Dow Scoggins

Whiskey Meets Tequila: Sagamore Spirit Releases Tequila Finish Rye

April 19, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

BALTIMORE, Maryland — Struggling with that age-old question, “whiskey or tequila”? Sagamore Spirit says why not both? With the calendar counting down to Cinco de Mayo, the award-winning distiller today announced the release of its newest limited-edition rye whiskey that brings the best of both worlds: Sagamore Spirit Distiller’s Select Tequila Finish.

The new offering, available nationwide, finishes Sagamore Spirit Straight Rye Whiskey in Extra Añejo barrels. The result is a full-bodied yet approachable rye that telegraphs tequila in all the right ways, with hints of agave, citrus, spice, warm oak and vanilla on the nose, and even more agave, peppercorn, fig and orange to taste. Marked at a substantial 98-proof, it is a spirit meant to be sipped and savored.

“Melding a full-bodied rye whiskey with tequila may sound like a risky move, but our distilling team welcomes risks that can bring big rewards,” said Brian Treacy, Sagamore Spirit’s president. “Like Maryland-style rye, tequila has a history that’s deeply rooted in a sense of place, so to us, this union made perfect sense. The end result perfectly captures what’s special about each spirit to give fans of both spirits something unexpected, seasonal and full of flavor – just in time for warmer weather.”

Despite tequila’s more than 350-year history, Extra Añejo is a newer sub-category that requires tequila to be aged for at least three years in oak barrels. Akin to rye whiskey’s aging process, Extra Añejo tequila interacts with the barrel staves longer, resulting in some of the most complex and elegant tequilas in the world. When it came time to select barrels for Tequila Finish, Sagamore Spirit’s team of distillers sought out casks that had nurtured tequila in such a way and had aged both Añejo and Extra Añejo tequila for at least seven years.

Tequila Finish is part of the Sagamore Spirit Reserve Series, a collection of limited-edition Maryland-style rye whiskies aged in barrels that formerly aged other spirits, wines, or beers. Past releases include Manhattan Finish, Rye Ale Finish (aged in Sierra Nevada beer barrels) and Calvados Finish.

While Tequila Finish will only be available for a limited time, fans can enjoy Sagamore Spirit year-round with its Signature, Double Oak, and Cask Strength rye whiskies, the distillery’s core offerings that are leading the Maryland-style rye revival across the country.

Sagamore Spirit Distiller’s Select Tequila Finish will be available nationwide beginning March in 750ml bottles at a suggested retail price of $69. To find a bottle near you visit sagamorespirit.com/find-rye.

About Sagamore Spirit
Sagamore Spirit is committed to inspiring a global passion for Maryland Rye Whiskey. Its award-winning five-acre waterfront distillery in Baltimore is reclaiming the city’s rightful place in America’s whiskey history, where storied distillers perfected rye whiskey for more than 150 years before Kentucky was founded.

Maryland Rye Whiskey was known to be full bodied yet notably more approachable than other regional rye styles, and Sagamore Spirit has picked up the torch. Its straight rye whiskies have earned more than 100 awards internationally, including “World’s Best Rye Whiskey” in 2019 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Sagamore Spirit’s distillation team blends two different rye mash bills – a high rye and a low rye – and then adds pure Maryland limestone-filtered spring water, transported 22 miles from Sagamore Farm, to craft the brand’s Signature 83-proof Maryland-Style Rye Whiskey. To learn more about Sagamore Spirit’s signature expressions, including Cask Strength and Double Oak, as well as limited-time releases, visit www.SagamoreSpirit.com.

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. Sets the Record for the World’s Most Expensive Whiskey Collection, The Emerald Isle Collection

April 19, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

LONDON — A new world record has been achieved for the world’s most expensive whiskey collectors’ set, following the global unveiling of the highly anticipated ‘The Emerald Isle Collection’ by The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., in partnership with Fabergé.

The inaugural launch of these highly limited boxes has set a world record at $2million USD. The final bid and private sale of the first Emerald Isle box to be released was secured jointly on St Patrick’s Day (17th March) by Houston-based Fabergé collectors, James and Korrine Whipkey, and a group of private investors led by Scott H. Weissman. As part of this sale, all proceeds will go to the Correa Family Foundation, a charity supporting children affected by cancer, chaired by Major League Baseball star, Carlos Correa.

The remaining six Emerald Isle experiences boxes will be released at auctions and events in key cities throughout 2021.

