Top 10 spirit launches in July 2016
Last month featured plenty of gin and whisky launches, with rock band The Flaming Lips and Game of Thrones actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson hopping on the spirits bandwagon.
This is our pick of the top spirits launches in July 2016As we come into the final month of summer, SB looked back at some of the best spirit launches across the globe.
Highland Scotch distillery Tomatin released the first in its luxury Warehouse 6 Collection with a 44-year-old single cask expression described as offering aromas of “almond, plum, ginger cake and marzipan”.
Beam Suntory also unveiled Maker’s Mark Cask Strength in limited quantities. The higher abv expression will “intensify” the rich oak and caramel flavours Maker’s Mark is known for, offering aromas of smoky charcoal spice and vanilla before ending with a “longer, smoother finish”.
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 July 2016.
Click through the following pages to discover which brands made the cut.
ELLC’s Barrel-Aged Gin
Independent distiller East London Liquor Company (ELLC) has released just 75 bottles of the second expression produced under its Barrel-Aged Gin Programme. The gin was aged for 104 days in ex-Sonoma Rye Whiskey barrels.
It is nosing and tasting notes of “maraschino cherry, cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla, sarsaparilla and black pepper”.
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Icelandic Mountain Vodka
Game of Thrones actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson has launched his own brand of Icelandic vodka under the Icelandic Spirits Collection. Known for his role as Ser Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane, Björnsson is spokesperson for and co-owner of Icelandic Mountain Vodka.
The gluten-free vodka is seven times distilled and made with pure Icelandic water, bottled at 40% abv.
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Coopers’ Craft
Brown-Forman has launched its new Coopers’ Craft Bourbon brand – which “celebrates the important role of coopers” in whiskey making.
Available in eight select markets from this month, Coopers’ Craft is Brown-Forman’s first new Bourbon brand in 20 years.
The Bourbon pays homage to coopers, claiming more than 50% of Bourbon’s flavour comes from the ageing process in oak barrels.
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Tomatin 1971
Highland Scotch distillery Tomatin has released a 44-year-old single cask expression, the first whisky in its new luxury Warehouse 6 Collection.
Matured in Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks, the 1971 edition is said to offer aromas of almond, plum, ginger cake and marzipan, and flavours of caramel, dark chocolate, coffee and winter fruits.
Just 252 bottles of the single cask expression have been made available, the first in a likely annual series in the Warehouse 6 Collection of 40-year-old-plus whiskies.
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Brainville Rye Whiskey
American alt rock group The Flaming Lips will become the latest band to branch out into spirits with the release of Brainville Rye Whiskey this October. Developed with Chicago-based Few Spirits, Brainville Rye Whiskey is made from a combination of rye, corn and malted barley grown within 150 miles of the distillery.
The mash is fermented using a French wine yeast, said to give the whiskey a stone-fruit, apple and pear flavour profile. The liquid is subsequently aged in new, charred American oak barrels custom-made in Minnesota.
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Vidda Tørr Gin
Marcin Miller’s new distillery has launched Vidda Tørr Gin, made with botanicals foraged from the Norwegian wilderness including meadowsweet, heather and bilberry.
On the nose the expression offers “intense” juniper with floral aromas along with notes of pine, while on the palate it is earthy, sweet, peppery and herbal. Vidda is said to have a clean, herbaceous finish, with a floral and honey sweetness.
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The Revivalists Gins
Brandywine Branch Distillers has launched The Revivalists Gins, a four-strong small batch grain-to-glass portfolio designed to reflect the seasons of the year.
Distilled entirely on-site under the eye of managing director of production and master blender at Brandywine Branch Distillers, Rhiannon Walsh, each gin expression is created from barley, wheat grains and botanicals, and has a foundation of juniper, angelica and coriander.
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The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old
The Macallan is set to expand its core range in international markets with the launch of The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old.
The expression is described as a “new take on the signature Sherry oak style of The Macallan”, combining European and American oak. Brand owner Edrington revealed that the new variant, currently only available in Taiwan, will launch in the UK and other international markets by the end of 2016.
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Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Beam Suntory has expanded its Bourbon Legends portfolio with the launch of Makers Mark’s Cask Strength.
Using traditional Maker’s Mark processes, the new expression is created from “soft red winter wheat” rather than rye, for a Bourbon “that finishes at the front of the palate”.
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TBWC’s Single Grain Scotch Whisky
That Boutique-y Whisky Company (TBWC) has partnered with London’s Black Rock Whisky Bar to release a 52-year-old single grain Scotch whisky. The independent bottler’s latest launch is from the now-closed Carsebridge distillery, and features a voucher on the back of the bottle entitling the buyer to a secret off-menu cocktail at Black Rock.
TBWC’s latest release features the bar’s founders, Tristan Stephenson and Thomas Aske, sat at the Black Rock’s 18-foot European oak tree trunk table – depicting the two 17-litre channels used for ageing whiskies and cocktails, as well as the taps used for serving them.
