Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum in New York, New York has announced the release of a new premium 8 Year Old Reserve rum. Full details are below.

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Appleton Estate® Jamaica Rum, the oldest continuously rum distillery in Jamaica, announced a new premium 8 Year Old Reserve from Master Blender Joy Spence.  Inspired by the vibrancy of Jamaica, its land, and the joyful nature of its people, 8 Year Old Reserve is Appleton Estate’s most versatile expression of aged rum.  The release of Appleton Estate 8 Year Old coincides with a brand relaunch, featuring newly-designed packaging, including a reimagined bottle and label, that all the brand’s bottles will incorporate.

Crafted by Master Blender Joy Spence, a luminary in the spirits world, this beautiful rum reveals aromas of spicy fruit and oak, followed by hints of honey, vanilla and Appleton Estate’s signature orange peel note.  In keeping with the minimum age requirement of all Appleton Estate bottles, all liquid in this rum has been aged for at least 8 years, creating a smoother and more robust tasting experience. Appleton Estate rums age nearly three times more quickly in the tropical Jamaican weather than spirits aged in cooler climates, allowing for richer, fuller flavors to develop in a shorter time. The increased ABV of 43% results in a more stabilized final blend, presenting more oak extracts and richer, fuller flavors.

Straightaway and Brew Dr. Kombucha in Portland, Oregon have partnered to create hand sanitizer for the COVID-19 crisis. Full details are below.

Portland, OR – In response to the national shortage of hand sanitizer, Portland companies Straightaway and Brew Dr. Kombucha are partnering to deliver thousands of gallons of hand sanitizer in accordance with World Health Organization guidelines.

When a customer purchases the sanitizer through local outlets they are helping support Straightaway’s donation of 3,000 gallons, enough sanitizer for more than 11 million individual uses, to areas of the greatest public need, including local hospitals, fire departments, and meal pantries,

Straightaway is using the naturally-occurring alcohol that Brew Dr. gently removes during their kombucha crafting process to create an 80% alcohol-by-volume hand sanitizer available in 4 ounce and 1 gallon containers, as well as for bulk purchase.

From Straightaway co-founder and CEO Cy Cain, “When we founded Straightaway, a north star goal was to be a part of the connection people have when spending time with friends and family. Now we find ourselves compelled to help keep those same friends and family, and everyone else safe, by making and donating our hand sanitizer.”

Del Mar Wine Seltzer in St. Helena, California has announced the release of a wine-based hard seltzer portfolio. Full details are below.

ST. HELENA, Calif. — Del Mar Wine Seltzer today announced its entry into the wildly popular $1 billion hard seltzer category with a unique wine-based offering made in Napa Valley from premium California grapes. Black Cherry, Grapefruit, White Peach and Watermelon flavors are debuting in 355mL cans sold in four-packs for $8.99. The 4% ABV offering is now shipping nationally from the Trinchero Family Estates wine & spirits portfolio.

“As a family-owned Napa Valley winery with a legacy of giving consumers what they want, we made the decision to enter the space with a light, refreshing and sophisticated wine-based seltzer to challenge malt-based seltzers within the category,” said Dave Derby, senior vice president marketing for Trinchero Family Estates. “We are confident that consumers will appreciate our decision to leverage our 72 years of winemaking experience to create a grape-based seltzer made from transparent ingredients that they know and love.”

Grain & Barrel Spirits has announced the release of a new whiskey called Chicken Cock. Full details on this release are below.

Grain & Barrel Spirits’(“G&B”) has released Chicken Cock Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey in select markets, “The Famous Old Brand’s” first Rye in more than 70 years. The introduction follows the fall 2019 launch of the brand’s anchor expression, a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The reintroduction of a straight rye whiskey signals a return to pre-prohibition times when the classic spirit was more prevalent, while also honoring the brand’s history and heritage.

