Scottish whisky distillery Glenfiddich has launched its limited-edition, 29-Year-Old Grand Yozakura, the first Single Malt Scotch Whisky to be finished in rare ex-Awamori casks.

Awamori, the oldest distilled alcoholic spirit in Japan, is made using long-grain indica rice and is traditionally stored in clay pots, with only a small proportion ever aged in oak casks.

The limited-edition expression has been released to celebrate Hanami – the “cherry blossom festival”, where Japan appreciates the temporal beauty of nature through the sakura tree. It is a time for renewal and optimism, where these fleeting moments are best experienced illuminated after dark, in what is called Yozakura or ‘night sakura’.

In the same way, the brand feels this marriage of rare liquids, once gone, will never be replicated, but present consumers with a chance to experience a beautiful collision of cultures and flavours.

“We are always looking to experiment with new finishes, so when the chance arose to acquire rare ex-Awamori casks, we saw an opportunity to push the boundaries and experiment with this highly unusual spirit,” explained Glenfiddich Malt Master Brian Kinsman. “We always learn something new when we lead with innovation, so taking a risk is worth it, and in the case of Awamori, we trialled a very small number of casks at a younger age first.

With an accentuated mouthfeel character and zingy herbal notes, Kinsman believes the expression is unlike anything else in the series or anything he has tasted before.

“Since embarking on this fusion, it’s been fascinating to focus on the oak and how it has been changed and adapted by contact with another spirit,” he continued. “The six-month finish in ex-Awamori Casks complements the smooth Glenfiddich taste profile, elevating the finish and lifting the flavour to a new level.”

This expression is the latest release within the brand’s renowned Grand Series, a collection of single malts that are characterised by innovative and experimental cask finishing.

Bringing this meeting of cultures to life, the packaging of Grand Yozakura has been created by Japanese artist June, who creates visions incorporating Japanese culture and landscapes. The packaging includes a bespoke topper and a traditional poem printed onto each specially designed outer.

For more information, go to glenfiddich.com

Irish cream liqueur brand Baileys has announced the release of a new expression, Baileys Chocolate Liqueur.

A compelling and iconic combination of Baileys Original Irish Cream and real Belgian Chocolate, the expression lets you experience the joys of chocolate like never before.

Activating all five senses with its aromatic and velvety-smooth pour, lusciously rich texture and deliciously indulgent taste that coats the palate with the sensation of melted chocolate.

“Baileys is all about offering adults indulgent, treating experiences and nothing is more indulgent or universally beloved than chocolate,” says Jesse Damashek, Senior Vice President, Whiskey Portfolio and Liqueurs, DIAGEO North America.

“When you pair a popular treat like chocolate with a celebrated indulgence like Baileys Original Irish Cream, you have the perfect combination, which is why Baileys Chocolate Liqueur is such an exciting addition to our portfolio.”

For more information, go to baileys.com or connect with the brand via @baileysus

Baileys Chocolate Mocha Martini

PIN IT

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz Baileys Chocolate Liqueur
• 0.75 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Fresh Espresso
• 0.25 oz Simple Syrup

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Fine strain into coupe/martini glass. Garnish with vanilla cold foam and/or three espresso beans

Global rum brand Bacardí has unveiled a new bold and citrus forward expression in the third installment of the brand’s limited-edition aged rum series.

The new Bacardí Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask release, follows the success of the brand’s two previous launches, Sherry Cask and Rye Cask Finish.

Aged at least eight years in American oak barrel under the Caribbean sun, the expression is given an additional 3-6 months in Vino de Naranja casks from Seville, Spain. The result is a rum bursting with notes of orange peel, dried stone fruits that has a smoky wood aroma finish.

“The third installment in our popular Cask Series, Sevillian Orange continues our brand legacy of producing premium rums that match consumer tastes. This exceptional expression harmoniously blends our finest aged rums with the essence of Vino de Naranja from Spain, delivering a delightful burst of flavor,” said Lisa Pfenning, Vice President, BACARDÍ for North America.

