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Smirnoff is one of the most prominent vodka producers in the world. The brand is consistently ranked number one as the best-selling vodka in the world, according to The Spirits Business. The publication reports that Smirnoff’s sales grew by 6% in 2022, selling 28.1 million cases, up from 26.5 million in 2021.

One reason for the consistently high ranking could be due to the extensive vodka offerings Smirnoff provides. In addition to the classic No. 21 vodka, the company makes 26 different flavors and zero-sugar infusions. The company’s desire to deliver products that excite their customers has also led to offering seasonal, limited-release flavors. Smirnoff Peppermint Twist was initially a limited-release product in 2015. Red, White & Berry was also initially a limited-release product in the summer of 2016. Both are now a part of the company’s vibrant flavors product line. One year, Smirnoff even made vodka-filled Christmas ornaments.

For the 2023 holiday season, the company is offering a limited-release Red, White & Merry vodka. We had a chance to try the festive liquor to see if it would get us into the holiday spirit. As a Sommelier and wine and spirits writer, I have taste-tested and reviewed dozens of vodka brands and products over the past 20 years. We drew upon this knowledge for this review. Here are our thoughts.

Read more: 13 Liquors Your Home Bar Should Have

Smirnoff Red, White & Merry vodka is a gluten-free alcoholic beverage that blends natural tastes and certified hues to form a drink that highlights the flavors of the festive season, such as orange, cranberry, and ginger. The flavor inspiration is derived from the unique taste of the 2022 limited-time product of Smirnoff’s Smirnoff Ice seasonal release, Red, White & Merry Ice Holiday Punch. The malt beverage’s flavors incorporate cranberry, black cherry, blood orange, and ginger.

Possessing a rosy berry shade, each 1.5-ounce serving of Red, White & Merry’s 60-proof vodka contains 89 calories. The calorie amount is marginally less than a regular shot and a half of unflavored vodka with 96 calories, as reported by Medical News Today. The reduction in calories is probably a result of the alcohol by volume (ABV) being somewhat lower in flavored vodkas than in traditional unflavored varieties that only include water and ethanol. The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives stipulates a minimum of 40% ABV in standard, unflavored vodka, while flavored varieties can have a lower ABV owing to the liquor’s dilution upon adding sugars and other flavorings. Smirnoff’s festive product contains 30% ABV.

Smirnoff provides a solution for all cranberry vodka enthusiasts who manually make DIY cranberry-infused vodka each year to savor during the holidays. There will no longer be a necessity to crush, strain, or or most notably, wait, while the vodka steeps for weeks with fresh berries to savor the flavor of an infused drink. Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry holiday bottle offers cranberry taste in a no-mess, simple-to-open 750ml bottle.

Just like all of Smirnoff’s vodka sold in the US, the base ingredient of the gluten-free vodka is corn. Most vodkas are gluten-free since the distillation process removes the gluten, whether derived from wheat, barley, other grains, potatoes, grapes, or corn. Nonetheless, utilizing corn guarantees that the base ingredients of the product are suitable for those with celiac disease. Smirnoff does not include any hidden components that could contain gluten in its flavoring products.

The spirit is triple-distilled to create a balanced taste. The triple distillation process helps purify the vodka, ensuring a smooth palate free of impurities, with lighter natural flavors and a well-rounded character.

Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry promises citrus and berry fruit flavors, complemented by the warming, spicy characteristics of ginger. The combination reminds us of the flavors we enjoy during the holiday season, like warm spiced mulled wine, cranberry sauce, and gingerbread. We tried the vodka neat in a tulip-shaped wine glass without ice and poured over ice in a rocks glass for our tasting. The tulip glass will help maximize the aromatics of the vodka, as the shape of the glass is so important as it helps concentrate the aromas, leading them toward the nose.

We found that the vodka has a fresh, fruity aroma, delivering on the ripe red berry and juicy citrus expectations from the product description. The texture of the vodka is thick, with a dense consistency that coats the mouth in a honeyed, sugary syrup when tasting the product. The taste is sweet and fruity, with a prevailing cranberry flavor on the front palate and a heavy, sugary, somewhat artificial sweetness on the finish. We found berry and cherry flavors rather than citrus. This left us wanting more of a prominent orange citrus taste and searching for the zesty, warming, spicy characteristics that ginger flavoring should provide. Trying the product with ice helps dilute the overall sweetness. However, the vodka’s dominant flavor is cranberry.

Though Smirnoff is one of the world’s most popular and best-selling vodkas, the company does not inflate its price. Smirnoff No. 21 vodka is one of the more affordable vodkas available on the market. The company’s flavored vodka options follow similar pricing guidelines, with the average cost for a 750ml bottle of Smirnoff Red, White & Merry being around $14, similar to the brand’s Peppermint Twist and Pink Lemonade vodkas.

Fitting with the season, the bottle is wrapped like a Christmas present in a red casing, with gold accents and red glitter to bring a little glitz and glamour to the holidays. Following the initial release of the seasonal product on November 1, 2023, Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry vodka will be on sale through the end of the year to compliment any holiday occasion. The vodka is available at alcohol retailers nationwide.