Jay Bradley, Founder, The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. commented: “My company shares the same brand vision as Fabergé – to create timeless beauty and a lasting legacy. I am delighted to have set a world record, for the second time in three months and proud to be able to donate the full proceeds of this sale to the Correa Family Foundation, a cause which is very close to my heart as my own daughter was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a rare form cancer, when she was just five-months old. Thanks to the charities like the Correa Family Foundation, she is now a healthy 19-year-old and I am honoured to be able to support the foundation through this contribution.”

Carlos Correa, Chairman of the Correa Family Foundation said, “I’m very thankful to The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. and Jay Bradley to be generous enough to donate the first release of The Emerald Isle to our foundation. This is a huge contribution to the Correa Family Foundation and will change thousands of lives. Seeing a sick child battle cancer and what it does to their families in normal times is heart-breaking, and something that Jay and his family have experienced first-hand but going through it during a global pandemic is truly unimaginable.”

The generous donation will support underserved childhood cancer patients. The charity helps cover daily expenses including food, transportation and rent for over 15,000 children with cancer.

‘The Emerald Isle Collection’ is The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.’s second release, following the launch of The Devil’s Keep – a triple distilled, 29-year-old single malt whiskey – which also set a world record for most expensive inaugural release when it sold at auction in November 2020 for $60,000 USD (approximately £46,000/€51,000 Euros). ‘The Emerald Isle Collection’ now takes the crown as the oldest and rarest triple distilled Irish single malt in the world, comprising a seven-piece custom-made whiskey set which celebrates the ‘Seven Wonders of Ireland’.

Beautifully presented in a dark walnut experience box, each set features a bottle of ultra-rare, single cask, 30-year-old, triple distilled single malt Irish whiskey, accompanied by two exclusive creations from Fabergé – the first-of-its-kind Fabergé Celtic Egg and bespoke 1/1 Fabergé watch. Each collection also includes a humidor with two limited edition and sold out, ultra-rare Cohiba Siglo VI Grand Reserva (2009) cigars. Top rated scoring 100/100, it is the holy grail of cigar collectibles and has increased by over 1,200% in value in the last decade. It also features a gold-plated cigar cutter, gold plated water pipette, pure obsidian whiskey stones, a hip flask with a sample of the Emerald Isle whiskey, and a carafe filled with Irish spring water from the same region where the whiskey was made.

Each experience box has been inspired by the shape of an emerald, and features an illustration of one of the ‘wonders’ of Ireland and its geographical coordinates, making each box one of a kind. Inside each box is the pièce de resistance, the hand-crafted whiskey bottle containing the ‘liquid gold’ – a collector’s item in its own right, design inspired by the Imperial Fabergé Hen Egg from 1885. All bottles of whiskey are accompanied by a bespoke – first of its kind – Fabergé Celtic Egg. Each egg is handcrafted from 18k yellow gold and features Fabergé’s legendary guilloché enamel in a pastel green; the green, white and gold colors of the egg symbolising the Irish flag. Inside, a unique surprise awaits in the form of a rough, uncut Gemfields Zambian emerald. This represents a feature that is truly historical, as it is the first time Fabergé has ever featured an uncut gemstone as the egg’s surprise. The uncut gem can be customized by Fabergé into an exquisite one-of-a-kind piece of Fabergé jewelery.

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Texas Whiskey Festival Crowns Best Texas Whiskeys

April 8, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Whiskey Festival announces the winners of the annual competition of the best Texas Whiskeys. Each year the Texas Whiskey Festival hosts a competition to determine who has the best Texas Bourbon, Rye, and Malt Whiskey. With a panel of judges, we conduct the competition with a method known as blind judging. The brands and specific whiskeys they are tasting are unknown to the judges. “Our panel of judges smell and taste their way through each whiskey, rating the aroma, taste complexity, and finish,” says Co-Founder Jake Clements.

Bourbon: Grain to Glass
Gold – Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon
Silver – Silver Star Spirits 1849 Straight Bourbon
Bronze – Balcones Distilling Texas Pot Still Bourbon

Bourbon: Aged and Bottled in Texas
Gold – Rebecca Creek 10 year Straight Bourbon
Silver – Milam and Greene Triple Cask Straight Bourbon
Bronze – Iron Wolf Ranch and Distillery Select Bourbon

Rye Whiskey: Grain to Glass
Gold – Balcones Distilling Texas Rye 100
Silver – Gulf Coast Distilling Giant Rye 100
Bronze – Ranger Creek Distilling .44 Texas Rye

Rye Whiskey: Aged and Bottled in Texas
Gold – Treaty Oak Distilling Schenley Reserve Rye
Silver – Yellow Rose Distilling Rye
Bronze – Oak & Eden Rye & Spire

