20100731

Last of Royal Navy's rum for sale

It has been exactly 40 years since the last daily ration of rum was handed out to members of the Royal Navy.

On July 31, 1970, on what was known as "Black Tot Day, the tradition going back some 300 years ended, with sailors wearing black armbands and conducting mock funerals to bid farewell to the rations.

That did not mean, however, that the rum was all gone. A small supply from E.D. & F. Man & Co, official rum merchants to the Navy since 1784, was stored in wicker-clad stone veessels and went untouched except for state occasions.

Now the remaining 6,000 bottles, each in a dark wooden case with a copper cup measuring the official "half gill" measure, are going on sale at £600 ($940 U.S.) each at the HMS Belfast anchored on the River Thames in London.

[Go here for the story of the Royal Navy's rum ration, known as "grog."]

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Beam sends six-grain spirit to limited outlets

Jim Beam is known mostly for the consistency of its standard version of bourbon. That's one reason it is such a favorite with cocktail makers for such classics as the Manhattan.

Now, the Brown-Forman company that owns the brand has come up with a new six-grain expression called Jim Beam Signature. It is being tried at the moment as a product available only through what is known as "travel retail" -- in other word, European duty-free shops -- at 29.99 euros per bottle.

It is made from a blend of spirits distilled from corn, barley, wheat, triticale, rye and brown rice. (And, no, "Start Trek" fans, triticale is not the same grain used in the immortal episode "The Trouble With Tribbles." That was quadro-triticale.)

The limited-production spirit -- 13,800 bottles of the six-year-old, 89-proof spirit, to be precise -- is, says a gramatically-challenged company statement, "a result of us mingling different bourbons together. Each were made from a standard bourbon recipe (high percentage of single grains). For instance, we distilled a high wheat, small grain bourbon; a high triticale, small grain bourbon; and a high brown rice, small grain bourbon. Each were barreled separately then mingled together prior to bottling."

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Moscow heat makes wedding cocktails haute

From RIA Novosti

MOSCOW -- A blistering heat wave that has been engulfing Russia since mid-June has forced Muscovites to change their wedding traditions.

"Nobody expected such a heat wave; applications for [marriage] registrations are submitted two months in advance. ... It's sad to see newlyweds and guests limp from the heat at their wedding receptions" a wedding planner said.

Moscow newlyweds traditionally tour Moscow having their photos taken at the city's main tourist attractions after they tie the knot, but the heat is forcing couples to give the custom a miss.

There has also been a move away from the heavy spirits, usually drunk at Russian weddings, towards ice-filled cocktails, with many wedding makers ordering a full cocktail bar for the big day.

A second absolute temperature record this week was registered in Moscow on Thursday. Temperatures reached 99.8F, the Fobos meteorological center said. The previous record of 98.9F was registered on Monday.

The heat that has gripped Moscow since mid-June has become a new urban trend-setter and made Muscovites choose light beachwear for outings and even subway trips.

For the past four weeks temperatures across western Russia have topped 95F, killing scores of people and creating what is thought to be the worst drought since 1972.

RIA Novosti journalists have noticed that Muscovites try to peel off as many clothes as they can. Young women in swimsuit bras and hot pants as well as men in shorts have been seen in various stations of the Moscow metro.

On the whole, women abandon high-heeled shoes in favor of flat ones. Muscovites have tuned to doctors' advice and wear caps and hats to avoid heat stroke.

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'Sex and The City 2' better in a bottle

"Sex and The City 2" was a bust with critics and at the box office this summer, but Skyy vodka is hoping its promotional tie-in with the film is more successful.

The distiller teamed up with Patricia Field, costume designer for the flick, to create a limited-edition bottle for the vodka brand.

The push was to connect in the minds of consumers and "couture and cocktails/" You can add another name to the promotional credits for Sex and the City 2, but we give them credit for this one – what other movie would have its own official vodka? The return of Carrie and crew will also mark the return of a special edition Skyy bottle lending its cobalt blue imprimatur to "sophisticated cocktail culture around the world."

At the time the first "SATC" film came out in 2008, I was in Edinburgh, Scotland. The top cocktail lounges there -- and there are many good ones in the cocktail-mad city -- had whipped up special promotions and drinks to mark the cinematic event. They, at least, had a good film to work with.

Suggested retail price for the new 750 ml bottle: $18.49.