Like any vodka, Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry makes the perfect base for an array of martinis, mixed drinks, and holiday cocktails. Though the vodka’s sweet, fruity flavors are prominent enough to mix the liquor with club soda or seltzer simply, we found it best mixed into cocktails with additional flavored mixers. Beverages like ginger beer, pure cranberry juice, and lemon-lime soda, with garnishes like fresh herbs and citrus wheels, help balance the overall sweetness while enhancing the overall flavor of the vodka.

Use it in cocktails to add fruit-forward flavors to a festive Christmas punch, enhance cranberry orange crush cocktails, or make Ina Garten’s big batch Cosmopolitans, perfect for entertaining a group of friends this holiday season. For those feeling adventurous, we suggest adding it as a cranberry twist on a Moscow mule, intensifying the cranberry flavor in a classic Madras cocktail, or using it in a frozen Cosmo. The icy cocktail is the best use of leftover cranberry sauce we have tasted.

Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry includes such a unique combination of ingredients that no other flavored vodka on the market is exactly like it. Of course, other citrus, ginger, and cranberry vodkas are available. However, Smirnoff is the only one to put the three flavors together.

Smirnoff’s vodka, with its cranberry flavor, was our major taste comparison as we compared it to Deep Eddy Cranberry Vodka. Both the brands manufacture their products based on a corn foundation and hence, are considered as naturally gluten-free vodkas. The Texas-made product, similar to Smirnoff’s, has extensive distribution all over the country and is sold for around the same price.

In terms of alcohol content, Deep Eddy Cranberry vodka has a bit more bite than Smirnoff’s with its 35% ABV. Their product goes through the process of distillation notably ten times as compared to Smirnoff’s three times distillation. This additional refinement enables a creation of super smooth vodka. This vodka is characterized by its clean, comprehensive palate and smooth texture. Its authenticity lies in the fact that it’s created with genuine cranberry juice compared to natural flavorings, facilitating a more genuine, sharper cranberry flavor compared to Smirnoff’s. Deep Eddy’s also amalgamates pure cane sugar, ensuring a perfectly balanced taste of sweetness combined with tart fruity notes.

With holiday season around the corner, if you’re considering to buy a bottle of Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry, our opinion is that, we genuinely appreciate a product that tends to help us get into that vivacious, holiday spirit. Although we expected a lot from Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry vodka, we liked how the vodka is gluten-free and comparatively has lower alcohol content than other vodka products. We appreciated that the product is pocket-friendly and is widely available all over the country throughout the year.

However, to our surprise, the optimal use of Smirnoff’s vodka was observed as a base alcohol for cocktails, involving other strong-flavored mixers. This notion raised a question in our minds – If we need to add additional fruit juices and hard mixers to get that fruity, spicy taste, why not use a standard unflavored vodka. However, we found the bright red packaging of the bottle to be very fun and joyful. This is definitely a showpiece vodka that brings a festive appeal to your bar cart or could serve as a sophisticated gift for any vodka enthusiast.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

Tennessee whiskey brand George Dickel just released its oldest expression to date, an expensive 18-year-old bourbon that is complex, balanced, and not overly oaky despite spending nearly two decades maturing in barrels.

George Dickel is the second best known Tennessee whiskey brand after Jack Daniel’s, the behemoth that dominates all whiskey categories. This Diageo-owned brand is produced at Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. in the small town of Tullahoma, and the operation has been overseen by general manager and distiller Nicole Austin since 2018. That’s a very good thing—Austin has revitalized the brand with releases like the Bottled-in-Bond series, the experimental Cascade Moon lineup, and the introduction of a bourbon into the portfolio. That last one might seem a bit subjective, because technically most Tennessee whiskey is bourbon that has undergone the extra step of charcoal filtration before going into barrels (something some whiskey fans will debate all day). In a recent interview with Robb Report, Austin admitted that calling some of the whiskey bourbon and some Tennessee whiskey can be hard to explain. “The category gets more and more varied, so this is my perspective of what I think of as a classic American whiskey flavor profile,” she said. “Someone could argue with me that I’m doing it wrong, but they’re not in charge, so by all means!”

More from Robb Report

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Dickel Bourbon was introduced in 2021 as an eight-year-old expression—and one that we really loved. Austin started looking at these older barrels in 2019, and she says that the new 18-year-old is not just an older version of last year’s 17-year-old release. “I knew people were interested in these older expressions from Dickel,” she said. “When I was looking at barrels for the 17-year-old Tennessee whiskey, I found some that had a lot more of that vanilla and fruit character and I set them aside for this… I chose to call them bourbon because it was a continuation of the same reason that Dickel Bourbon exists—this is an older version of that flavor profile.”

