New Origin Gins - Each Features Juniper Berries From Various Locales.

The Origin range of London Dry Gins is a unique proposition for the discerning gin-lover. Each expression is distilled using juniper gathered from one single location; Arezzo (Italy), Meppel (The Netherlands), Veliki Preslav (Bulgaria) and Valbone (Albania), with two more son to come from Kosovo and Macedonia, respectively.




The flavor profile of the beautifully labeled line of gins vary largely in taste but are all very ‘juniper-focused’. For this reason, Master of Malt supplied a small (10ml) vial of additional (cold-distilled) botanicals. Adding this vial to the bottle will transform it into a more ‘typical’ gin, flavoured by Coriander and Citrus, as well as the inevitable Juniper.




The full list of ingredients in this ‘adjunct’ vial is:
• Coriander
• Fresh Lemon Peel
• Bitter Orange Peel
• Cardamom
• Angelica
• Cassia
• Liquorice
• Cubeb Berries
• Camomile

Origin – Single Estate Juniper Spirit. Arezzo, Italy
Clean Citrus and Pine, with a really smooth creaminess on the finish. Amazingly Long.


Origin – Single Estate Juniper Spirit. Meppel, The Netherlands
Tobacco and Calves Leather, with an earthy, Coffee-Rich Finish. Much more savoury and masculine than the Arezzo.


Origin – Single Estate Juniper Spirit. Veliki Preslav, Bulgaria
Perfumed, Floral notes with a fruity, slightly waxy finish. Put me in mind of a fantastic old Clynelish…


Origin – Single Estate Juniper Spirit. Valbonë, Albania
Resinous and Blackcurrant-y notes, with hints of Tobacco and a chocolaty finish. Very rich.


These can be purchased online from Harvey Nichols and other fine liquor establishments that specialize in unique products.

The Gin Blog (from where some of these images came) has an extensive and informative review of the Origin Gins here.

Other info and images courtesy of Master of Malt

SKYY Vodka and amfAR Create Special Limited Edition Velvet Flocked Bottle For The Holiday.

SKYY’s First-of-its-Kind “Flocked” Blue Velvet Bottle Will Help Consumers Give Back This Holiday Season.



SKYY® Vodka’s iconic blue bottle is donning a new festive look this winter, all in the name of the true holiday spirit. SKYY, the number-one domestic super-premium vodka in the US, and the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), one of the leading nonprofits dedicated to ending the global AIDS epidemic, are partnering this holiday season to launch the exclusive SKYY Vodka Blue Velvet Limited Edition Bottle.



The sophisticated, soft-to-touch bottle is flocked with an intricate, blue velvet pattern – a design element never before used in the spirits industry – making it the ideal, unique festive gift for consumers who want to give back this holiday.



“We incorporated the baroque pattern into the design because over a year ago when we began the process we felt strongly about velvet baroque patterns to connote style and elegance. However, it had never been done before so we had to innovate the technique. Fast forward to launch time for the SKYY holiday bottle, and baroque the biggest trend at all the fashion shows. So while we were planning our bottle, the big fashion houses were thinking the same thing with their clothing lines. Most of the major designers are integrating baroque details into their collections. Adding the velvet texture to the bottle made it sexy, touchable and holiday-appropriate, and fortunately, on-trend.” Says MDG Creative Director Gabrielle Rein.



“amFAR is an incredible organization that contributes greatly to the ongoing battle against AIDS,” said Jason Daniel, Brand Director, SKYY Vodka. “We are thrilled to partner with them on the Blue Velvet Limited Edition Bottle which not only showcases SKYY Vodka’s dedication to quality, innovation and style, but also our commitment to charitable giving. For holiday parties this year, we hope folks reach for the SKYY Blue Velvet Bottle as an easy and fun way to give back to their communities.”



A fashionable twist on the iconic SKYY cobalt blue glass bottle, the Blue Velvet Limited Edition Bottle makes it easy for gift givers to show their true holiday spirit in style. In honor of the partnership, SKYY has also created two festive specialty cocktails:

amfAR Holiday Spirit Martini:
3 oz. chilled SKYY Vodka
Hint of Cinzano Extra Dry Vermouth

Fill shaker with ice, add SKYY Vodka and a drop of Vermouth. Shake vigorously then pour into a chilled martini glass.

SKYY Vodka Mistletoe:
1 ½ oz. SKYY Vodka
1 oz. Raspberry Liqueur
Squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice

Mix ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Strain into chilled, martini glass and garnish with cranberries.

The SKYY Blue Velvet Limited Edition Bottle will be available for a limited time at liquor stores nationwide for a suggested retail price of $18.49 for 750 ml.

About amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested more than $340 million in its programs and has awarded grants to more than 2,000 research teams worldwide.

source: PR Newswire
images courtesy of SKYY Vodka

Ardbeg Galileo Rockets To Market. The Special Release of A Limited Edition 12 Year Old Whiskey That Is Out Of This World.

Ardbeg Galileo has landed.


Galileo, a vatting of different styles of Ardbeg laid down in 1999, is a combination of spirits that have been matured in ex-Marsala wine casks or in ex-bourbon casks. Together they create a sweet, smokey whiskey. The few thousand cases of the 12 year old whiskey made available are being picked up quickly and the space experiment that it was named after is going strong.



The beautiful packaging by Zing:





Invited by US Space Research Company, NanoRacks LLC, Ardbeg has been taking place in an experiment to test micro organic compounds in a maturation experiment since 2011. Vials of Ardbeg were launched into space and are currently maturing on the International Space Station.

The experiment will help explain the nature of "terpenes" compounds and will provide Ardbeg with information on new chemical building blocks in its own flavor spectrum.

Having recently become available, Galileo is restricted to two bottles per person (but already out of stock on the Ardbeg site). Bottled at a strength of 49% it is non chill-filtered for extra texture and mouth feel.



Tasting Notes
Aroma: A burst of intense smoky fruit escapes into the atmosphere. Add water and breathe in toasted vanilla, sizzling cinnamon and warm hazelnut.
Taste: An explosion of crackling peat ignites flavour explosions. Tangy lemon and lime juice, spiced toffee, followed by smooth buttermilk, bananas and currants. Smoke brims with creamy cappuccino and toasted marshmallows.
Finish: Long and smoky with tarry espresso

above: The Ardbeg Rocket Tour kicked off in Chicago on May 3, 2012 and will stop in 22 states in 28 weeks. Tour stops include key U.S. landmarks in states including California, Texas, New York and Florida. An Ardbeg Brand Ambassador will be on board the tour to educate consumers on the experiment, the brand, and where legal, to sample Ardbeg, recently rated by The Whisky Bible as the "Best Single Malt Scotch – 10 Years and Under."

Ardbeg

Ardbeg only ships within the UK, however other specialty liquor stores around the world do carry the item. Prices seem to range from $89.99 to $199.99

Here are a few online stores that carry the product:
Worldwide merchants who carry the product
Single Malts Direct
Online merchants who ship world-wide

Patrón Añejo Holiday 2012 Guitar Bottle Stopper by John Varvatos.

Award-winning fashion designer John Varvatos teamed up with design agency Mode Design Group (MDG) to create a custom, limited edition bottle for tequila brand Patrón this holiday season.



Varvatos designed a Guitar headstock and tuning pegs along with Patron's Bee symbol to function as the stopper on a bottle of for Patrón Añejo for the 2012 holiday season, alluding to the rock n' roll vibe of both the fashion designer and the tequila brand.



MDG facilitated the collaboration between the brands and helped realize the branding, logo and package design. The Patrón Añejo bottle comes in a customized box, created to fit the guitar-shaped stopper, and embodies the rock n’ roll vibe that John Varvatos is known for.



This was the first designer collaboration for Patrón and the first spirits collaboration for John Varvatos. “This guitar stopper is a perfect blend of the two brands. John Varvatos put his trademark rock n’ roll edge on the iconic Patrón bottle. It’s an exciting blend of fashion, music and spirits, and with the custom box to complete the package, it really makes a perfect holiday gift”. Says MDG Creative Director Gabrielle Rein.

The bottles hit shelves in December, and will be available for purchase through the 2012 holiday season.

Brut for Bond. Bollinger Limited Edition Champagne 002 for 007.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of 007’s appearance on screen in Skyfall and the Bollinger / James Bond partnership, Champagne Bollinger  has launched a limited edition special presentation box of one of their great vintages from the last century, Bollinger La Grande Année 2002.




Champagne Bollinger has been Bond’s champagne of choice since its first appearance on screen in ‘Live and Let Die’ in 1973, when the Brocolli-Wilson family decided that Bollinger best represented Bond’s impeccable taste.

The presentation box, in the shape of a Walther PPK silencer, opens by aligning the three numbers 007 and by clicking on the gun logo button, revealing a bottle of Bollinger La Grande Année 2002, the most exceptional vintage in the last decade, according to Mathieu Kauffmann, Cellar Master at Champagne Bollinger.



The bottle, adorned in shiny black and hot stamped silver, is a collector’s item in itself, an elegant celebration of the 50th anniversary of James Bond on screen. The guilloche pattern on the label and the cap is repeated on the box, a veiled reference to the grip of the pistol. 30,000 bottles of Bollinger’s 002 for 007 have been produced.



Harrods of London was decked out in tribute to 007 for the whole of October. Bollinger aficionados attended a preview launch of the 002 for 007 presentation box.



