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Top 10 spirits launches in August
By Georgie CollinsAs the mercury began to soar in August, so did the quality of spirits launches. We’ve looked back at 10 new products that came in hot during the final month of the summer.
August was a big month for the spirits industry, as global megastar Beyoncé entered the chat with her whiskey brand.
Meanwhile, Paquera mezcal turned to one of the world’s most luxurious cuts of meat to make its latest expression, and The Drinks Bureau harnessed the power of time travel to bring one of the biggest cocktails of the nineties to a 21st-century audience.
Keep scrolling to see which other launches grabbed our attention last month. And if you’re looking for more new bottles to fill your home bar, check out our top picks for June and July, too.
Paquera Wagyu mezcal
Wagyu beef is synonymous with quality, so you know this mezcal from ancestral producer Paquera, which uses open-range Tajima Wagyu from Arrington Ranch in Twin Bridges, Montana, in its production, is going to be a quality spirit.
By suspending Wagyu that has been twice-wrapped in twine within the clay pots used in the first part of the distillation process, and then allowing the meat’s flavours drip slowly into the claypot as the mezcal is produced, the liquid is given an ‘amazing buttery finish’.
Find out more about the release here.
Crown Royal Whisky Sour
For when you can’t quite bring yourself to separate your own egg whites but you’re craving the zing of a sour, in August Diageo released a ready-to-drink Black Cherry Whisky Sour that just needs to be poured over ice and garnished with a cherry.
Made with Canadian whisky Crown Royal, lemon juice, and natural black cherry flavours, the cocktail is the latest expression to be added to its ready-to-serve line, The Cocktail Collection.
The 20% ABV cocktail is available in 350ml (four servings) and 750ml bottles (eight servings) for US$13.99 and US$25.99 respectively.
Find out more about the release here.
Komos Reposado Cristalino
If you’re travelling any time soon, make sure to pick up a bottle of ultra-premium Tequila brand Komos’ new Reposado Cristalino expression, presented in a metallised ceramic bottle handmade by artisans in Mexico and launched exclusively for global travel retail.
The Tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave, hand-harvested from both the highlands and lowlands in Jalisco, Mexico, and aged for six months in French oak barrels formerly used for red and white wine. Expect a rich, roasted agave-forward nose that is complemented by a palate of smoky minerality and hints of French oak and exquisite nuttiness.
Find out more about the release here.
The Glenturret Still Life Summer
The Glenturret Distillery released the summer edition of its Still Life series in August, which happened to coincide with its whisky maker Bob Dalgarno’s 40th anniversary in the industry.
The collection is inspired by Scottish seasons with each expression presented in a Lalique decanter.
Still Life Summer – the third decanter in the series following its previously released winter and spring releases – is said to represent the season’s ‘daylight hours, blue skies, warm days and balmy evenings’, before the harvest starts.
Find out more about the release here.
The Drinks Bureau Lychee Martini
The nineties called, and they want their Lychee Martini back.
Followings its entrance into the UK on-trade in August, The Drinks Bureau introduced a new ready-to-serve cocktail in the form of the retro classic, the Lychee Martini.
The Lychee Martini, which originated in New York during the 1990s, is made with lychee fruit juice, prickly pear and vodka. The cocktail is vegan and allergen-free and is said to pair well with Asian cuisine.
Find out more about the release here.
SirDavis
Perhaps the biggest launch of the month, or certainly the most influential, was SirDavis, an American whiskey launched by the closest thing America has to royalty: Queen Bey.
Moët Hennessy, a subsidiary of LVMH, teamed up with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter to create SirDavis, a new American whiskey brand bottled at 44% ABV, and made from a mash bill comprising 51% rye and 49% malted barley.
Dr Bill Lumsden, director of whisky creation at Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, both owned by Moët Hennessy, was called upon to co-create SirDavis with Beyoncé. Tasting notes include aromas of tangy Seville oranges, raisins, clove, cinnamon, ginger, toffee and Demerara sugar.
Find out more about the release here.
Greyson’s 0% London Dry
Jumping on the booze-free bandwagon, supermarket chain Aldi added two alcohol-free ‘gin’ expressions to its Greyson’s range: 0% London Dry and 0% Pink Berries last month.
Greyson’s 0% London Dry is said to be similar to its alcoholic counterpart, Greyson’s London Dry Gin, with a juniper-forward flavour profile, while its Greyson’s 0% Pink Berries offers fresh berry flavours and subtle notes of juniper.
Both were created in collaboration with Glasgow-based non-alcoholic drinks producer Spirits of Virtue in response to claims that almost half of Britain’s youngest drinkers are turning down booze in exchange for no-alcohol alternatives.
Find out more about the release here.
Drumshanbo Gunpowder Brazilian Pineapple
Harnessing the flavours of native Brazilian pineapples, this latest release from Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is distilled with eastern botanicals, gunpowder tea, and a vapour infusion of Brazilian pineapple, grapefruit, and lime, and packaged in a bottle reminiscent of the tropical fruit.
Bottled at 43% ABV and priced at US$37, the gin began its roll-out across the US at the beginning of this month.
Find out more about the release here.
El Tequileño still-strength Tequila
By bottling this Tequila as soon as it comes off the still, El Tequileño says it is able to capture the agave ‘in its purest form’.
The method is based on traditional techniques used 65 years ago by the brand’s founder Don Jorge Salles Cuervo, and gives the Tequila aromas of cooked agave, roasted fig and orange zest, and bright floral notes with lemon peel and white pepper spice.
Find out more about the release here.
Glenmorangie wine cask collection
Moët Hennessy-owned Glenmorangie released a trio presentation set in August, called Pursuit of Passion Wine Cask Collection.
The three whiskies celebrate master distiller Dr Bill Lumsden’s passion for fine wine, with each of the three single malts finished casks sourced from revered areas in Burgundy and Bordeaux in France and Piedmont in Italy.
Find out more about the release here.
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