Many of the barrels that went into this release were nearly empty, having lost 70 to 80 percent in angel’s share, or evaporation, over nearly 20 years of hot Tennessee summers and cold winters. Surprisingly, that did not result in a dried-out oak bomb of a whiskey. On the contrary, there are delicate fruits on the palate, along with sour apple, cherry-lime soda, chocolate-orange, vanilla pudding, and a burst of citrus. Some mellow smoky oak permeates throughout, culminating in a warm and lengthy finish, thanks to the whiskey being bottled at 90 proof. Still, Austin acknowledges that $510 is a lot to ask someone to pay for a bottle of Dickel, a brand not normally associated with such high prices, but she feels confident about its value. “I want people to trust that this liquid is rooted in something I believe in,” she said. “Finding American whiskey this old is rare, especially with this flavor profile.” Besides, the naysayers don’t really bother her. “No matter what you do, someone is going to be mean to you on the Internet. Once you realize that, it’s freeing, so I might as well make the whiskey I want to make.”

Austin also offered a tease about what we can expect from Dickel over the coming year. Two new bottled-in-bond blends are on the way, and one will be the oldest in the series to date (she tastes them blind, so this was not by design). Also, there will be a new Cascade Moon collaborative release with Todd Leopold of Colorado’s Leopold Bros., and it might incorporate some whiskey aged in refill barrels. In the meantime, you can find Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years available to purchase from Total Wine.

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NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. – Turning out distinctive bottles of spirits is nothing new for Spencer Wolf and his team at The Point Distillery in New Port Richey. But, there’s some special rum waiting in the warehouse – 28,000 gallons for The Rolling Stones.

Within days, they’ll start bottling the new signature rum from the Stones called “Crossfire Hurricane.” The term refers to the lyrical place where Mick Jagger was born in the iconic song Jumpin’ Jack Flash.

This distillery was selected among many competitors anxious to bottle the rum. It became the drink of choice for the band when they spent time in the Caribbean, honing their music in their early days together.

STUDY: Drunkest city in each US state revealed

Wolf mentioned that, contrasting certain celebrities who merely lend their names, the Stones possess the rum brand and have been thoroughly involved in the design of both the rum and its unique bottle.

“The smallest aspects have not escaped the attention of Mick Jagger,” Wolf stated. “Moreover, they desired a product that was consistent with their image.”

The evidence is easy to spot.

Wolf added, “On inspecting the back label, you will find their signatures. The tongue, a logo probably recognisable by most people globally, is here.”

READ: World’s most sought-after scotch whisky sets auction record at $2.7M

To coin some titles from the Stones, Wild Horses couldn’t drag Wolf away from the satisfaction he and his team feel.

“Oh, we were beyond ecstatic. This is the most famous iconic rock band in the world,” he said.

Wolf said making the intricate bottle for a local brand of bourbon, Von Payne, helped convince the Stones to bring it to Pasco County.

“And I think it was said ‘if you can do that bottle you can do ours,’” Wolf said.

Wolf, who is originally from Great Britain, said his accent may have played a small part in it.

MORE: General Mills will release 6 new cereals in 2024: ‘Fan-favorite flavors with a twist’

The Rolling Stones are scheduled to perform in Orlando on June 3. What are the chances they might come to New Port Richey to see their rum being bottled?

“Discretion prevents me from responding to that inquiry, however, would I be taken aback if they appear to witness their rum being produced? Certainly not,” he articulated with a grin.

Wolf claimed that he is planning to commence the rum bottling process by the start of December, and the product is anticipated to hit the store shelves around the beginning of the upcoming year. He stated that it would potentially retail around $37 per bottle.

“I believe the Stones wished for it to be priced in a way it’s affordable for their countless millions of followers,” he expressed.

Smirnoff is one of the most prominent vodka producers globally. Consistently being ranked as the best-selling vodka worldwide as reported by The Spirits Business. The publication shares that Smirnoff’s sales saw a 6% increase in 2022, selling 28.1 million cases, an improvement from 26.5 million in the previous year.

The success of Smirnoff can be attributed not only to the classic No. 21 vodka but also to its extensive range of 26 different flavors and zero-sugar infusions. Striving to continually delight their customers, the company has expanded its product line to include seasonal, limited-release flavors. Initially, Smirnoff Peppermint Twist and Red, White & Berry were introduced as limited-release products, but due to their popularity, they were incorporated into the company’s regular product line. Smirnoff even created vodka-filled Christmas ornaments one year.

For the festive season of 2023, Smirnoff is bringing to the table a limited-release Red, White & Merry vodka. We decided to give this holiday spirit a try. As a seasoned Sommelier and writer specializing in wines and spirits, my two decades of experience tasting and critiquing various vodka brands and products came in handy for this review. Here’s what we thought.

Additionally, you could check out: 13 Liquors Your Home Bar Should Have

Smirnoff Red, White & Merry vodka is a gluten-free liquor that pairs natural flavors with certified colors in order to offer a holiday-inspired spirit. The palate offers notes of orange, cranberry, and ginger. The flavor profile is inspired by the boutique 2022 offering from the company’s Smirnoff Ice seasonal release, Red, White & Merry Ice Holiday Punch, which had hints of cranberry, black cherry, blood orange, and ginger.

