Category: Announcements

Lunazul Blanco awarded Chairman’s Trophy at 2018 Ultimate Spirits Challenge

Heaven Hill Brands’ Lunazul 100% Agave Tequila is on a sweep of the distilled spirits industry’s top tasting competitions this season. Lunazul Blanco was awarded the 2018 Chairman’s Trophy in the Blanco category of the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Lunazul Reposado received “Best of Show” and a Double Gold medal from the 2018 WSWA Tasting Competition and a Gold medal from the 2018 San Francisco Spirits Competition.

At the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Lunazul Blanco scored 96 points, the highest score of all category entrants and was also designated as an “Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation” and “Great Value.” Crafted using 100% agave and bottled at 40 percent alcohol by volume, Lunazul Blanco was noted as a “benchmark example of what tequila can and should accomplish” according to the Ultimate Spirits Challenge blog. Tasting notes from the judges, a panel of industry experts, described Lunazul as “vividly tropical notes of green mango, passion fruit, and hot sand burst forth on the nose. Subtle citrus dances with black peppercorn and ripe white peach with a soft, rounded texture that is pleasing on the palate. Stimulating and well-rounded.”

Lunazul Reposado is bottled at 40 percent alcohol by volume and rested in Bourbon barrels for six months. With a pale amber color, and classic, earthy agave taste, Lunazul Reposado is a value unmatched for aged 100% agave Tequila. The estate grown, distilled and bottled Lunazul is among the finest 100% Agave Tequilas in the category at an affordable price. For over 250 years, the Beckmann family has been crafting some of Mexico’s smoothest tequila. Founded by Francisco Beckmann in 2004, and now under the watchful eye of his son Jorge Beckmann, the Tierra de Agaves estate is home to the oldest dynasty of tequila producers as 8^th generation decendents of the Cuervo family. Lunazul 100% Agave Tequila has been one of the leading new Tequila brands in the 100% Agave sub-category, as both a Beverage Information Group “Rising Star” and Impact “Hot Prospect” for volume growth since 2013.

“Lunazul Tequila’s growth is sky rocketing and we are thrilled industry critics can taste the dedication to quality that Tierra de Agaves produces daily,” said Brand Manager MaryCrae Guild. “Lunazul has an authentic heritage and craft that consumers are drawn to as they continue to learn more about the category.”

The Ultimate Spirits Challenge, San Francisco Spirits Competition, and WSWA Spirits Competition are conducted through a blind tasting process. A complete list of the 2018 Ultimate Spirits Challenge results can be found at https://www.ultimate-beverage.com/ and throughout the year in Beverage Media publications. For more information on the San Francisco Spirits Competition, check out the website at https://sfspiritscomp.com/, as well as the August 2018 issue of the Tasting Panel Magazine. The WSWA Spirits Tasting Competition results can be found at http://www.wswaconvention.org/spirit-tasting-competition-results/, as well as in the July issue of the Tasting Panel Magazine.

About Heaven Hill Brands: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marktaCLM> W~

Heaven Hill Distillery Visitor Centers are inviting visitors to bet on bourbon and give back this Derby season with two unique events. On April 27, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience will host “Betting On Bourbon” where guests can learn how to pick winners like a professional from President of the Thoroughbred Racing Nation Manny Cadina. For $85, guests will receive a complimentary Mint Julep, dinner, premium Bourbon tastings, an Evan Williams gift bag, and a chance to win an ownership interest in a 2-year-old racehorse with all expenses paid through 2018. Tickets are available at https://reservations.heavenhill.com/Info.aspx?EventID=9. Guests can call (502)585-3923 for more information.

On Friday, May 4, Heaven Hill’s Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown will host a “Fifty Shades of Pink” party benefiting Flaget Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Project Hope. For $100 guests will enjoy food, two drink tickets, pink welcome cocktails, and live music from Derby City Jukebox. Local artist Jim Cantrell has also created a special Oaks inspired print available for purchase at the event. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase a very limited edition of Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon.  This special Evan Williams Single Barrel release was bottled at 104 Proof, in recognition of the 144th running of the Kentucky Oaks on May 4.  Guests purchasing this bottle will get to personally dip it in pink wax.  A percentage of bottle sales will be donated to Project Hope’s efforts to stop cancer in its tracks and raise money to expand the Cancer Center and bring 3D mammography to Flaget Memorial Hospital. You can visit http://kentuckyonehealth.org/projecthope for more information about Project Hope. Only event attendees will have the opportunity to purchase a bottle –  with only 250 available. Each guest will also leave with a commemorative Heaven Hill Distillery/Fifty Shades of Pink rocks glass. Guests are encouraged to incorporate pink into their attire for this event. Tickets are available at https://reservations.heavenhill.com/Info.aspx?EventID=8. Guests can call 502)337-1000 for more information.