Cosmopolitans have long been the signature cocktail of the "Sex and The City" franchise. The simplest recipe:

2 ounces vodka
½ ounce Triple Sec
Splash of cranberry juice
Squeeze of fresh lime

Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with fresh ice, shake well, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a slice of fresh lime.

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VA distillery to mimic Scottish style

LOVINGSTON, VA -- A distillery its owners say will be different than other American facilities is under construction.

The Virginia Distillery Company's project on a 15-acre site in Eades Hollow, Nelson County, about midway between Lynchburg and Charlottesville.

The company currently is making whiskey in Scotland and importing it until the new site is up and running. Once that happens sometime next year, say company officials, they will produce what they claim is the first single malt whiskey in the U.S. using the traditional Scottish recipe and genuine copper pot stills.

Whiskey is getting a sharper focus here these days, since state law began allowing ABC stores to provide in-store samples of some products. That is a Virginia first, and it took effect July 1.

"There is an American craft whiskey movement that is emerging all over the country and we are part of the forefront of that," said Pat Jones-McCray, vice president of marketing for the Virginia Distillery Company.

The noted Scottish master distiller James McEwan of Bruichladdich has prepared a vatted malt for the Virginia company, although he has no other connection with the project.

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20100728

Whiskey infusers debut green tea vodka

In 2005, the Phillips Distilling Company came up with cherry- and vanilla-infused blended whiskies under the Phillips Union brand name. In 2008, they added Prairie brand organic vodka. This week, the enthusiastic infusers at the Minnesota company introduced UV Sweet Green Tea Vodka.

"This is not your grandmother’s sweet tea," said Dean Phillips, president and CEO of Phillips Distilling, in a statement.

An early run of the vodka recently won the Distinguished Platinum Medal by the Spirits International Prestige Awards in San Diego.

This is the 12th variety of flavored vodka bearing the UV brand. Among earlier flavors were lemonade, cherry, coconut, vanilla and grape.

UV Sweet Green Tea Vodka is sold at a suggested retail price of $12.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

Phillips's other brands include Trader Vic’s Rums, Liqueurs and Cocktails' Feckin Irish Whiskey; SourPuss Liqueurs, and Ice Hole Liqueurs. Obviously, class isn't part of the company's attempts at an image.

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20100726

Dunkeld liqueur undergoes a relaunch

Heard of Dunkeld Athol Brose liqueur? Well, if the name doesn't come readily, and trippingly, to the tongue, Gordon & MacPhail is seeking to change that.

The Scottish distiller has relaunched the liqueur, made with honey, oatmeal and Speyside malt whisky. The new packaging features an illustration of a well which features in the legend on which the drink is based.

Local lore has it that the Earl of Atholl in A.D. 1475 lured the rebel Iain MacDonald to a well filled with honey, oatmeal and whisky, where the earl captured him as he drank. If true, it shows how foolish Mr. MacDonald was. If not true, it's a fine marketing ploy.

Says Michael Urquhart, Gordon & MacPhail joint managing director, "Dunkeld Atholl Brose is a product with a fascinating history. It has a wide appeal and can be enjoyed all year round, either on its own or as the base for a cocktail. We’re hoping this rebrand will encourage younger consumers to discover this versatile drink."

Dunkeld Atholl Brose is bottled at 35% abd (70 proof) in 50cl bottles, marketed at a suggested retail price of US$30.

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20100723

The Pisco Sour: How sweet it is

At one time, the sour was a popular cocktail form. It could be a Whiskey Sour, a Brandy Sour, an Apricot Sour or whatever locally popular form you came across.

Although those drinks have been around since the early years of the 20th Century, my favorite version came into being in, by most accounts, the late 1800s. It's the Pisco Sour, the main ingredient being the South American brandy in the name which predates the cocktail itself by about 400 years.

Pisco itself is a delightful distillation of grapes. The name comes from the Peruvian town of Pisco, which in turn got its name from the indigenous Quechua language word for a type of bird abundant in the region or, perhaps more to the point, the Pisku people who ruled in pre-Incan times.

However, credit for the creation of pisco remains a matter of intense debate between aficionados in Peru and Chile. At the time of its creation, what now is Chile was part of Peru. Many of the muscat grape vines that produced the fruit used to make pisco were transplanted to central Chile. Early in this century, Chile began a major marketing campaign claiming ownership of pisco as its national drink. But, Peru may have gained a slight edge in 2003 by declaring a National Pisco Sour Day be marked on the first Saturday of every February.