Each 1.5-ounce serving of Red, White & Merry’s 60-proof vodka clocks in at 89 calories and presents an attractive pink hue. As reported by Medical News Today, this calorie count is slightly below that of an unadorned ‘shot and a half’ of vodka, which typically has 96 calories. The marginally lower calorie count may be attributed to the slightly reduced alcohol by volume (ABV) in flavored vodkas. This is a consequence of dilution that occurs when sugars and other flavors are added. The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives specifies a minimum ABV of 40% for standard, unflavored vodkas. In contrast, Smirnoff’s holiday offering features an ABV of 30%.

For those with a penchant for handcrafted, cranberry-infused vodka, Smirnoff offers an appealing alternative. With Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry holiday bottle, there’s no need for the laborious crushing, straining and waiting involved in DIY infusions. The flavor of cranberry features prominently in this handy, 750ml bottle.

Like all Smirnoff vodka distributed in the US, this gluten-free variant derives from corn. The distillation process typically renders most vodka gluten-free, regardless of its base being wheat, barley, other grains, potatoes, grapes, or corn. However, using corn as the primary ingredient provides reassurance for those on celiac-friendly diets. Smirnoff ensures that no hidden gluten-containing components are added to its flavorings.

The spirit is triple-distilled to yield a well-balanced taste. This triple distillation process acts as a purification method for the vodka, allowing for a palatable experience free from contaminants with softer natural flavors and a rounded off characteristic.

Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry boasts the taste of citrus and berry fruit, enhanced with the warming, spicy notes of ginger. It echoes familiar sensations we associate with holiday flavors, such as the cozy spiced mulled wine, cranberry sauce, and gingerbread. We put the vodka to the test – both neat in a tulip-shaped wine glass with no ice and over ice in a rocks glass. The tulip glass choice is due to its ability to amplify the vodka’s aromatic profile because the shape of the glass plays a crucial role in intensifying these aromas and directing them toward the nose.

Our sampling revealed that the vodka gives off a fresh, fruity scent, fulfilling the ripe red berry and zesty citrus descriptions of the product. The vodka offers a dense, syrupy consistency, akin to a honeyed, sweet syrup during the tasting. The flavor is saccharine and fruity, with cranberry being the predominant taste on the front palate while a somewhat artificial, heavily sweet flavor marks the finish. The tasting notes include more of berry and cherry instead of citrus. We found ourselves desiring a more pronounced citrusy flavor and a stronger presence of the zesty, warming, and spicy ginger. Ice does help temper the sweetness, yet the strongest flavor remains to be cranberry.

In spite of Smirnoff being a globally renowned and top-selling vodka brand, it does not inflate its prices. Smirnoff No. 21 vodka is one of the more economical vodka choices available in the market. The brand’s flavored vodka varieties adhere to similar pricing structures, averaging around $14 for a 750ml bottle of Smirnoff Red, White & Merry, similar in price to the brand’s Peppermint Twist and Pink Lemonade vodka variants.

Fitting with the season, the bottle is wrapped like a Christmas present in a red casing, with gold accents and red glitter to bring a little glitz and glamour to the holidays. Following the initial release of the seasonal product on November 1, 2023, Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry vodka will be on sale through the end of the year to compliment any holiday occasion. The vodka is available at alcohol retailers nationwide.

Like any vodka, Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry makes the perfect base for an array of martinis, mixed drinks, and holiday cocktails. Though the vodka’s sweet, fruity flavors are prominent enough to mix the liquor with club soda or seltzer simply, we found it best mixed into cocktails with additional flavored mixers. Beverages like ginger beer, pure cranberry juice, and lemon-lime soda, with garnishes like fresh herbs and citrus wheels, help balance the overall sweetness while enhancing the overall flavor of the vodka.

Use it in cocktails to add fruit-forward flavors to a festive Christmas punch, enhance cranberry orange crush cocktails, or make Ina Garten’s big batch Cosmopolitans, perfect for entertaining a group of friends this holiday season. For those feeling adventurous, we suggest adding it as a cranberry twist on a Moscow mule, intensifying the cranberry flavor in a classic Madras cocktail, or using it in a frozen Cosmo. The icy cocktail is the best use of leftover cranberry sauce we have tasted.

Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry includes such a unique combination of ingredients that no other flavored vodka on the market is exactly like it. Of course, other citrus, ginger, and cranberry vodkas are available. However, Smirnoff is the only one to put the three flavors together.

Nevertheless, Smirnoff’s vodka primarily exhibited a cranberry flavor and so we set it up against Deep Eddy Cranberry Vodka for comparison. This is also made from a corn base, similarly to Smirnoff, and consequently is naturally gluten-free. Availability and pricing of the Texas-produced vodka are nearly identical to Smirnoff’s.