For more information on each event, please see below.

Evan Williams Bourbon Experience Betting On Bourbon

When: Friday, April 27, 7 PM – 9:30 PM

Where: Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, 528 W Main St, Louisville, Kentucky 40202

Tickets: $85, https://reservations.heavenhill.com/Info.aspx?EventID=9

Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center Fifty Shades of Pink

When: Friday, May 4, 8 PM – 12 AM

Where: Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center, 1311 Gilkey Run Rd, Bardstown, KY 40004

Tickets: $100, https://reservations.heavenhill.com/Info.aspx?EventID=8

Media Contact: Lauren Cherry, lcherry@heavenhill.com

 

Heaven Hill Brands, Liquor.com announce sixth of eight finalists for 2018 “Bartender of the Year”

BARDSTOWN, KY – Arthur Boothe’s citrus-enthused winning cocktail blends family ties from central Florida. Announced today as the Heaven Hill Brands and Liquor.com Charleston finalist for the 2018 Bartender of the Year Competition, Boothe won first place, $1,000 and a trip to the finals at The Lodge on Sea Island, Ga.

“What this cocktail aims to do is tie together two very vivid memories from my youth; the ever present citrus, and the family vacations we would take every summer up the Florida coast,” said Boothe, Co-Conspirator at Bitters & Brass in Sanford, Fla. “When I drink this cocktail the combination of citrus and exotic juices, ginger from the Domaine de Canton, the heat and subtle oak notes of the 100 proof Rittenhouse, blended with Donn Beach’s special mixture of Angostura and Herbsaint echo the flavors and smells that transfer me back to the summers of my youth with my family, in a world that seems so much further away than the one my children are growing up in – even though it’s only right down the road.”

Ryan Smith of Macon, Ga. won second place and $500. Four semifinalists competed regionally in Charleston on Monday, April 9 at Proof. Bartenders competed in two rounds, first mixing the family-inspired cocktail from their preliminary submission, then creating an original cocktail fit for the menu of the host bar using at least 1.5 ounces of total of Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur, Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, or Rittenhouse Rye Whisky. Contestants and judges were then invited to a family dinner at McCrady’s where Dave Arnold, author of Liquid Intelligence: The Art & Science of the Perfect Cocktail, led a discussion on the relationship between sugars and acids, and how to create well-balanced cocktails, before the winner was announced.

National Brand Educator for Heaven Hill Brands Lynn House, Partner at Alchemy Consulting and Owner/Bartender of Pouring Ribbons Joaquín Simó, and Owner-Operator of Proof Craig Nelson judged the semifinalists’ cocktails and chose one finalist based on highest scores. Contestant skills and cocktails were scored on flavor, appearance, presentation, technical skills, use of sponsor brands, and adherence to judges’ guidelines.

More than 1,000 original cocktail recipes were submitted online nationwide beginning September 15, 2017. Preliminary entries required two original cocktail recipes, one rendition of a classic recipe, and one relating to family along with a short description of how the cocktail was inspired by their interpretation of family. The top contestant from each region will go on to vie for the title of Bartender of the Year and $15,000 at The Lodge on Sea Island, Ga. in June 2018. Finalists will be challenged on their full range of skills as hospitality professionals. Judges will be looking for the ultimate bartender who displays the total breadth and aptitude all bartenders aspire to embody.

Grounded in the original Bartender of the Year Competition hosted by Domaine de Canton starting in 2009, Heaven Hill Brands resurrected the competition due to strong demand from bartenders worldwide. Nathan O’Neill from the Nomad Bar in New York City was named Bartender of the Year in 2017, and Abigail Gullo of Compere Lapin in New Orleans won the inaugural competition in 2016. Visit the official competition website at http://www.bartenderoftheyear.liquor.com for complete competition details.

