Archives for November 2023

Winter Park Whiskey Brand Celebrates New Product Release

November 23, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

Eight months after opening their Winter Park blending house and tasting room, Forward/Slash Premium Blended Whiskey co-owners Tim Bradstreet and Michael Buffa are evolving the brand through new partnerships and a landmark product tie-in to the holiday season.

“We wanted to create a holiday whiskey, but also something no one has ever seen before,” Buffa told the32789 of the company’s new Krampus Rye: a limited-edition blended whiskey aged in a spiced rum barrel.

The idea came during a product sampling at Lugo’s Craft Distillery in Lakeland. “Spiced rum isn’t something that typically is aged, but it just so happens they were working on a project for someone,” Bradstreet explained. Once the aging process was complete, distillery owner Christian Lugo agreed to part with the empty barrel “and we immediately filled it with a blend of rye whiskeys to see what would happen.” The result is a rich color with an added spice and sweetness to the traditional rye whiskey flavor profile that Buffa calls “Christmas in a glass.”

Named after the mythical creature who punishes the naughty at Christmastime, the November 24 Krampus Rye release at Forward/Slash’s 650 S. Capen Ave. tasting room featured holiday decor, a heavy-metal Spotify soundtrack and looped showings of the 2015 fantasy/horror film “Krampus.”

The process may seem like a happy accident, but trial-and-error is what blending is all about. And the limited quantities that result from unique pairings are what make the Forward/Slash experience special.

Buffa and Bradstreet work with independent distilleries from across the country, choosing and combining the best products based on flavor characteristics. Forward/Slash bottles its own line of whiskeys and a blended vodka, but experiments can often result in small batches of unique flavors that are only served in the company tasting room. Tours provide a glimpse into the Forward/Slash process and include a lesson in blending distillates to achieve specific flavors.

The Krampus Rye label even comes courtesy of a business pairing with Orlando-based Leviathan Artworks.

“I had this Krampus shirt design already made,” said artist/owner Robert Fischer. “They saw it and asked about using it for the label.” Fischer also created an exclusive Forward/Slash t-shirt that features a skeleton carrying a bourbon barrel.

“We’ve known Robert for a while, he even had his wedding reception here at Forward/Slash,” said Buffa. “It’s cool when you can work with people who have that kind of appreciation and understanding about you do.”

The Forward/Slash staff is currently serving Krampus Rye pours and cocktails in the tasting room with a yet-to-be-determined number of bottle sales. “We have about 281 bottles,” said Buffa. “We want to have enough to serve in pours and cocktails through December, so we’ll see what we’ve got left after the event.”

As for 2024, Buffa and Bradstreet are working on additional partnerships and events. This year, they hosted car shows in partnership with Porsche Club of America, attended their first Cows ‘n Cabs on November 11 and were among the beverage providers at the 2023 Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival.

“We have lots of exciting plans for the new year, but we’re not releasing details on those items yet,” said Buffa. “It’s been a great first year for us and we can’t wait to expand upon the experiences we offer here.”

For more information please visit https://wpdistilling.com/

CT spirits retailers, distillery partner to launch whiskey fundraiser to build homes for veterans

November 23, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

NEW MILFORD — It was over a single barrel of bourbon whiskey that John NeJaime, owner of NeJaime’s Wine & Spirits and New Milford Spirit Shoppe, hatched the idea for a fundraiser to support a nonprofit that gifts homes to military veterans.

NeJaime said the inspiration for the fundraiser came after a visit to Litchfield Distillery in Litchfield with friends from “CT Bourbon Bastards,” a Facebook bourbon community with over 1,600 members.

After their visit to Litchfield Distillery, the “CT Bourbon Bastards” promoted a barrel of whiskey purchased from Litchfield Distillery on the group’s Facebook page and the barrel “sold out immediately,” according to NeJaime.

NeJaime was inspired to pick a special Litchfield Distillery single-barrel whiskey to sell at his business and donate all the proceeds to a nonprofit.

He partnered with “CT Bourbon Bastards” and Taylor Deegan from Worldwide Wine & Spirits in Southington to pick a single barrel of 5-year-old bourbon whiskey from Litchfield Distillery for the fundraiser.

