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The public are being warned about counterfeit bottles of Glen’s Vodka that have been discovered to contain an industrial solvent potentially fatal in severe cases.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has reported that some 35cl bottles, which are counterfeit, have been detected with isopropyl alcohol, a substance not safe for consumption.

These counterfeit vodka bottles may exhibit an unusual odor and taste dissimilar to authentic vodka, according to the FSA.

This alert follows a recent warning from Food Standards Scotland that counterfeit Glen’s Vodka had been identified in convenience stores across Glasgow and Lanarkshire.

In a statement, the FSA – which covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland – said it “has been made aware of the production and distribution of counterfeit vodka labelled as Glen’s Vodka”.

“Products sampled were found to contain isopropyl alcohol, so they are unsafe. Isopropyl alcohol is an industrial solvent and is not intended for human consumption,” it said.

Drinking the solvent “can quickly lead to alcohol poisoning and in severe cases death”, the FSA said.

It advises consumers to check for a “laser etched lot code applied to the bottle between the rear label and the base of the bottle”.

The FSA mentions that isopropyl possesses “a strong odour and it may be possible to detect contaminated products by smell alone”.

“If the vodka emits a strong odor, do not consume it. Instead, store it in a safe location and inform your local authority for further instructions and advice,” the agency advised.

Following the warning issued by the FSS in Scotland on Tuesday, a representative for the Loch Lomond Group, which owns Glen’s Vodka, stated: “Our priority is the health and safety of the public, which includes our many thousands of loyal Glen’s customers.

“We are diligently working with the commendable efforts of Food Standards Scotland and other involved authorities to resolve the issue promptly.”

It traces the stunning, extraterrestrial landscape featured in films like Star Wars and Dune, while helping to preserve traditional Bedouin culture.

My Bedouin guide Abdullah led the way up and into the crags of Jebel Umm Ishrin (1,753m), the sheer, eastern wall of Jordan’s most spectacular valley: Wadi Rum. Though it’s considered one of the world’s most breathtaking desert landscapes today, few outsiders had ever heard of Wadi Rum in 1917 when British archaeologist and writer TE Lawrence travelled through, describing this eastern wall as “one massive rampart of redness”.

Forty-five years later, his journey inspired the film Lawrence of Arabia, which effectively introduced Wadi Rum to the outside world.

Long before Lawrence, local Bedouin scrambled to dizzying heights on these cliffs, blazing vertiginous paths to needle the mountains’ narrowest gaps, reaching their innermost fissures and skirting their dome-capped summits on the hunt for ibex.

Slowcomotion is a BBC Travel series that celebrates slow, self-propelled travel and invites readers to get outside and reconnect with the world in a safe and sustainable way.

As Abdullah and I followed in their footsteps, clambering up the cleft of Umm Ejil (also known as Rakhabat Canyon), the passage narrowed and rock walls popped with weathered niches and delicate natural columns, as if marking the approach to an ancient shrine. Panting, I dropped to a black sandstone bench to rest beside Abdallah. We were deep in the heart of Jebel Umm Ishrin, engulfed in its silence, until a human-like whistle suddenly broke the quiet. I craned my neck to scan the surrounding cliffs. Such high, hidden reaches have long been considered the hideouts of magical jinn (genies).

Abdallah smiled: a starling, he explained. Their two-part whistle is a familiar sound in the surrounding Hisma plateau.

Of the area’s hundreds of miles of red-sand desert, the bulk of which stretches beyond the Saudi border, it’s Jordan’s fortuitous sliver that is by far the best known. It’s this stretch, centred on the Unesco-inscribed Wadi Rum Protected Area, that a bewitched Lawrence described as “magically haunted” and “vast and echoing and God-like”. In recent decades, this extraterrestrial terrain has served as the backdrop of numerous blockbuster films, including Prometheus (2012), The Martian (2015), Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) and Dune (2021 and 2024).

It was here that a new long-distance hiking route was launched in February 2023: The Wadi Rum Trail. This 10-day, clockwise circuit stretches for 120km starting from Jebel Umm Ishrin and showcases the prime features of Wadi Rum’s surreal landscapes, journeying beyond the usual 4×4 routes deep into the Protected Area. According to Ben Hoffler, one of the creators of the trail, it integrates various Bedouin paths including walking tracks, shepherding tracks, camel tracks, hunting routes, smuggling routes, and segments of the old pilgrimage route (darb al-hajj) to Mecca.

Hoffler has dedicated over a decade to developing mountain trails across the region, from Egypt’s Sinai and Red Sea Mountain trails to the Bedouin Trail – a vast 1,200km route that connects Jordan to Upper Egypt. But Wadi Rum holds a unique charm for him, with towering mountains that exhibit a magnificence unmatched in other parts of the Hisma plateau. The area also sustains a Bedouin culture that is notably more traditional than in the Saudi Arabian sections of Hisma, imbuing it with a remarkable ambiance.

