In its celebration of Pride, Effen Vodka has announced the launch of its 2021 Pride 365 Bottle in collaboration with non-profit organization Allies in Arts.

The brand has commissioned Chicago-based, LGBTQQIA2S artist and street muralist Sam Kirk to design the bottle, which celebrates the Black and LGBTQQIA2S communities and highlights that each day is an opportunity to live loud, vibrant and proud.

“We’re huge fans of Sam’s work and thrilled with how the Pride 365 bottle came out,” said Ivan Hidalgo, Senior Marketing Director of Regional Brands at Beam Suntory.

“There’s no doubting the immense obstacles and barriers the LGBTQQIA2S and Black communities continue to face, and we are honored to join forces with Allies in Arts and Sam to create the 2021 Pride 365 Bottle not only showcasing the Pride colors, but really supporting the underrepresented artists in these communities.”

This year, Effen Vodka is partnering with Allies in Arts to bolster their mission of empowering creative voices and providing fair-paid work for artists who identify as womxn, BIPOC and LGBTQQIA2S – all of whom are underrepresented individuals in creative industries. For every Pride 365 Bottle made, Effen is making a donation to Allies in Arts to support the nonprofit’s mission of amplifying the voices of underrepresented artistic creatives.

“We are very grateful for Effen’s partnership in support of our mission to promote and hire artists who are women, BIPOC, and queer,” said Allies in Arts designer and Effen Vodka decal artist Kyle Lasky.

Further demonstrating Effen Vodka’s ongoing commitment to fostering self-expression, the brand has commissioned two members of the Allies in Arts community to create two sets of vinyl bottle decals for fans to decorate their Effen Vodka bottles at home.

The collections include the Boldly Black collection, illustrated by queer nonbinary Afro-Latinx artist Acacia Rodriguez, as well as the Pride 365 collection, designed by trans artist and activist Kyle Lasky. Both collections will be available alongside the bottle at retail in the coming months.

For more infomation, visit effenvodka.com or follow the brand on Instagram.

Australian winery [yellow tail] has continued its foray into cocktails with the release of a zesty new addition to its sparkling cocktails range, the Mediterranean Lemon Spritz.

Delivering a refreshing taste of summer with its vibrant citrus flavours, the Mediterranean Lemon Spritz is a perfect blend of all-natural lemon and citrus notes with an iconic Australian sparkling wine.

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“Our [yellow tail] Sparkling Cocktails Mediterranean Lemon spritz is the perfect zesty new addition to our Sparkling cocktails range,” explained Madeleine Legoe, [yellow tail] brand manager.

“With the growth of lemon and RTDs, there was an opportunity to innovate recruiting younger consumers into the category and [yellow tail] brand. It’s the perfect ready-to-drink cocktail, with no preparation necessary.”

The new expression offers pronounced citrus zest on the nose and a lively, natural lemon palate that offers refined complexity with balanced acidity and subtle bitterness.

The Mediterranean Lemon Spritz joins the successful lineup of [yellow tail] Sparkling Cocktail innovations that launched last year, which already includes fan-favourites Wild Peach Bellini and Blood Orange Mimosa.

For more information, go to yellowtailwine.com

Mexican Tequila brand Espolòn proudly introduces Flor de Oro, a limited-edition Reposado tequila infused with natural extract from the marigold flower, to honour Día de Muertos.

The first tequila of its kind to hit the market and the brand’s first seasonal release, Flor de Oro, showcases Espolòn’s dedication to bold innovation while bringing its Mexican heritage into the modern world.

“For me, Día de Muertos is all about family, tradition, and honouring those no longer with us. It presents an opportunity for me to reflect on memories of celebrations and traditions – rooted in food, aromas, and tequila – that my mother and grandmother taught me,” said Jesús Susunaga Acosta, Maestro Tequilero of Espolòn Tequila.

Flor de Oro means “Golden Flower” referencing the vibrant marigold that adorns traditional ofrendas during the Mexican celebration.

“When creating Flor de Oro, I was inspired by the moment that we placed an altar at Casa San Nicolás dedicated to our late founder, Master Distiller Cirilo Oropeza,” Acosta continued.

“Drawing from the marigold petals and aromas of his favourite foods, we created an infused Reposado tequila that honours Cirilo and thanks him for his years of dedication to tequila-making.”

Aged in new Oak barrels for two months, the expression blends the floral and citrus aromas of marigolds with the fruit-forward, sweet notes of new American Oak. The elegance of the rare natural marigold extract results in an elevated flavour profile for a unique sipping experience perfect for celebratory moments.

To further ignite creative celebration, Espolòn Tequila has partnered with renowned event and floral designer Raúl Àvila, the vision behind the decor and design of the MET Gala, to create a ‘Living Ofrenda’ will celebrate the importance of Día de los Muertos.

A stunning interactive installation at New York City’s Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal, the Living Ofrenda, will be open to the public from 8am to 8pm EST on October 29th and 30th.

“Día de los Muertos is a holiday rich in emotion and symbolism, with the marigold playing a central role. For the Living Ofrenda, I was inspired by the significance of the marigold flower and the holiday – its bright petals guiding spirits, its fragrance evoking memories, and its presence symbolising love and remembrance,” said Raúl Àvila.