Malt Whiskey: Grain to Glass
Gold – Ranger Creek Distilling Rimfire Mesquite Smoked Single Malt
Silver – Andalusia Whiskey Co. Stryker Smoked Single Malt
Bronze – Balcones Distilling Lineage Single Malt

Other Whiskeys: includes whiskeys aged in used barrels, blended whiskey, and light whiskey.
Gold – Austin 101 Light Whiskey (made grain to glass in Texas)
Silver – Remington Family Distillers Remington Revival
Bronze – Rebecca Creek Small Batch

“These are their winners, but remember the best whiskey is the one you like,” says Co-Founder Jake Clements. Festival attendees will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite distillery to decide on the people’s choice.

Thank you to the Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co for hosting us. A big thank you to our talented judges.
Marianne Eaves, KY’s First Female Master Distiller, Founder of Eaves, LLC Whisk(e)y and Spirits Consulting and Curator of Eaves Blind.
Gabrielle Pharms, Veteran journalist with bylines in/on Bourbon Plus, Whisky Advocate, Imbibe Magazine, UPROXX, and more.
Tom Koerner the former Spirit Guide and General Manager of Seven Grand Whiskey Bar and Las Perlas Mezcaleria, Current Brand Ambassador for Mezcal Unión.

About the Texas Whiskey Festival
The festival’s mission is simple: To help promote and enhance the brands of the many great distilleries throughout Texas. We want to promote and educate whiskey lovers about the whiskeys produced in our great state. We’re doing it all while having fun, drinking great whiskey, and building memorable experiences. As an organization, we know that Texas has some of the best distilleries and whiskeys globally. The Texas Whiskey Festival is an opportunity to showcase that. For more information, please visit https://txwhiskeyfest.com.

For fun facts about Whiskey, Click Here

Hood River Distillers Takes To The Outdoors To Launch Timberline Vodka

April 7, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

HOOD RIVER, Oregon — Hood River Distillers, the oldest and largest importer, distiller and marketer of distilled spirits in the Northwest, announced the launch of its newest brand, Timberline Vodka. Created in Hood River, Oregon, a world-renowned epicenter of outdoor recreation, Timberline reflects the spirit and love of the outdoors and those who thrive in it – The “Outer Class.”

Timberline Vodka is uniquely distilled with a balance of grain and 14 different varietals of non-GMO Pacific Northwest apples. Distilled in a dual-column, 2,000-liter pot still at the highest standards of purification, this vodka is then cut to 80 proof with glacier-fed spring water from Mt. Hood. The expert distillation team, with their depth of knowledge, talent and skills, kept the minerals present for an epically clean vodka that echoes its origins.

“With 46 levels of purification, we are really using only the most premium, tightly cut spirit in our production process,” said Master Distiller, Joseph O’Sullivan. “After many rounds of continuous testing, we perfected the balance of grain, apples and finished with the high-quality water we are so fortunate to have in Oregon. We are very proud of this incredible-tasting vodka.”

Aligning with a dedicated interest of preserving the Pacific Northwest environment, Timberline Vodka is proud to partner with the Portland, Oregon-based non-profit organization, The Freshwater Trust. The Freshwater Trust’s mission is to preserve and restore freshwater ecosystems in the West.

Timberline Vodka’s packaging was inspired by the iconic Timberline Lodge and a love of the outdoors. The custom glass bottle with unique canvas label looks at home on a back bar or table in any of the historic lodges of the West. The brand was designed by the award-winning Sandstrom Partners, whose portfolio includes the highly successful Aviation Gin, Bulleit Bourbon and St. Germain brands, among others.

A distinctive feature of the packaging was the creation of a collectable label series: The Hiker, The Snow Goose and The Skier. There is only one Timberline Vodka, but there are three distinct labels that represent it.

“Timberline is a very unique vodka, and the brand and packaging reflect this,” says Senior Marketing Brand Manager, Keri Meuret. “The subtle tint of the bubble glass, custom bottle shape with embossing complete with canvas labels provide a vintage charm. It’s a blend of rustic and contemporary.”

For hiking, skiing, sunset wandering, or whatever opens your door, Timberline serves as a constant symbol and reminder that even when sequestered to the inside, the outside is where it’s at. Outwards! Timberline Vodka is now available for purchase in the Hood River Distillers’ Tasting Room and a growing list of Pacific Northwest retailers. It is available in both 50ml and 750ml sizes, and the 750ml bottle retails for $24.95.