From escalators to store windows via tasting areas, Bond’s favourite champagne enjoys pride of place in the legendary department store. On display are bottles of Mr Bond’s favourite cuvées –including the mythical Bollinger R.D. and an outsized version of the box dedicated to the latest Bond movie.




The Bollinger 002 for 007 presentation box is now for sale at Harrods.com (£150) and TheWhiskyExchange (£125), Sherry-Lehman ($199), at Zachy's  ($195) and in specialist shops and wine merchants all over the globe. TheWhiskyExchange can ship to most countries in the world (price is excluding shipping costs).

photos © Champagne Bollinger and Harrods

Absolut Exposure Puts Model Lydia Hearst Shot by Johan Renck On 3 Bottles In A Unique Traveler’s Exclusive Limited Edition.

above: image of Lydia Hearst by Johan Renck, courtesy of her twitter feed

The press release:
A unique Traveler’s Exclusive limited edition flavor celebrating the arts of photography and illusion, in creative collaboration with visionary artist Johan Renck.

On the eve of 22 October it was introduced for the first time at a glamorous sneak preview cocktail at Restaurant New York New York in Cannes — ABSOLUT EXPOSURE, the new eagerly anticipated and sensational Traveler’s Exclusive limited edition flavor from the world’s leading premium vodka brand.



ABSOLUT has pioneered the market with its previous Traveler’s Exclusive limited edition launches. ABSOLUT EXPOSURE crosses new boundaries. A new-generation flavor crafted with honey melon and lemongrass, ABSOLUT EXPOSURE is presented in a bottle with an innovative and groundbreaking technique of incorporating photography — for the first time — in bottle printing, with stunning result.



”We’re thrilled about the ABSOLUT EXPOSURE launch,” says Anders Olsson, Director of The Absolut Company Global Travel Retail. ”Both the product itself, the packaging and the campaign represents some of our core brand values — premiumness, innovation and cutting edge creativity. For a frontline brand as ABSOLUT, it’s all about constantly pushing boundaries. This launch is also yet another tribute to the brand building qualities of our global duty free/travel retail market and a proud successor of our previous groundbreaking Traveler’s Exclusive launches.”

Visionary Swedish director, photographer and artist Johan Renck has photographed actress and supermodel Lydia Hearst guised in a number of different ”personas”. Three of these characters — called Carter, Trojan and Dimitty — were selected to illustrate the multifaceted nature of every individual, adding diversity to the product offer as well as an intriguing illusory effect to store displays. By purchasing all three bottles, the consumer acquires an instant ABSOLUT limited edition collection. In addition to the images of Lydia Hearst, the bottle décor also features a bowler hat (a trademark of Johan Renck) and hands ”holding” the image, symbolizing the dual role of the artist — powerful in presence yet invisible in the work of art itself.


above: Instagram image courtesy of Lydia Hearst (that's Johan Renck with the bowler on)

”That’s the complex and schizophrenic nature of the photographic medium — being the observer, a voyeur, yet ultimately commanding the position of deciding what reality or perception of reality to project,” says Johan Renck.

ABSOLUT EXPOSURE will be launched throughout the global duty free/travel retail market in January 2013. ABSOLUT EXPOSURE will be supported by a powerful and innovative marketing campaign in all available media, including unique in-store brand installations.

Wicked Wines For Halloween. Seventeen Of The Frightfully Finest Wines, Bottle and Label Designs.

A round-up of 17 beautifully designed (and highly rated) bottled wines with goulish names and wicked labels that will put the scare into your All Hallows'Eve.

While there are lots of fun novelty wines out there for Halloween (and those wonderful Halloween wine labels you can stick on your own bottles) there are also some lesser known and some highly rated wines from all over the world that will work wonderfully for Halloween.

Here's a selection of 17 frightfully fantastic options:

R Wines' (no longer in business) Skulls Red Wine with stunning label by Istvan Orosz (b.1951), a Hungarian graphic designer, poster artist and film director:



Klinkerbrick Winery's Old Ghost Zinfandel:


Killibinbin's Shiraz, The Blend and Scaredy Cat Wines:


Emh Vineyard's Black Cat Cabernet:


Twisted Oak's River of Skulls Varietal:


Four Vines Heretic, Paso Robles Petite Syrah:


Black Widow Winery's Phobia and other wines:


Bogle's Phantom:


Skeleton Wines' Argentinian Malbec, Austrian Gruner Veltliner and Blauer Zweigelt:


Schmitt Sohne's Superstition Riesling/Pinot Blanc:


Spellbound Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon:


Chateau Diana's Zombie Zinfandel:



Some of these wines are no longer being harvested and bottled but past vintages are still available either directly from the vineyards or found online at places like wine access, wine.com and wine-searcher