“Inspired by tradition, yet infused with innovation, the Sevillian Orange Cask Finish is destined to captivate the palates of both rum connoisseurs and dark spirit aficionados alike. As the world’s most awarded rum, we’re excited to add a new and deeply flavorful expression to our vast premium portfolio.”

Bottled at 45% ABV, the expression boasts a dark golden color with a slight orange hue, resulting in a smooth taste that works perfectly for sipping or in elevated cocktails.

Created to be the perfect pairing for an Old Fashioned, Bacardí Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask Finish serves as a great alternative to traditional sipping spirits.

As one of the most classic cocktails in history, and one that has seen a 24% jump in popularity over the last few years, the Old Fashioned is as popular as ever, but with Bacardí Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask Finish, the cocktail gets a refreshed taste thanks to the liquid’s meticulously balanced citrus and smoky notes.

Sevillian Orange Old Fashioned

Ingredients

• 2 oz. BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho Sevillian Orange Cask Rum
• 0.25 oz. honey syrup
• 2 dashes angostura bitters

Instructions

Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 10-15 seconds. Pour over a large ice cube in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange wedge.

For more information, go to bacardí.com

Kentucky Bourbon brand Michter’s Distillery is set to release its US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Rye in September.

“We released any American distillery’s first toasted barrel whiskey in 2014 because we loved the unique taste profile. At the time, we had no idea it would create a new whiskey category for people to enjoy,” said Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco.

Michter’s Master of Maturation, Andrea Wilson, oversees the special aging protocol that Michter’s Toasted Barrel Rye undergoes. She observed, “Our Master Distiller Dan McKee and I first select fully matured barrels of our US*1 Rye. Then we transfer each of those rye barrels for finishing into a second barrel, made of special wood naturally air-dried and seasoned outdoors for 24 months and toasted to our specifications, but not charred.

“The Toasted Barrel Finish Rye is designed to showcase the beautiful extractives from a toasted-only finish barrel that impart remarkable character and contribute to an exceptional experience.”

According to Master Distiller McKee, the average barrel proof for the toasted rye barrels bottled for this release is 108.9 (54.45% ABV). The suggested retail price of Michter’s Toasted Barrel Finish Rye is $120 for a 750ml bottle in the U.S. Speaking about the whiskey, McKee said, “I enjoy rye in general, and this Toasted Rye in particular is a full-throttle flavour experience.”

Michter’s has a rich and long legacy of offering traditional American whiskeys of uncompromising quality. With each of its limited production offerings aged to its peak maturity, Michter’s highly acclaimed portfolio includes bourbon, rye, sour mash whiskey, and American whiskey. In October 2022, a global survey named Michter’s the Most Admired American Whiskey. In January 2023, Drinks International named Michter’s the #1 Top Trending American Whiskey brand in their Annual Brands Report.

For more information, please visit www.michters.com, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Kentucky Bourbon distillery Maker’s Mark has announced the launch of a new annual, global limited-release series named Cellar Aged.

Designed to prove that whisky ageing is about more than just a number, the brand is using the series to ask, What if age isn’t just about time, but instead about how you use that time to evolve, develop and mature?

To answer this, the inaugural release features a marriage of 11- and 12-year-old bourbon, bottled at cask strength (115.7 proof) and delivering the distillery’s highly anticipated oldest release.

“For more than 65 years, ageing our whisky for a decade-plus wasn’t something we did,” said Rob Samuels, 8th-generation whisky maker and grandson of the founders at Maker’s Mark.

“It’s not that we didn’t believe in it; we simply hadn’t found a way to do it that didn’t compromise on our taste vision – until now,” he continued. “Cellar Aged embodies an older whisky that’s distinctly Maker’s Mark. One rooted in challenging convention, delivering new flavour experiences from the environment that surrounds us, and building on a taste vision that’s been generations in the making.”