A total of 150 bottles of the whiskey were released for sale at NeJaime’s Wine & Spirits and Worldwide Wine & Spirits on Friday. For $59.99, customers can purchase a bottle of whiskey that will go toward creating homes for veterans and their families. All proceeds will be donated to Building Homes for Heroes.

NeJaime’s choice of nonprofit for the fundraiser came from his connections to Building Homes for Heroes, a New York-based nonprofit that builds or modifies homes and gifts them mortgage-free to injured veterans and their families, according to the nonprofit’s website.

Building Homes for Heroes also provides family team-building and support services for veterans’ physical, emotional and financial wellbeing, said Tony Sigillito, a friend of NeJaime’s and founding board member and treasurer for the nonprofit.

“There’s a lot of needs out there, but Building Homes for Heroes relates to our product,” Baker said. “Our tagline is, ‘The spirit of hard work,’ and nobody works harder than the vets. And we think the values between that nonprofit and everybody involved seemed to link up to our values.”

Five different barrels of Litchfield Distillery’s whiskey were tasted before the group picked the 5-year-old bourbon whiskey for the fundraiser.

Baker said the selected bourbon whiskey is 122-proof and “one of our first releases of that proof in a five-year range.”

“I think it’ll go pretty quickly,” he said. “We expect it to sell out right away.”

That same evening, Baker presented Chloe Sigillito, Tony Sigillito’s daughter, with a $500 check to support Building Homes for Heroes, said Tony Vengrove, whose firm Miles Finch Innovation handles the branding and marketing for Litchfield Distillery.

An additional $275 was raised for Building Homes for Heroes in an auction for a limited six-year Litchfield Distillery bourbon whiskey.

For more information please visit https://litchfielddistillery.com/

Bardstown Bourbon Company Showcases Two New Releases

November 12, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

What’s described as Bardstown Bourbon Company’s “modern and transparent approach to whiskey making” is on full display in two new releases that were just recently released.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Discovery #11 continues the named series tradition of blending whiskies found around the world. Yet, in a first for the distillery, this edition of the Discovery Series includes a bourbon that was estate-distilled at the distillery itself.

“This is a special milestone in our Discovery Series, as our own estate-distilled whiskey has now matured, which gives us some exciting new blending opportunities,” said Dan Callaway, VP of Product Development for Bardstown Bourbon Co, in a prepared statement. “So, for Discovery #11, we decided to celebrate in a Kentucky kind of way and chose all Bluegrass-based bourbons to blend with what we estate-distilled.”

Over the years, the Discovery Series has combined whiskies from Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Georgia, and even Ontario, Canada. Discovery #11 is the first time since Discovery #4 the series has featured all Kentucky bourbons.

“We used our bottled-in-bond recipe from the new Origin Series of our estate-distilled bourbon, however we wanted to explore a different take so the whiskey aged its entire life in French oak barrels as opposed to the traditional American oak,” Callaway added. “On their own, these stood as three tremendous bourbons, but some real magic occurred when they came together.”

Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s second new release is a collaboration with Mark and Sherri Carter, and the Napa Valley winemaker Carter Cellars.

For this release, a custom blend of mature bourbon and rye rested in ten Carter Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet barrels for an additional 14 months. The wine barrels were freshly emptied, to “impart maximum flavor” and they were separated and rotated throughout the rickhouse multiple times.

“Carter Cellars has always shot for excellence in our award-winning wines, and we have a long history of producing 100-point wines. This has been a wonderful collaboration bringing together our teams who are all continuously on the pursuit of perfection,” said Mark Carter of Carter Cellars.

Discovery #11 offers official tasting notes of “rainier cherry, butterscotch, brown sugar and roasted peanut on the nose, then a spirited palate of toffee and cinnamon spice, followed by a finish of ripe red fruit and oak.” It is presented at 118.1 proof (59.05% ABV) and offered at an SRP of $139.99.

Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Carter Cellars Collaborative Series, meanwhile, offers a taste of what’s described as “a premium and complex aroma of cassis, violet, cinnamon and leather. On the palate it presents a rush of dark fruit, roasted pecan and vanilla cream that leads to a luscious lightly tannic finish.” It is presented at 108.3 proof (54.15% ABV) and offered at an SRP of $159.99. Roughly 225 9L cases are available at the Bardstown Bourbon Co. gift shop and select Kentucky retailers.

