packs since launch. The 5% abv brand includes flavors like Pineapple, Watermelon, Lemon Lime, and Wild Cherry. Breakthru already represents the hard seltzer in Arizona and Illinois.
•Frankfort, Kentucky-based Buffalo Trace Distillery, part of Sazerac Co., is releasing an experimental line of whiskies called Daniel Weller, named for the American whiskey pioneer and Revolutionary War veteran who was also William L. Weller’s grandfather. The series will explore the impact of different wheat strains on Bourbon, with plans to release one limited expression every other year. The inaugural entry is Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat, named for the Egyptian grain used in it whose use in making beer and bread has been traced to over 6,000 years ago. The whiskey is aged for nearly 12 years and bottled at 47% abv. Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat is rolling out now in limited quantities to select retailers where it will be priced at $500 a 750-ml.
•Dallas, Texas-based Green Light Distribution has received a minority equity investment from Milwaukee’s SixSibs Capital to fuel its ongoing expansion. Green Light handles smaller wine brands and craft spirits and was founded in 2019. The distributor is projecting 2023 sales of $250 million and operates with a team of 60 salespeople covering over 4,000 retail accounts. SixSibs Capital is a family-owned investment fund focused on “buy-and-hold” investments. “This investment will allow us to continue our rapid growth through organic and M&A growth initiatives, including geographic expansion into surrounding states and Florida,” said Green Light founder and CEO Dusty Odell.
•Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits recently donated $200,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Napa Valley. In addition, all 385 employees of Deutsch Family volunteered for a Service Day to help with a variety of projects at the Boys and Girls Clubs. The donation will enable the organization to enhance its programs, helping to provide vital resources such as educational support, mentoring, after-school activities, and nutritious meals to children in need.
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