Archives for August 2019

2019 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition

August 30, 2019 By Dow Scoggins

The 2019 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition received 399 Spirits entries from 147 producers. For the past several years we have made Mixers its own competition being that we receive so many entries in this non-alcoholic product category. There were a total of 3 Best of Show Awards given this year, 1 Best of Show was awarded to Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila with 96 points, 1 Best of Show in the Mixers Competition was awarded to Nimble Nectar Tart Cherry Lime Mixer with 97 points and 1 Best of Show in Packaging Design which was awarded to Empress 1908 Gin. We awarded 47 Best of Category Awards, 9 Best of Division Awards, 236 Gold Medal Awards, 111 Silver Medal Awards, 10 Bronze Medal Awards and 34 Packaging Design awards. This year’s competition received spirits from 24 different countries, Mexico, Poland, Australia, Germany, France, Canada, Belarus, Brazil, Japan, UK, Ireland, England, Caribbean Islands, Barbados, Puerto Rico, Panama, Venezuela, USA, Myanmar, Netherlands, Scotland, Philippines, Italy and London. We had 19 prestigious judges from all over the United States from on and off-premise as well as Young’s Market, Wine Warehouse, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Mutual Trading.

2019 Award Winning Spirits
Best of Awards

Best of Category Awards

Spirits Packaging Design Awards

Gold Medal by Points Award Winning Spirits

Silver Medal Award Winning Spirits

Bronze Medal Award Winning Spirits

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First-Ever Whiskey Distillery in U.S. History to Honor an African-American Announces Grand Opening

August 30, 2019 By Dow Scoggins

SHELBYVILLE, Tennessee – Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the super-premium whiskey from Tennessee and the fastest-growing independent American whiskey brand in U.S. history, has announced that Phase One of its highly anticipated Nearest Green Distillery will open on September 14, 2019 in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Named after the first known African-American master distiller, and the whiskey brand’s namesake, Nearest Green, the new distillery is the first in the United States to commemorate an African-American whiskey maker, exemplifying the important contributions he made to whiskey history.

Travelers visiting the Nearest Green Distillery during its Phase One opening can expect to see the first of what is to be built on the 270-acre property, with buildings and experiences continuing to open over the next few years. Once fully open with all phases built out, the Nearest Green Distillery will not only serve as a place where Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is distilled, aged and bottled, but will pay homage to Nearest and the many other innovators and innovations from Tennessee. The distillery has turned the former site of the famous Sand Creek Farms, a Tennessee Walking Horse farm and event center, into a full-blown destination for whiskey enthusiasts, Walking Horse lovers and families.

Phase One of the Nearest Green Distillery will include:

A Tennessee Walking Horse experience where visitors will not only learn the history of the Walking Horse, but where more than 50 championship walking horses, and horses they sire, will continue to reside at the property.

The Welcome House, complete with a custom-made horseshoe bar where visitors will learn about and sample Uncle Nearest’s award-winning whiskeys. It will be the only place in the world with tastings of all four expressions: Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey, Uncle Nearest 1884 Premium Small Batch Whiskey, Uncle Nearest 1820 Premium Single Barrel Whiskey and Nathan Green 1870 Premium Single Barrel Whiskey, an expression previously sold only in the U.K. A second-story Awards Mezzanine was built out to showcase some of the more than 50 awards the brand has already won.

A Copper Skies Experience where guests can sit in rocking chairs under a covered patio to see the most beautiful sunset in Tennessee. Visitors can sip on Uncle Nearest cocktails from Toppy’s, a connecting bar named after the CEO’s own horse, while watching the colors of the sunset.

A Full Retail Store, where visitors can purchase custom apparel, rare bottles of Uncle Nearest, and just about anything else Uncle Nearest makes.

The Bottling House open to the public, allowing visitors to take part in labeling the whiskey sold in the retail store. All four Uncle Nearest offerings will be bottled here.

A Hard Hat Tour, offered with every premium tasting. This experience walks visitors through the spaces under construction that will open in 2020, such as the single barrel warehouse and tasting room, as well as the Heritage Hall, an impressive collection of all things invented in Tennessee such as NASCAR, miniature golf, Moon Pies and Mountain Dew, with a special focus on Tennessee Whiskey, Walking Horses and country music.

“When I went to write the invitations for the distillery opening, tears began to stream down my face,” said Fawn Weaver, co-founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest. “I’m not a person who cries often, but something about this history just chokes me up. When I wrote the opening line, ‘If Nearest Green could have owned his own distillery, would he have?’ I could only think of this incredible master distiller that likely never had the chance. And posthumously, we are working to ensure his name is cemented in the hearts and minds of people around the world for generations to come. The Nearest Green Distillery is his legacy and that of his descendants. Being able to bring that to life, quite frankly, still blows my mind.”

To build out the Nearest Green Distillery, Weaver has brought together a team of the most reputable designers and builders in the business. The overall design and visitor experience for the Nearest Green Distillery is being overseen by Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates. Peggy Noe Stevens is the first female master bourbon taster, founder of the internationally-acclaimed Bourbon Women, co-founder of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and the woman behind some of the top distillery visitor experiences in the country. Thom Meek of GHP Environmental + Architecture and former Tennessee Walking Horse champion was brought on in 2017 to help bring this distillery vision to life and continues to serve as the architect on the project. Haynes Service Company is building out the corporate offices, Welcome House, single barrel warehouse and tasting rooms, while Lee Adcock Construction has taken lead on building the distillery, bottling house and rick houses.

