We’ve officially entered August, summer is in full swing and the spirits announcements keep rolling in. First, Beam Suntory plans to open a brand new distillery in Clermont, KY. Then, Aberfeldy launched a country-wide cocktail program to raise awareness about the massive global die-off of the bee population. Next, The Glenlivet have added a new permanent expression to its United States range with The Glenlivet 14 Year Cognac Cask Selection. Also, Freddie Noe is back with Little Book Chapter 03: The Road Home. Plus, Writers’ Tears released the 9th annual edition of its cask strength Irish whiskey. Lastly, Conor McGregor is taking Proper No. Twelve to Canada.
Beam Suntory Plans To Open New Distillery in Clermont, KY
Only a month ago a massive fire broke out at a Jim Beam warehouse in Versailles, KY, destroying 45,000 barrels of bourbon. Now, Beam Suntory has broken ground on a brand new distillery in Clermont, KY. The new distillery will be named the Fred B. Noe Craft Distillery, and will produce the brand’s small batch bourbons such as Booker’s, Baker’s, Basil Hayden’s, Knob Creek, Little Book and Legent.
New Beam Suntory Clermont, KY Distillery Rendering
This move comes as part of a $60 million investment from Beam Suntory to attempt to re-establish the James B. Beam Distilling Co. name—a reference to the name that the brand held after Prohibition fell. James B. Beam Distilling Co. will now be used to refer to Beam Suntory’s Clermont operations.
Named after Beam’s seventh generation master distiller, Fred Noe, the distillery will be used by his son, eighth generation distiller Freddie Noe. While there he’ll produce bourbon and experiment with “new fermentation and distillation techniques,” according to the brand.
Aberfeldy Launches Adopt-A-Bee Cocktail Program
Over the past few years scientists and environmentalists have warned of a rapidly decreasing global bee population. Bees are one of the world’s most important pollinating insects. Without them, food production would take a devastating hit. Scientists believe that the large-scale die-off is linked to industrial agriculture, pesticides and climate change.
August 17th is National Honey Bee Day, therefore as part of its larger Barrels and Bees program that brings light to these issues, Scotch whisky brand Aberfeldy is launching an adopt-a-bee cocktail program. The brand is working with more than 20 bars across the United States to bring attention to the issue in addition to supporting local beekeepers.
Aberfeldy Adopt-A-Bee Cocktail Program / Photo Credit: Aberfeldy
Consequently, each bar will create its own signature cocktail featuring Aberfeldy 12 Year and honey from a local bee farm. With every drink purchased, Aberfeldy will donate 12 bees in the customer’s name to hives at local bee conservancies.
Introducing The Glenlivet 14 Year Cognac Cask Selection
Earlier this month, The Glenlivet announced new labels for its core range of whiskies. Now, the brand is launching a new addition to its lineup which began hitting shelves in July 2019. The Glenlivet 14 Year Cognac Cask Selection is a Scotch single malt whisky that first matured in ex-bourbon and sherry casks for 14 years. After that, it finished in cognac casks for six months prior to bottling. It is exclusive to the United States.
For every bottle sold between July 1st and December 31st, 2019, the brand plans to subsequently donate $1 to The Purple Heart Foundation with a minimum donation of $50,000 and a maximum of $100,000.
The Glenlivet 14 Year Cognac Cask Selection
“The beauty of the whisky lover is that their palate is always evolving, searching for the next flavor experience, and we’re proud to add this delicious aged single malt, with portions selectively finished in ex-cognac casks, to our portfolio,” says Alan Winchester, The Glenlivet master distiller.
The Glenlivet 14 Year Cognac Cask Selection is bottled at 40% ABV with a suggested retail price of $55 per 750 ml bottle.
Jim Beam Debuts Little Book Chapter 03: The Road Home
Exactly two years ago, Jim Beam debuted the first whiskey created by eighth generation master distiller Freddie Noe, grandson of Booker Noe. Little Book Chapter 01: The Easy was a Blended American Whiskey made up of 13 year old corn whiskey and 4 year old bourbon, along with rye and malt whiskeys each aged for roughly 6 years. For the Little Book series, the blend recipe will change with each annual release. Each release will also be uncut and unfiltered.
Little Book Chapter 01: The Easy
With the third release, Little Book Chapter 03: The Road Home, Freddie Noe blended each of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection whiskeys. These include Knob Creek, Baker’s, Basil Hayden’s and Booker’s. Notably, the versions used in the blend are actually older and higher proof than the bourbons available under those labels in stores.
Little Book Chapter 03: The Road Home is bottled at 61.3% ABV with a suggested price of $125.
Writers Tears Cask Strength (2019 Release) Announced
Writers Tears Cask Strength (2019 Release) is the 9th annual limited-edition cask strength release from the Irish whiskey brand. It is made from triple-distilled single pot still and single malt whiskeys aged in former bourbon barrels.
The whiskey is non-chill filtered and bottled at 53% ABV. Only 3,780 individually numbered and signed bottles are set for release. Out of those, 1,200 bottles are headed to the United States, while the remaining 2,580 will be spread across Ireland, the UK, Canada, France, the Netherlands and select travel retail outlets in Europe.
Writers Tears Cask Strength (2019 Release) has a suggested retail price of €130 ($144 USD).
Writers Tears Cask Strength (2019 Release)
Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey Heads To Canada
One of the more popular and widely-distributed celebrity whiskeys of the past few years is undoubtedly Conor McGregor’s Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey. The whiskey launched in Ireland and the United States in September of 2018. Earlier this year, in March 2019, it expanded to the UK and Australia. As a result of growing demand, the brand is set to make its official debut in Canada.
“I am proud to bring Proper No. Twelve to Canada where many of my fans and friends live,” says McGregor, founder and chairman of Eire Born Spirits. “Many thousands of Canadians have asked for Proper, and we have now delivered our delicious blend of golden grain and single malt. This is pure liquid gold aged four years in Bourbon barrels.”
The whiskey is now available across Canada in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Yukon Territory, with the remaining provinces and territories soon to follow.
Conor McGregor poses with Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey / Photo Credit: Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey
Whether you’re hunting for The Glenlivet 14 Year Cognac Cask Selection or Little Book Chapter 03: The Road Home, we’ve got you covered.
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