The alcohol content in Deep Eddy Cranberry vodka is a little more than Smirnoff’s, at 35% ABV, and it undergoes distillation ten times as opposed to Smirnoff’s three times. The added distillation processes result in ultra-smooth vodka with a neat, balanced flavor profile and smooth texture. The vodka involves actual cranberry juice rather than natural flavorings, which gives it a more genuine and tart cranberry flavor compared to what Smirnoff provides. Pure cane sugar is also incorporated into Deep Eddy’s, crafting a perfect balance of sweetness and tart fruitiness.

In terms of purchasing a bottle of Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry this holiday season, we appreciate any product that can immerse us into the festive mood. Our hopes were high for Smirnoff’s Red, White & Merry vodka. We like its gluten-free nature and its alcohol content, which is lower than what other vodka products offer. The alcohol being affordable and widely available across the country till the end of the year is also worth noting.

However, Smirnoff’s vodka was found to be best used as a fundamental ingredient in cocktails that include other powerfully flavored mixers. This makes us question if it wouldn’t have been better to use a regular, unflavored vodka since anyway we need additional juices and mixers to realize the fruity, spicy taste that the flavored vodka claims to offer. On the positive side, we did find that the bright red packaging it comes in is quite attractive. It would certainly liven up a bar cart and would make an attractive gift for any vodka connoisseur.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

Tennessee whiskey brand George Dickel just released its oldest expression to date, an expensive 18-year-old bourbon that is complex, balanced, and not overly oaky despite spending nearly two decades maturing in barrels.

George Dickel is the second best known Tennessee whiskey brand after Jack Daniel’s, the behemoth that dominates all whiskey categories. This Diageo-owned brand is produced at Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. in the small town of Tullahoma, and the operation has been overseen by general manager and distiller Nicole Austin since 2018. That’s a very good thing—Austin has revitalized the brand with releases like the Bottled-in-Bond series, the experimental Cascade Moon lineup, and the introduction of a bourbon into the portfolio. That last one might seem a bit subjective, because technically most Tennessee whiskey is bourbon that has undergone the extra step of charcoal filtration before going into barrels (something some whiskey fans will debate all day). In a recent interview with Robb Report, Austin admitted that calling some of the whiskey bourbon and some Tennessee whiskey can be hard to explain. “The category gets more and more varied, so this is my perspective of what I think of as a classic American whiskey flavor profile,” she said. “Someone could argue with me that I’m doing it wrong, but they’re not in charge, so by all means!”

More from Robb Report

WhistlePig Just Brought Back Its Limited Edition PiggyBank Rye

American Distillers Could Soon Face a ‘Disastrous’ 50% Tax When Sending Whiskey to Europe

Taste Test: The Jim Beam Distillery Releases a Rye Worthy of the Top Shelf

Dickel Bourbon was introduced in 2021 as an eight-year-old expression—and one that we really loved. Austin started looking at these older barrels in 2019, and she says that the new 18-year-old is not just an older version of last year’s 17-year-old release. “I knew people were interested in these older expressions from Dickel,” she said. “When I was looking at barrels for the 17-year-old Tennessee whiskey, I found some that had a lot more of that vanilla and fruit character and I set them aside for this… I chose to call them bourbon because it was a continuation of the same reason that Dickel Bourbon exists—this is an older version of that flavor profile.”

Many of the barrels that went into this release were nearly empty, having lost 70 to 80 percent in angel’s share, or evaporation, over nearly 20 years of hot Tennessee summers and cold winters. Surprisingly, that did not result in a dried-out oak bomb of a whiskey. On the contrary, there are delicate fruits on the palate, along with sour apple, cherry-lime soda, chocolate-orange, vanilla pudding, and a burst of citrus. Some mellow smoky oak permeates throughout, culminating in a warm and lengthy finish, thanks to the whiskey being bottled at 90 proof. Still, Austin acknowledges that $510 is a lot to ask someone to pay for a bottle of Dickel, a brand not normally associated with such high prices, but she feels confident about its value. “I want people to trust that this liquid is rooted in something I believe in,” she said. “Finding American whiskey this old is rare, especially with this flavor profile.” Besides, the naysayers don’t really bother her. “No matter what you do, someone is going to be mean to you on the Internet. Once you realize that, it’s freeing, so I might as well make the whiskey I want to make.”

Austin also offered a tease about what we can expect from Dickel over the coming year. Two new bottled-in-bond blends are on the way, and one will be the oldest in the series to date (she tastes them blind, so this was not by design). Also, there will be a new Cascade Moon collaborative release with Todd Leopold of Colorado’s Leopold Bros., and it might incorporate some whiskey aged in refill barrels. In the meantime, you can find Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years available to purchase from Total Wine.

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Sign up for Robb Report’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.

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Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards pose for a photocall at the Rolling Stones “Hackney Diamonds” Launch Event at Hackney Empire on September 06, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jo Hale/Redferns)

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. – Turning out distinctive bottles of spirits is nothing new for Spencer Wolf and his team at The Point Distillery in New Port Richey. But, there’s some special rum waiting in the warehouse – 28,000 gallons for The Rolling Stones. 