About Hood River Distillers
Founded in 1934 and headquartered in Hood River, Ore., Hood River Distillers is the Northwest’s largest and oldest importer, distiller, producer, bottler, and marketer of distilled spirits. Timberline® Vodka, Big Gin®, Batanga® Tequila, Easy Rider® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Trail’s End® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished with Oregon Oak, Clear Creek® Distillery, Sinfire® Cinnamon Whiskies, Lucid® Absinthe Supérieure, ULLR® Nordic Libation, Yazi® Ginger Vodka, Double Mountain® Hopped Whiskey, Lewis and Clark® Premium Spirits, HRD® Vodka and the complete line of Monarch® distilled spirits are distributed across the country. For the complete product portfolio and more information, visit www.hrdspirits.com.

WhistlePig Whiskey and Ben & Jerry’s Mix it Up with “Whiskey Biz”

March 30, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

BURLINGTON, Vermont(March, 2021) Finally, a whiskey you can enjoy by the pint. Two Vermont-based companies, WhistlePig Whiskey and Ben & Jerry’s, have stirred up a ganache-topped ice cream concoction called Whiskey Biz. The Whiskey Biz™ Topped flavor is a brown butter bourbon ice cream with blonde brownies & WhistlePig Whiskey-infused caramel swirls, topped with white chocolatey ganache & white fudge chunks. It is the first Vermont-sourced ingredient for Ben & Jerry’s since chocolate chip cookie dough in the early 1990s.

Whiskey Biz leverages the finest whiskey, which happens to be just down the road at WhistlePig’s 500-acre farm in Shoreham, Vermont; population 1,242. After more than a year of taste tests, research and development, WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye was successfully infused into the rich caramel swirl that can be found inside a pint of Whiskey Biz.

For National Cocktail Day, March 24th, WhistlePig’s in-house mixologists combined forces with Ben & Jerry’s flavor gurus to develop a few signature cocktail recipes using Whiskey Biz as an ingredient, as well as the ultimate boozy dessert to pair with your cocktails. Fans are encouraged to grab a pint and a bottle of WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye to create these absolutely delightful cocktail and dessert pairings best enjoyed from the comfort of home. Full recipes for the signature Whiskey Biz cocktail and cake pairing can be found here — and you can find a bonus cocktail recipe for “The Closer” affogato here.

“We’ve had an absolute blast working with our friends at Ben & Jerry’s and could not be happier with the way Whiskey Biz turned out,” says Meghan Ireland, Whiskey Blender, WhistlePig Whiskey. “Having been mostly focused on overseeing the development of whiskey these last couple years, working with flavor house experts at Ben & Jerry’s was a real treat for me. We respect their company ethos and have always wanted to collaborate with their team.”

As all Ben & Jerry’s products are Kosher, WhistlePig embarked on getting a proper Kosher certification for its WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye. Today, WhistlePig is pleased to share that its entire portfolio, with the exception of its 12-Year, is certified Kosher.

Whiskey Biz is available now at retailers nationwide for around $4.99-5.49, depending on your local store.

Learn more at WhistlePigWhiskey.com and benjerry.com.

About WhistlePig
Founded in 2007, WhistlePig has become the #1 distiller in the ultra-premium and luxury rye whiskey category in North America, featuring the bold and often untapped flavor of Rye. WhistlePig is leading a surge of innovation in the emerging field of North American whiskey. As the most decorated Rye whiskey – having received the coveted ‘Best in Show Whiskey’ title from the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, WhistlePig is widely viewed as the world’s finest Rye. With the opening of its distillery on its 500-acre Vermont farm in the fall of 2015, WhistlePig has also become one of the leading farm-to-bottle Rye whiskeys in the world. For additional information please visit whistlepigwhiskey.com.

About Ben & Jerry’s
As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry’s believes in a greater calling than simply making a profit for selling its goods. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream, yogurt and sorbet using high-quality ingredients. Ben & Jerry’s incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices in a number of ways including a focus on values-led sourcing. In 2015 the company completed its transition to using entirely non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients by source as well as to fully source Fairtrade-certified ingredients wherever possible, which benefits farmers in developing countries. Ben & Jerry’s products are distributed in 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry’s, a Vermont corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Ben & Jerry’s became a certified B Corp in 2012. The Ben & Jerry’s Foundation granted $3.4MM in 2020 to support grassroots organizing for social and environmental justice around the country. The Foundation’s philanthropy is guided by Ben & Jerry’s employees who serve on committees that review applications.

