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Top 10 spirits launches in March 2018

A seaweed-flavoured bitters, a vodka made from the fruit of a sausage tree and a blend of Scotch and Australian whisky are recognised in our pick of the top spirits launched last month.

There are our top spirits launches in March 2018

In March, Fusion Whisky unveiled a Scotch-Australian blend named after Thomas Brisbane, who founded the Australian city of the same name, while Diageo released a watermelon-flavoured spirit made from Caribbean rum.

American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan made its first foray into vodka, and Scotch producer Jura unveiled a brand overhaul for its single malt range.

Click through the following pages to explore our full round-up of the most interesting spirits launched in March.

Which new spirits products caught your eye last month? If we’ve missed your favourite, let us know in the comments section below.

The Macallan 50 Years Old

The Macallan 50 Years Old has been aged in handcrafted European oak Sherry-seasoned casks from Spain for 50 years.

Bottled at 44% abv, the “rich and complex” whisky has notes of sweet oak vanilla and blackcurrant. Wood vanilla leads on the nose with a hint of spice and ripe blackcurrants, and a background of subtle peat.

The expression is limited to 200 bottles, each priced at £25,000 (US$35,360).

For more information, click here. 

Jameson Wild Seaweed Bitters

Jameson Wild Seaweed Bitters is the second release in the Jameson Bitters range. It follows the launch of Jameson Wild Sloe Berry Bitters in 2015, which was created to inspire bartenders to experiment with Jameson.

The expression is made with wild dillisk seaweed that has been hand-harvested from Long Rock, County Sligo, and dried naturally on the shores of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.

The bitters combines the seaweed with Jameson Irish whiskey and a variety of herbs – including cinchona, wormwood, ginseng and gentian.

For more information, click here.

Captain Morgan Watermelon Smash

Diageo expanded its Captain Morgan range with the launch of a limited-edition flavour: Captain Morgan Watermelon Smash.

Bottled at 25% abv, the spirit is made from Caribbean rum combined with a watermelon flavour.

Watermelon Smash is designed primarily to be consumed as a shot, but is also recommended to be mixed in signature serves such as the Watermelon Smash Spritz or the Watermelon Mojito.

For more information, click here.

 The Brisbane

Spirits producer Fusion Whisky continued to experiment with different blends last month with the launch of The Brisbane, a mix of Scotch and Australian whisky.

The Brisbane has been created as part of a collaboration between Alex Bruce of Fife-based Scotch producer Adelphi and David Vitale of Starward Distillery, based in Melbourne, Australia.

The expression is a blend of two ex-Sherry hogsheads distilled at Glen Garioch, part of an ex-Sherry butt distilled at Glen Grant, and three ex-Apera casks distilled at Starward Distillery.

For more information, click here.

On The Rocks

Beam Suntory teamed up with pre-mixed cocktail company On the Rocks to create a range of ready-to-drink (RTD) serves in the US.

The collection of bottled cocktails includes an Old Fashioned with Knob Creek Bourbon, a Margarita with Hornitos Tequila, a Cosmopolitan with Effen Vodka, a Jalapeño Pineapple Margarita with Tres Generaciones Tequila, an Aviation with Larios Gin and a Mai Tai with Cruzan Rum.

On the Rocks was co-founded in 2015 by entrepreneur and restaurateur Patrick Halbert and bartender Rocco Milano.

For more information, click here. 

Tanqueray Malacca

Diageo brought back its much-sought-after Tanqueray Malacca last month, following demand from bartenders and the public.

The Johnnie Walker owner originally launched Tanqueray Malacca more than 20 years ago, inspired by a recipe from Charles Tanqueray that was influenced by the East Indies.

Tanqueray Malacca is said to have aromas of lime, lavender and jasmine, and “a distinctive depth of spice from peppercorn, cloves and rose”.

For more information, click here.

Jura single malts

Scotch whisky producer Jura unveiled a new range of five signature single malts, each with a “subtle smoke” flavour and packaged in a new bottle design.

The new range includes no-age-statement Jura Journey, Jura 10, Jura 12, Jura Seven Wood and Jura 18.

Kirsteen Beeston, global head of brand for Jura, said the new range represented a “huge step forward” in terms of flavour and product consistency for the brand.

For more information, click here.

Ardbeg Grooves

Islay distillery Ardbeg revealed Ardbeg Grooves to mark its annual Ardbeg Day on 3 June.

Created by Ardbeg’s director of distilling, whisky creation and whisky stocks, Dr Bill Lumsden, the whisky is the distillery’s first wine cask-aged expression.

The ex-red wine casks were heavily charred to produce grooves in the surface of the wood, leading to more intense flavours in the whisky.

For more information, click here.

Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka

Ireland’s Shed Distillery of PJ Rigney extended its spirits range last month with the launch of a vodka made from the fruit of the sausage tree.

The new expression, unveiled at this year’s ProWein trade show, has been inspired by the kigelia tree, which is native to Africa and is more commonly known as the sausage tree.

To make Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka, the fruits of the kigelia tree and wild Irish nettle are distilled alongside Irish grains at the distillery in Drumshanbo, County Leitrim.

For more information, click here.

Wu-Tang Clan Vodka

American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan made a move into premium vodka last month.

The band’s vodka will join its range of liqueurs, which includes a strawberry, butterscotch and cream liqueur expression.

The liqueurs, bottled at 21.5%, are available exclusively in Australia through online retailer Dan Murphy’s for AU$14.99.

For more information, click here.

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