How do they taste? Read on to find out.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Fizzy canned alcoholic drinks may be your go-to, but some of them can be high in added sugar. A new vodka soda, created by megastar Kylie Jenner, combats this concern.

Meet Sprinter, the recent addition to the vodka seltzer scene that is touted to be a healthier option without sacrificing taste. The new boozy sodas—now available online and at Total Wine locations—currently come in four flavors: Grapefruit, Lime, Peach and Black Cherry.

The seltzers are gluten-free and vegan, which is great for those with related allergies or dietary preferences. They’re also only 100 calories per can—and with simple ingredients like vodka, fruit juice and sparkling water, you won’t find any added sugar in each of these drinks. What they do have is 36 grams of carbohydrates per can, which is OK for a drink enjoyed in moderation.

For an alcoholic beverage, the Sprinter cans seem like the perfect healthier option for vodka soda lovers. But how do they taste? Some of EatingWell’s editors put them to the test. Here are their honest reviews.

Related: We Tried Spindrift’s Two New Flavors—Here’s Our Honest Review

The most positive review after sipping on a Sprinter comes from our editorial director Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD.

“As far as spiked seltzers go, I thought these were pretty tasty,” says Seaver. “I like that they don’t use artificial sweeteners, solely because I don’t enjoy the taste of them in seltzers. The flavor from the juice was subtle yet provided enough flavor to make for a yummy drink.”

If you like a not-as-sweet, more refreshing sip, then keep your eye on these cans. Just in time for summer, Seaver said she can see herself sipping on one of these fruity concoctions paired with ice and a fresh lemon or lime wedge this upcoming season.

And if you’re curious about how they compare to other vodka sodas and spiked seltzers on the market, our associate editorial director Carolyn Malcoun said she would choose this over a White Claw.

“These tasted more natural to me,” explained Malcoun. “I thought that although there are natural flavors in them, the actual juice was more prominent flavor-wise.”

Related: What Experts Want You to Know about ‘Natural Flavors’ in Your Food

With that said, our editors who aren’t already fans of spiked sodas weren’t mind-blown after trying Sprinter. So if you’re not already a vodka soda drinker, these may not be revolutionary enough to turn you into a lover of the fizz.

Overall, our editors enjoyed the taste of Sprinter—and if you’re interested in trying Jenner’s new drinks, we’re giving the green light. Since they do contain alcohol, it’s best to drink these seltzers in moderation—which is one drink a day for women and two a day for men.

Feeling inspired? Check out these healthy vodka cocktail recipes you can make at home.

Related: Alcohol vs. Edibles: Is One Worse for Your Health Than the Other?

Read the original article on Eating Well.

Over the past quarter, shares in Rocky Mountain Liquor (CVE:RUM) have risen significantly, showing an impressive 78% increase. However, with the company’s financial statistics fluctuating, there are doubts whether this strong share price trajectory can be sustained. In this article, we are going to explore Rocky Mountain Liquor’s ROE.

ROE, or Return on Equity, is a benchmark used to evaluate how efficiently a firm’s management is using the firm’s money. It essentially calculates a business’ profitability relative to shareholders’ equity.

Read our most recent analytical report on Rocky Mountain Liquor

Let’s take a look at the formula for ROE:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders’ Equity

From this given equation, the ROE for Rocky Mountain Liquor equates to:

3.1% = CA$273k ÷ CA$8.8m (Calculated from the previous twelve months leading up to September 2023).

The term ‘return’ is defined as the total amount gained after tax over the span of the previous twelve months. Hence, this implies that for every CA$1 of its shareholder’s investments, the organization yields a profit of CA$0.03.

We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company’s future earnings. Based on how much of its profits the company chooses to reinvest or “retain”, we are then able to evaluate a company’s future ability to generate profits. Generally speaking, other things being equal, firms with a high return on equity and profit retention, have a higher growth rate than firms that don’t share these attributes.