Much like the resourceful Nabatean civilization, which constructed Petra centuries earlier, the Zalabieh tribe—the most prominent Bedouin group in today’s Protected Area—was attracted to Wadi Rum by the perennial springs at the foot of Jebel Rum, which faces Jebel Umm Ishrin. These springs, surrounded by rocky walls adorned with ancient Thamudic and Greek inscriptions as well as several Nabatean shrines, sprout lush wild mint thickets.

However, as recently as a few generations ago, the Bedouin village at the base of Jebel Rum was merely a cluster of goat-hair tents. With governmental initiatives since the 1930s, most of the Bedouins here, like others across Jordan, have settled permanently, favouring SUVs over camels and 4×4 tourism as a main economic driver, with tours typically heading southward along a populated track through the valley.

By contrast, the Wadi Rum Trail climbs east into the twisting bowels of the mountains, losing the crowds from the start. Ten days later, it ends where it began, with increasingly hair-raising abseils down the face of Jebel Rum landing you back at the springs.

Climber and adventurer Tony Howard was first drawn to Wadi Rum in the 1980s and has since played a pivotal role in putting Wadi Rum on the tourism map. In exploring and publishing the region’s first climbing routes, he struck up lasting friendships with Zalabieh members and was deeply impressed by their hospitality and knowledge of the steep terrain.

After Howard and Hoffler hiked the Sinai Trail together in Egypt, the two began collaborating with Howard’s friends in Wadi Rum – among them Zalabieh elders – to create a similar long-distance trail in Jordan.

Like Hoffler’s other projects in Egypt, the Wadi Rum Trail was designed with both hikers and locals in mind. Though tackling the trail on your own is permitted, the creators are convinced that the most rewarding experience is to be had in the company of Bedouin guides.

“The Wadi Rum Trail first and foremost pays homage to the Bedouin of Wadi Rum,” said Howard. “They know the area, its flora and fauna intimately from ancestral knowledge – and they are always good company and good fun!”

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“There are many hearts in this path,” said one such Zalabieh elder, Sabbah Eid. “[It’s a] beautiful experience with nature and the life of the Bedouin, far from communication and modern life… it gives a special spirit to the place – complete calm.” As Eid explained, much of the impetus for the trail’s creation was to support the Bedouin community, connecting “a new generation of young people to work on this path – instead of working with tours on cars”.

Hoffler believes that Bedouin-led efforts like the Wadi Rum Trail can help preserve the Bedouins’ natural environment and cultural heritage. “If history have shown us anything it’s that the Bedouin known how to live sustainably in the wilderness,” Hoffler said.

Hiking the trail

While hiking the entire trail takes 10 days, those with limited time can explore it in sections, as I did, starting with the first section: the traverse of Umm Ejil. This path leads to the breathtaking dunes of Wadi Umm Ishrin, surrounded by cliffs that conceal ancient petroglyphs and Nabatean and Thamudic inscriptions. Crossing another rocky ascent reveals the sandy expanses of the Khor al-Ajram basin to the south. Passing through the stunning Abu Khashaba Canyon, we climbed Jebel Birda (1,574m) to its vast rock arch. The panoramic views from the ridge of Birda showcase Wadi Rum’s impressive sandstone massifs.

Leaving the well-known landscapes of Wadi Rum, the trail turns east towards the remote Tablelands, one of the most solitary parts of the route. It follows south on an ancient camel path, skirting old burial sites, enduring inscriptions, and valleys filled with remnants of ancient caravans.

Jordan’s tallest peak, Umm ad-Dami (1,854m), near the Saudi border, is the next significant marker on the route. Reaching the summit, the sky explodes in color. Salman, my young Bedouin guide, shared that the peak’s name relates to an ancient Bedouin justice system, where blood feuds known as damm (“blood”) were settled. This tradition of justice still prevails in Bedouin communities like Wadi Rum, where tribal sheikhs continue to serve as arbiters of justice, maintaining their role despite modern laws.

From the peak’s summit, looking west to the crimson cliffs, I considered whether the name could be inspired by their rust-like hue at sunset. A cool breeze greeted me as I admired the landscape’s grand ridges and expansive sand waves. My phone vibrated, signaling a welcome message in Arabic from nearby Saudi Arabia.

The trail doesn’t actually enter Saudi Arabia, but curves north-west into the Hejaz Hills before approaching the final summit of the trail: Jebel Rum (1,734m). For at least a century, the Bedouin have scaled Jebel Rum’s summits, where rabbits and goats still flit through its wooded gullies. For hikers completing the entire trail, it’s a jaw-dropping finish, involving ropes, harnesses and multipitch rappelling down the mountain’s western face.

