Category: Spirits

Writing the Foreword to an upcoming Book on Women in the Rum Industry

I am deeply honoured to write the Foreword to a book about women rum distillers, which is set to be released at the end of this year or early next year.  I’ve finished the draft and sent it to my colleague and his partner in Amsterdam.

You will find plenty of books about whisky/whiskey in the marketplace, but finding books focused on rum are comparatively few and far between. The ones I did managed to find included: how to drink rum, classic rums, new-generation rums, rhum agricole, premium aged rums, international rums and rum cocktails, but never has there been a book published on women rum distillers, until now!   Watch this space for further details.

#womenleadingrum #masterblender #womenleaders #womenempowerment #womenempoweringwomen #womenempowerwomen #womeninspiringwomen #womenofimpact #inspirationalwomen #rum #rhum #rumlover #rumlove #rumlife #rumstyle #rumwomen #womeninspirits #womensupportingwomen #mondaymotivation #book #rumbook #booklaunch #monday #mondayvibes 

House Bill 1409 Makes Indiana Rye Whiskey Official

A new bill passed today declared Indiana Rye to be a legally-binding, regional designation whiskey from today.

“July 1, 2021, is a moment of history in the world of whiskey and the world of Indiana Whiskey,” says Hard Truth Distilling Co Master Distiller Bryan Smith.

Craft distillers in Indiana scored a big win this week when a new bill was passed allowing distillers to label their product with the term “Indiana Rye” whiskey.

With more than 30 distilleries currently producing rye whiskey in the state, Indiana provides the lion’s share of the rye whiskey consumed on today’s market, with its famous MGP distillery alone knocking out ryes for Bulleit, WhistlePig, Angel’s Envy, High West, Redemption, and more.

From the start of July, almost 174 years since MGP first opened its doors, Indiana distillers have finally won the right to own and regulate their unique style of whiskey. The aim is to establish Indiana Rye in a similar way to how the state of Kentucky has promoted Bourbon.

According to the new bill, in order for a whiskey to be called an “Indiana Rye,” it must be either a sour or sweet mash with at least 51% rye as the base ingredient. The juice has to come off the stills at 80% ABV or less, go into the barrel at no more than 62.5% ABV, and be bottled at 40% ABV and above. The whiskey must be aged for a minimum of two years in new white American oak barrels.

Crucially, the bill allows local distillers to label their product with the term “Indiana Rye” whiskey and have it be a legally binding regional designation.

The move is also a play to transform Indiana into a whiskey tourist destination, with state rep Chris May, who spearheaded the legislation, saying: “We want Indiana to become as popular for its rye whiskey as it is for its basketball and racing. Establishing that market, both in sales and tourism, might one day put the success of our state’s distilleries on par with that of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.”

#Rye #RyeWhiskey #distillerytrail #indiana #indianaryewhiskey #whiskey#craftspirits

Glenmorangie releases a single malt designed to be paired with cake

Glenmorangie is celebrating the joy of a ‘cake moment’ with its latest release. The sweet and indulgent single malt, Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake is inspired by memories of baking, birthdays and more, with flavours of honey, vanilla and the fruit notes.  The idea for the spirit began with Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s director of whisky creation, thinking back on how some of his happiest memories involved cake. He experimented by finishing Glenmorangie in wine casks from the Tokaji region of Hungary, which lent their sweet honeyed notes to the smooth and fruity whisky.

Dr Bill said: “Like so many of us, some of my favourite memories come from cake, whether it be helping my granny in her kitchen, or the pineapple birthday cake my daughter surprised me with one year. By finishing whisky in Tokaji wine casks, I’ve captured the joy of those indulgent cake moments in Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake. The liquid is a rich copper, but the taste is pure technicolour – luscious, sweet and complex with multi-layered bursts of honey, white chocolate and fruits with a hint of mint.”

The whisky is finished in Tokaj wine casks, which is intended to help it develop flavours of honey, white chocolate and fruit. Glenmorangie has partnered with famed baker Dominique Ansel and bartender Jeremy Le Blanche to create a cocktail and cake pairing to mark the Scotch’s launch.