Raúl Àvila has also created stunning marigold arrangements inspired by Flor de Oro for those creating ofrendas in celebration of loved ones at home. From October 2nd until October 21st, fans 21+ can enter to win a custom arrangement by visiting http://www.espolontequilasweeps.com/ and entering the keyword FlordeOro.

For the release of Flor de Oro, Espolòn’s iconic rounded bottle features a new creative label that showcases Espolòn’s iconic rooster, Ramón, standing proudly by a Día de los Muertos altar that pays homage to Oropeza.

For more information, go to espolontequila.com

Global Bourbon brand Russell’s Reserve has launched the third instalment in its Single Rickhouse Collection and is the highest proof offering across the entire Russell’s Reserve portfolio.

Exploring whiskey’s “terroir” by examining how the specific location of the ageing barrels influences the final whiskey, the latest release from Camp Nelson B showcases how the unique ageing conditions influence the whiskey’s proof point and shape its distinctive taste.

Built in 1946 and still standing tall today, Camp Nelson Rickhouse B is centrally located on the Camp Nelson grounds. The seven-floor rickhouse benefits from higher elevation and increased sun exposure compared to the rickhouses of the previous iterations that sat closer to the Kentucky River and its shady treeline.

The hot environment was integral in developing the whiskey’s oaky profile and a significant contributing factor to its impressively high proof point of 120.2. It is not only the highest proof entry in the Single Rickhouse Collection to date but the highest proof of any Russell’s Reserve bottling ever released.

For Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson B, Master Distiller Eddie Russell and his team selected barrels from the sixth floor, where the climate is generally warmer.

“The higher we went, the hotter it got, and the more oak we got in the whiskeys. For Camp Nelson B, we wanted to make sure we were really showcasing the rich, dark honey and char notes that we tend to get from that rickhouse, and we had a feeling that the bourbon we were looking for was sitting up there, enjoying the sun,” said Eddie Russell.

“This bottling of Single Rickhouse embodies the essence of Russell’s Reserve, and I couldn’t be prouder of the final product – it’s truly one of our best.”

The result is a bourbon that exemplifies Eddie’s skill in barrel curation and celebrates the idea that where whiskey is aged is just as important to its character as the raw ingredients and time spent in the barrel. Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson B is a rich and complex whiskey, non-chill filtered and bottled at a barrel proof of 120.2, to be savoured and enjoyed.

For mroe infomation, go to russellsreserve.com

American Metal Whiskey has proudly unveiled The Disciple, a limited-edition sonic-infused whiskey, which marks a new level of whiskey innovation.

An extension of the award-winning American Metal Customs shop celebrated for its iconic custom cars and motorcycles, American Metal Whiskey has followed the success of its award-winning 90-proof whiskey and limited edition 10-year 96-proof single-barrel whiskey with this new expression.

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Starting with American Metal’s award-winning 90-proof Tennessee straight whiskey incorporates American Metal’s new patent-pending sonic infusion process, the distinctive sound of The Disciple—a custom motorcycle handcrafted by co-founder and Master Builder Josh Allison.

“Infusing the signature sound of a custom bike that I built into the whiskey has never been done before, and it delivers a taste that is truly iconic in my opinion,” explains Allison. “Our innovative approach allows us to show a clear transformation from point A to point B due to the sound of the motorcycle and marks an industry milestone by merging motorcycle sounds and whiskey.”

This patent-pending process employs the sounds of The Disciple’s vintage 1941 Harley-Davidson EL Knucklehead engine, played through a waterproof speaker that is submerged inside the new American Oak barrels to directly interact with the liquid.

This infusion technique imparts rich, complex tasting notes and a unique colour to the whiskey, reflecting American Metal’s commitment to exceptional craftsmanship, boundary-pushing innovation, and a passion for creating custom vehicles and extraordinary whiskey.

For more information, go toamericanmetalwhiskey.com

US Whiskey brand Bulleit has launched the latest addition to its permanent portfolio of exceptional whiskies, Bulleit Rye 10-Year-Old.

Maintaining the flagship Rye’s iconic mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, this new expression is aged for a minimum of 10 years in new charred American white oak barrels to enhance the balance of smoothness and spice.

On the nose, this expression has rich caramel and toffee notes and hints of buttery rye. The palate delights with pear-like fruitiness, dry oak, full-bodied vanilla, and a spiced rye finish that lingers.

The new Bulleit Rye 10-Year-Old joins the acclaimed Bulleit Bourbon 10-Year-Old to form the foundation of the new Bulleit 10-Year Aged Whiskeys range.

“Our Bulleit 10-Year Aged Whiskeys showcase the bold, spicy rye-forward flavours that define our brand. Each expression is a testament to the meticulous craft of ageing and our relentless drive to push the boundaries of American whiskey,” explained Jenika Newsum, Senior Brand Manager at Bulleit Frontier Whiskey.

“We’re excited to introduce these whiskeys and look forward to unveiling even more innovations that reflect our commitment to whiskey craftsmanship,” Newsum continued.

Bottled at 91.2 proof (45.6% ABV), Bulleit Rye 10-Year-Old was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and scored 98 out of 100, receiving Gold Outstanding Spirit, making it one of the top-rated American Rye Whiskeys at the 2024 International Wine & Spirits Competition.