The new collection is the fourth Plantation Extrême series of bottlings, which have been selected by master blender Alexandre Gabriel.

The “much sought after” releases are made up of “only the best barrels” selected by the Plantation team.

The eight rums have been “enhanced” by Plantation’s double ageing process, beginning with maturation in Bourbon casks followed by a second ageing for one year in Ferrand oak casks in France.

Each rum’s design comes with a section of a meter-long panoramic artwork which depicts the sea voyage of rum merchants as they transport barrels from the Caribbean to Europe by sailing ships.

The new releases have been split between a number of global markets and comprise of:

Saint Lucia 2007, Saint Lucia Distillers, coffey still column (58.9% ABV) – UK

Jamaica 1984, Clarendon Distillery, vendome double retort pot still (74.8% ABV) – France

Jamaica 1996, Long Pond Distillery, blair column (60.3% ABV) – Germany

Jamaica 2000, Long Pond Distillery, John Dore double retort pot still (52.1% ABV) – Denmark

Guyana 1993, Uitvlught, Port Mourant double retort pot still (51.9% ABV) – Belgium

Jamaica 1995, Long Pond Distillery, John Dore double retort pot still (57.8% ABV) – US

Jamaica 1994, Clarendon Distillery, vendome double retort pot still (53.6% ABV) – US

Jamaica 1995, Long Pond Distillery, John Dore double retort pot still (62.6% ABV) – Sweden

For more information go to plantationrum.com

Eva Longoria has launched Casa Del Sol, a new luxury sipping tequila brand which she co-founded. The ultra-premium spirits brand is inspired by the magic of the golden hour and Mayahuel, the Aztec goddess of agave, and translates to “house of the sun” in Spanish. The brand debuts with three offerings: Blanco, Reposado and Añejo.

Casa Del Sol is made from hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agave sourced from rich clay soil in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. The brand taps dynamic talent with authentic Mexican roots, including Alejandra Pelayo, Casa Del Sol’s head of production, protégé and goddaughter of the late Francisco Alcaraz, tequila pioneer and master distiller / creator of Patrón.

“When creating Casa Del Sol, we wanted to deliver a brand that was set apart from the rest,” said Longoria. “From the liquid to the legacy, we took the time to develop an ultra-premium tequila focusing on authenticity and a distinct flavour profile. It is always my mission to uplift the voices of women and celebrate my Mexican heritage, so that others may be inspired by the limitless genius and artistry that is rich in our communities.”

The brand has also partnered with Laurent Martell, the 9th generation of the Martell family in France, and sourced Cognac barrels handcrafted with French Limousin Oak. Casa Del Sol has a unique barrel ageing process that results in a distinct flavour and aromatic profile where old world craftsmanship meets new world artistry, infusing Mexican tradition with notes of French heritage.

Casa Del Sol offers three distinctive sipping tequilas – Blanco, Reposado and Añejo:

• Blanco: Best Sipped with Sun – Blanco was crafted to deliver the pure essence of agave with its smooth and complex body. Complete with pleasant hints of fresh agave and mint, and warmed by notes of spice and caramel green apple.
• Reposado: Best Sipped at Sundown – Reposado rests for a minimum of four months in Select French Oak and Cognac barrels handcrafted with French Limousin Oak. The woody aroma evokes soft vanilla with hints of raisin and sweet tobacco. To taste, it has notes of wild honey, raisin, and butterscotch.
• Añejo: Best Sipped at Sunset – This Añejo Tequila is matured for more than 14 months in the same barrel aging process. On the nose, it is elegant, sweet and indulgent, with notes of dark cacao, dried fruit, toasted oak, and vanilla. With each sip, it tastes of toffee, apricot, oak, and chestnut.

Casa Del Sol is available for pre-sale nationwide online at the brand’s official website. It will be available for retail nationally in early 2022.

Japanese distillers,  House of Suntory pays tribute to the passage of time and the legacy of the founding family of Japanese whisky with Yamazaki 55, which celebrates the Japanese “Showa” era of the 1960s that represented a major period of change for the House of Suntory.

Bottled in 2020, the expression will be available in extremely limited quantities across global markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, Mainland China and Taiwan later this month. The resulting expression features a deep amber color; robust aroma redolent of sandal wood and well-ripened fruit; sweet, slightly bitter and woody palate; and slightly bitter yet sweet and rich finish.

Yamazaki 55 is a blend of precious single malts featuring components distilled in 1960 under the supervision of Suntory’s founder Shinjiro Torii and then aged in Mizunara casks; and in 1964 under Suntory’s Second Master Blender Keizo Saji and then aged in White Oak casks.

Suntory’s Fifth-Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo worked closely with Third-Generation Master Blender Shingo Torii in deploying their signature art of blending to properly reveal the exceptional depth, complexity and wisdom that is Yamazaki 55.