Down South Cooler – Inspired by the concept of family
Crafted by Arthur Boothe

Ingredients:

Rittenhouse Rye (1.5 ounce(s))
Domaine De Canton (.5 ounce(s))
Lustau fino sherry (.5 ounce(s))
white grapefruit juice (.25 ounce(s))
Passion fruit syrup (.5 ounce(s))
lemon (.5 ounce(s))
Peychauds bitters (3 dash(es))

Pour ingredients into shaker and fill shaker with 12 ounces of crushed ice. Shake contents for 5 seconds, then pour with seasoned ice into Pearl Diver Glass, topping off with crushed ice. Sprinkle curry powder across the top, and garnish with orchids and a paper straw.

About Heaven Hill Brands: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams Bourbon; Larceny, Elijah Craig and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; The Christian Brothers Brandies; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila and Carolan’s Irish Cream Liqueur.

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CONTACT:

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Lauren Cherry
Heaven Hill Brands
(502) 413-0217
lcherry@heavenhill.com

To view and download more images from this release, click here.

 

For the second consecutive year the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience will release a special edition bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon, featuring a 2018 Gold Pegasus Pin, to commemorate the Kentucky Derby Festival. Collectors will find the pin sealed in gold wax on the neck of the 2010 vintage Bourbon, as opposed to the 2009 vintage, which featured the pin atop the cap. The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience will also be the sole location providing Pegasus Pins through March 5.

Evan Williams Bourbon Experience Artisanal Distiller Jodie Filiatreau and Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO Mike Berry unveiled the official 2018 pin and limited-edition bottle at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience on Friday, Feb. 16, by personally hand-dipping two of the 600 bottles. Dipped in a unique gold wax with a commemorative pin sealed to the neck, the bottle features a special face label with the Kentucky Derby Festival logo, and includes a 2018 Pegasus Pin in an envelope attached to each bottle.

This product will be available for purchase at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience for $74.99 starting Friday, Feb. 16, while supplies last.

The limited edition 2010 vintage bottle came from four barrels of Bourbon and is bottled at 109 proof, commemorating both the 63^nd Kentucky Derby Festival and 46^th Pegasus Pin anniversary. Like a fine wine, each bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon contains the exact day it was put in an oak barrel to age.

The Bourbon is matured in natural open-rick warehouses under the careful supervision of Heaven Hill’s Master Distillers, who monitor the progress of each year’s vintage to ensure it maintains its intended flavor profile and superb quality.

Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage has won five “Whiskey of the Year” awards and is one of the most critically-acclaimed specialty Bourbons produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, the world’s second largest holder of aging Bourbon.

“The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience celebrates the heritage of Kentucky’s spirit and is proud to continue a partnership with the Kentucky Derby Festival to promote the unique experiences of the Commonwealth,” said Evan Williams Bourbon Experience Artisanal Distiller Jodie Filiatreau. “We welcome all Festival Fans to join us in a toast to the 2018 Kentucky Derby Festival.”

Bringing the community together since 1956, the Kentucky Derby Festival has grown to become a whirlwind of more than 70 special events leading up to the big race in May. The Kentucky Derby Festival runs this year from April 20 – May 5. Pegasus Pins, which allow entry to Derby Festival events, may be purchased at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience as well.

“This Evan Williams commemorative bottle really showcases two of Kentucky’s favorite things – the Derby Festival celebration and bourbon,” said Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “Just like the Pegasus Pins, we know fans will be adding this bottle to their Festival collection too.”

About Kentucky Derby Festival: Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.

About the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience: The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience® (www.EvanWilliamsBourbonExperience.com) celebrates the legacy of Evan Williams, Kentucky’s first commercial distiller, through an immersive visitor’s center experience which brings to life the history and tradition of Kentucky’s native spirit. An official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the facility offers guests a historical glimpse back in time to see Evan Williams’ original distillery through high definition video recreations of the Louisville wharf and Main Street in the late 18th Century, plus recreations of Whiskey Row building facades along Main Street from the 1890’s through the present. Meanwhile, visitors learn the essential differences between distilling during Evan Williams’ era and Heaven Hill’s modern Bernheim Distillery operations.

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CONTACT:

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Lauren Cherry
Heaven Hill Brands
lcherry@heavenhill.com

To view and download more images from this release, click here.