Rather than take sides, I like to credit the Spanish throne for the invention of pisco by banning wine in its Peruvian-region colonies in the 17th Century, thus pressuring the locals into coming up with a new form of adult beverage. It probably is no coincidence that the Spanish empire, embarking on a long line of bad decisions, slipped into a prolonged decline at about that point.

The whole pisco thing came to mind the other day when I was enjoying several of them in El Serrano, an elegant Peruvian/Mexican restaurant in Lancaster, PA, located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country where I was vacationing. (Hey, we're a melting pot, right?)

I was explaining to my dinner companions that the traditional pisco sour contains the clear brandy, lemon or lime juice, egg whites, simple syrup, and bitters of whatever sort is locally available. But, to avoid lulling them into a stupor, I had greatly simplified. The history of pisco goes much deeper.

In his book "Wings of Cherubs," Guillermo Toro Lira said a version of the drink emerged in the Viceroyalty of Peru (created in A.D. 1542), with a pisco-and-lemon mixture known as "punche." The drink had made its way to the U.S. by the early 20th Century. One of its more popular proponents was the Bank Exchange Bar in San Francisco which made it with the brandy, lemon and pineapple. In between those years, numerous stories were published in various countries giving credit for the invention of the Pisco Sour -- and its several recipes -- to various individuals.

Variations run the gamut, from the basic pisco and citrus, the latter which accounts for the word "sour," to sweeteners such as simple syrup and fruit juices, to the Aji Sour with a spicy green chili or the Sour Haas with avocado, pineapple and mint.

Today, the production of pisco begins when the grapevines are tied with wet cattails to hardwood logs to make them grow horizontally. Vineyard workers begin pruning the vines in early August. Once ripe, the grapes are taken to lagares, the wine press houses, to be crushed the same day to prevent acidification. The grape "must" then is put into slanted earthen containers, called pisqueras. The outdoor fermentation process lasts up to two weeks. The contents of the containers then are distilled to create the aguardiente, or finished alcoholic beverage.

Here are several variations on the Pisco Sour recipe:

TRADITIONAL PISCO SOUR

3 parts Pisco brandy
1½ parts lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons fine sugar

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with fresh ice. Shake until the ice is melted, then pour into a chilled highball glass and garnish with a lemon or lime slice.

PERU TRAVELER

1 egg white
1 tablespoon sugar
1 glass of Pisco brandy
Juice of 6 limes
Chopped ice
Angostura bitters
(Makes 6 drinks)

Beat the egg white and sugar in a blender. Add Pisco, lime juice, ice and Angostura bitters. Mix well and pour into shot glasses.

PISCO SLUSHIE

4 cups ice cubes
1 cup Pisco brandy
⅓ cup lemon juice
⅓ cup white sugar
1 egg white
Aromatic bitters

Put the ice cubes, Pisco, lemon juice, sugar, egg white, and bitters in the bowl of a blender. Blend on high speed until finely pureed. Pour into two glasses and garnish with an additional dash of bitters.

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20100715

Quad Cities getting new distillery

• From KCRG-TV

LeCLAIRE, IA - Construction has begun on a new distillery here that expects to begin operation later this year.

Mississippi River Distilling Co. plans to produce handmade premium gin, vodka and whiskey made from locally-grown grains. It would be the first distillery to operate in the Quad Cities since the end of Prohibition and the second eastern Iowa distillery to produce spirits from Iowa corn and other grains.

Cedar Ridge Vineyards Winery & Distillery in Swisher manufactures bourbon whiskey, brandy, gin, grappa, rum, vodka and wine from locally-grown fruits and grains. On July 1, Cedar Ridge became the first Iowa distillery to produce bourbon whiskey from corn since the end of Prohibition.

Garrett Burchett, a partner with Mississippi River Distilling, said the public will be able to tour the company’s distillery to see the production of vodka, gin and bourbon whiskey.

[Go here for the full story.]


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New Guam distillery taking baby steps

From the Pacific Daily News of Guam

ANIGUA, Guam -- Valentino Perez knows first-hand what a tricky art distilling alcohol can be. The owner of Guam's Own distillery, Perez has spent months perfecting the recipe for rum and whiskey.

"There's a ton of technical knowledge involved," says Perez, whose Guam's Own products have been on retail shelves since March.

A former financial analyst and commercial banker, Perez decided to put business and science skills -- he has an undergraduate degree in engineering and a master's in business -- to work.

"I have a good history in chemistry and physics," says Perez. "And that coupled with the fact that I used to brew beer back in college, made the learning curve extremely short."