Within days, they’ll start bottling the new signature rum from the Stones called “Crossfire Hurricane.” The term refers to the lyrical place where Mick Jagger was born in the iconic song Jumpin’ Jack Flash.

Pictured: Prototype bottle.

This distillery was selected among many competitors anxious to bottle the rum. It became the drink of choice for the band when they spent time in the Caribbean, honing their music in their early days together.

STUDY: Drunkest city in each US state revealed

Wolf said unlike some other celebrities who just license their names, the Stones own the rum brand and have been intimately involved in the creation of both the rum and the distinctive bottle.

“Mick Jagger has been all over it to the finest detail,” said Wolf. “And they wanted a product that represented them.”

It’s easy to see. 

“If you look at the back label, they’ve actually signed them,” said Wolf. “And here, the tongue is probably one of the most prominent logos in the world.”

READ: World’s most sought-after scotch whisky sets auction record at $2.7M

To coin some titles from the Stones, Wild Horses couldn’t drag Wolf away from the satisfaction he and his team feel.

“Oh, we were beyond ecstatic. This is the most famous iconic rock band in the world,” he said.

Wolf said making the intricate bottle for a local brand of bourbon, Von Payne, helped convince the Stones to bring it to Pasco County.

“And I think it was said ‘if you can do that bottle you can do ours,’” Wolf said.

Wolf, who is originally from Great Britain, said his accent may have played a small part in it. 

MORE: General Mills will release 6 new cereals in 2024: ‘Fan-favorite flavors with a twist’

The Rolling Stones are scheduled to perform in Orlando on June 3. What are the chances they might come to New Port Richey to see their rum being bottled?

“Discretion stops me from answering that question, but would I be surprised if they show up to see their rum being manufactured? No,” he smiled. 

Wolf said he expects to start bottling the rum in early December, and that it should be on store shelves around the beginning of the new year. He said it will have a retail price of around $37 a bottle.

“I think the Stones wanted it priced so that it could be accessible to a great number of their millions and millions of fans,” he said.

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Vodka, oh vodka. It’s one of those spirits that instantly brings a flavor memory to mind, whether it’s from souvenir shot glasses or a neutral vodka-soda. Meaning “little water” in Russian, vodka certainly gets a bad rap, and the same is sadly true of vodka martinis. But to that end I say, no more!

Even the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which previously stated that, technically speaking, vodka should be “without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color,” (ouch!) has gone back on its rulings. The bureau’s new amended definition gives vodka martini drinkers a lot more excitement to look forward to — and it shows.

Plenty of vodka brands are making far more complex martinis to enjoy and mix, according to bartenders. If you often opt for the more classic gin martini, it’s time to stir things up (literally, please don’t shake!) with a vodka martini.

What’s the Best Vodka for Martinis?

What’s the trick to picking the best vodka for a martini? Know your grains! Contrary to popular belief, most vodkas are not made with potatoes, but from grains like wheat, barley, rye, and corn. Depending on the grain, you’ll get a wide variation in texture, sweetness, and, yes, a little burn.

After interviewing numerous bartenders, it emerged that a common favorite grain for vodka bases was wheat. George Krpeyan, the general manager at The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, mentioned his preference for vodka distilled from 100% wheat. This preference led him to frequently use Grey Goose, a wheat-based vodka, for his signature cocktails. Wheat vodka’s delicate sweetness and smoothness make it a perfect choice for mixing while rye-based and corn-based vodkas tend to deliver spicier or buttery tones.

Krpeyan isn’t the only one with a penchant for wheat-based vodkas. Simon Sebbah, the beverage director of Grand Tour Hospitality, also endorsed Grey Goose as his go-to vodka brand. Given that it’s a French product made from French winter wheat and mixed with demineralized spring water from Cognac, Grey Goose is appreciated for its crisp flavor, making it an excellent choice for spirit-forward cocktails like martinis.

Buy: Grey Goose Vodka, $27.59 for 750 mL at Drizly

Grey Goose isn’t the only vodka brand lauded for its crisp flavor profile. Other bartenders favored wheat-based vodkas such as Stoli Elite, Chopin, and Ketel One. These brands are renowned for their crisp, clean finish spiked with feathery whispers of citrus.

How to Make the Best Vodka Martini at Home

As a cocktail as simple as the martini, the quality of all your components is crucial. Your selection includes dry vermouth, your preferred vodka, and potentially some orange bitters or olive juice, all of which should be thoroughly chilled. If you have the time, freezing your glasses and stirring your martini will result in an ultra-silky, almost creamy cocktail.

Typical martini recipes will recommend a 2:1 or 3:1 vodka to vermouth ratio; mix for about 30 seconds in your mixing glass with a large ice cube, and then strain into your martini glass. Add a garnish such as a lemon twist, olives, or cocktail onions, and your cocktail is ready.

