Bailey’s Launches “Cream With Spirit” Ad Campaign

From Shanken:

Diageo is launching its biggest-ever global campaign for Baileys, under the new tagline “Cream With Spirit.” Created by BBH, the ads will run across print, TV and digital platforms. They will target the brand’s core female audience by celebrating “the spirit of modern womanhood.” The featured TV spot is designed to look like a music video, inspired by the 1930s films of Hollywood director and musical choreographer Busby Berkley. The campaign will launch in the U.K. on Sunday with a 90-second commercial during the season premiere of the series “Homeland” before hitting the U.S. and other major global markets. The budget for the campaign was undisclosed. Baileys’ U.S. volume was estimated to be around 1.3 million nine-liter cases in 2011, according to Impact Databank.
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Isle of Arran Malt Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Isle of Arran Malt Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky – 750ml, 52% ABV.

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Beam Inc. Opens New Jim Beam® American Stillhouse Visitors' Experience and Global Innovation Center

CLERMONT, KY--(Marketwire - Oct 3, 2012/jm/) - Beam Inc. (NYSE: BEAM)

• Company expects to more than double tourism and attract 200,000 guests annually in Clermont
• Opening marks Beam's one-year anniversary as a standalone publicly traded company

Beam Inc. (NYSE: BEAM), a leading global premium spirits company, officially unveiled its new visitors' center -- The Jim Beam American Stillhouse -- at its flagship distillery in Clermont, Kentucky.

Offering visitors both a look back at its illustrious 218-year history, as well as first-ever tours inside the world's largest bourbon distillery, the opening of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse as well as the company's new Global Innovation Center reflects a $30 million multi-year investment by Beam.

Governor Steven L. Beshear joined Beam President & CEO Matt Shattock and seventh generation Jim Beam master distiller Fredrick "Fred" Booker Noe III to officially open the doors and commemorate Beam's unwavering commitment to the bourbon industry -- an industry it helped create when Jacob Beam made his first Bourbon whiskey in Kentucky in 1795.

"Today is another great day for the Commonwealth of Kentucky," said Governor Beshear. "The Bourbon industry plays a vital role in Kentucky's economic success and the opening of the fantastic Jim Beam American Stillhouse means more tourism for our state and ultimately more jobs for Kentucky families."

"It's only fitting that we're opening the doors to our new Jim Beam visitors' experience one year to the day after becoming a publicly traded standalone spirits company named Beam," said Shattock. "Our visitors' center is a testament to both our treasured heritage and our exciting future. Jim Beam is the world's #1 bourbon, and now it has bourbon's #1 visitors' experience. We're thrilled to bring our flagship Jim Beam brand to life in an entirely new way for all the brand's fans and consumers around the world."

In addition to the Jim Beam American Stillhouse, Beam also celebrated the opening of its new 57,000 square foot Global Innovation Center on the distillery grounds that features state-of-the-art technical, R&D and design labs that will fuel the company's aggressive new-product development initiatives for all markets around the world.

"We aim to deliver 25 percent of our company's annual sales growth from new products, and our new Global Innovation Center will help ensure our innovation capabilities remain second to none," added Shattock.

The Jim Beam American Stillhouse
A replica of a 1930s stillhouse, the Jim Beam American Stillhouse showcases the centuries-old Jim Beam Bourbon-making process from start to finish. Guided tours start with Beam's natural limestone water well and take guests through the mashing, distilling, barreling, storing and bottling lines. A total whiskey immersion engages the senses, while also offering guests a historical look at The First Family of Bourbon.

"Jim Beam is Kentucky, and Kentucky is Jim Beam," said Noe. "Our new center highlights our close relationship and greets visitors with open arms into our history and heritage. The Jim Beam American Stillhouse is a place where guests come as a friend and leave as family."