For more information please visit https://seelbachs.com/

New Riff Releases Pair Of Eight-Year-Old Whiskeys

November 12, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

New Riff has announced the dual release of two 8-year-old whiskeys, the oldest released by the distillery to date. These older expressions of both their 100% Malted Rye and Wheated Bourbon join the distillery’s “High Note” limited edition lineup this fall and will be available later this month predominately through New Riff’s Whiskey Club and across the bar at the newly renovated Aquifer Tasting Bar opening soon.

Limited quantities will be available for distribution in Kentucky.

Bottled straight from the barrel at 117.9 proof without chill filtration, the Bohemian Wheat Bourbon concept was constructed from the distiller team’s inspiration found in some of their favorite classic wheat beers, resulting in the creation of a Bavarian Dunkelweizen-style bourbon mashbill comprised of three different wheats — from which a two-grain bourbon and “a new riff on a beloved Kentucky bourbon tradition were born.”

“It really is a quite unique wheated bourbon, inclusive of malted wheat, not just raw wheat as from other producers — with a high amount of wheat in the mash, and no malted barley,” said co-founder Jay Erisman in a prepared statement. “It’s safe to say there’s never been anything like it in Kentucky.”

Made with 65% non-GMO corn, 18% Bohemian floor-malted wheat, 10% unmalted wheat and 7% dark wheat, the Bohemian Wheat Bourbon is the product of several barrels that were held back for further aging from the distillery’s initial release of this recipe under the “Maltster” label.

Described as “a rare example of a two-grain whiskey comprised of only corn and wheat,” this release’s “high wheat” recipe follows the standard Kentucky sour mash regimen while also incorporating an additional step to the standard process of boiling the unmalted small grains with the corn.

Bottled straight from the barrel without chill filtration and made with 100% malted rye, The Malted Rye 8-Year-Old is the result of several barrels being held back for further aging from the distillery’s very first year of malted rye production.

“One of the first expressions of older New Riff whiskey, and perhaps, the oldest Kentucky malted rye ever bottled, it bears the unmistakable savor of a fully matured whiskey, crossed with the delicate spice of malted rye,” Erisman said. “100% malted rye whiskeys are still a rare thing in Kentucky and in American whiskey, more generally. At a full 8 years of age and barrel proof, it really is a one-of-a-kind dram.”

Both whiskeys are aged 8 years and bottled at cask strength without chill filtration with a suggested retail price of $69.99.

For more information or to sign up for the Whiskey Club, visit www.newriffdistilling.com.

Detroit City Distillery’s Honey Bourbon: What to know about 2023 release

November 12, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

The distillery says they are taking Honey Bourbon to a whole new level this year.

Increased demand for Honey Bourbon led to a doubling of production and expanded distribution statewide to grocers, stores, bars and restaurants.

Honey Bourbon launched five years ago as an experimental limited edition. The bourbon is finished in honey barrels and with raw honey from Bees in the D’s rooftop beehives, which sit on top of Detroit City Distillery’s Whiskey Factory.

“This fine bourbon features the truest taste of Detroit you can get,” said Michael Forsyth, co-owner of Detroit City Distillery in a news release. “We combine the award-winning bourbon we make in Eastern Market with honey made by thousands of honeybees using flower nectar from all over the city. ”

With this year’s launch, the distillery also introduced the Honey Old Fashioned, a ready-to-serve cocktail. The cocktail is based on the distillery’s best-selling cocktail featuring Honey Bourbon, raw Michigan honey, and house-made bitters, according to a news release.

The launch of Honey Bourbon online sales is set for 8 a.m. Nov. 10 with a 4 p.m.-11 p.m. launch party to follow at the Detroit City Distillery (DCD) tasting room, 2462 Riopelle St., at Eastern Market. Admission to the launch party is free. At the launch party, you can pick up online sales or purchase products. Honey-themed treats and products from Bees in the D and several other spirits with unique labeling will also be for sale including:

Honey Bourbon – $60 per 750 milliliter bottle.

Honey Old-Fashioned – $25 per 375 milliliter

Bees in the D Bourbon Barrel – aged honey is $50 per bottle with 100% of the sales supporting nonprofit Bees in the D.

