Commerce is an ever-shifting beast. Rolling with changing times and tastes, luxury liquor brands are not only upping their product game, but also including new enticements to invest in premium bottles.
NFTs, crowdfunding, and new music are just a few of the perks that buyers can earn from participating in spirits maker releases in 2022. Follow along with The Manual for a few of the most fun, innovative recent releases.
Patrón en Lalique: Serie 3
July 24 marks National Tequila Day in the United States. The world’s leading premium tequila brand will mark the day as the crown on a partnership with a renowned French crystal company.
Patrón Tequila joined with Lalique to unveil Patrón en Lalique: Serie 3, an ultra premium blend of Mexican artisanal tequilas arriving in a handmade decanter. Individually numbered at Lalique’s factory in Wingen-sur-Moder, Alsace, France, the super exclusive spirits are delivered and stored by BlockBar in a bottle worthy of the Weber Blue agave plant from which Patrón tequila derives.
Designed by Lalique’s artistic and creative director, Marc Larminaux, the bottle is itself an artistic interpretation of the agave plant. The distillation is a rare blend of extra añejo tequilas from master distiller David Rodriguez — 14 different distillations each aged for up to 8 years in French and American oak casks. The result? A crystalline brew emanating subtle spices and evoking dried fruits, sherry wine, and intense woodiness.
Patrón en Lalique: Serie 3’s ultra exclusive release includes only 299 750 mm bottles with a suggested $7,500 retail price. The crystal casks will be available sometime soon at BlockBar.com, the world’s first direct-to-consumer NFT marketplace for fine wine and spirits.
Deer, Bear & Moose Scotch
Liquor lovers looking to score a Deer, Bear & Moose Scotch will have to win the right to purchase one of 280 available for U.S. consumers from Flaviar.
The 12-year-old Islay Scotch is matured in ex-bourbon barrels, infusing into a complex woody, toasted palate, reminiscent of refined sweet peat, and accompanied by notes of almonds, toffee, and candied fruits. Deer, Bear & Moose Scotch will only be available via pre-registration for a Friday, July 22 lottery. Each $180 bottle comes with its own NFT to celebrate the 25th edition of the exclusive single barrel Scotch with digital certificates of authenticity.
Pre-registration for the lottery to purchase Deer, Bear & Moose is now available on the website and will be live through Thursday, July 22.
YoCo (Young Country) Vodka
Nashville producer, songwriter, and radio station owner Polow da Don is doubling down on his role as a music ambassador by introducing smooth Tennessee vodka to the world.
Noted for his work with Fergie, Nicki Minaj, and Usher, Polow has produced numerous No. 1 hits that have topped the pop, rap, and country charts. This success spawned Polow’s radio station, Young Country 96.7 FM Nashville, in June 2019. Now, Polow aims to bridge together YoCo, the music genre he helped found, with the young professional lifestyle.
At the center of this mission is YoCo Vodka ($20), developed for novice and connoisseur drinkers alike as a ticket into the world of Young Country. An expression of individuality for a new generation, the bottle label even represents a backstage pass to one heck of a fiesta for a crew, and a connection across music, social events, and cultural happenings.
“We created Young Country Radio with the purpose of breaking down the stereotype of country music and giving young artists the space to be their true selves and create freely,” Polow said in a press release. “With the introduction of YoCo Vodka, we’re taking it one step further and providing consumers the liquid to elevate and enjoy their experiences.”
Hercules Mulligan Rum & Rye
Not only can consumers purchase an exclusive release of a ready-to-drink specialty cocktail, they can also be a part of the growth of this release.
Post a successful three-week, $750,000 crowdfunding round spearheaded by Flaviar’s Fine Spirits & Whiskey Club, Hercules Mulligan Rum & Rye launched a second crowdfunding campaign of $1.5 million, headlined by a limited-edition expression — Eyr & Rye. The blend of Irish whiskey and American rye whiskey with Maraschino Cherry Bitters recalls its inspiration.
Rum & Rye is a twist on the typical Hercules 50:50 blend of Caribbean-aged rum and homegrown American
In its effort to create a dedicated community, the Flaviar brand is even inviting investors to buy into the expanding product.
Royal Brackla Sherry-Finished Single Malt Whisky
This new release of an old-school liquor is giving back with each bottle manufactured.
Bacardi Group’s John Dewar & Sons unveiled a new range of whiskies from Royal Brackla, the first Scotch to be granted a Royal Warrant. The liquor’s initial 1833 release so pleased Scot King William IV, Brackla was called “The Drink Divine” on royal tables. Now this noble taste is showcasing a new twist for the next generation of malt drinkers. Malt Master Stephanie Macleod re-imagined the brand’s core spirits with maturation and finishing in select, fine Sherry casks.
“The type of cask is chosen to complement the distillery’s signature character,” Macleod said in a press release. “Finishing the aged spirit in… prized wooden vessels imparts each expression with incredible complexity, each with their own nuances… with a superbly balanced finish.”
The just-released line includes Royal Brackla 12 Year Old ($71), 18 Year Old ($300), and 21 Year Old ($600), bottled at a higher ABV (46%) than in previous years.
In addition, this production is helping Bacardi’s overall mission to become the most environmentally responsible global spirits company. The annual weight of the new Brackla range has been reduced by nearly 29 tons of glass, 14 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and 26,000 liters of water.
Opihr Gin
Opihr Gin’s four different offerings follow the ancient Spice Routes. Also known as the Maritime Silk Roads, the Spice Routes were a network of sea courses bringing goods from the Far East to the West. Stretching from Japan’s west coast down into the Indonesian islands, around India, and west to the Middle East, goods found their way into the Mediterranean Sea and north through Europe.
Inspired by the adventurous merchant drive that brought botanical and exotic spices thousands of miles across the earth, Opihr’s gins not only offer a taste of these trade routes, but 13 curated cocktail selections representing each region.
The Opihr Drinks Atlas is designed to celebrate the sources of botanicals and herbal flavors in the distillery’s products. The Szechuan Pepper featured in Ophir’s Far East Edition, for example, is featured in the Spiced Red Snapper, a gin Bloody Mary that will knock brunch drinkers’ socks off.
Goslings Black Seal Rum in the Metaverse
Fittingly, International Dark ‘n Stormy Day marked Goslings Black Seal Rum’s entry into the metaverse. The company’s filing covers the uses of the Dark ‘n Stormy brand where digital media and collectible NFTs are concerned. This follows the Goslings trademark for the rum and ginger beer drink in over 20 countries.
“It’s very exciting to see the Dark ‘n Stormy cocktail and the Goslings brand take a digital step into the future, on the same day we received the original Dark ‘n Stormy trademark over 30 years ago,” eighth generation rum maker Malcolm Gosling Jr. said. “It is our mission to be at the forefront of expanding opportunities for generations to come.”
Goslings was founded on the pioneering spirit of his sixth great-grandfather, James Gosling, who left England in 1806 for the unknown at 19 years old. The rum bottler is still a family-owned company and in its eighth generation. Goslings Rum will spend the next year developing campaigns around the digital trademark, leading up to International Dark ‘n Stormy Day on June 9, 2023.
Whatever go-to alcohol or blend that imbibers may choose, these limited and rare releases are not to be missed collectible treats over the coming months.
