News Briefs for September 21, 2023
September 21, 2023•Russell’s Reserve, part of the Campari America portfolio, has launched Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson F, the second release in the brand’s rickhouse-specific line of whiskies. Camp Nelson F is bottled at 58.8% abv after aging for over 10 years in a rickhouse overlooking the Kentucky river and built in the 1940s. The whiskey is now available in limited quantities in select markets across the U.S., carrying a suggested price of $300. Last year, the brand was up 15.5% to 84,000 cases in the U.S., according to Impact Databank.
•Beam Suntory has officially launched Ardray blended Scotch in the U.S. The 48% abv whisky is inspired by Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii and, according to the company, the blend hearkens back to malt-heavy blended whiskies of the past. While the specific distilleries were not disclosed, the company noted that the components were sourced from Beam Suntory’s distilleries as well as those owned by Edrington. Ardray is now available in the U.S. for around $80 a 700-ml.
•Gran Coramino Tequila is launching two expressions in 375-ml. bottles. The brand currently offers two Tequilas, Cristalino ($54 a 750-ml.) and Añejo ($113), both of which are now available in “Mini Mino” packaging. The Gran Coramino Reposado Cristalino is aged in eastern European oak barrels, finished in California Cabernet wine casks and transformed into a Cristalino Tequila via a slow-filtration process. The Gran Coramino Añejo is 100% Blue Weber Agave, aged in both American and French oak barrels for over 12 months, then blended with Añejo reserves that were matured in ex-Cognac barrels. The 375-ml. sizes are available now in California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Colorado, and South Carolina with more states to follow, priced at $29. Gran Coramino was founded by actor and comedian Kevin Hart and Cuervo CEO Juan Domingo Beckmann.
•London-based Scotch bottler Compass Box has announced Metropolis, the third release in the company’s Extinct Blends Quartet. The 49% abv whisky blends malts from Aberlour, Miltonduff, and Bowmore, and an undisclosed blended Scotch finished in Sherry butts. The whisky hits shelves in the U.S. today and retails for a suggested price of $375. Only 5,190 bottles of Metropolis will be available worldwide.
•Beam Suntory has appointed Hernán Tabah as SVP and chief digital & technology officer. In the newly created role, Tabah will be responsible for accelerating Beam Suntory’s enterprise digital, data, and end-to-end technology strategy. Tabah joins Beam Suntory from Altria, where he was senior vice president and chief digital and technology officer. Prior to that he held similar roles at Mondelez and British American Tobacco.
•Lux Row Distillers is launching Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Medium Toasted American Oak Barrels. A limited allocation of 3,000 six-pack cases of Daviess County Medium Toasted will reach retail shelves across the country later this month at a suggested retail price of $50 per 750-ml. bottle. A combination of ryed and wheated bourbon mashbills aged four-plus years in charred-oak barrels, the newcomer is bottled at 48% abv. Lux Row is part of Luxco, the branded division of MGP.
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