SPIRITS NEWS
Three new whiskies from William Grant & Sons
DB keeps some Odd Company DB HAS launched a new RTD brand that taps into the rise of premiumisation and the growth of hard seltzers with its new Odd Company range of drinks. Sean O’Donnell, DB Breweries Marketing Director, says the creation of Odd Company reflects Kiwis’ changing tastes. “In the last year we’ve seen a big shift in what people are wanting out of a ready to drink product, with vodka and gin based RTDs up 36% and 57% respectively*. People are also wanting more from the products they consume than purely refreshment or great flavour. Odd Company has crafted a suite of drinks that are packed with flavour yet because they all use sparkling water as a mixer, they have less sugar than some other RTDs you will find on the shelf.” There are three variants in the Odd Company range: • The Fancy One - Gin, cucumber & lime with sparkling water • The Party Guy - Vodka, lemon, lime & yuzu with sparkling water • The Cheeky One - Vodka, peach & passionfruit with sparkling water The Odd Company - 5% ABV, RRP $25.99 (10 x 330ml can pack) *Nielsen Total Defined Liquor MAT to 12.1.20
DB
Federal Merchants & Co has three new whiskies from William Grant & Sons now available to trade. Aerstone is a new range, created to “simplify” the taste messaging in the single malt category. The 10YO single malt Scotch whisky is available in two expressions: Sea Cask 10 Year Old and Land Cask 10 Year Old. William Grant & Sons says the new Aerstone range aims to help new single malt drinkers navigate the flavours of the category easily through clear taste descriptors on its packaging. Sea Cask, described as “smooth and easy” on the label, is a classic Speyside-style single malt while Land Cask is described as “rich and smoky” and is a peated single malt. Brian Kinsman, Master Blender at William Grant & Sons, says Aerstone offers two very different and evocative flavour profiles under one brand. “They are both inspired by the Scottish environment and raw elements where we age our whisky. With a 10-year age statement, people can expect a well-rounded single malt whisky with depth of flavours that will intrigue not only new drinkers, but also more experienced single malt enthusiasts.’ Grant’s Triple Wood Smoky Whisky is also available now – a distinctive whisky aged in three woods with an expression of peat. Master Blender, Brian Kinsman, chooses grain and malt whiskies matured in three distinct woods (similar to Grant’s Triple Wood blend) but ups the addition of peated whiskies for a smooth and fruity taste with subtle smokiness. Federal Merchants
Cardrona offers new distillers course plus tours Cardrona Distillery is launching a range of experiences at its Wanaka premises to cater to all levels of whisky lover. The original Classic Tour has returned and is joined by The Cardrona Family Reserve Tour, which is hosted by either Cardrona Master Distiller Sarah Elsom, or Kenny Vaugh, Operations Manager of Cardrona. The tours, which are limited to seven people, focus on warehousing and maturation. Guests will taste spirit directly from cask, and then select and hand-fill their own exclusive bottle of single cask Cardrona Single Malt Whisky, from a choice of three casks preselected from Cardrona’s stocks. The Cardrona Family Reserve Tour is $350 per person, including the exclusive handdipped single cask bottle of Cardrona whisky, worth $200. Also new is the Practical Distillers Course for Whisky, Gin & Vodka. The 5-day courses will run in August and November and will cover all the practical information required to understand distillation on a deeper level, with an interactive hands-on approach. Cardrona Distillery will also offer ‘Private Casks’, following the tradition of many single malt distilleries in which a small number of casks are set aside for purchase. The team at Cardrona work with cask owners to assist their selection of their award-winning Cardrona Single Malt Whisky casks. cardronadistillery.com 78 DRINKSBIZ JUNE / JULY 2020