 

BARDSTOWN, KY – Heaven Hill Brands and Liquor.com announced today the champion of the 2017 Bartender of the Year competition. After a nationwide search to find the top bartenders across America, Nathan O’Neill from the Nomad Bar in New York City is the 2017 Bartender of the Year and the recipient of $15,000.

“I’m excited to be the 2017 Heaven Hill and Liquor.com Bartender of the Year. It was an incredible experience, set in such a beautiful location,” said O’Neill. “The standard of the competitors was absolutely fantastic and the atmosphere was perfect the whole time”

Eight finalists competed beachside at the St. Regis Bahia Resort in Puerto Rico on June 5. Final bartenders competed in a “beverage program” challenge creating an original cocktail utilizing ingredients native to Puerto Rico that was presented as if being considered for the St. Regis beverage program. The challenge was broken down into several sections, including selection of ingredients, concepting, ingredient preparation, recipe development, and presentation. Contestants were also asked to create two classic cocktails, one shaken and one stirred. Judging was based on the quality of the cocktails, the adherence to the guidelines, the technical performance, and the overall presentation.

Over 844 original cocktail recipes using Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur, Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, and Rittenhouse Rye Whisky were submitted online nationwide beginning August 1, 2016. 32 semifinalists then competed in San Francisco, Las Vegas, Miami, Dallas, Nashville, Denver, Chicago and New York throughout February and March. The top contestant from each regional semifinal vied for the title of Bartender of the Year and $15,000 at the St. Regis Bahia Resort in Puerto Rico.

“Our bartender of the year competition continues to raise the bar for innovation and professionalism in the hospitality industry,” said Kate Latts, Vice President Marketing for Heaven Hill Brands. “Congratulations to Nathan O’Neill, and to each of the contestants for their commitment to excellence and creativity.”

National Brand Educator for Heaven Hill Brands Lynn House, Bar Manager of Clyde Common & Pépé Le Moko Jeffrey Morgenthaler, and Owner/Bartender of Pouring Ribbons Joaquín Simó, and 2016 Bartender of the Year Abigail Gullo judged the final eight bartenders. Finalists were challenged on their full range of skills as hospitality professionals. Judges were looking for the ultimate bartender who displays the total breadth and aptitude all bartenders aspire to embody.

Grounded in the original Bartender of the Year Competition hosted by Domaine de Canton starting in 2009, Heaven Hill Brands resurrected the competition due to strong demand from bartenders worldwide. Nathan O’Neill from the Nomad Bar in New York City was named Bartender of the Year in 2017, and Abigail Gullo of Compere Lapin in New Orleans won the inaugural competition in 2016. Visit the official competition website at http://www.bartenderoftheyear.liquor.com for complete competition details.

About Heaven Hill Brands: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams Bourbon; Larceny, Elijah Craig and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; The Christian Brothers Brandies; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila and Carolan’s Irish Cream Liqueur.

San Francisco, January 21
First	Last	City
Jason	Seele	Mountain View, CA
Collin	Nicholas	San Francisco, CA
Tyler	Richardson	Sacramento, CA
Ian	Lyke	Pleasanton, CA
Watson	Barry	Oakland, CA
Jorge	Vargas-Baquedano	Los Gatos, CA
Austin, February 5
First	Last	City
Madelyn	Kay	Austin, TX
Andy	Wright	Austin, TX
Adrienne	Feinberg	Huston, TX
Cesar	Perez II	El Paso, TX
Kiyoko	Kinoshita	Dallas, TX
Peter	Clifton	Houston, TX
San Diego, February 18
First	Last	City
Julien	Calella	Venice, CA
Adam George	Fournier	Los Angeles, CA
Sam	Penton	Scottsdale, CA
Vay	Su	Los Angeles, CA
Clare	Ward	Culver City, CA
Cory	Mendonca	Las Vegas, NV
Portland, March 4
First	Last	City
Estanislado	Orona	Portland, OR
Heather	Kehert	Portland, OR
Benjamin	Harris	Seattle, WA
Scott	Rixe	Seattle, WA
Adam	Robinson	Portland, OR
Georgia	Dahlman	Kenmore, WA
Scott	Diaz	Tacoma, WA
Denver, March 19
First	Last	City
Austin	Carson	Denver, CO
Chris	Dunsmoor	Denver, CO
Stephen	Winchell	Colorado Springs, CO
Frankie	Mealy	Salt Lake City, UT
Chris	Cleary	Denver, CO
Topher	Hartfield	Denver, CO
Charleston, April 8
First	Last	City
Shaun	Gordon	Atlanta, GA
Corey	Phillips	Atlanta, GA
Arthur	Boothe	Sanford, FL
Ryan	Smith	Macon, GA
Steven	Huddleston	Charleston, SC
Jonathan	Doar	Charleston, SC
Chicago, April 15
First	Last	City
Ryan	Arvin	Detroit, MI
Kyle	Thousand	Detroit, MI
Mony	Bunni	Chicago, IL
Ryan	Lindquist	Chicago, IL
Aaron	Pollack	Chicago, IL
Benjamin	Pavlichek	Chicago, IL
New York City, April 29
First	Last	City
Lee	Noble	Lancaster, PA
Michael	Anderson	Pittsburgh, PA
Rachel	Wright	Buffalo, NY
Leanne	Favre	Brooklyn, NY
Harrison	Ginsberg	New York, NY
Benjamin	Hash	Lancaster, PA

