News Briefs for December 21, 2018

•Cigar Aficionado culminates its weeklong countdown of the best cigars of the year today with the publication of its Top 25 Cigars of 2018. Yesterday, the magazine unveiled its Cigar of the Year, bestowing the award on a 96-point smoke from E.P. Carrillo.

•Diageo has completed its sale of 19 non-core spirits brands to Sazerac. Originally announced on November 12, the $550 million deal sees Sazerac gain spirits labels including Seagram’s VO, Seagram’s 83, Seagram’s Five Star, Myers’s, Parrot Bay, Romana Sambuca, Popov, Yukon Jack, Goldschläger, Stirrings, The Club, Scoresby, Black Haus, Peligroso, Relska, Grind, Piehole, Booth’s, and John Begg.

•Acker, Merrall & Condit has posted auction sales of $105 million for 2018, up 31% from the previous year. In Acker’s most recent sale, held December 12 in New York, notable lots included six bottles of 2015 A. Rousseau Chambertin sold for $21,080, three magnums of 1990 DRC La Tache sold for $62,000, and 10 bottles of 1961 Château Latour, which went for $71,920. Acker will kick off its 2019 season with live auctions in Hong Kong on January 19 and February 1 in New York City.

•Ghost Tequila has named three industry veterans to its advisory board. Joining the brand are Tim Hassett, formerly president, Americas, at Beam Suntory; Jon Potter, formerly chief marketing officer at Boston Beer, Moët Hennessy USA and Diageo North America; and James Espey, who helped launch Malibu rum, Johnnie Walker Blue, and Chivas Regal 18-year-old among others. Retailing at $28 a 750-ml., Ghost is a 100%-agave Tequila infused with ghost pepper, which has rolled out across a number of New England, Southern and Western states.

Tagged : Cigar Aficionado, Diageo, Ghost Tequila, Sazerac, Seagram's

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