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‘A Thrilling Experiment’: Mount Gay Rum Bottles up the Solar Eclipse With Navy Strength Release
In honor of the 2024 solar eclipse, Mount Gay Rum is retooling one of its flagship expressions with a scorchingly high ABV. On Wednesday, the brand unveiled Mount Gay Eclipse Navy Strength, a 114.2-proof bottling matured between two to four years at the distiller's headquarters in Barbados. While the original Eclipse expression drew inspiration from the passing of Halley's comet in 1910, its new high-proof counterpart was designed as an ode to "the rich naval history where rum played a crucial role aboard ships." Navy strength spirits — popular in both the rum and gin category — derive their name from alcohol...
Glenmorangie’s New Whisky Is ‘Inspired by the Highlands’ Natural Splendor’ and Aged in a Type of Cask Seldom Used in Scotch Production
Whisky Magazine reported on April 9 that Glenmorangie unveiled a new whisky, Glenmorangie Triple Cask Reserve. The final blend is composed of whiskies that were aged in a mixture of bourbon, new charred oak and rye whisky casks, which are rarely used in scotch production. The Spirits Business reported that Glenmorangie claims the use of bourbon casks adds fruity qualities, the new charred oak adds greater depth to the final scotch, and the use of rye casks adds a bit of spice. "Using bourbon and new charred oak, we celebrate our whisky's classic, fruity sweetness," Glenmorangie Master Blender Gillian Macdonald said, according...
Pegasus Distillerie Hits the Ground Running With Meteorite-Aged ‘Shooting Star’ Vodka
From outer space-aged bourbon to ocean-fermented wine, the world of novelty-finished alcohol has produced its fair share of alluring, occasionally bizarre releases over the years. Commemorating its debut in the U.S. market, France's Pegasus Distillerie is releasing a new expression that takes the concept to meteoric heights. Dubbed Shooting Star Vodka, the spirit is reduced for over a month with spring water sourced near the distillery. It's then aged for a year in Italian terracotta pots that contain a suspended meteorite at their center, said to impart an "extraordinary flavor and structure" to the vodka. Exact tasting notes aren't disclosed. "We take...
‘Choose Happy’: Mataroa Distillery Goes Green with Cannabis- and Damiana-Infused Gin Liqueur
A hazy green wave is sweeping through Gen Z's choice of liquor. According to a 2022 poll by New Frontier Data, 69% of 18- to 24-year-olds prefer cannabis to alcohol. Across the board, 36% of cannabis users have reported decreased alcohol consumption following marijuana's intermittent legalization in the US, with numbers expected to grow in years to come. Rather than lose market share, liquor brands are beginning to go with the flow. Greek distiller Mataroa has unveiled an alcoholic gin-based spirit infused with cannabis. The innovative blend — which the brand claims is the first of its kind — swaps out THC...
Olmeca Altos Tequila Recruits ‘Mean Girls’ Star Busy Philipps for Dial-Up Margarita Hotline
With Cinco de Mayo on the horizon, Olmeca Altos Tequila is expanding its margarita-centric "emergency" lime delivery service to the U.S. The concept is straightforward: ring up Olmeca's hotline number (dubbed the "HotLime"), and you'll be entered for a chance to win some bright green citrus in the mail. Actress Busy Philipps, best known for her roles in "Freaks and Geeks," "Dawson's Creek" and the 2024 reboot of "Mean Girls," has been recruited to pick up the line and chat with at-home margarita mixologists. The initiative was first launched exclusively in the U.K. in mid-2023, with comedian and podcaster Alice Levine acting...
Three Chord and The Allman Brothers Band Debut Music-Inspired Bourbon That Honors ‘Their Contribution to the World of Rock and Roll’
On April 17, Three Chord Bourbon announced it is joining forces with The Allman Brothers Band to release a whiskey as part of the brand's Backstage Series. The whiskey is set to release in the summer. "We are thrilled to welcome The Allman Brothers Band to our Backstage Series lineup. Their unique sound and style perfectly align with our mission to create distinctive, music-inspired blends that resonate with fans of both whiskey and great music," Three Chord Bourbon Whiskey Maker Ari Sussman said in a news release. "Our goal is to create a whiskey that not only honors their legacy but...
Kendall Jenner Joins Forces With Emma Chamberlain for 818 Tequila-Tinged Espresso Martini Kit
Influencer superstars Kendall Jenner and Emma Chamberlain are bringing together their brands for a cocktail kit that's sure to take Gen Z TikTok feeds by storm. Jenner's 818 Tequila is collaborating with Chamberlain Coffee on a reinterpretation of the viral espresso martini. Originally believed to have been invented in 1983, the traditionally vodka-centric recipe reemerged from annuls of history in 2021 to rabid fanfare. Now, we're beginning to see the pitch-black cocktail reinterpreted in just about every way possible. Highlighting tequila as its central ingredient, the pair's new kit comes complete with the expected variety of merch: a co-branded cocktail shaker, martini...