It is quite clear that Rocky Mountain Liquor’s ROE is rather low. Not just that, even compared to the industry average of 17%, the company’s ROE is entirely unremarkable. Therefore, the disappointing ROE therefore provides a background to Rocky Mountain Liquor’s very little net income growth of 3.9% over the past five years.

Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Rocky Mountain Liquor’s reported growth was lower than the industry growth of 9.2% over the last few years, which is not something we like to see.

Earnings growth is a huge factor in stock valuation. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. By doing so, they will have an idea if the stock is headed into clear blue waters or if swampy waters await. Is Rocky Mountain Liquor fairly valued compared to other companies? These 3 valuation measures might help you decide.

Currently, Rocky Mountain Liquor does not distribute any dividends, indicating that they reinvest all of their profits back into the business. However, this fact doesn’t solely explain the low earnings growth figure we previously mentioned. Therefore, there may be other reasons, such as a deteriorating business condition.

In general, Rocky Mountain Liquor’s performance could be interpreted in various ways. Although the company reinvests at a high rate, the low Return on Equity (ROE) suggests that this reinvestment brings no benefits to its investors, and worse, it negatively affects the earnings growth. To wrap up, it would be wise to proceed with caution regarding this company. One way to ensure this could be by considering the business’s risk profile. Our risks dashboard would detail the three risks we have identified for Rocky Mountain Liquor.

Had any feedback on this content or concerned about it? Contact us direct! Alternatively, reach out to us via email at: editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This general piece by Simply Wall St is grounded in historical data and analyst forecasts and utilizes an unbiased methodology. Our contents do not serve as financial advice and do not provide stock purchase or sell recommendations. Instead, they fail to consider personal objectives or financial circumstances. Our aim is to deliver fundamental data-driven long-term analysis. Note that our study may neglect the most recent price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no stakes in any stocks mentioned.

Scotch whisky has had independent bottlers since the 1800s — companies that buy casks from various distilleries and bottle them under their own name, often aging them in their own warehouses as well. Gordon & MacPhail, Duncan Taylor, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and many others are almost as well known as the most famous distilleries, without necessarily distilling anything they bottle.

In the U.S., there are also plenty of what are known as “non-distiller producers.” Unlike the Scots, however, the Americans have tried to cover it up — making up backstories, deflecting, obfuscating, and basically doing whatever they can to distract us from the fact that their “craft” whiskey was in fact distilled at enormous facilities like MGP (now known as Ross & Squibb) in Indiana. Perhaps the most egregious offender was Templeton Rye, which in the early 2010s concocted the tall tale that their whiskey was made in Iowa from a special recipe that dated back to Prohibition, and was beloved by none other than Al Capone. In fact, it was distilled in Indiana, using one of MGP’s stock mashbills employed by a bunch of other brands.

Fortunately, sourcing whiskey from outside distilleries is no longer the scandal it once was, since the industrial-sized places in Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky generally do it very well. It’s become a point of pride for brands like Proof & Wood and Smooth Ambler to mention exactly what they’re sourcing, and from where. And that’s a good thing. But Lost Lantern, launched in 2020 by a former manager at New York’s Astor Wine & Spirits and a senior whisky specialist at Whisky Advocate magazine, is one of the only American indies to do things the way the Scots do it, buying casks directly from distilleries and highlighting those distilleries on the bottles.

486 bottles, 5 distilleries, 1 region — the American Midwest — and 1 terrific whiskey.

Lost Lantern prefers to collaborate with smaller independent distilleries across the country rather than larger conglomerates. They establish direct connections with the distillers, who frequently are also the founders during this early phase of American craft distilling. They work together to formulate unique expressions and blends besides purchasing casks.

In its most recent series, Lost Lantern ventures into some of the Midwest’s prime indie distilleries, launching several single-cask bourbons, ryes, and wheat whiskeys. These are from some of the leading names in the area, such as FEW Spirits in Illinois and Cedar Ridge in Iowa. Lesser-known yet outstanding distilleries include Wollersheim in Wisconsin and Middle West Spirits in Ohio. They also created a blended whiskey called Far Flung Rye. Although all are noteworthy, Far Flung Rye is more accessible due to greater availability.