[Go here for the full story.]

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Blackheart Rum adds new bottle size

Blackheart, the premium spiced rum debuted in February by Heaven Hill Distilleries, has added another size.

The company announced Wednesday that it will be selling Blackheart in a 1.75-litre glass-handle bottle in a move to "expand shelf presence."

When the rum was introduced to the market, it was made available in 50m and 750ml sizes. the new size will be supported by a $15 rebate coupon where legal. Suggested retail price for the larger bottle is $27.99.

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Evan Williams unveils cherry bourbon

Heaven Hill Distilleries is really getting into the infusion mode.

The Bardstown, KY, company that has seen sales success with its Evan Williams Honey Reserve, has just released Evan Williams Cherry Reserve Kentucky Liqueur, a new product that marries extra-aged Evan Williams Bourbon with natural cherry flavor.

The new product is bottled at 70 proof (35% ABV), and is being offered in both 50 and 750ml bottles, the latter at a suggested retail price of $14.99.

Heaven Hill was encouraged by the of Evan Williams Honey Reserve last fall. It won a silver medal in the recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The company's standard Evan Williams bourbon is the No. 2 selling bourbon brand in the world.

Heaven Hill Distilleries is the largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer in the U.S. Among its portfolio of brands are The Christian Brothers Brandies, Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Burnett’s vodkas and gin, Hpnotiq Liqueur, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, Lunazul and Two Fingers tequilas, and Dubonnet aperitif.

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20100714

SF test's No. 1 vodka U.S. bound

Coming off a competitive high of winning the award for world's best vodka in this year's San Francisco World Spirits Competition, an English distiller is sending its product to the U.S. market.

Chase Distillery's English potato vodka has entered into a deal with Pelican Brands of Indiana to be its exclusive U.S. brand manager.

The Herefordshire distiller had been known principally for its gin and liqueurs before the San Francisco event. The medal certainly won't hurt its chances of making a dent in a ridiculously crowded category.

"Success in the U.S. is the benchmark for all spirit brands and businesses like ours and as such it is a fiercely competitive market," said Chase founder and CEO Will Chase. "It is critical that we enter the U.S. with the right partner and we have been extremely impressed by Pelican Brands' people, processes and ambitions."

Each bottle of Chase Vodka, produced at the standard 80 proof (40% ABV), is hand-signed and batch numbered.

In addition to bringing the vodka to market in September, Pelican will be distributing Chase Elderflower Liqueur in some markets.

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20100713

Ruby Tuesday getting drinks smart

Chain restaurants are big on specials. After all, they have the resources of hundreds of venues to test their offerings before going national. When it comes to their drinks, though, I’ve often been disappointed by what I see as a lack of creativity or timeliness.

The Ruby Tuesday chain has overcome that problem with its expanded summertime drinks menu featuring new watermelon-flavored cocktails and pitchers of sangria.

The new cocktails include watermelon-flavored mojitos, martinis and margaritas and feature a fresh watermelon garnish.The sangria is made with fresh fruit and either red or white wine.

The restaurants also are offering a strawberry-flavored sangria available by the pitcher. The watermelon mojito is part of Ruby Tuesday’s lineup of $5 cocktails.

(By the way, not all other chains are mundane when it comes to seasonal cocktails. I'd be remiss not to mention an excellent blackberry sangria, with a touch of the Italian liqueur Tuaca, I enjoyed over the weekend at a Carrabba's Italian Grill.)

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20100711

Still pricey after all these years

Who says this is a world of instant communication?

I ask that because, in perusing various non-American, English-language newspapers, I came across a story in the revered Times of India about the world's most expensive cocktail, the Mai Tai served at The Merchant Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

The Times story was posted today, July 11. Interesting, in that the drink was given the official "most expensive" title back in 2009 by the Guinness Book of World Records. Also interesting in that I wrote about the drink, as well as the history of the creation of the Mai Tai, even before that: August 20, 2006, to be precise.

If the drink, and the history, interest you, you can get the lowdown by going here. Instantly.

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20100707

Gallo distributing new tequila brand

The Camarena family is one of the elites of the Mexican tequila industry, with generations-long creation of the lovely spirit.

Now, the top U.S. seller of wines has teamed up with one branch of the family to distribute the new Familia Camarena brand in both silver and reposado styles in several domestic markets.

E.& J. Gallo Winery is selling the basic tequila at a suggested retail price of $20 for the 750ml bottle, initially in outlets in California and Nevada and then to be rolled out in other U.S. markets.