The cocktails will be made with a range of Glenmorangie whiskies including  The Original, The Lasanta and The Quinta Ruban.

The ‘CakeTail’ pairings will be available at Ansel’s bakery in New York, but the pair will also create recipes that whisky fans can make at home, which will be shared on Glenmorangie’s social channels.

Glenmorangie website: https://www.glenmorangie.com/en-gb

 

Yoshino Spirits Co. launches the first whisky aged in Japanese cherry tree wood

Yoshino Spirits Co. has launched the “World’s First Sakura & Yoshino Sugi Cask Finish Whisky Brand” under Kamiki Whisky portfolio. “Kamiki Sakura Cask Finish” is a Japanese whisky finished in sakura wood, which is commonly known as Japanese cherry tree wood.

The whisky, which will be launched first in the UK, then globally.

Yoshino Spirits Co. Yoshino is a private company based in Osaka, exporting finest Japanese whisky, wine and spirits to the world.

For more information details visit: www.yoshinospirits.com

 

The Rémy Cointreau Group solidarity act to fight COVID-19

Rémy Cointreau releases the following statement last week –

Solidarity actions to fight the epidemic continue at our various sites. We are proud to share the local and spontaneous mobilization of our employees to help healthcare professionals. Their actions reflect our values: Terroir, People and Time.

As all alcohol-related logistics are subject to strict safety and taxation rules, all around the world, the Rémy Cointreau Group is happy to provide its expertise, as a response commensurate with the challenge. Therefore, alcohol donations and hand sanitizer production have been quickly set up and will continue over the long term.

 In France, every production site is mobilized

In France, the Group organizes donations of neutral alcohol (> 96°) and ensures a direct delivery to the users, in the areas we know best: Cognac (Rémy Martin & Louis XIII); Angers (Cointreau); Isère, land of the Domaine des Hautes Glaces; and finally, Paris. More than 10,000 liters of neutral alcohol has been sent to 13 hospitals, central pharmacies and local companies with urgent needs, in four different regions. We would like to warmly thank the Cristal Union cooperative, our supplier, and our forwarding partner Hillebrand, who graciously assisted us in the logistics of the operation.

Rémy Martin has responded to the call from the Houses of Cognac Syndicate which has set up a regional operation to produce, bottle and distribute a hydro-alcoholic solution, with the help of health professionals, elected representatives and the Qualyse laboratory. Rémy Martin has contributed 850 liters of wine alcohol (UNIFAB, now approved by sanitary rules) to this effort. GPs, pharmacies, retirement homes and personal care services in Charente and Charente-Maritime will beneficiate from this donation.

Since March 21th, our production site in Angers also supplies the Angers Faculty of Pharmacy with neutral alcohol (300 liters/day). Since the beginning of April, the objective -shared with the liquorist Giffard- is now to produce a ready-to-use hydro-alcoholic solution, in 2 or 5 liter containers, distributed to the local hospital, which is in charge of its redistribution to other actors in need.

In Europe, donations of alcohol and production of hydro-alcoholic lotion continue

In Scotland, teams at the Bruichladdich distillery are working hard to prevent any outbreak on the small island of Islay that would put enormous pressure on the already limited resources. Hand sanitizer with an alcohol content greater than 60%, then 80% -in accordance with the WHO formulation advisesis distributed to hospitals, emergency services, nursing homes and places where people interact, such as shops.

Although Greece has coped very well with the pandemic yet, the House of Metaxa has pledged to cover the needs for alcohol of the 13 hospitals taking care of coronavirus patients. Up to 35,000 liters of alcohol will be shipped all over Greece over the next three months, to support healthcare professionals working on the front line.

 A direct collaboration with American hospitals

In the United States, our Westland distillery directly contacted hospitals in the Seattle area to send 500 liters of finished WHO-formula sanitizer out the door. The volunteer bottling teams work every day with the challenge of keeping the stations completely separated from each other. They anticipate outputting 400 liters per day, 7 days per week, starting the week of April 6, supported by one of their main suppliers who has generously donated 60 tons of malt to produce ethanol.