Buffalo Trace Goes Global With Opening of Inaugural ‘Brand Home’ Beyond the US
Buffalo Trace announced on Wednesday the official opening date of its new "brand home" in London's Covent Garden. The space will be open to the public on May 6. Tickets can be booked here. "Opening Buffalo Trace Distillery London is a momentous occasion for our Distillery and we are thrilled to bring our experience to the United Kingdom," Buffalo Trace CEO and President Jake Wenz said in a news release. "At Buffalo Trace Distillery London, we'll offer a space for spirits novices and lovers to learn more about a whiskey type they are perhaps less familiar with - bourbon. Our aim...
WhistlePig Taps Iconic British Comedian John Cleese to Unveil a 25 Year Old Whiskey With a Ridiculous Name
On Wednesday, WhistlePig Whiskey announced that it's bringing the "Big Pig Energy" this spring with the release of The Badönkådonk, a single malt whiskey with an age statement nearly as wild as its name: 25 years. "Named not for a ghost of 19th century distilling nor for an unphonetic hill, glen or loch… nor for somebody walking said hill or glen (how boring!), The Badönkådonk is an audacious advance on the next front in WhistlePig’s whiskey revolution," WhistlePig wrote in a news release. The Badönkådonk is finished in both WhistlePig rye whiskey barrels and an ex-red wine barrel that previously contained silver...
Jeptha Creed Unveils Wheated Bourbon Made With ‘Bloody Butcher’ Heirloom Corn
On Tuesday, Jeptha Creed Distillery unveiled a 6-year-old wheated bourbon made from a mashbill of an heirloom varietal called bloody butcher corn. The corn takes its name from its striking crimson kernels, which Jeptha Creed has made its hallmark. "We like to say that we've gone about creating our bourbon the most difficult way possible," Jeptha Creed Master Distiller and CEO Joyce Nethery said in a statement. "We are beyond thrilled the day has come to release our 6-year-old bourbon. This milestone makes us even more excited to see the beautiful flavor our Bloody Butcher Corn will continue to lend our...
Traveler Detained For Bringing Bottle of Rum in Bag Shares Details of ‘Surreal’ and ‘Intimidating’ Experience
On Tuesday, the Daily Mirror reported that Laura Kemp, a self-described British "travel addict" who has visited countries like Palestine and North Korea had a "surreal" and "intimidating" experience in Qatar when authorities discovered a bottle of rum in her bag at the airport. "Immediately, multiple staff took me away for questioning," she said. The Daily Mirror reported that residents could face up to six months in jail and a £600 ($747) fine for the crime. "Although the staff were respectful, I was completely in the dark as to what was happening, and my boyfriend had to wait for me for hours while...
‘Back By Popular Demand’: Basil Hayden’s Subtle Smoke Bourbon Returns
On Monday, Kentucky whiskey distillery Basil Hayden announced the return of a whiskey that hasn't been seen since 2022: Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke. Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke is distilled from Basil Hayden's usual high-rye mashbill but differs from standard Basil Hayden thanks to the barreling process. The limited-edition bourbon undergoes a six-week finishing period in toasted and lightly charred barrels, which the brand claims were "pumped with a special smoke that was made from the delicate ignition of hickory smoked chips." Bottled at 80 proof, Basil Hayden Subtle Smoke is available for a limited time throughout the U.S. at a suggested retail...
Butterfly Cannon Spices up Color-Changing Tequila Catalog With ‘Winged King’ Reposado
Butterfly Cannon, the U.K. tequila brand that made a splash with colorful flavor infusions, is expanding its catalog with an eight-month ex-bourbon-cask finished reposado. Dubbed "The Winged King," the new expression is bottled in a black gloss decanter topped off with a life-sized monarch butterfly statuette. The spirit within blends two distinct production methods. Half of the agave piñas are steam-roasted in walled brick ovens, while the others are cooked using autoclaves. Butterfly Cannon says that its reposado — available now at $170 — balances aromas of mellow oak and citrus with flavors of agave, warm vanilla, tree nuts, spiced cloves and...
Toast to Earth Day 2024 With These 8 Eco-Friendly Spirits Brands
Across the globe, spirits brands have reinterpreted the eco-friendly ethos with wildly different results. Some adhere to single-estate farming, making sure that every sprig of barley, juniper or agave is meticulously plucked from its own backyard. Others take a more holistic approach, using their platforms to uplift local voices and give back to grassroots organizing […] The post Toast to Earth Day 2024 With These 8 Eco-Friendly Spirits Brands first appeared on Bottle Raiders.