Although making martinis might seem daunting, there’s a method that simplifies the process whilst preserving a heavenly texture: make a large batch and store it in the freezer. “The freezer martini method enhances that texture,” asserts Pete Vasconcellos, beverage director for Albert’s Bar in New York. “Grab a one-liter glass bottle with a secure lid, determine your ideal martini ratio of vodka to vermouth and scale it up to 750 milliliters (to nearly fill the bottle). Multiply the total volume by 20% (150 milliliters) and add that amount of distilled water. Keep your martini batch in the glass bottle in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply pour it into a chilled martini glass. There’s no need to stir!”

Expats yearning for a bit of the United States will likely not find it in bourbon or rye.

It seems that American whisky is facing a 50 percent tax when exported to Europe. This could potentially damage the industry of spirits in the US, The Wall Street Journal reported this past Monday. The tariff, anticipated to take effect next year, is the European Union’s reciprocal action to the US taxes on European steel and aluminum. Caught in the crossfire of this dispute are distilleries, even though their products are not directly involved.

Further reading from Robb Report

George Dickel’s Fresh 18-Year-Old Bourbon Is Its Most Aged Whisky Yet – We Got an Initial Taste

Taste Test: The Jim Beam Distillery Releases a Rye Worthy of the Top Shelf

This Underrated Scotch Distillery Just Dropped a Big, Bold Cask Strength Single Malt

“We’re just collateral damage,” Brooke Glover of West Virginia’s Swilled Dog distillery told the WSJ.

Back in 2018, then-President Donald Trump imposed the steel and aluminum tariffs, causing the EU to respond with its own taxes on iconic American goods, such as Levi’s jeans and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Initially, American whiskey was taxed at 25 percent, with the tariff suspended a couple of years ago thanks to an agreement between the U.S. and the EU. The tax is supposed to go back into effect in 2024, though, doubled to a whopping 50 percent.

The U.S. is attempting to once again postpone the tariff with a further two-year extension according to sources to The Journal. However, agreement has yet to be reached, thereby placing distilleries in a predicament.

Jeff Quint, the CEO of Iowa’s Cedar Ridge Distillery, express to the newspaper, “With the significant likelihood of the tariffs making a return, it’s truly a deterrent to wanting to invest in these foreign markets. Without assurance that these tariffs have been abolished, no one will substantially invest in promoting bourbon worldwide.”

Since the initial implementation of the tariffs, some distilleries have chosen not to ship their goods to Europe. Confronted with a 25 percent tax, EU exports plummeted 20 percent, down from $552 million to $440 million. However, since its suspension, exports have soared beyond pre-tariff levels according to data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States presented to WSJ.

However, if the 50 percent tariff is levied in the new year, this trend is unlikely to continue. As the President of DISCUS, Chris Swonger, informed the media outlet, it “would be a total disaster for the American whiskey business.”

It would also be a disaster for Europeans who love American whiskey.

Best of Robb Report

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Singer Michael Bublé with his Fraser & Thompson whiskey.

You don’t need to put on a tuxedo to try

Fraser & Thompson

whiskey but it wouldn’t be out of place either. Grammy-award winning singer Michael Bublé teamed up with Master Distiller and Blender Paul Cirka to create this ‘North America’ whiskey named in tribute to two rivers in Canada where Bublé spent time with his beloved grandfather growing up. I spoke with Bublé about this special relationship, the challenge of selling whiskey after selling 75 millions albums and how he almost became a snack for some polar bears.

Your new whiskey is named after two rivers where you spent time with your grandfather. Tell me about him.

I come from a really proud Italian family. My grandpa had a little cellar and he would make his own wine. It was famous — all the neighbors loved to come over. It had a little bit of carbonation to it. It was delicious. It was strong. Then he would make a little grappa and then he would take cherries and put those in the grappa. Every night at our family dinner everybody was allowed a little sip.

I once had an interview at my home with a journalist who had come to meet my grandparents. They were featuring me in a story and my grandparents have greatly influenced who I am. One funny moment was when my grandfather served wine and grappa cherries, and soon, the entire crew, including the camera guy, was slightly intoxicated.

Everyday, I drink from a coffee cup adorned with a photo of my grandfather. He is my hero.

Why were the Fraser and Thompson rivers special?

My grandfather, who spent 55 years as a plumber but always aspired to be a geography teacher, used to take my sisters and me camping. He always delighted in showing us the point where the mighty Fraser river met the stunning glacial waters of the Thompson — a point of confluence. Paying tribute to him in this way is important to me. He would have been very proud. Not only is it a brilliant marketing idea to mix this whiskey with such a perfect image, but it’s also a touching homage.

I also dropped some cool little ‘Easter eggs’ into the bottle design. People will never understand this but that’s okay. It’s not for them to comprehend, it’s for me. At the very top of the label is my grandpa’s birthday. And then on the side near the batch number is my birthday. And there’s more — lots of things that pay tribute to him.

Fraser & Thompson whiskey.

What made you want to do a whiskey in his honor instead of a wine?

Personally I’m not a big fan of wine. I prefer whiskey, always have. This project began three years ago on my birthday. My manager introduced a bunch of different products from this distiller Paul Cirka and said “this guy’s interested in you being an ambassador but I don’t think it’s going to work because it’s too small of a company.” But we passed around the bottles that night and we fell in love with it. I mean we really fell in love with it.