Special features of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse include:

• An original staircase from the historic Jim Beam distillery circa Prohibition;
• A signature "stillevator" which elevates guests to the center's second floor just like a new born spirit rises during distillation;
• Self-guided walking tours (complimentary), as well as in-depth guided tours ($8);
• A one-of-a-kind retail experience offering branded items featuring the world's No.1-selling Bourbon Jim Beam, Knob Creek^® Bourbon, Red Stag by Jim Beam^™, Devil's Cut^™, Basil Hayden's^® Bourbon, Old Tub^® and Old Grand Dad^®, as well a variety of exclusive bottlings, including:
• Jim Beam^® American Stillhouse 2012 Clermont Limited Edition Bourbon - Hand-numbered and signed by seventh generation Jim Beam family Master Distiller Frederick "Fred" Booker Noe III, only 2,400 bottles of this seven-year-old whiskey are available (SRP: $34.99 )
• Old Tub Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Prior to Prohibition, Jim Beam Bourbon was called Old Tub. Aged four years at 100 proof bottled in bond, Old Tub is being offered in 375ml flasks (SRP: $16.99)
• Jim Beam American Stillhouse Decanters - A nod to the grand opening of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse, this commemorative decanter brings back a piece of Jim Beam history for all to enjoy. Since the early 1950s, hundreds of Beam decanters have celebrated history, sports, politics and more. Each decanter retails for $199.99.

The Jim Beam American Stillhouse is located approximately 30 minutes southeast of Louisville and is open weekdays and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Closed on Sundays in January and February, as well as New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). 

For more information or to order your reservation tickets online, visit the Jim Beam American Stillhouse online at www.AmericanStillhouse.com or under the "distillery" section ofwww.JimBeam.com. Or like Jim Beam Bourbon on Facebook and follow the brand on Twittervia #AmericanStillhouse to get announcements about the Distillery.

About Beam Inc.
As one of the world's leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including Jim Beam Bourbon, Maker's Mark Bourbon, Sauza Tequila, Pinnacle Vodka, Canadian Club Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Teacher's Scotch Whisky, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, EFFEN Vodka, Pucker Flavored Vodka, Larios Gin, Whisky DYC, DeKuyper Cordials, and Skinnygirl Cocktails. Beam is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,300 passionate associates worldwide generated 2011 sales of $2.8 billion, volume of 34 million 9-liter cases and some of the industry's fastest growing innovations.

Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index. For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visitwww.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

© 2012 Beam Inc., Deerfield, IL

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Auchroisk–30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Auchroisk–30 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky – 750ml, 54.7%, Speyside, Limited Edition.

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Albany Distilling Co Opens 10/5

From Shanken:
Albany, New York’s Albany Distilling Co. is set to open its tasting room and launch its first whiskey this Friday, according to local news reports. The company’s first product will be Coal Yard New Make Whiskey, a white unaged whiskey made from Bourbon mash made from corn, rye, malted rye and malted barley. It will sell at the distillery for $31 for a 750-ml. bottle and commemorative glass, and at nearby retail stores with a suggested retail price of $27.99 a bottle. It will also be featured in local restaurants and bars. So far, the distillery has made about 200 gallons of whiskey, half of which was bottled as Coal Yard. The other half has been put into barrels to age into Bourbon that will be rolled out after it matures.

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A.D Rattray Cask Collection 20-Year Glen Grant, 21-Year Auchentoshan, 33-Year Glenlivet

A.D Rattray Cask Collection 20-Year Glen Grant (Speyside, 750 ml, 55.5% ABV, 230 bottles), 21-Year Auchentoshan (Lowland, 750 ml, 54.5% ABV, 230 bottles), 33-Year Glenlivet (Speyside, 750 ml, 55.5% ABV, 130 bottles).

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A.D Rattray Cask Collection 15-Year Macallan

A.D Rattray Cask Collection 15-Year Macallan – Speyside, 750 ml, 56.5% ABV, 280 bottles.

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Feisty Spirits Coming to Fort Collins CO

From Shanken:

Colorado-based newcomer Feisty Spirits is in the process of opening its first commercial distillery in Fort Collins. According to local media reports, the company is prepping the installation of a 60-gallon still, which will be capable of producing between 3,000-3,500 cases of whiskey per year. While various whiskies—including wheat, rye, oat and millet varieties—will be Feisty Spirits’ primary focus, the distiller also plans to eventually experiment with other small-batch offerings, including a peach brandy. Feisty Spirits expects to have bottles available at local retail and on-premise accounts by the end of the year.
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Scotch Exports Rise 13% in 1st Half 2012

From Shanken:

The Scotch whisky category kept up its brisk pace in the U.S. market over the first half of 2012, with shipments jumping 13% to £303.6 million ($490m). That advance comes on the heels of a 31% increase to £655 million ($1.1 billion) in calendar 2011, according to the Scotch Whisky Association and Impact Databank.