Far Flung Rye is a blend of rye whiskeys aged 4-9 years and sourced from five Midwestern distilleries: Cedar Ridge; Middle West Spirits; Wollersheim; Indiana’s Starlight Distillery; and Tom’s Foolery in Ohio. At a significant 60.8% ABV, it is a full-bodied, flavorful blend with splashes of dark chocolate and malt, a hint of grass, and reminders of rye bread. It packs a punch but can be mellowed with some water, retaining its robust flavor. Given its limited availability and relatively high pricing, it might not be ideal for cocktails, but it lends itself beautifully to a lush Black Manhattan.

Far Flung Rye serves as a fitting introduction to the often-unnoticed Midwestern spirits sector, and any rye whiskey aficionado would appreciate it. If you don’t locate it at your local liquor store, you can check out Lost Lantern’s website for availability.

Even through some cloudy weather, Billboard and Smirnoff Smash Vodka Soda brought the unexpected together to SXSW 2024.

For the annual collision of music, tech and entertainment, Billboard touched down in Austin, Texas for our annual takeover, which included the Pickleball Experience in celebration of the new Smirnoff Smash Vodka Soda launch. At a streetside location on Rainey Street, +21 festival-goers took to the court for gameplay, grabbed free swag, bites from local food trucks and had the opportunity to try the new line’s new flavors. The merging variety of options include Watermelon Lime, Pineapple Orange, Strawberry Dragonfruit and Raspberry Peach.

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On the court, a referee led the pickleball action, while a crew of Smirnoff Smash Vodka Soda brand ambassadors and bystanders cheered on the players. When it came to tunes, a roster of star-studded DJs provided some high-energy pop and hip-hop classics to keep the momentum at an all-time high. Cardo Got Wings, the hitmaker to staples from Drake and Travis Scott, even encouraged folks to raise their cans and celebrate the festivity. Additional DJ/producers included Texas-based collective, The Chopstars, featuring DJ Hollygrove, DJ Slim K, DJ Candlestick and OG Ron C, who made their way to the courts for some competitive action.

At the Pickleball Experience, attendees also had the chance to win tickets to Billboard presents THE STAGE concert series at the Moody Amphitheater. Over at the venue, Smirnoff Smash Vodka Soda set up shop with a specialty bar, samples and custom cocktails like the Smirnoff Mule and Smirnoff Texas Lemonade. Cardo performed at the opening night, showing more love to the brand with the variety of flavors on his DJ rig and plenty of hits to keep the crowd dancing.

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A lot is going on along Main Avenue in PASSAIC.

Near one end, anticipation builds as a rooftop bar is set to open soon. Yet, at the entirely opposite end, closer to Park Place, the city is celebrating the opening of its first-ever boutique whiskey distillery and tasting room.

The brain behind the pioneering ExquisiteSip Distillery and Lounge is none other than Binyomin Terebelo. This man is a rabbi, a master distiller, and has an experience of a retired moonshiner. In his free time, he indulges in chronicling stories of Jewish pirates while effectively running his fully-fledged distillery- the Terebelo Boutique Distillery, nestled in Utica, New York.

Recently, Terebelo found some time to speak about his love for whiskey, his plans of setting up a local distillery, and a lot more, right from the cozy and compact tasting room located on Main Avenue.

Does the type of music you play affect the aging process of whiskey, such as heavy metal tunes from Metallica or peaceful strains of classical melodies?

As Terebelo points out, the result hinges on the specific character of the whiskey you aim to achieve via what is known as sonic barrel aging.

The concept of incorporating music and sound vibrations into the spirit’s aging process is something that various distilleries are presently trialling. Certain connoisseurs argue that this method of sonic aging is beneficial for spirits that mature in wooden casks, such as whiskey, brandy, and bourbon. However, the process does not yield results for vodka or gin.

