Top 10 spirits launches in May 2016
From vodka made from fog to a trio of grapefruit-led releases and the conclusion to The Macallan and Lalique’s Six Pillar collection, May’s top spirits launches were a diverse and varied bunch.
Top spirits launches in May include a slew of grapefruit releases, a blended malt and a VSOP rumWith trends of the season already coming to the fore, it seems consumers have a taste for all things grapefruit, with Bacardí, Diageo and Chase all tapping into the trend.
The rise of barrel-aged gins continues with a new release from Martin Miller’s, and the “first” ever Sherry cask-finished 100% rye whiskey all make the cut for our Top 10 round-up, as does Penny Blue’s first VSOP rum expression.
Sure to stir up fervour among whisky fans and collectors alike, Edrington-owned The Macallan released the concluding expression in its Six Pillars collection with month, a 65-year-old carrying a £23,000 price tag.
Looking at those which were made available on the market, as well as those which were unveiled to be released at a later date, this is our round up of the top 10 spirit launches in May 2016.
Click though the following pages to see SB’s top launches for May in full.
Martin Miller’s 9 Moons
The first gin portfolio expansion from Martin Miller’s comes in the form on 9 Moons, a Bourbon cask-rested variant.
A concept born following an experiment by a group of New York mixologists, 9 Moons has been aged for nine months in Iceland, in one of a selection of barrels bought by brand co-founder Andreas Versteegh.
Approximately 2,000 bottles were filled from the single cask, each individually numbered, retailing at an RRP of £40.
Click here for further information.
Bacardí Grapefruit and Bacardi Raspberry
Surely an emerging trend for summer 2016, Bacardí jumped on the grapefruit train with the release of seasonally inspired variants, Grapefruit and Raspberry.
Bacardí Grapefruit is a white rum infused with pink grapefruit flavours, while Bacardí Raspberry is infused with citrus raspberry flavours.
Both new variants are available in 750ml bottles with a suggested retail price of US$12.99, in addition to 50ml, 200ml, 375ml, 1L and 1.75L formats.
Click here for further information.
Fog Point
When life gives you fog make vodka – an important lesson from San Francisco-based distillery Hangar 1, which is not only using the city’s notorious hazard for alcohol production, it is also raising awareness of alternative water sources in industry.
Captured using innovative “fog catchers”, the fog is condensed into water before being used to cut the vodka down to its 40% abv bottling strength.
Hangar 1 is selling each 750ml bottle for US$125, with all profits donated for sustainable water projects.
Click here for further details.
Penny Blue VSOP Mauritian Rum
Berry Bros. & Rudd and The Indian Ocean Company teamed up to create and release Penny Blue’s VSOP this month, the first expression of its kind created by the single estate Medine Distillery.
Ages for a minimum of four years in a combination of ex-Cognac, whisky (type undisclosed) and Bourbon casks, the rum is distilled from the molasses of sugar cane grown in the Medine Estate on the island of Mauritius.
The rum contains “lots of fruit notes and subtle wood-spice flavours,” said Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Doug McIvor, who worked with Jean-Francois Koening, Medine master distiller, on the launch.
Penny Blue VSOP is bottled at 40% abv, and will be exclusively available in Mauritius at an RRP of €35/US$39.
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The Macallan Lalique Peerless Spirit
Rounding off its Six Pillars Collection in partnership with crystal maker Lalique, The Macallan has released the 65-year-old Peerless Spirit expression – one of the oldest and rarest ever released by the distillery.
Matured in ex-Sherry casks, just 450 individually decanters have been made available, valued at £23,000 each.
“This stunning collection of decanters is the result of two kindred spirits, rooted in a shared passion for craftsmanship, detail and mastery,” said Ken Grier, brand director for The Macallan.
“This sixth and final release continues to showcase the unwavering commitment of both the masters of Lalique and The Macallan to create beautiful and desirable objet d’art.”
The Aviators Single Cask
Teeling Whiskey Company partnered with travel retailer Aer Rianta International (ARI) to mark the first anniversary of The Aviators Whiskey Society with the release of a specially selected botting, The Aviators Single Cask.
Set up by ARI retail staff at Dublin Airport, The Aviators Whiskey Society exists to “celebrate, promote and above all, enjoy whiskey”, said alcohol and tobacco buyer John Byrne. As such, more than 50 members sampled four single cask expressions in a blind taste test to select the liquid for the bottling.
Stephen Teeling, sales and marketing director of the Teeling Whiskey Company, added: “We are delighted that we have been able to work with The Aviators Whiskey Society and the Irish Whiskey Collection to craft this very special whiskey.”
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Cîroc Pink Grapefruit
A UK exclusive from brand owner Diageo, Cîroc Pink Grapefruit marks the first citrus offering from the ultra-premium grape-based vodka brand, and also taps into the ever-building grapefruit trend.
Described as a “blended combination” of Cîroc with real citrus extracts from the peels and oils of Pink Grapefruit, the expression was introduced to “celebrate” summer.
The vodka is available across the UK in the on- and off-trade with an RRP of £38 for a 70cl bottle.
Johnnie Walker Island Green
In a bid to “transform” the travel retail Scotch category, Diageo Global Travel has launched Johnnie Walker Island Green, the first blended malt travel retail exclusive Johnnie Walker expression to date.
Described as a “rare blend of rich malt whiskies”, Johnnie Walker Island Green is said to offer a “greater influence of smoky, maritime malt whisky” compared to the recently re-introduced Johnnie Walker Green Label.
The release includes liquid from Islay distillery Caol Ila, which is given “added prominence”, Highland-based Clynelish, Lowland Glenkinchie and Speyside Cardhu.
Johnnie Walker Island Green will be available globally in travel retail outlets from July 2016, retailing at US$60 for a one litre bottle.
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Williams Pink Grapefruit Gin
The third release in our trio of grapefruit-flavoured variants is Chase Distillery’s Williams Pink Grapefruit Gin.
A limited edition, the product is only available at Selfridges Oxford Street, and is said to tap into “one of the hottest food trends of the summer”, offering given notes of pomelo, grapefruit tartness and classic juniper.
The base spirit is infused with a range of eight botanicals, including juniper, orange peel, liquorice, elderflower and bitter almond. The liquid is then distilled on-site in a copper gin still with grapefruit and pomelo peels.
Williams Pink Grapefruit Gin is bottled at 40% abv and carries an RRP of £47.99 for 70cl.
Click here for further details.
The Hillrock PX-Finished Double Cask Rye Whiskey
Said to be the first 100% American rye whiskey finished in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks, Hillrock Estate Distillery’s estate-grown expression has been designed to emulate the terroir of New York’s Hudson Valley.
The variant has given nosing and tasting notes of vanilla, caramel, baking spices, herbal tea, creamy caramel, winter fruit, cloves, cinnamon and a dark chocolate finish.
The Hillrock PX-Finished Double Cask Rye Whiskey will be available exclusively at the distillery for US$100 per 750ml bottle.