BARDSTOWN, KY – Elijah Craig Barrel Proof was named Whisky Advocate’s 2017 Whisky of the Year, featured in the Winter 2017 magazine issue. Elijah Craig was chosen from among hundreds of samples submitted globally throughout the year. Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 are chosen each year from a collection of the highest-rated whiskeys nominated by the Buying Guide reviewers, and ranked based on quality, value and availability. Read and watch the full review on Whisky Advocate’s website here.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof previously earned spirits industry acclaim in 2017 as a World Whiskies Awards’ category winner, receiving Double Gold and Best Small Batch Bourbon – 11 Years and Older at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 95 Points at F. Paul Pacult’s Ultimate Spirits Challenge, and Gold at the SIP Awards. As a small batch, 12-Year-Old Bourbon bottled straight from the barrel three times per year, the nose, taste, and finish are preserved in their simplest form, just as Master Distiller Denny Potter tastes them in Heaven Hill’s central Kentucky rickhouses. Originally scoring a 94 in the Summer 2017 issue of Whisky Advocate magazine, Fred Minnick described Elijah Craig Barrel Proof as a “Pure bliss; must sip.”

“Elijah Craig is an essential part of American Whiskey’s history, and we’re proud to embrace that legacy,” said Master Distiller Denny Potter. “As a nurturer of storied brands, Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America’s spirit for more than 81 years.”

The signature Bourbon bears the name of Reverend Elijah Craig, a Bourbon pioneer who is credited with being the first distiller to age his whiskey in charred oak barrels, or the Father of Bourbon. Heaven Hill Distillery preserves the Bourbon making traditions developed by Elijah Craig over two hundred years ago, where local corn and grains are milled and mixed with limestone-rich Kentucky spring water, then fermented and distilled. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is available nationally in limited quantities.

About Elijah Craig Bourbon
The Elijah Craig family of Bourbons is led by the flagship Elijah Craig Small Batch, made exclusively from batches of 200 barrels or less of 8 to 12-Year-Old Bourbon. First brought to market in 1986, Heaven Hill’s Master Distillers were selecting a small number of barrels of the finest Bourbon to make Elijah Craig long before the term “small batch” even existed. It is this attention to detail and superb craftsmanship that give Elijah Craig an ideal balance of age, robust body and rich flavor. Its accolades have included a “Double Gold Medal” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and two-time “Best of the Best” Bourbon by Whisky Magazine.

This signature spirit bears the name of the Rev. Elijah Craig, “The Father of Bourbon” who established his distillery in 1789. He is credited with being the first distiller to age his Kentucky whiskey in charred oak barrels. The clear, unaged corn liquor became transformed into a bold amber liquid with a distinctively smooth flavor that makes Bourbon what it is. Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery and one of its bestselling Bourbons by case volume, it is complemented by Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old Barrel Proof, Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel and Elijah Craig 23-Year-Old Single Barrel in the portfolio. For more information, please visit www.elijahcraig.com.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely.  Drink Wisely.”

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CONTACT:

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Lauren Cherry
Heaven Hill Distillery
(502) 413-0217
lcherry@heavenhill.com

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