Gallo led all wine sellers to the U.S. market last year, with about 68 million cases last year under about 60 brands, according to Wine Business Monthly.

In the Camarena family lineage, three generations ago there were three Camarena brothers, each of whom founded a tequila company of his own -- El Tesoro, Cazadores and Casa Casco Viejo (recently renamed Casa Camarena).

Familia Camarena Tequila is produced by Casa Camarena, which was founded by Don Agustín Camarena in 1938 and which has produced brands including Casco Viejo and Don Agustín, among others.

Mauricio Camarena, sixth-generation family member and agave director for Familia Camarena Tequila, said:

“Tequila making is in my family’s blood. It is not a job or hobby, but a way of life. Today, almost 75 years after bottling our first tequila in 1938, it is a true honor to continue my family’s legacy with a 100% blue agave tequila that showcases the rich history and exciting future ahead for the Camarena family.”

You can go here for my interview with another Camarena -- Mauricio's cousin Carlos, head of Tequila Tapatia, maker of El Tesoro.

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20100705

Diageo letting pension age in the wood

In what may be one of the more interesting moves in financial annals, Diageo PLC is seeking to erase its US$1.3 billion pension deficit by transferring 2.5 million barrels of aging whisky to its pension fund.

The move is part of a 10-year funding plan approved by the trustees of Diageo's U.K. plan. Some clever observer estimated the amount of whisky intended to support the pension plan is enough to fill about 180 Olympic-size swimming pools.

The international drinks giant is the maker of Johnnie Walker blended whisky and Talisker single-malt scotch.

The whisky held as collateral that produces annual income for the pension fund would come from Diageo's malt and grain distilleries in Scotland and represent about 30% of its total whisky stock.

[Go here for a more detailed report.]

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Jam made from Princess Di's hair, gin

What do you get when you mix gin, milk, sugar and a bit of hair from a deceased princess?

Brace yourself. Bompas & Parr, an offbeat London catering company, has purchased some hair that purportedly comes from the late Diana, princess of Wales, from a celebrity hair collector on e-bay and used it in a jam it is selling.

Sam Bompas said he bought the hair for $10. The jam is an exhibit at a surrealist art show at the Barbican Art Gallery and in the first week 500 of the jars have been sold at US$7.60 each.

Bompass & Parr manufactures jellies for photo shoots, stunts and events. They say they "use the same programs that architects use to design skyscrapers to design the molds and the same machines used to make fighter jet engines and body parts to make the extraordinary cutters."

No word on who they consulted with to make the Princess Di jam.

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Suntory so successful it's cutting back

From the The Yomiuri Shimbun

TOKYO -- While sales figures for alcoholic beverages are all over the map, Suntory Holdings Ltd. has begun limiting shipments of its Kakubin whiskey brand due to the recent unexpected boom in highballs -- a cocktail made with whiskey and soda water.

Suntory took the measure fearing its flagship whiskey might become in short supply amid the highball boom.

Suntory and other makers' quasi-beer products, dubbed "third beer," have enjoyed brisk sales due to their low prices. Conversely, sales of regular beer and happoshu (low-malt beer) remain sluggish as third beer products deprive them of market share.

Suntory decided to limit Kakubin whiskey shipments after the product's January-to-June demand marked a 70% surge over the same period last year. The company judged the situation could lead to shortages of the brand's malt whiskey, which requires many years for maturation.

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20100703

Teacher's sprucing up its image

Teacher's, which sells about one of every four bottles of Scotch whisky in the UK, is sprucing up its image in hopes of increasing that share.

Teacher's will unveil its new look (bottle on left) sometime this month with the launch of a more contemporary package which also highlights the high malt content of the blend. The new logo will emphasize the 45% malt content of Teacher's.

Janette Peat, Maxxium UK's brand manager for Teacher's, says, "Teacher's has a rich history in pioneering packaging, from being the first whisky to invent the self-opening bottle without the use of a corkscrew in the 1910s, to inventing the jigger cap in the 1960s.

"We decided to highlight the 45% malt content as it sets Teacher's apart as one of the highest of all blended Scotch whiskies and gives Teacher's its distinctive malty, peaty full flavor. ... Teacher's is made up of at least 35 single malts from around Scotland, including its fingerprint malt, the award-winning Ardmore."

The newly designed bottle will be available in 70cl and 1L sizes.