To become Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged, barrels of the distillery’s classic distillate first spend approximately six years ageing in traditional bourbon warehouses, where they endure the Kentucky climate and its temperature swings season after season until they reach full maturity and can be called “Maker’s Mark.”

Barrels are then moved into the distillery’s proprietary whisky cellar for an additional five to six years of ageing before being blended to taste and bottled. Built into the natural limestone shelf of the Kentucky hills, the cellar’s consistently cool environment slows down the tannic impact that occurs during maturation while allowing the bourbon to develop a deeper, darker flavour with hidden depths, but no bitterness.

This innovative and taste-led approach in pursuit of an older Maker’s Mark expression continues the boundary-pushing mindset that has shaped the brand since the beginning.

Cellar Aged will be available in the United States in September 2023; in London, Munich and select Global Travel Retail accounts in October 2023; and in Tokyo and Singapore in early 2024.

For more information about Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged, please visit www.MakersMark.com.

Florida-based rum brand Papa’s Pilar has announced it will release its rarest offering, Ernest, on Friday 21st

Designed to celebrate ten years of distilling excellence, the release will coincide with the birthday of ‘Papa’ Ernest Hemingway, the legendary novelist who inspired the brand. 

An harmonious blend of hand-selected rums sourced from countries in South and Central America by 7th Generation Master Distiller, Ron Call, only 400 bottles of Ernest has been created. 

The blended rums were then put into new, heavy, toasted American Oak barrels made of new 36-month-old air-dried staves and then double-finished in both Cognac and Armagnac casks.

“With each new release, we prioritize showcasing our high-quality rums, and for Ernest, we really wanted to push the envelope on what the category has seen before,” said Papa’s Pilar Master Distiller, Ron Call. “This is what led to our decision to double finish the rum in new heavy-toasted American White Oak barrels made of 36-month air-dried staves, a process that enhances the deep natural vanilla and slight cocoa notes that carry over into our rum and create an extraordinary sensory experience.”

The end result is a 100-proof rum with a refined and nuanced aroma of roses, violets, hazelnuts and burnt citrus peel. The initial subtlety is then overcome by a bold and complex flavour profile, including notes of burnt citrus peel, turned earth, toasted hazelnut, green tea, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla bean, and dark chocolate on the palate.

The finish is particularly noteworthy with its extraordinary length and complexity that creates notes of green tea, vanilla bean and burnt citrus for a notable finish.

The bottle for Ernest is inspired by the beautiful, circular decanter seen in a photo of Hemingway taken circa 1940 at Finca Vigia, the novelist’s home located in Cuba just southeast of Havana, most well-known as the location where he wrote portions of his famed novels “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “The Old Man and the Sea.”

The crystal decanter bottle was designed to double as a collector’s piece, coming encased in a teal display box embossed with golden foil, wood siding, cream stitching, and gold riveted piping. When opened, it reveals a removable leather valet to display the elegant collectable bottle filled with golden rum and marked with Hemingway’s signature, with the image of Hemingway at Finca Vigia as its backdrop.

The box also includes a crystal decanter top made to replace the wood and gold ‘travel cork.’ Papa’s Pilar consulted with Hemingway historian, author and friend, Philip Greene to ensure the decanter-style bottle was historically accurate and identical to Hemingway’s.

“Since we founded Papa’s Pilar ten years ago, we have aimed to be at the cutting edge of innovation in both the rum category and the ultra-premium spirits industry as a whole,” said Papa’s Pilar’s founder and CEO, Steve Groth.

“Ernest shows how we are letting our expert craftsman do what they do best and lead the way with limited-run, curated, collectable releases. We have found that driving our business through the lens of craftsmanship has been key to truly exceptional results.”

Ernest will be available to purchase through Papa’s Pilar’s website at https://www.papaspilar.com/pages/ernest starting on July 21.

Members of Papa’s Pilar’s Hemingway Social Club will receive early access to the release. Sign up now to receive exclusive access to releases and brand announcements here.