‘A Step in a New Direction’: Old Line Unveils Rye Whiskey Made From Same Grains Used By a Local Brewery
Old Line Spirits announced on April 11 the release of the brand's inaugural rye whiskey, which is meant to celebrate Maryland's "rich rye whiskey heritage," according to the brand. The rye whiskey clocks in at 102 proof and was made from the same grains from local brewery, Monument City Brewing Co.'s 51 Rye IPA. "This whiskey is a step in a new direction for Old Line," Old Line Spirits co-founder Mark McLaughlin said in a news release. "Working with Monument City Brewing Co. allowed us to blend tradition with creativity, resulting in a whiskey that is both unique and respectful of...
‘Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of American Agave’: New Texas-Made Tequila Alternative Dials up Patriotism in Every Bottle
As America's thirst for tequila grows year after year, a community of domestic distillers is beginning to put twists on the concept under names like "California Agave Spirit." Ameragave, a new Texas-based brand founded by Brett and Holly Beckett, takes the idea and splashes it with high-contrast red, white and blue. Featuring an unaged Silver and barrel-finished Gold expression, the brand distills its products using Blue Weber agave sourced from Jalisco, Mexico, though its founders add that they envision "a future where agave farms would flourish under the vast U.S. skies." The spirit itself combines all the hallmark traits of traditionally made...
Ryan Reynolds’ Aviation Gin Brand Invites You to ‘Marvel at the Ginematic Universe’ With ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Limited Edition Bottles
Aviation Gin announced on Friday that the brand is inviting fans to "marvel at the ginematic universe," with the release of a series of six limited-edition bottles paying homage to "Deadpool & Wolverine," the latest movie from the Disney-owned studio. The movie is set to release in July and stars Ryan Reynolds, co-owner of Aviation Gin. "The 'Deadpool' film franchise has been a cultural phenomenon since its inception," Holly Frank, Walt Disney Studios' VP, partnership management and operations, Marvel, said in a news release. "We're so excited to be collaborating with Aviation American Gin to give fans a chance to engage...
‘Sustainability is Hard’: Alcohol Firm BrewDog Loses 250,000 Trees in ‘Disastrous’ Publicly Funded Sapling Initiative
In 2021, the Scotland-based alcohol firm BrewDog pledged to plant one tree for every multipack sold of its flagship beer brand. The first saplings hit the ground in 2022, and a little over a year later, the project is still struggling to find its roots. According to CEO and co-founder James Watt, around 50% of the 500,000 saplings planted through the Lost Forest program have died within their first 12 months. "Extreme" weather conditions are reportedly to blame. Watt says that the brand has managed to replant 50,000 of the lost saplings, with more to come on the horizon. When the initiative...
‘There’s Something Going on in That Town’: Riley Strain’s Mother Believes Her Son’s Drink Was Spiked Before He Disappeared From Nashville Bar
News Nation shared an exclusive interview on Tuesday with the family of the 22-year-old college student Riley Strain, who disappeared after a night of bar crawling in Nashville with his fraternity brothers. When Strain's body was found nearly two weeks after his disappearance in the Cumberland River. When he was found, his pants and wallet were missing, which Crime Online reported was considered "not unusual" given the circumstances. Strain's mother, Michelle Whiteid, divulged that in some of her son's last text messages, he complained about a strange taste in his Rum and Coke. "He sent me a text and said that he was...
Plymouth Gin’s Splashy New Limited-Edition Bottle Pays it Forward to Endangered Seagrass Habitats
With Earth Day approaching, Plymouth Gin has doubled down on its partnership with the Ocean Conservation Trust for a second limited-edition bottling. Inscribed with designs of swirling seagrass, the brand's new aquamarine-tinted bottle was created in collaboration with OCT's Blue Meadows project. Blue Meadows aims to protect and restore around 700 hectares of seagrass located off the coast of Falmouth, England. Inching dangerously toward extinction, the habitat type has declined by nearly half across the UK since the 1930s. Plymouth Gin has pledged to donate £1 ($1.24) to the project for each bottle sold of its new "Ocean Edition" bottling. “Our long-term partnership...
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Bottle Raiders is a one-stop shop for whiskey, gin, tequila and rum reviews and coverage. The site aggregates individualized reviews from various top sites (including our own) into one centralized location and assigns one average score. Our in-house spirits expert is Jay West, better known across the internet as t8ke, of t8ke.review. Gear Patrol magazine labeled Jay “the most prolific whiskey reviewer on the internet”. In 2020, Abrams Media acquired t8ke.review to bring Jay’s expertise to a larger audience.
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