Grace O’Malley Expands to Michigan Through Great Lakes W&S

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Grace O’Malley and Proclamation, Ireland’s premium whiskey and spirits brands, signed Great Lakes Wine & Spirits, Michigan’s leading wine and spirits wholesaler, to represent it in Michigan.

Grace O’Malley first launched in the U.S. at the beginning of the pandemic in the spring of 2020, followed by the U.S. launch of Proclamation in the fall of 2020. “We’re very excited to announce the partnership with Great Lakes Wine & Spirits in the state of Michigan,” said Stephen Cope, founder/managing director of Grace O’Malley Spirits. “With nearly 80 years of success, Great Lakes can provide the innovation we are looking for to bring our spirits into the Michigan market”

“When expanding our outstanding selection, we look for high quality brands from both industry leaders and craft producers” Lewis Cooper Co-CEO. “We are honored to bring Grace O’Malley and Proclamation to the Michigan market as we continue to add to our Irish Whiskey portfolio, one of the fastest growing categories at the moment”. The Irish Whiskey category has had an explosive growth with overall U.S. sales growth of 6.9% in 2020, according to the Distilled Alcohol Council, with control state volumes increasing 19% from January to June 2021 according to NABCA. It is America’s fastest growing alcohol category.

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Buffalo Trace Distillery Wins Recognition as an Arboretum

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Buffalo Trace Distillery, which is the home to nearly 4,000 plants, has just been awarded Level II arboretum accreditation by the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and the Morton Arboretum. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. Buffalo Trace Distillery is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.

Buffalo Trace has long offered complimentary, in-person tours focused on its bourbon and history and occasionally guided tours of its gardens, which have been a big hit. Now fans can learn even more about Buffalo Trace’s diverse collection of plant life, with a new online tool designed to provide more information about each of the plants represented on site. To use the tool, visit www.BuffaloTraceDistillery.com and navigate to the Arboretum & Botanical Gardens Tour under the Visit Us tab, or follow this link https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/our-tours/botanical-gardens-tour.html and then click to explore. Here users can research the Distillery’s plants by family, genus, or location on site and even explore the Distillery grounds by map.

The new feature offers a way to explore the more than 400 acres of lush gardens, carefully manicured lawns, and the resplendent variety of trees on the grounds. From the Albert B. Blanton Botanical Gardens surrounding his 1934-built residence on the Distillery’s campus, to the floral displays adorning the Visitor Center and the landscapes in between, all of the flourishing life at 113 Great Buffalo Trace is in areas accessible to visitors in-person, and now online too.

The Level II arboretum accreditation requires a public education program, at least 100 labelled woody taxa varieties, and a documented inventory of accessions. The Distillery has currently accessioned and mapped about 4,000 plants, of which there are 1,600 trees, 1,000 shrubs, and 1,400 herbaceous perennial plants.

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Junmai Ginjo Canned Sake Debuts

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Pablo Rivera, who worked at ZX Ventures/AB InBev,  introduces WeSake, a canned premium sake. Made in partnership with a 280-year-old Japanese brewer, WeSake is a Junmai Ginjo-style brew that retains the quality and craft of traditional Japanese sake, with a portable format and authentic message to connect with modern consumers. 

Like all sakes carrying the Junmai distinction, it is made with only rice, water, yeast, and koji, a Japanese fermentation starter also used for making soy sauce and miso. Junmai translates to “pure rice,” nodding to the four simple ingredients used to brew this style of sake. True to form, WeSake is free from any type of additives and joins the market as one of the cleanest beverage options. 

After experiencing the intimate sake bar culture of the Shinjuku area of Tokyo where hundreds of tiny sake bars fill the streets, Rivera realized how such a clean, simple yet elegant beverage can help elevate any moment. With the sake category often mysterious to American drinkers, he envisioned reshaping the way U.S. consumers enjoy the classic Japanese drink by making it more approachable, accessible, and much more than just an epicurean option. 

WeSake, with an ABV of 13%, is non-GMO, vegan friendly, gluten free, and best served chilled. It is crisp, smooth and presents fruit-forward aromas and flavors. WESAKE is available nationwide through their website and at retail in select markets. SRP: $18.99 a four-pack.

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UJA-New York Honors RNDC’s Tom Cole

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

UJA-Federation of New York honored Tom Cole, president/CEO of Republic National Distributing Co., at its Wine & Spirits Division Annual Event on Nov. 3, 2021, at The Harmonie Club in New York City. Cole received the Samuel Bronfman Memorial Award in recognition of his philanthropic and professional achievements. Funds raised at this year’s event will help UJA get individuals who have experienced hardship and trauma due to the pandemic back on their feet.

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Joel Gott Wines Helps Provide 2.5 Million Meals Nationwide

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

The California-based winemaker will help provide 2.5 million meals for Americans facing hunger this holiday season through the Feeding America network of 200 food banks nationwide through Dec. 31, 2021.

Since 2019, Joel Gott Wines has supported Feeding America’s goal of reducing food insecurity through Gott for Good.  “Millions of people nationwide face hunger, which makes our mission through Gott for Good so important. Every family deserves to have food on the table,” said Joel Gott, vintner. “We’re honored to partner with Feeding America and food banks nationwide to help provide meals for families in need this holiday season.”

Food insecurity isn’t talked about much, but it is a significant problem in the U.S.  This year, 1 in 8 individuals may not know where they will get their next meal; this includes 1 in 6 children, according to Feeding America, which adds:

  • In 2020, 13.8 million (1 in 10) households were food insecure, including 5.6 million households with children
  • In 2021, Mississippi is projected to have the highest food insecurity rate (18.7%), and Louisiana is projected to have the highest child food insecurity rate (26%)
  • Texas could have the most food insecure individuals (4.8 million) and children (1.7 million) in the country as well as the most people (1.8 million) and children (500,000) living in households with very low food security
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Shiner Intros a Hard Seltzer from Dill Pickles

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

The recipe, which features a blend of sweet and sour dill pickles, is from Brewmaster Jimmy Mauric’s family, and the release is limited.  Each can of this special edition seltzer has a QR code on it which will take users to picklemode.com where they can ask the all-knowing pickle their burning questions.  

It’s available in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Nevada.

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