Rogue Ales & Spirits Releases Lemonade Iced Tea Vodka Soda and the Bayfront Vodka Party Pack

March 30, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

NEWPORT, Oregon — Warmer, longer days means it’s time to head outside and have a cocktail and Rogue’s line of sparkling canned cocktails has made it easy to do just that. It’s time to liberate the cocktail experience and enjoy an authentic, high-quality cocktail anytime, anywhere – whether that’s on top of a mountain, by the pool or on the golf course. Rogue Ales & Spirits, one of the original craft breweries and distilleries, continues to grow its sparkling canned cocktail line with the recent launch of a Lemonade Iced Tea Vodka Soda and the Bayfront Vodka Party Pack.

Rogue’s line of ready-to-drink beverages is made with Rogue Spirits and 100% natural ingredients to offer authentic, gluten-free, bar-quality recipes in the convenience of a can.

“We’re feeling all the spring vibes and are beyond ready to leave our house and enjoy the warm weather with a beverage in hand,” says Steve Garrett, VP of Business Development. “Rogue Spirits Sparkling Craft Cocktails were made for this type of outing. Forget the jigger, the strainer, the muddler and the shaker because we did all the work for you. We mixed quality cocktails and packaged them in a portable can, so you can enjoy your cocktail wherever life takes you.”

“Canned cocktails were a fun next step for our brand,” says Jake Holshue, Rogue Head Distiller. “We use our Rogue Spirits Bayfront Vodka as the base and added natural ingredients to create bright and flavorful cocktails. What I like about our cocktails is that they make high-quality spirits more accessible and affordable for everyone.”

PRODUCT FACTS: Lemonade Iced Tea Vodka Soda
Ingredients: Bayfront Vodka, Meyer Lemon, Darjeeling Iced Tea, Sparkling Water, Cane Sugar
ABV: 7.5% ABV
Taste: Our Rogue Spirits Bayfront Vodka forms the base of this cocktail while the lemonade and iced tea bring a refreshing blend of citrus and sweet spice.
Availability: Nationwide
Packaging: 4-pack 12oz slim cans

PRODUCT FACTS: Bayfront Vodka Party Pack
Details: Four varieties of canned cocktails so everyone can enjoy their favorite cocktail anytime, anywhere.
Cocktail Flavors: Cranberry Elderflower Vodka Soda, Grapefruit Vodka Soda, Lemonade Iced Tea Vodka Soda, Ginger Lime Vodka Mule
ABV: 7.5% ABV
Availability: April
Packaging: Eight 12oz slim cans (two cans of four flavors)
Tag @rogueales@rogue.spirits and use #LiberateYourCocktail on Instagram to show how you have liberated the cocktail experience.

Use the Rogue Finder to find Rogue Spirit’s Sparkling Craft Canned Cocktails near you. Learn more about the cocktails at Rogue.com.

About Rogue Ales & Spirits
Rogue Ales & Spirits was founded in Oregon in 1988 as one of America’s first microbreweries. Rogue has won more than 2,000 awards for taste, quality and packaging, and is available in all 50 states as well as 54 countries. Proudly rooted in Newport Oregon, Rogue’s beers, spirits, cocktails, seltzers and sodas are a liquid ode to Oregon and the endless inspiration that its land, its sea and its people provide.

Diageo North America Invests $80 Million in Operations to Support Growth in Ready-to-Drink Category

March 30, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

NEW YORK – To support Diageo North America’s growth strategy in the Ready-to-Drink (RTD) category, the company announced plans to expand its manufacturing footprint and install two can lines at a new facility in Plainfield, Illinois. With an investment of approximately $80 million, the site will have the capacity to produce over 25 million cases of RTDs per year, including Smirnoff seltzers and the newly launched spirits-based RTD cocktails from Crown Royal and Ketel One Botanicals.

“As the ready-to-drink category continues to grow rapidly in the United States, this expansion is very exciting as it will support our plans to meet increased consumer demand in line with emerging trends for convenient formats that are ideal for casual and at-home occasions,” said Debra Crew, President, Diageo North America. “The new operation will supplement our existing ready-to-drink production across North America and strengthen our path to continue building our RTD offering.”

Sitting on a 225,000 square-foot property in Plainfield, Illinois, the new facility will include a 500 cans per minute (CPM) line and a 1200 CPM line, both of which are expected to be available for commercial production by summer of 2021.

“The strategic location of the new site, near our warehouse and Plainfield bottling operation, will allow Diageo to create synergies and the flexibility to expand and carry other market-leading brands in the future,” said Perry Jones, President, North America Supply for Diageo. “We are thrilled to expand our manufacturing footprint and further deepen our relationship with the Village of Plainfield.”

