News Briefs for January 24, 2024

•Brown-Forman is debuting the winter 2024 Distillery Series release from Woodford Reserve: Double Double Oaked. The 45.2% abv whiskey starts as Woodford’s standard Double Oaked Bourbon—which is matured in two different new charred oak barrels—and is then aged for an additional year in another new charred oak barrel. The release is now available at the Woodford Reserve distillery, as well as limited Kentucky retail, for $80 a 375-ml.

•Constellation Brands has promoted Jim Casey to senior vice president, chief sales officer for wine and spirits. Casey joined Constellation in 2018 and has held a number of commercial leadership roles with increasing responsibility. Prior to joining Constellation, Casey spent time with Treasury Wine Estates, Diageo, and Gallo. The move follows the recent news that Constellation’s president of wine and spirits, Robert Hanson, will step down at the end of February, with company CEO Bill Newlands to oversee the unit on an interim basis.

•Distill Ventures, the Diageo-funded brand incubator, has added Lodestar Whiskey to its pre-accelerator program, providing funding for the new brand. The whiskey itself is a blend of high-rye Bourbon and American single malt whiskey bottled at 45% abv and retailing for $45 in e-commerce channels and limited California retail. The brand was founded by cousins Anna Axster and Wendelin von Schroder, both veterans of the entertainment industry.

•Bronco Wine Co. has appointed Mike Gilboy as managing director of national sales. Gilboy joins the California wine player from Vintage Wine Estates, where he was SVP of global sales, and also spent time with Treasury Wine Estates. Bronco has also named Gallo veteran Mike Carranza as CFO. Most recently, Carranza was CFO for Westland Technologies. SND recently caught up with Bronco CEO Dan Leonard for an update on the 3.2-million-case portfolio.

•Independent bottler Rolling Fork Spirits is expanding its portfolio with the launch of Heart of Gold Rum. Retailing at $40 a bottle and carrying an abv of 50.5%, the newcomer is Rolling Fork’s first offering specifically geared toward cocktails. Heart of Gold is a blend of rums from Jamaica and Barbados aged up to four years, with secondary aging in Bourbon casks ranging from a few months up to two years. Rolling Fork is located at Starlight Distillery in Borden, Indiana.

Tagged : Bronco Wine Co., Brown-Forman, Constellation Brands, Diageo, Distill Ventures, Lodestar Whiskey, Rolling Fork Spirits, Woodford Reserve

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