Soundwaves emanating from heavy metal music, Metallica’s for instance, are thought to impel the whiskey further into the oaken barrel staves. It is interesting to note that Metallica has its own whiskey brand, named Blackened, that employs its music to invigorate the spirit in the barrels.

Terebelo discussed the calming influence of sound waves, particularly from classical music, on whisky stirring gently.

Classical music is employed at the Terebelo Boutique Distillery in Utica, not so much the “1812 Overture,” but more akin to waltz dance tunes. It causes the whisky to move softly inside the barrels, lightly grazing the wooden staves.

Regardless, the whisky and alcohol’s maturation process is aided by the movement generated by sound waves, as they mellow during evaporation.

Terebelo explained, “Wood is porous.”

His whiskey exhibits a very smooth character, with minimal burn, and provides differing finish flavors based on the specific type of keg used, which include those from tequila, mescaline, and rum.

The tasting facility located on Main Avenue was inaugurated on March 10. Currently, tastings are conducted only by prior appointment. Once Terebelo acquires the New Jersey license, which he anticipates soon, he will have more freedom to expand operations. As he explains, his business has already cleared most regulatory hurdles. He currently holds the federal license and a local certificate of occupancy, and is awaiting the state’s approval for his craft distillery license within the coming few weeks.

In the meanwhile, Terebolo is engaged in scouting for a suitable location in New Jersey to set up a craft distillery. A New Jersey-based facility would facilitate easier access to New York City bartenders and make it convenient to market his product in the Garden State. Distillery-related laws in New York and New Jersey vary significantly, often posing challenges to the business.

Terebelo also opined that obtaining a Jersey license would provide him the leeway to experiment with an array of distilling techniques.

“If someone comes with something I’ve never heard of before, I say, ‘Let’s try it,'” Terebelo said. His confidence in trying new things comes from a long family history in the distilling business.

Terebelo said he has been distilling since he was a child, playing around with a still in his parents’ Lakewood backyard as his grandfather cheered him on. His grandfather Seymour knew what he was doing, as he was involved in rum-running in Detroit during Prohibition.

“He’d walk around with a bottle in his baby carriage during Prohibition in Detroit” to avoid police, Terebelo said. “He’d say they’d go after everything else, but they never hit the baby carriages.”

The family’s distilling days can be traced back to Belarus in Eastern Europe, where Terebelo’s great-great-grandfather Eliezer made spirits. He taught his son Binyomin, Terebelo’s great-grandfather, the process, and he brought it to the United States and passed it on to Grandfather Seymour.

That’s where there seems to be a break in tradition.

Seymour’s son, who is Terebelo’s father, chose another route, that of a rabbi. Terebelo combined the two.

“Until my father, they all had stills,” Terebelo said. His father’s first still came when he had a mechanic weld one for him.

“Dad was passionate about my distilling,” Terebelo said.

On account of the fact that New York law mandates that all liqueur products bear a name, Terebelo drew inspiration from an era in Jewish historical past that’s obscure: the era of Jewish pirates in the Caribbean.

Jews of Spain who were seeking to escape the Inquisition found solace in Jamaica where they set up a colony. Subsequent capture of the island by the British marked the emergence of Jewish sea robbers.

In his collection, Terebelo has a pair of whiskeys, the Yaakov Koriel and the Blauvelt, carrying the names of noted pirates.

High-spirited Terebelo looks forward to obtaining his distillery license in New Jersey. When that day comes, he will possess the liberty to conduct walk-in tastings and to produce local whiskey.

Only a few stores carry his New York whiskey. It can be found at Total Wine and More in Union, The Vineyard and Wine on the Nine, both in Lakewood, and Passaic’s Cork & Barrel, in Brook Haven Mall.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Try whiskey in Passaic tasting room made by a rabbi, aged with music

The fall of more

The fall of more

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