“The Village of Plainfield is proud to have Diageo here. The company has made a long-term commitment to our community through continued investments and charitable activity in Plainfield and Will County,” said Brian Murphy, Administrator, Village of Plainfield.

Once open, the new site will employ approximately 50 full-time team members. Diageo North America has built a 55-year-old partnership with the Village of Plainfield and has played a role contributing to its economic development. Diageo’s presence has grown and expanded over the years: the Plainfield Bottling site -opened since 1966- and the warehouse collectively employ more than 600 additional people.

About Diageo North America
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and its products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice

Eastside Distilling, Inc. Launches “Limited-Edition” Premium Craft Spirits Under New Eastside Brand

March 1, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

PORTLAND, Oregon — Eastside Distilling is expanding its premium spirits line with the new “Eastside Brand” and the new Eastside portfolio of spirits products. The Eastside special products will build on the Company’s inspiration to offer the most unique, highest quality, hand-crafted, small-batch products to our loyal consumers. All products will be limited-edition and will be available in limited markets. Product will ship in late March and should be on shelves by April of this year.

“The Eastside Distilling brand embodies all the personality and flavor of what it means to be from Portland, Oregon: creative, independent and free-spirited,” said Janet Oak, Chief Branding Officer. “Our full lineup of Eastside premium artisanal products are craft inspired, experiential, very rare and extremely hard to get.”

The Eastside Brand has been developed in conjunction with Neil Powell Design Studios and the portfolio will focus on barrel aged whiskey sourced from the cellars of Eastside Distilling. Three very distinct products will be available in Lion’s Small Batch Oak Finished Rye Whiskey, 12 year Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and a very special Single Malt American Whiskey aged in oak and finished in 70-year-old sherry casks. All of the whiskey products, Rye, Bourbon and Single Malt, offer the most unique flavor experience for the discerning spirits aficionado.

“The Eastside special process of batch-produced limited-edition products incorporates our unique ability to layer, and build flavors, with our very rare oak and rare sherry cask barrels,” said Jason Ericson, Eastside Head Distiller. In addition to the line of special hand-crafted whiskey, Jason has reached deep into our barrel cellars to create other limited-edition, small-batch products as well:

11 Year Barrel Aged Rum: Enjoyed neat or added to cocktails for a decadent depth of flavor, this rare rum reminds the drinker of warm summer breezes, AND white sand beaches. ABV 45%

Barrel Aged Navy Strength Gin: Barrel-aged and bottled at navy strength, this singular gin forms the perfect foundation for our customer’s next Martini or Negroni and provides a unique opportunity for mixologists to experiment with a rare category of spirit. ABV 57%

American Corn Whiskey: Crafted for the Pacific Northwest, this corn whiskey is found in the speed rail of the neighborhood bar in the bottom floor of an apartment building where the bartender knows all the regulars. ABV 40%

Pot Distilled Brandy: Pot distilled from Pacific Northwest wine and aged for at least two years, this limited-edition brandy lends itself well to sipping, or mixing in your next Sidecar. ABV 40%

“We are excited to build the Eastside Brand and offer exceptional craft inspired, small-batch artisanal products that are truly rare and very hard to get,” said Janet Oak. “This launch further defines Eastside’s vision to develop unapologetically original premium craft inspired spirits. We will be giving first priority to our most loyal customers in our home state of Oregon, and will release to other states on a limited basis including California, Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Florida and New York,” said Oak.

About Eastside Distilling Eastside Distilling, Inc. (NASDAQ: EAST) has been producing high-quality, award-winning craft spirits in Portland, Oregon, since 2008. The Company is distinguished by its highly decorated product lineup that includes Azuñia Tequilas®, Burnside Whiskeys®, Hue-Hue Coffee Rum®, and Portland Potato Vodkas®. All Eastside spirits are crafted from natural ingredients for quality and taste. Eastside’s Craft Canning + Bottling subsidiary is one of the Northwest’s leading independent ready-to-drink canners. For more information visit: www.eastsidedistilling.com or follow the Company on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Such matters involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the following: changes in economic conditions; general competitive factors; the impact of COVID-19 and related business disruption, the Company’s ongoing financing requirements and ability to achieve any financing, acceptance of the Company’s products in the market; the Company’s success in obtaining new customers; the Company’s success in product development; the Company’s ability to execute its business model and strategic plans; the Company’s success in integrating acquired entities and assets, and all the risks and related information described from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including the financial statements and related information contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and interim Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release may include statements related to our strategic focus, product verticals, anticipated revenue and profitability, our ability to reduce operating or other expenses, the anticipated demand from the craft beer industry, the effects of COVID-19, including the impact on sales, and the success of initiatives implemented to address the business disruption resulting from COVID-19 and earnings guidance for 2020 and beyond. The Company assumes no obligation to update the cautionary information in this release.

