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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...
‘A Long Time Coming’: Independent Bottler Douglas Laing Makes Distilling Debut With Strathearn Single Malt Scotch
Independent scotch whisky bottler Douglas Laing & Co. announced on Monday that the brand was venturing into the distilling game with the brand's launch of Strathearn Single Malt Whisky after acquiring the distillery in 2019. The inaugural expression hosts a suggested retail price of £85 ($106). "This moment has been a long time coming, and one that we are extremely proud to share with the world," Douglas Laing & Co Managing Director Caira Laing said in a statement. "As the third generation helm of Douglas Laing, I am proud to be leading this move into this exciting new venture of distilling." The...
F1 Champion Jenson Button’s Whisky Brand Revs Up Limited-Edition Scotch In Partnership with Williams Racing
British Formula 1 racer Jenson Button has inked a partnership with Williams Racing — his inaugural team — to promote his Coachbuilt Whisky brand, which debuted in 2022. Commemorating the partnership, Coachbuilt will release a set of special edition whiskies that pay homage to the F1 team and car manufacturer. Coachbuilt is a blended Scotch that combines spirits from Speyside, Highland, Islay, Campbeltown and Lowlands (all of Scotland's Scotch-producing regions) before finishing in ex-sherry casks. For Button, the partnership is a drive down memory lane. Button first signed on with Williams Racing back in 2000, beginning a decades-long career that saw him crowned...
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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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