Scotch’s surging value growth in the U.S. has been driven by gains at the high end. Among the U.S. market’s top five Scotch brands by volume, only top-ranked Johnnie Walker, up 1.5% to 1.65 million cases, and fifth-ranked Glenlivet, up 6.5% to 330,000 cases, advanced last year, as second-ranked Dewar’s was flat at 1.2 million cases and third-ranked Clan MacGregor (-6.7%) and fourth-ranked Chivas Regal (-1.2%) declined. On the other hand, the top six single malt Scotch brands, including The Glenlivet, Macallan, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Balvenie and McClelland’s all grew, rising a collective 9.5% in 2011, according to Impact Databank.

Along with the U.S., a host of far-flung emerging markets drove Scotch shipments over the first half. Among the fastest growers by value were Taiwan (+14%), Venezuela (+31%), Latvia (+77%), India (+28%), Estonia (+35%) and Aruba (+31%). Some other key markets—both established and emerging—slipped, including France (-14%), Singapore (-1.5%), Spain (-24%), South Africa (-16%), Brazil (-22%) and Japan (-21%). In China, where fears of an economic slowdown have recently made headlines, Scotch shipments’ value growth was a tepid 1.6%. Overall, Scotch exports were roughly flat by value during 2012’s first half at £1.8 billion ($2.9b).
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The Macallan Works With Photographer Annie Leibovitz

NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Macallan, the luxury single malt whisky, has commissioned renowned photographer, Annie Leibovitz for the third edition of its award-winning Masters of Photography series. Following a world exhibition tour that traveled across the globe, including stops in Hong Kong, Moscow, and London, the bottles will now be available in the US. PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1oWgh)

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First Indonesian Whiskey Achieves International Recognition

TABANAN, Indonesia, Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DRUM GREEN LABEL Whisky announced that the brand has just won Gold Medal in Spirit International Prestige (SIP) Awards which took place in California, USA on July 19, 2012.

DRUM GREEN LABEL Whisky competed with hundreds of international brand in this spirit competition. This award makes DRUM GREEN LABEL Whisky as the first Indonesian whisky which got International Recognition.

SIP Awards itself takes a fresh approach to beverage competitions by linking producers to the people who matter most -- the consumers. The spirits are judged in a blind tasting that is based on aroma, taste, and finish. The SIP Awards were instituted in 2009 to celebrate the diversity and high quality of spirits and to recognize the best of the best in an effort to generate unbiased and impartial acknowledgement.

"This competition is not about who has the best marketing campaigns, which brand has won awards in the past, or who has a local fan base -- it is purely about quality," explained SIP Awards Executive Producer Mr. Paul Hashemi. "The focus on quality appeals to both smaller companies whose spirits are not yet available on a global distributorship-level, but are worthy of recognition on an international scale, and to consumers who are most concerned with taste," he added.

"Competing with hundreds of international brands was such a stiff competition for us. Gladly, the sixty judges had chose us and recognize our premium quality so we won the Gold Medal," said Astidama Distillery Managing Director Mr. Dedy Gusanto. "This achievement will enable us to confidently offer our uniqueness of Balinese Premium Whisky to the world," he concluded.

About DRUM GREEN LABEL Whisky

DRUM GREEN LABEL Whisky is a Balinese Premium Whisky produced by Astidama Distillery located in Tabanan, Bali. Astidama Distillery is the first Indonesian distillery with sophisticated technology to produce world-class spirits. To produce such a world-class spirit, DRUM GREEN LABEL Whisky uses only selective malts from UK and high quality grains from Bali. The whisky is matured in uniquely mixed barrels and aged for 4-years. This process creates a unique aroma, taste and finish. Whisky drinker will find a unique woody and oaky aroma beside a buttery taste and fruity finish. This unique blend is a perfect match with the harmony spirit of Dewata Island.

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1oOAa)

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