Before Phase One of the Nearest Green Distillery officially opens to the public, Uncle Nearest and whiskey enthusiasts from around the country are invited for a special preview grand opening event on Thursday, September 5. To RSVP for the opening celebration, book a tasting and hard hat tour, or to learn more about Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, visit www.unclenearest.com, and follow @unclenearest on Instagram and Facebook.

About Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is inspired by the best whiskey-maker the world never knew, the first African-American master distiller on record in the United States, Nathan “Nearest” Green. The Uncle Nearest brand, wholly owned by Uncle Nearest, Inc., encompasses a premium aged whiskey, an 11-year-old single barrel product and a 7-year-old small batch offering, all distilled, aged, bottled and hand-labeled in Tennessee.

Uncle Nearest is an award-winning spirit, garnering more than 50 accolades since its July 2017 debut, including being one of two brands named “World’s Best” at Whisky Magazine’s 2019 World Whiskies Awards, and earning a Best of Class – Platinum and Double Gold Medal at the 2019 SIP Awards, a Chairman’s Trophy at the 2019 Ultimate Beverage Challenge, a Double Gold Medal at the 2018 China Wine & Spirits Awards, Gold Medals at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and 2018 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, as well as two Gold Medals at the 2018 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. Cigar & Spirits Magazine has also named Uncle Nearest one of the “Top 5 Whiskies in the World.” For more information please visit the Uncle Nearest website, and follow on Instagram and Facebook.

Pernod Ricard Announces Acquisition of Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co., Owner of the TX Brand of Premium Whiskies

August 6, 2019 By Dow Scoggins

Pernod Ricard announces the acquisition of Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co., owner of the TX brand, a leading whiskey portfolio headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.

The TX brand range includes super-premium whiskey and bourbon. TX Blended Whiskey, launched in 2012, is a smooth-drinking, award-winning brand that has already garnered a passionate following. The full TX range espouses the brand’s rugged elegance; the bottle tops are hand made from boot leather, the canvas neck wraps are a nod to pioneer covered wagons and the silver band around the base of every bottle represents a polished symbol of Western culture. With this deal, Pernod Ricard once again is expanding its portfolio to include brands with unique and comprehensive value propositions.

The deal includes Whiskey Ranch, a state-of-the-art distillery minutes from downtown Fort Worth, where consumers can enjoy the full TX brand Experience, including tours and tastings.

For Alexandre Ricard, Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard, “The addition of TX, which is an exceptional super premium whiskey blended by skilled Texan craftsmen, represents a very promising venture which strengthens our portfolio and footprint in the United States.”

For Paul Duffy, Chairman & CEO of Pernod Ricard North America, “The TX Blended Whiskey distinguishes itself as a brand poised for tremendous growth. The team at Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. have done an excellent job developing the brand, and we are keen to build on this success. We will continue to reinforce the community of loyal TX brand ambassadors, both as we expand distribution and as we welcome consumers to the Whiskey Ranch.”

For Leonard Firestone and Troy Robertson, Founders of Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co., “This is an exciting day for all of us at Firestone & Robertson. Building our company and producing award-winning whiskies has been a truly remarkable experience. We are so proud of our team, and grateful to the many people that supported our efforts over the years. It is an extraordinary opportunity to partner with Pernod Ricard, and we are confident this relationship will accelerate the growth of our brands while preserving our roots and shared core values.”

This transaction is expected to close shortly. White & Case LLP and Deloitte Finance served as legal counsel and transaction services support to Pernod Ricard, respectively, and Nomura Securities International and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as exclusive financial advisor and counsel, respectively, to Firestone & Robertson with respect to the transaction.

About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €8,987 million in FY18. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s brands are distributed via six Brand Companies through 86 direct affiliates across five continents. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité.” As reaffirmed by the Group’s three-year strategic plan, “Transform and Accelerate,” deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “We bring good times from a good place.” In recognition of Pernod Ricard’s strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation’s Global Compact LEAD company.

About Firestone & Robertson Distilling
Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co (F&R): Established in 2010 by Leonard Firestone and Troy Robertson, F&R is a premier artisanal whiskey distillery located in Fort Worth, Texas, crafting TX Whiskey and TX Straight Bourbon.
TX Whiskey was released in 2012 and quickly became renowned for its exceptionally smooth and flavorful taste, winning “Double Gold” and “Best American Craft Whiskey” honors at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The brand has become wildly popular throughout a growing number of states across the country not only for its taste but also for the handmade bottle tops adorned with leather the company sources from local cowboy boot makers.
Distilled and aged in the North Texas climate for approximately five years, TX Straight Bourbon gained industry notoriety for its Texas provenance by utilizing Texas grown corn and wheat, and a proprietary yeast captured from a Texas pecan nut. TX Straight Bourbon is the only bourbon in the world to utilize a wild Texas yeast strain, and is also award winning, securing a silver medal in the 2017 San Francisco competition. For more information, please visit www.frdistilling.com.