To purchase products or for information visit detroitcitydistillery.com.

Tamworth Distilling Is Launching Trout-Flavored Brandy

November 11, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

Steven Grasse, the founder of Tamworth Distilling and a 2023 Food & Wine Drinks Innovator of the Year, has described the New Hampshire craft distillery as being a little bit “Willy Wonka” after creating 55 different — really different — products in eight short years. New releases from Tamworth are always interesting, whether you’re talking about their Graverobber Unholy Rye, made with syrup tapped from maple trees in a colonial cemetery, their Sylvan Mist, an aromatic gin designed to be worn as a perfume and served in a cocktail, and their Crab Trapper whiskey, distilled with the “crabby essence” from invasive green crabs. (And don’t get us started on the whiskey that required a trapper to do a bit of, uh, extra harvesting underneath beavers’ tails.)

That’s all a long way of saying that Tamworth is back with another limited-edition expression, and yeah, it’s a little bit bonkers too. The distillery’s latest release, House of Tamworth Saison De Frai, was inspired by the Swift River, which flows right past the distillery. As a result, each bottle of this apple brandy has been flavored with a small scoop of roe taken from New Hampshire’s state fish, the Brook Trout.

“I was enjoying a glass of Tamworth Garden VSOP Apple Brandy and watching the anglers fly fish in the backyard of the distillery,” Grasse said in a statement. “And that’s where the idea was born to use trout as a flavor agent — in order to combine our unique approach to wilderness-inspired flavors with our team’s unwavering commitment to honoring and preserving the wilds of New England.”

The base of House of Tamworth Saison De Frai is a distillate made from sustainably farmed smoked trout, which delivers what the distillery describes as “the ideal smoked trout essence.” It’s then blended with four-year-old Tamworth Garden VSOP Apple Brandy, and then the fish eggs are added to finish it off. Tamworth describes the overall texture as similar to bubble tea (albeit fishy bubble tea). To really drive the riverside vibe home, each bottle has a trout-shaped label and is packaged with a hand-tied Royal Coachman Hookless Practice Fly, in case you want to work on your technique before trying to land your own fish.

The unique limited-edition spirit will be available to buy online starting on Friday, November 17. A 200ml bottle has a suggested retail price of $65, and $1 from each bottle sold goes to support the conservation efforts of Trout Unlimited, a national nonprofit organization.

“During the past century, trout have declined as a result of land development, overfishing, water pollution, poor timber and livestock grazing practices, and the introduction of non-native fishes and other aquatic invasive species,” Randy Ouellette, Vice Chair of the Trout Unlimited New Hampshire State Council, said in a statement. “The proceeds from Saison De Frai will help support our dedicated efforts of conservation, protection, and restoration of North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.”

We can’t wait to see what the northeast’s answer to Willy Wonka slips into a bottle next.

For more information please visit https://tamworthdistilling.com/

George Dickel Releases A New 18-Year Bourbon

November 10, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

In 2021, George Dickel released Dickel Bourbon, a Tennessee bourbon aged 8 years. Today, it’s expanding that bourbon lineup with the addition of a new 18-year bourbon.

“At Cascade Hollow, we have a lot of whiskies that exemplify the Tennessee Whiskey style, but we also have inventory that has a lot more in common with bourbon as we understand it in America,” Nicole Austin, General Manager and Distiller at Cascade Hollow Distilling Co told me in 2021, with the release of the 8-year bourbon.

“As a style, bourbon is meant to be more approachable and balanced, and Dickel Bourbon is a great entry point into our whole portfolio,” she said at the time.

The whiskey itself was put into the barrel long before Austin took charge of whiskey-making at Cascade Hollow. A large part of her job is tasting whiskey from barrels that are aging. While all of the barrels are essentially aged the same, through that tasting she discovered that while many of them had that hallmark Tennessee whiskey flavor, others had a more bourbon feel to them.

“That balanced vanilla fruit, a little bit of spice. All the things that would present this is a really nice bourbon. I didn’t even know we had this. You can blend it away, but what a shame,” she said.