This information is being distributed to you by:
Eastside Distilling, Inc.
8911 NE Marx Drive
Suite A2
Portland, Oregon 97220

For fun facts about Whiskey, Click Here

Dogfish Head Distilling Launches Ready-to-Drink Canned Cocktails

February 24, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

Milton, Delaware – One of America’s earliest craft distilleries, Dogfish Head Distilling Co. announces the coast-to-coast* launch of its scratch-made, ready-to-drink Canned Cocktails. The distillery’s lineup of Canned Cocktails includes three off-centered recipes –Blueberry Shrub Vodka Soda, Strawberry & Honeyberry Vodka Lemonade and Cherry Bergamot Whiskey Sour. Each recipe was crafted using Dogfish Head Distilling Co.’s house-made spirits combined with all-natural, high-quality culinary ingredients to create a liquid masterpiece that tastes as if it was poured straight from a bartender’s shaker tin. Dogfish Head Distilling Co.’s scratch-made Canned Cocktails begin hitting shelves in 4pk/355ml slim cans this week.

“A lot of folks don’t realize it, but Dogfish Head has been distilling spirits for about two decades, and we actually released our first ready-to-drink bottled cocktail back in 2017,” said Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Founder & Brewer. “Just like our award-winning spirits, our Canned Cocktails were born from blissfully inefficient recipes, the overactive imaginations of our uber talented co-workers, and a distinct distilling process centered around innovation and boundless creativity. While our spirits have been available to those throughout the Mid-Atlantic for some time, our Canned Cocktails are the first opportunity for off-centered people nationwide to drink in and explore the goodness that isDogfish Head Distilling Co.”

Each of Dogfish Head Distilling Co.’s scratch-made Canned Cocktails was artfully crafted and thoughtfully blended for maximum goodness. These flavor-forward, culinary-inspired recipes, compounded by each drink’s unique back story, provide strong points of differentiation in the exploding Canned Cocktail category, which is trending up +46%**.

Blueberry Shrub Vodka Soda (7.0% ABV) – Inspired by the James Beard Award-nominated bar program at Dogfish Head’s geographically-enamored seafood restaurant, Chesapeake & Maine, in Rehoboth, Delaware, this scratch-made Canned Cocktail begins with Dogfish Head Distilling Co.’s vodka distilled with blueberries. It is then macerated with lightly sweetened balsamic and red wine vinegar to create a blueberry shrub vodka and is blended with soda water. The ensuing deep, burgundy-colored libation is juicy and subtly sweet from the blueberries, with a slightly sour and complex fruity character from the vinegar. *L.A. Spirits Awards “Best-In-Show” winner in the ready-to-drink category.*

Strawberry & Honeyberry Vodka Lemonade (7.0% ABV) – Inspired by Sam’s visits to his friend’s honeyberry farm in coastal Maine, this scratch-made Canned Cocktail features Dogfish Head Distilling Co. vodka distilled with honeyberries, macerated with strawberries and blended with a house-made lemonade. Light coral in color with a fresh-squeezed lemonade haze, it exudes the well-balanced tartness of fresh-squeezed lemon combined with a sweet berry taste.

Cherry Bergamot Whiskey Sour (7.0% ABV) – Developed to accentuate the nuances of Dogfish Head Distilling Co.’s malt whiskey, this ready-to-drink Canned Cocktail takes whiskey distilled with tart cherries and highly-fragrant, citrusy bergamot oranges, and blends it with a house-made sour mix. Light amber in color, it is chock full of oak and vanilla whiskey flavors balanced by notes of citrus and dark cherries with a hint of honey, lemon and bergamot.“Dogfish Head Distilling Co. has always been focused on building our recipes around enticing combinations of natural culinary ingredients in their rawest forms; never adding flavorings or bringing in bulk-spirits for re-distillation,” said James Montero, Dogfish Head’s Innovation Manager for Beyond Beer. “This commitment has allowed us to produce a wide array of award-winning vodkas, gins, rums, whiskeys and more, and has helped us build a loyal cadre of spirits drinkers. I’m proud to share that that same level of rigorous care was used when creating the recipes for our ready-to-drink Canned Cocktails.”