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Grant & Sons buys Tullamore Dew, Irish Mist

William Grant & Sons, which recently came to agreement to distribute the wares of a micro-distiller from Upstate New York, has gone in the other direction by completing a major UK acquisiton.

Grant, the Irish distiller who already owns such brands as Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Grant's, has taken over C&C's spirits and liqueurs business for US $376 million.

The deal, which includes Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey and Irish Mist, was completed this week after being approved by shareholders last month.

The business will now operate as William Grant & Sons Irish Brands, and will be based in Dublin and Clonmel, County Tipperary.

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Smoked salmon vodka in the running

Quick, name one export of Wasilla, Alaska, besides Sarah Palin.

Stumped? Think of something just as potent and unusual.

Uh, salmon-flavored vodka?

Right! Alaska Distillery, which had been getting a small reputation for producing a line of spirits that includes Permafrost and Frostline vodkas and an array of flavored vodkas as well as a very dry gin, has come up with the smoked salmon flavored variety, using native salmon and glacier water.

Alaska Distillery is an independent micro-distillery founded in 2005 by Alaskans Toby Foster, Scotti MacDonald, Shawn Ansley and Winston Chelf. They use glacial ice naturally harvested from the waters of Prince William Sound.

Permafrost Alaska Vodka is their signature spirit. It received the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) Platinum Medal at the 2009 International Review of Spirits. Currently, the line of spirits is available only in Alaska and Texas, but your favorite spirits vendor might be able to get around that by going here.

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Spirits sampling service has 250 items

If you're interested in trying a variety of whiskies and other spirits but don't want to go through the hassle of traveling around to a variety of tasting events, Master of Malt's new service may be of interest.

The East Essex, England, spirits retailer has just introduced something it calls "Drinks by the Dram," a sampling service through which it sells 3cl bottles of more than 250 different spirits.

The collection began with the Glenfarclas range of single malt Scotch whiskies, including the Family Cask vintages which span every year from 1952 to 1994. Now, the offerings cover the bourbon, gin, cognac, vodka and sotol categories, among others. Prices of the 3cl samples vary.

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VA allowing spirits sampling

• From the Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch:

RICHMOND, VA -- In another turn toward private entity, the state's liquor stores have begun offering samples.

The tastings began Thursday at 90 of the more than 300 Alcoholic Beverage Control stores around the state, when a new law allowing the tastings took effect.

[Go here for the full story.]

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20100702

Washington's first modern whiskey sells out

Late in his life, George Washington was arguably the most successful distiller of whiskey in the fledgling United States.

Some things never change.

The visitor center at his Mount Vernon, VA, home has announced it is sold out of the 471 bottles of rye whiskey made at the reconstructed distillery on the grounds of the National Historic Site.

Special legislation passed by the Virginia legislature several years ago allowed whiskey to be sold at Mount Vernon.

Go here for my report on the Washington distillery project as well as the instant success of the modern production of his spirit.

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Iowa's first post-Prohibition bourbon debuts

The first legal bourbon distilled in Iowa since the repeal of Prohibition hit the market this week.

Cedar Ridge Vineyards, Winery & Distillery, located in Swisher, near Cedar Rapids, already had a line of spirits under the name Clearheart. The new bourbon bears the Cedar Ridge brand name.

It is made with a mash containing nearly 75% corn. Under new state law, Cedar Ridge is able to sell the bourbon directly from its facility in Swisher. Barrel No. 1 was sold out in advance, and current sales are from Barrel No. 2.

The unveiling is being made at a four-day Bourbon, Blues & BBQ Festival on the premises. It is Cedar Ridge's first summer season at its new facility.

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Maker's Mark releases a new bourbon

Maker's Mark hasn't come up with a new bourbon for a long time; 52 years, to be exact. Now, the drought is over.

Maker’s Mark Distillery Inc. has released Maker’s 46, taking its traditional whiskey, then aging it for several months in barrels with seared French oak staves. The process draws more color and flavor from the wood than the standard process.

The new bourbon is 47% alcohol by volume (94 proof), and was created by company president Bill Samuels Jr., master distiller Kevin Smith and barrel maker Brad Boswell of the Independent Stave Company.

The company says the seared staves release fewer tannins than the usual charred staves used in whiskey aging, thus creating a smoother taste.

The bourbon was named Maker’s 46 after the profile name Boswell assigned to the French oak searing process, according to a company press release.

Cost of the 750ml bottle will vary by state, but in general will run about $10 higher than the company's standard bourbon.

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