Made in partnership with the Bardstown Bourbon Company as part of its collaborative distilling program, the new Straight Rye Whiskey was 100% distilled, aged, and bottled in the Bluegrass State. It’s a beautifully balanced non-chill filtered 95% rye whiskey, which features a caramel color with a hue of dark orange. The nose reveals a tremendous complexity of spices including pepper and cinnamon, with a hint of dryness and slight overtones of citrus and oak. A creamy, almost buttery mouthfeel is complemented by vanilla and butterscotch, followed by a long, slow peppery finish with a hint of sweet honey. At 90 proof (45% ABV), there is a slight, welcome heat. Like the new KY Straight Bourbon, the KY Straight Rye is bottled in a Prohibition-era Chicken Cock replica apothecary-style bottle.

Rabbit Hole in Louisville, Kentucky has announced a long-term partnership with Tales of the Cocktail Foundation to provide financial relief to the bar industry. Full details are below.

Louisville, K.Y. – Rabbit Hole and Tales of the Cocktail Foundation are pleased to announce a long-term partnership developed to provide immediate financial relief to the bar industry and support the 501c3 nonprofit’s mission of leaving a long-lasting impact on the communities it touches. The donation marks the beginning of a campaign created by Rabbit Hole called #2DreamInside, an initiative inspired by Kaveh Zamanian who pursued a personal dream, stepping away from a successful career as a psychologist to start his own spirits company.

#2DreamInside encourages cocktail professionals and enthusiasts alike to pause during these turbulent times, reflect on how their lives can look in better days ahead and help others in the process.

Rabbit Hole is kick starting #2DreamInside with a $50,000 donation for direct COVID-19 financial relief to the bar industry in partnership with Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, to benefit bartenders in the Tales of the Cocktail network. Rabbit Hole will also contribute an additional $2 for every social media post that shares the #2DreamInside hashtag, committing up to an additional $150,000 to support the bar industry through Foundation initiatives.

Rock Grace in Seattle, Washington, a beauty and wellness drink designed as a wine alternative, is set to launch a new release on May 8 called Rock Grace Ruby Reserve. Full details are below.

SEATTLE— Rock Grace, a beauty and wellness drink designed as a wine alternative, is set to launch a new release on May 8 called Rock Grace Ruby Reserve.

Rock Grace at its finest, Rock Grace Ruby Reserve is a bottled crystal elixir infused with a variety of ruby crystals, botanicals, and adaptogens that stimulate pleasure, self-love, beauty, and joy. The energy of the crystals and fine botanical and superherb ingredients enhance the elixir calming anxiety and stress while promoting mental and physical wellness and empowerment.

For additional luxury, calming properties and flow of beauty from the inside out, they have added organic lemon balm, dandelion, and vanilla bean to Rock Grace Ruby.  The beverage is non-alcoholic, sugar and calorie free.

Rock Grace Ruby has a bright, light-bodied palate followed by a smooth finish of vanilla notes.  Ruby pink in color, pure and elegant in style and well-balanced, it is a vibrant non-alcoholic crystal elixir with a youthful and delicate nose, hints of fresh raspberry, vanilla and floral aspects.

About Rock Grace

Dano's Tequila in Steamboat Springs, Colorado has announced a Cinco de Mayo celebration to benefit the bartender's guild relief fund. Full details from the company is below.

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colorado — Dano’s Tequila, makers of ultra-premium, 100% agave tequilas hand crafted in a family-owned distillery that dates back to 1840, today announced a special Cinco de Mayo edition of its "Cocktails & Culture" virtual happy hour.

"With the current COVID-19 situation, Dano's Tequila fully supports the countless people making sacrifices to stay inside in order to keep themselves and their loved ones safe," said Conley Fitzpatrick, CMO of Dano's Tequila. "We want to ensure that any 21+ year old adult, regardless of their current social distancing situation, is still able to celebrate Cinco de Mayo from the comfort of their own home! That's where this week's Cocktails & Culture virtual happy hour comes into play – what else do you need to celebrate the holiday other than lively conversation and of course, great tequila?"