Which brings us to today’s release of Dickel’s 18-year-old bourbon

“We created Dickel Bourbon to give people an approachable and balanced bourbon that is high-quality and complex in flavor,” Austin said in a release announcing the spirit. “I loved the idea of building upon that craftsmanship of our mature whisky and creating something with that same traditional feel, and also more premium. I’m excited for people to try Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years because it’s a rare and beautifully aged whisky, but still exhibits a surprising brightness and wide range of complexity that is not often found in American Whiskies of this age.”

Similar to other variants in the Dickel portfolio, Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years has a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley. The whiskey has mellow yet complex flavors of creme brûlée and stone fruit and comes in at 90 proof (45% ABV).

As you might imagine, the release is also super limited. The spirit will be rolling out to select markets this month for a suggested retail price of $510.

For more information please visit https://www.georgedickel.com/

Iron Smoke Distilling releases Purple Heart Bourbon for Veterans Day

November 10, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

FAIRPORT — A collaboration between Iron Smoke Distillery and professional football players Rocky Bleier and his cousin Bob Bleir celebrates valor and sacrifice with a four-grain bourbon, Purple Heart Bourbon Whiskey.

The 90-proof special blend is named in honor of the Bleier family. Rocky Bleier was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries sustained while serving in Vietnam in 1969.

“Connecting with the Bleier boys and their mission to support our nation’s brave Purple Heart recipients was an incredible honor and there was not one bit of hesitation in partnering up,” said Tommy Brunett, ISD co-founder. “We share the same deep-seated commitment to our veterans and honoring the sacrifice of our servicemen and women, allowing every sip to carry the spirit of gratitude and utmost respect.”

A majority of the profits for the sale of the bourbon will go to the Military Order of the Purple Heart, an organization which promotes patriotism and provides services to veterans and their families. The Bleiers support MOPH because it is dedicated to veterans who have been awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded or killed in action.

“After I left the NFL, I devoted my time to honoring the bravery and resilience of my fellow Purple Heart brothers,” Rocky Bleier said in a news release. “I want to make sure their legacy is forever etched in the heart of our nation. So, with this bourbon, I raise my glass to their selfless service.”

Rocky Bleier suffered bullet wounds to his left leg and severe damage to his right foot from a grenade explosion. He overcame his disabilities and returned to play football with the Pittsburgh Steelers, helping his team win four NFL championships in the 1970s.

Bob Bleier was a quarterback who played for the New England Patriots during the late 1980s. He now has a wealth management firm in Pittsford.

“I have always been a big fan of Iron Smoke bourbon and its support of local charities,” said Bob Bleier. “In fact, I was picking up a barrel Tommy had donated to a fundraiser for Camp Good Days and Special Times when we started talking about creating a bourbon to support Purple Heart soldiers. Rocky drove up from Pittsburgh. Tommy took us through several tastings and everything seemed to just organically come together.”

The Bleiers tasted samples from seven barrels and picked their four favorites for this 45% ACL/VOL blend. The label created for the Purple Heart Bourbon bottle depicts the family’s crest replete with two hungry wolves and a horn of plenty. The words, “Prayer-Work-Thought-Decisions” decorate the banner above the Bleier family name and the autographs of both Rocky and Bob flank the crest. Each man personally signed every one of the 700 bottles produced.

“It’s all about relationships and doing the right thing. We appreciate the distinct steps Iron Smoke takes to craft top-notch whiskeys,” said Rocky Bleier. “What impressed me is that the Bleier Bourbon is not an off the shelf product. No mass production. It’s a unique spirit that honors our family and supports our brave soldiers.”

“Rocky and I are certified bourbon stewards. We both cherish the bourbon making process and being able to sip spirits with family and friends,” added Bob Bleier.

The Military Order of the Purple Heart provides advocacy for veterans, runs youth programs, and offers courses on Americanism.

Purple Heart Bourbon Whiskey is available only online.

For more information please visit https://ironsmokedistillery.com/

The Tale of Two Maples From Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.

November 5, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

Photo Credit: Lexington Brewery & Distilling Co.

LEXINGTON, Kentucky— Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., the only brewery and distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, announces a second-time limited release Bourbon expression in conjunction with a third-time limited release Kentucky Bourbon Barrel-Aged Beer just in time for the holidays. Town Branch Maple Barrel Stout Finished Bourbon (SRP $69.99 / 750ml) and Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout (SRP $19.99 / 4pk Cans) are now available nationwide in limited quantities.

