News Briefs for September 5, 2023

•Macallan had a dominant month in whisky auctions in August, securing 13 of the 20 highest hammer prices, Whisky Advocate reports. The standout bottle was the new record price for Macallan Red Collection 60 year old, at $258,992. Balvenie made its first appearance, while Hanyu was the only Japanese whisky to make the list. Two bottles of Macallan Genesis in Lalique 72 year old were sold within four days of each other; Scotch Whisky Auctions attracted an $81,252 winning bid for one of them, which was some 25% higher than the $65,000 hammer price at Sotheby’s, New York. Whisky Advocate has the full story.

•Heaven Hill Brands has marked a key milestone in its $200 million distillery project in Bardstown, Kentucky. The company has installed a new Vendome copper pot still at the Heaven Hill Springs Distillery project, which is located at 1015 Old Bloomfield Pike and is expected to be operational by the end of 2024. Initial production is slated for 150,000 barrels a year, and over time will have capacity to ramp up to producing 450,000 barrels. This will be in addition to the company’s distilling at the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, which will continue to operate at full capacity of 450,000 barrels annually.

•California’s Gold Bar Spirits Company and Joe Montana will release the Joe Montana Whiskey Collection in September. The special edition whiskey release will roll out via Gold Bar’s distribution partner Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. The range will initially include a Joe Montana Blend No. 273 (82 proof, $60) which is first double casked in red wine barrels and then triple casked in Cognac barrels and raked over toasted oak staves. Rolling out in time for Thanksgiving will be a Joe Montana Blend No. 117 (95 proof, $150), a limited-edition 16-year-old whiskey.

•In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires in Maui, members of the hospitality community on the island and beyond have stepped in to provide relief. Local restaurants and nonprofits from both Hawaii and farther away are working to ensure the people of Maui are fed and taken care of, while giving them the space for grief and recovery. Wine Spectator has the full story.

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