So I posed the question, what would happen if we purchased the company? How about we join in the investment, thereby becoming partners? I queried my manager if he would entertain the idea of being a part of such a venture, to which he positively responded. A friend of mine, with whom I co-own a hockey team, expressed interest in participating too. Emphasizing a spirit of adventure, I rallied everyone with the thought, “So let’s give this a go. Let’s have some fun.” Consequently, we found ourselves as co-owners of a unique boutique distillery. Looking back, it amuses me that my level of comprehension about this business was so lacking that I mistakenly referred to the distillery as a “brewery” in my first interaction with Paul Cirka.

Since you stepped into the whiskey industry, what has been your most surprising observation?

I found striking similarities between Paul’s work and mine. In essence, making whiskey can be equated to the process of creating music – piecing together different notes, textures and grooves to construct an emotive melody. It’s about discovering the ideal blend that resonates with people. It didn’t take me long to realize Paul’s passion for his craft. Generally, most of my conversations revolve around music. If I were to release a record now and you queried about the seventh track, I could delve into a detailed conversation spanning hours, explaining the intricate behind-the-scenes production. Each and every note, the underlying mood, the personal and emotional significance it holds for me – I’d happily chat about it all. While this might seem tedious to you, for me, it is far from it. I genuinely enjoy it. Similarly, Paul devoted considerable time to ensure perfection in his concoction. Without a doubt, he is the true star of this venture.

Which signature Michael Bublé song would you recommend to enjoy with a glass of Fraser & Thompson?

Oh, that’s a really good question. I gotta say it depends on what mood you’re in. Are we in a party mood or are we in a chill mood?

Michael Bublé and Paul Cirka.

We’re drinking it for the first time. We’re hanging. And we’re going to put on one of your songs in the background.

I think we start with ‘Feeling Good.’ It starts off sophisticated. Sexy. Slow. It might go down smooth but by the end it’ll be like a hammer. (Laughs) I just started to build production in my mind. I have some confetti flying and a couple pyro shots going off.

Who are some individuals you would enjoy sharing a drink of Fraser & Thompson with?

Among my favorite people to enjoy a drink with is Blake Shelton. We’re lively like little ones, full of laughter. We don’t get too bogged down by life. Plus, he’s quite a humorous character. I relish the times when I appear on talk shows where they serve some drinks. Those are fun instances (laughs) as everyone tends to let loose a bit. One other fellow I appreciate immensely is Graham Norton, a British host and a wonderful friend.

What is your preferred way to savor your whiskey?

My preferences vary depending upon the mood and the extent of my thirst. I sometimes enjoy it chilled, sometimes prefer to mix it up. I have tried mixing it with Pepsi. I’ve even paired it with sparkling wine. (Laughs) I did mix it with this special holiday drink that’s been named after me, the ‘Merry Berry Bublé’. That turned out to be quite pleasant but my default choice remains whiskey on the rocks.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – OCTOBER 01: Michael Bublé performs on stage during his “Higher” tour at Rogers Arena on October 01, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Andrew Chin/Getty Images)

Did you have the same anticipation releasing the whiskey as you do with a new record?

For the last 20 years I have written and recorded a record for six months. I have then gone to 20 countries to promo the record for three months. I then go on the road to 50 countries for a year and a half or two years and tour. And I have lived in that cycle for the last 20 years of my life. And you know what? I have put everything else aside in my life. And I mean I have stopped everything so that I could concentrate on making sure that this is a massive success.

I can’t believe this is finally here. I am inexperienced in the business of selling spirits. I really naively thought that we would make the juice and that would be the tough part. Then it will be everywhere, you know what I mean? (Laughs) But apparently it takes time.

Music is my life. I love to create. That’s an addiction that is impossible to walk away from. But I can’t really express how exciting it is for me to have this new challenge. Every day there’s a new celebrity spirit but there’s a reason why some work and some don’t. I think people know when somebody’s truly in or just doing it for a money grab.

Where are you calling from today?

I just got to Las Vegas from your home country. I was up in Churchill on a polar bear expedition.

I’ve been to Churchill. And I didn’t realize that we were so delicious for polar bears. I was with a friend of mine and we were filming a movie. I had had a few drinks at this wrap party and I started running down the beach where there’s all the big rocks. And this fellow, a native from there, just started swearing at us — I mean full-on using every cuss word. We didn’t realize that there were polar bears probably just licking their lips waiting for us. And I was in worse shape then. So I would’ve been easy to catch.

Were you faster than your friend? They might have gotten to him first.

No! My friend was Barry Pepper (laughs). He’s this Tom-Cruise-looking actor guy. He used to do sit-ups and stuff before takes while I was drinking whiskey. So, yeah. I would’ve been caught.

We almost lost one of the great singers of our time to a polar bear dinner.

I would have been a delicious and fatty snack. Really plump and slow.