In late 2021, Lexington made its first release of Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout after 18-months of aging in barrels that had previously held Kentucky bourbon whiskey and then maple syrup as a second fill. This first release of the award-winning beer inspired a multi-year commission of several releases to come between beer and spirits in pursuance of the Life of the Barrel.

After decanting the inaugural batch of Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout barrels, they were quickly allocated to the distillery production team and re-filled with Town Branch Bourbon to let those barrels finish, achieving flavors of the beer alongside traditional flavors of bourbon. The blending team at Town Branch Distillery acknowledges that “Not all ex-beer barrels work for finishing bourbon, but something like a big 12% abv Imperial Maple Stout was too good to pass up the opportunity to try, especially from our own brewing team.”

Over a year later in September 2022, the first release of Town Branch Maple Barrel Stout Finished Bourbon saw about half the barrels blended and released in tandem with the second release of Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout in honor of National Bourbon Heritage Month. The result, a distinctly finished Bourbon where flavors of beer-meets-bourbon collide, all the while building upon the DNA of all the products to rest within the Life of the Barrel. The remaining bourbon barrels not emptied would continue their finishing journey for an extended period.

Skip forward to 2023 – after the Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout took home a Gold Medal “Style Winner” for Worlds Best Flavoured Stout in the 2022 World Beer Awards, the dynamic duo again would be commissioned for release. Town Branch Maple Barrel Stout Finished Bourbon will release this year, older, wiser and this time around with double the finishing time as was the previous release.

What’s next? – with a handful of bourbon barrels still resting in the projects original ex- Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout barrels and scheduled to be released in 2024 with over 3-years finishing time, the brewery has also already laid down another brew to align for release.

Brand Highlights:

Town Branch Maple Barrel Stout Finished Bourbon (SRP $69.99/750ml)

A unique expression of Town Branch Bourbon finished in freshly decanted Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout barrels to add flavors of the beer alongside traditional flavors of bourbon.

2022 Release – 1-year finishing time in barrel

2023 Release – 2-years finishing time in barrel

Mash Bill: Town Branch Bourbon, finished (72% Corn, 15% Rye, 13% Malted Barley)

ABV: 47% / 94 Proof

Estimated Availability: 2022 = 1,100 cases / 2023 = 750 cases

Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Dark hue from double finishing

Aroma: Hints of roasted malt, cocoa, oak, and maple syrup

Palate: Roasted malt, cocoa, brown sugar, cherry, and vanilla

Finish: Oak, caramel, and rich maple syrup

Kentucky Maple Barrel Imperial Stout (SRP $19.99 / 4pk Cans)

A bold imperial stout brewed with brown sugar, evoking flavors of roasted malt and cocoa. This brew was aged for 18-months in freshly decanted maple syrup bourbon barrels.

Malt Types: Carapils, Chocolate, Crystal 80 and 2-Row Pale Ale

ABV: 12% / 24 Proof

Estimated Availability: November YR1 = 2,200 cs / YR2 = 2,300 cs / YR3 (current release) = 1,950 cs

Cellar Regiment:

Temperature Cellared: 42-degrees Fahrenheit

Barrel Type: Freshly decanted Kentucky Bourbon Barrels

Tasting Notes:

Appearance: Dark and toffee

Aroma:Caramel and sweet roasty notes

Palate: Rich and full

Finish: Sweet molasses and full

About the Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.

Located in Lexington, Ky., Lexington Brewing Co. began in 1890 and was revitalized in 1999 by the late Dr. Pearse Lyons and his son Dr. Mark Lyons as Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. Dr. Pearse Lyons was a visionary Irish entrepreneur and scientist with a master’s degree in brewing and a Ph.D. in yeast fermentation. Lyons also founded Alltech, a global animal health and nutrition company. Today, both businesses are led by his son, Dr. Mark Lyons, who represents the seventh generation of the Lyons family to be in the brewing, distilling and cooperage industry. Lexington Brewing & Distilling is home to the world-renowned Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and Town Branch Distillery, a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Every emptied barrel is sustainably upcycled from the distillery to the brewery to produce world-class beer and spirits.