“Throughout the process of blending Yamazaki 55, I used as inspiration the passage of time and ‘Wabi-sabi’ – the Japanese belief that imperfections can help to ultimately contribute to perfection,” said Fukuyo. “While I often view other extra aged whiskies as art, I consider Yamazaki 55 to be more like a Buddhist statue: calm and mysterious, requiring time to truly enjoy the inner beauty.”

To honor its ongoing commitment to give back to society, Beam Suntory, will donate $5,000 USD for every bottle released in this year’s 100-bottle collection, totaling $500,000 USD, to The White Oak Initiative, a group committed to the long-term sustainability of America’s white oak forests.

Joining the Rare Dry Gin family, Four Pillars has just announced the release of two super-limited gins – Rarer Dry Gin made with yuzu and Rarest Dry Gin made with bergamot (we hope you enjoy the creativity that’s gone in to the names..)

Earlier this year, Distiller Cam came across locally-grown yellow yuzu and green bergamot which reminded him of the early days of Four Pillars, and their love affair with oranges. Alongside nine signature botanicals, fresh oranges launched Rare Dry Gin into a whole new universe of flavour. Cam wondered what would happen if we swapped the orange out and nothing else? Quite a lot it turns out!

So we’re excited to introduce you to the result of these citrus experiments: two unique limited-edition citrus gins, each paying tribute to the heart and soul of Four Pillars, the original and much-loved Rare Dry Gin.

Just like Rare Dry Gin, there were juicy and delicious bi-products from the distillation which the team didn’t want to go to waste so they’ve also made a Made from Gin Yuzu & Bergamot Shred Marmalade. It’s pretty groovy on a cheese platter, with a pâté or with warm croissants or crumpets with just a little too much salted butter.

Bith expressions will be released 11th September. For mroe infomation, go to fourpillarsgin.com

Celebrate the purity of traditional Japanese distilling, Irish spirits brand Kirker Greer Spirits has created a Japanese gin brand featuring two expressions, Ukiyo Blossom Gin and Ukiyo Yuzu Gin

The term Ukiyo refers to a state of mind emphasising living in the moment, detached from the difficulties of life

Born in Kagoshima in the shadow of the Sakurajima volcano the Gins are made from a base of traditional Japanese shōchū spirit. When redistilled the high-quality shōchū produces a gentler gin that has a beautifully soft mouthfeel

Ukiyo Blossom Gin and Ukiyo Yuzu Gin are made from a harvest of barley that is first distilled into a traditional Japanese pot still shōchū spirit. This shōchū spirit is redistilled in a traditional pot still with juniper, mandarin and spice before infusing the delicate taste of sakura flower and yuzu.

The 40% ABV gin has already sold out on pre-order ahead of its launch in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia.

John Soden, Chief Commercial Officer at Kirker Greer Spirits, said: “We are delighted that there has been a huge demand for this product, our customers are really intrigued by these truly unique spirits and feedback from the initial samples was phenomenal, not only on the taste but on the striking visual impact of the bottles too.”

The bottle is two-colour graduated, designed to mirror the mountains and oceans of Japan.

For more information, go to ukiyospirits.com

French Cognac brand Camus has revitalised its single-provenance Cognac, Ile de Ré Fine Island,  to showcase its unique island origin.

Smooth yet fresh and crisp with naturally iodine-rich marine notes, the expression is indisputably linked to its island origin with its distinctive aromatic profile.

Located in the middle of France’s Atlantic coast, three kilometres from the port of La Rochelle, Île de Ré has a mild and dry climate with around 20 percent of the land area sits below sea level. These low-lying areas play an important role in capturing and holding sea mists resulting in a special development of grapes grown on the island.

Camus Ile de Ré Fine Island is distilled at the historical facility of Le Bois Plage en Ré, a distillery that dates back to 1972 and is positioned at the centre of the island. Once distilled, the new spirit is mostly filled into 400-litre casks made from French oak sourced from the forests of Limousin and Tronçais.

On the nose, the Cognac is elegant and fresh, with lively notes of white fruits such as peach and apricot. The palette features crisp orchard fruits, such as apple and pear, with sweet caramel and a nutty framework of almonds balanced by rich cocoa, cinnamon, and a subtle minerality. The finish is smooth, with fine briny notes of iodine.

The revamping of the Camus Ile de Ré Fine Island pack aims to reinforce the communication of the unique flavour profile of this Cognac and its island origin. For this reimagining, Camus worked in collaboration with the Scottish design studio Breeze Creative. The island’s most symbolic locations, which are key to the Cognac’s production and character, are visually represented on the box.

With its iconic flared shape, the bottle is accompanied by a label that reproduces the design of the box, with a horizontal orientation that completely covers the front side. The closure includes a laminated cork stopper that is decorated with a capsule which illustrates the fundamental symbols of the Cognac production process: the grape harvest, the distillation in pot stills and barrel Ageing.

For more information, go to camus.fr