News Briefs for October 15, 2015
October 15, 2015•Mast-Jägermeister has created a new dedicated marketing post for its namesake liqueur brand within its Sidney Frank Importing Co. (SFIC) subsidiary in the U.S. Mast-Jägermeister veteran Marcus Thieme has been tapped as chief marketing officer for Jägermeister at SFIC. Thieme joined Mast-Jägermeister in 2001 and has served in a variety of roles, including regional director for Western Europe and area manager, sales and marketing, for North America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. A year ago, Thieme relocated to the U.S. to establish Mast-Jägermeister Services (USA) Inc. and has since been working closely with the SFIC team on strategy. Mast-Jägermeister acquired longtime Jägermeister importer SFIC in August.
•Palm Bay International is introducing a new blend on the Wemyss Malts Scotch Whisky line, Kiln Embers. The limited edition offering is blended with double the amount of smoky Islay malt whisky used in crafting portfoliomate Peat Chimney. Kiln Embers (46% abv), which carries no age statement, is intended to serve as a peaty dimension to the Wemyss blended malt range. It’s available for a suggested retail price of $69.99, with 2,400 bottles allocated to New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and California. Last December, Palm Bay International partnered with Scottish craft distiller Wemyss to import its core blended malt range, which includes its Peat Chimney, The Hive and Spice King entries ($45.99-$74 a 750-ml.), as well as eight single malt labels and Wemyss’ Darnley’s View London Dry Gin ($32.99).
•National importer and New York wholesaler Cognac One is launching the range of Bordeaux’s Les Hauts de Gaffelière in the U.S. The lineup includes red ($14), white ($13) and rosé ($13) Bordeaux wines, as well as a Saint Emilion red ($22). The Les Hauts de Gaffelière portfolio was created by Alexandre de Malet Roquefort, owner of the 1er Grand Cru Classé St. Emilion Château La Gaffelière.
•Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) is eliminating tipping across its New York City restaurant empire. Yesterday, Meyer announced in an open letter than all 13 of USHG’s restaurants would phase out tipping over the next year, starting with The Modern next month. The famed restaurateur said that his company is making the change in order to reduce the inequity in compensation earned by dining-room workers and kitchen staff. Despite the cessation of tipping, Meyer said the overall cost to diners won’t change much, as prices are expected to be raised at USHG’s restaurants (which don’t include the Shake Shack burger chain that was spun off earlier this year).
•Patrón Spirits has released a limited edition Patrón Tequila crystal decanter handmade by Lalique that’s inspired by Mexico’s Blue Weber agave plant. The Patrón en Lalique: Serie 1 launch features a blend of extra añejo Tequila aged for at least four years in American and French oak from the company’s barrel-aging room at the Hacienda Patrón distillery in Jalisco. The series is limited to 500 individually numbered bottles worldwide retailing for $7,500 that include a leather display case with gemstone detail.
Subscribe to Shanken News Daily’s Email Newsletter, delivered to your inbox each morning.
Tagged : Cognac One, Lalique, Les Hauts de Gaffelière, Mast-Jägermeister, Palm Bay International, Patrón Spirits, Shake Shack, Sidney Frank Importing Co., The Modern, Union Square Hospitality Group, Wemyss