About Town Branch Distillery

Located in Lexington, Ky., Town Branch Distillery is the first new distillery to open in Lexington, Ky. since Prohibition and part of Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., the only brewery and distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It crafts the award-winning Town Branch Bourbon, Town Branch True Cask Bourbon, Town Branch Rye, Town Branch Malt and Bluegrass Sundown, a Bourbon-infused coffee liqueur. Town Branch Bourbon plays an integral role in production, where the used barrels are upcycled to craft a range of whiskey and barrel-aged beers internally over the lifetime of each barrel, including the flagship brew, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.

About Kentucky Barrel-Aged Beers

The Kentucky range of beers by Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., the only brewery and distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail focuses on the art of barrel-aging beer as one of the largest barrel-aged beer brands in the world. With its easy access to freshly decanted Kentucky Bourbon barrels and its inclusion as 1 of 18 Kentucky Bourbon Trail Distilleries (Town Branch Distillery), Lexington capitalizes on the freshness of the barrel to create a style of barrel-aged beer unlike any other brewery in America. It crafts the world-renowned Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Imperial Milk Stout, Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale, Kentucky Pumpkin Barrel Ale and an assortment of Kentucky Barrel-Aged Seasonal/Specialty releases.

About Alltech

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture. Our diverse portfolio of products and services improves the health and performance of plants and animals, resulting in better nutrition for all and a decreased environmental impact. We are a global leader in the agriculture industry. Our team produces specialty ingredients, premix supplements, feed and biologicals, backed by science and an unparalleled platform of services. Strengthened by more than 40 years of scientific research, we carry forward a legacy of innovation and a unique culture that views challenges through an entrepreneurial lens. As a private, family-owned company, we adapt quickly to our customers’ needs and focus on advanced innovation. We believe agriculture has the greatest potential to shape the future of our planet. Our more than 5,000 talented team members worldwide share our purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plent. Together, we can provide nutrition for all, revitalize local economies and replenish the planet’s natural resources. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech serves customers in more than 120 countries, has five bioscience centers, and operates more than 80 manufacturing facilities across the globe.

For more information please visit https://lexingtonbrewingco.com/

Milestone Brands Releases Playful Dirty Monkey Banana Peanut Butter Whiskey

November 4, 2023 By Dustin Scoggins

Milestone Brands, a trailblazer in growing innovative spirits brands, proudly unveils its latest creation, the free-spirited Dirty Monkey Banana Peanut Butter Whiskey. This delicious new release is crafted with real whiskey, all-natural peanut butter and banana flavors blended to ignite your sense of adventure and have your taste buds swinging with delight. In addition to being all-natural, Dirty Monkey is allergen-free and contains absolutely no high-fructose corn syrup.

Dirty Monkey Banana Peanut Butter Whiskey is embodied by Dirty Monkey himself, a carefree and fun-loving character who’s charming, irreverent and a little mischievous. He’s the ultimate companion for a high-energy night out with friends—he never rests in the pursuit of good times! Order up a round of chilled Dirty Monkey shots for your crew and set off for a night of adventure and good ol’ monkey business. Try as a chilled shot, alongside your favorite beer, or as a deliciously fun spin on a classic whiskey cocktail.

“Dirty Monkey is all about fun—we are so excited to launch this incredibly playful brand, grounded in key insights about the flavored whiskey consumer,” said Eric Dopkins, Milestone Brands CEO and Chairman. “We can’t wait for everyone to discover the one-of-a-kind flavor and embrace the don’t-have-a-care-in-the-world attitude of Dirty Monkey!”

Flavored whiskey stands out as one of the most popular category segments in the industry, boasting an impressive 10-year volume CAGR of 23% per year (Market Watch 2023).

This growth is driven by consumers looking for new experiences and innovative flavors, particularly those that have a nostalgic appeal, which are interesting to 71% of millennial and Gen Z LDA consumers (2021 Mintel Study). These consumers also want products that are inclusive and can be enjoyed by everyone in a group. Dirty Monkey perfectly embodies these trends, combining popular peanut butter and beloved banana flavors with an incredibly smooth taste, encouraging consumers to grab a round and toast their troop.

Dirty Monkey Banana Peanut Butter Whiskey is bottled at 35% ABV, in a 750ml bottle. Available now nationwide for an SRP of $25.99.

For More Information:
https://milestone-brands.com/