News Briefs for January 29, 2024

•Barry Berish, former chairman of Jim Beam, passed away January 25 at the age of 91. Berish spent his entire career in the drinks industry with Jim Beam Brands, building such spirits labels as Jim Beam Bourbon and DeKuyper cordials, eventually becoming chairman and CEO from 1982 until he retired. Among other hallmarks of his career, he’s credited with popularizing the term Small Batch, with the upscale Bourbon collection at Beam including Booker’s, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, and Baker’s. In 2000, he became chairman of Sovereign Brands, the wine and spirits company started by his sons, Brett and Brian, whose portfolio includes the French sparkling wine Luc Belaire and Bumbu rum among others. Pernod Ricard now has an ownership stake in Sovereign.

•The Macallan has released Tales of The Macallan Volume II, a 1949 vintage single malt bottled in 2022. The launch pays tribute to Alexander Reid, founder of The Macallan, as the brand marks its 200th anniversary. The 44.8% abv single malt is encased in a Lalique crystal decanter, which itself is enclosed in an 800-page almanac telling Reid’s story, alongside illustrations by British illustrator Andrew Davidson. 344 decanters are debuting at an SRP of $89,000 at The Macallan Estate, The Macallan Boutiques, and premium off-premise retailers. The Macallan has U.S. volume of approximately 240,000 cases annually, according to Impact Databank.

•Connecticut-based importer Evaton, a Sogrape subsidiary, is launching a new non-alcoholic sparkling rosé under the Kylie Minogue Wines brand. The first alcohol-free offering from the Kylie Minogue brand in the U.S., it retails at $15 and is rolling out nationally this month. “Currently, the NOLO (non and low alcoholic beverages) category is booming in the U.S., accounting for over $414 million in sales, and is expected to grow by +28% volume in the new year, highlighting the demand not just for NOLO options, but premium options, reflective of traditional wines,” said Stephen Brauer, CEO of Evaton.

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