With quality and authenticity at the core of its DNA, Dogfish Head Distilling Co. spent hundreds of hours honing its Canned Cocktail recipes, using a number of stringent R&D processes to inform its quest for excellence. From conducting quality control analyses and tasting panels to garnering feedback from guests at Dogfish Head’s coastal Delaware restaurants and taproom, the development of these Canned Cocktails was recognized and rewarded in late 2020. “We knew we weren’t going to officially release these tasty cocktails until early 2021, but we just couldn’t contain our excitement any longer,” said Sam. “So, we submitted a preliminary sample of our Blueberry Shrub Vodka Soda to the L.A. Spirits Awards and it ended up winning “Best-In-Show” in the ready-to-drink category. What an awesome way to kick-off the New Year and celebrate the soon-to-be launch of our latest endeavor!”

For more about Dogfish Head Distilling Co. and its NEW lineup of scratch-made, ready-to-drinkCanned Cocktails, please visit www.dogfish.com/distillery.

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery:
Dogfish Head has proudly focused on brewing beers with culinary ingredients outside the Reinheitsgebot since the day it opened as the smallest American craft brewery nearly 25 years ago.Dogfish Head has grown into a top-20 craft brewery and won numerous awards throughout the years, includingWine Enthusiast’s 2015 Brewery of the Year and the James Beard Foundation Award for 2017 Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional. A Delaware-based brand with Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, an off-centered brewpub and distillery, Chesapeake & Maine, a geographically-enamored seafood restaurant, Dogfish Inn, a beer-themed inn on the harbor, and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, a production brewery and distillery featuring theTasting Room & Kitchen and Dogfish Head Distilling Co., Dogfish Head is a supporter of the Independent Craft Brewing Seal, the definitive icon for American craft breweries to identify themselves to be independently-owned and carry the torch of transparency, brewing innovation and the freedom of choice originally forged by brewing community pioneers. Dogfish Head currently sells beer in all 50 states and Washington D.C. For more information, visit www.dogfish.com.

For fun facts about Whiskey, Click Here

MGP Launches 2021 George Remus Bourbon Single Barrel Program

February 11, 2021 By Dow Scoggins

LAWRENCEBURG, Indiana — MGP has launched the New Year with the release of their 2021 George Remus Bourbon Single Barrel Program. George Remus Single Barrel selections will be offered at cask strength in two mash bills that reflect MGP’s signature high-rye bourbon character. Participating accounts in the Single Barrel program are invited to connect virtually with the distillery team in Lawrenceburg to taste, select and order their preferred mash bills. Participating retailers can also opt to customize the label on their 2021 Single Barrel Selection to enhance the collectible aspect of this special offering. George Remus Bourbon Single Barrels are available for pre-sell until March 15.

“The Remus Family of Bourbon Whiskies exemplifies MGP’s expertise in distilling, aging and blending. Our Single Barrel program offers an exciting complement to our Bourbon portfolio and allows us to showcase our historic high-rye mash bills,” says Andrew Mansinne, Vice President of Brands, MGP. “We’re thrilled to expand this year’s program with a renewed commitment to support our partners with marketing support tailored to reach the most discriminating Bourbon consumers.”

Bottled annually, the George Remus Single Barrel Bourbon will be shipped to each participating retailer by September 2021, to coincide with National Bourbon Month. Partners can also “Order the Barrel” to proudly display their custom-stenciled private selections.

About George Remus® Straight Bourbon Whiskey
George Remus, a bourbon brand named after the legendary “King of the Bootleggers,” is crafted by MGP at their historic Lawrenceburg, Indiana distillery. George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a high-rye blend of Bourbon whiskies, aged over four years, with a hint of vanilla, a maple aroma, and a sweet-yet-characteristic rye flavor (SRP: $39.99/750-ml). Remus Repeal Reserve Series IV is crafted from 2008 reserve Bourbons and is available in limited quantities (SRP: $84.99/750-ml). Connect with us: GeorgeRemus.com.

About MGP
Founded in 1941, MGP (Nasdaq: MGPI) is a leading supplier of premium distilled spirits and specialty wheat proteins and starches. Distilled spirits include bourbon and rye whiskeys, gins and vodkas, which are carefully crafted through a combination of art and science backed by a long history of experience. The company’s proteins and starches are created in the same manner and provide a host of functional, nutritional and sensory benefits for a wide range of food products. MGP additionally is a top producer of high-quality industrial alcohol for use in both food and non-food applications. The company is headquartered in Atchison, Kansas, where distilled alcohol products and food ingredients are produced. Premium spirits are also distilled in Washington, D.C., and distilled and matured at the company’s facility in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. For more information, visit mgpingredients.com.