Upon leaving the village, I mentioned to a handful of guides my desire to return and complete the full circuit. In striking contrast to the fast-paced, formulaic 4×4 tours on offer in Wadi Rum, increasingly featuring stays in luxury space pods inspired by films like The Martian, the trail’s slow, deliberate meander offers a deeper, more visceral experience here – and in far more sustainable fashion.

Tatiana Haddad, a cultural anthropologist at the American University of Beirut, told me she was hopeful that the trail’s creation is “emblematic of a growing consideration towards the ecological fragility of Wadi Rum and the vitality of its protection”. Contrary to common assumptions, she noted that “desert ecology is in fact quite fragile, and many Bedouins are already having to change their lifestyles to adapt to Wadi Rum’s degradation”.

But alongside preserving Wadi Rum’s natural environment aside, safeguarding the rich cultural heritage of the Bedouin community is at the heart of this route.

“Bedouin culture stands at a crossroads,” Hoffler said. “If [the ancestral knowledge of this land] is lost, it will be a cultural tragedy for all of humanity.” To live on, he explained, “it needs to actually be used. It needs to be learned. It needs to be practiced. It needs to be passed on to the next generations.”

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Elle Macpherson has revealed her previous struggles with alcohol, sharing that she would drink vodka nightly after her children were asleep.

In her latest book, Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself, which launched on September 3, she discussed these challenges on the Carrie and Tommy radio show. She confessed to falling asleep from the alcohol after her sons, Flynn and Cy, had gone to bed.

“It wasn’t a secret; it was just a part of my daily routine,” said Macpherson, who is now 60 years old.

During this time, her children’s father, Arpad Busson, was often out of the country, only returning home on weekends, which left her handling the domestic responsibilities solo. “That was my routine when I was alone with the kids,” she commented.

Macpherson also revealed that she would force herself to vomit three times before going to bed in an attempt to rid her body of booze.

“I used to think if I throw up I wouldn’t have the alcohol in my system. How bonkers is that?” she remarked, adding that her drinking and throwing up were attempts to “control the outside world so I would feel at peace inside.”

Macpherson, who has now been sober for 20 years and credits Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) for her recovery, said she was concerned about being recognised at her first meeting.

“Here I was thinking everybody was like, ‘Oh my god, that’s [Elle Macpherson]’…nobody gives a s**t.

“Everybody is on their own journey, they’re trying to get well, they’re trying to capture the pieces of their life that they’ve let go of.

“They’re on their own journey. The last thing they’re thinking about is me, and that’s the healthiest place to be in.”

Macpherson also shares in her book that she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago, but declined chemotherapy, opting instead for a holistic approach to her treatment – going against the advice of 32 doctors.

“It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways and it really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me,” she wrote in an exclusive excerpt published in the Australian Woman’s Weekly on Monday.

She consulted a diverse team consisting of a naturopathic doctor, a holistic dentist, an osteopath, a chiropractor, and two therapists.

While reflecting on a beach in Miami, the model chose to follow a holistic method focused on intuition and heart, guided by her primary doctor who practices integrative medicine. This form of medicine combines traditional medical treatment with therapies that focus on the mind and body.

Macpherson shared that rejecting conventional drug treatments was “the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” yet she believed that not listening to her inner voice would be even more challenging.

Despite facing criticism and being labeled as “crazy,” she remained committed to her decision that deeply resonated with her.

She ultimately placed herself under the care of a team of specialists, including her primary doctor, a naturopath, a holistic dentist, an osteopath, a chiropractor, and two therapists.

She now says she is in clinical remission, describing her current state as “utter wellness”.

If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with cancer, Macmillan can offer support and information. You can contact their helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (7 days a week from 8am to 8pm), use their webchat service, or visit theirsite for more information.

Representatives of the seven founding members of the Estate Whiskey Alliance gathered at the University of Kentucky for an announcement.

The University of Kentucky, known for partnering with the industry to bolster the whiskey sector that significantly impacts Kentucky’s economy, has initiated the Estate Whiskey Alliance with seven founding members.

The Estate Whiskey Alliance aims to extend its membership to whiskey producers, farmers, suppliers, academic entities, and related organizations, beyond just estate whiskey distilleries. Next year, the Alliance intends to introduce an Estate Whiskey Certified logo, exclusively for whiskeys that meet specific criteria. These criteria mandate that all production stages—milling, cooking, fermenting, and distilling—must occur on the distillery’s land, using grains where at least two-thirds are grown on land owned or controlled by the distillery.

The seven founding members include Black Fox Farm and Distillery of Saskatchewan, Canada; with the other six members based in the United States: Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, Hillrock Estate Distillery in Ancram, New York, Maker’s Mark in Loretto, Kentucky, Peterson Farms in Loretto, Kentucky, Thousand Acres Distilling Company, which is under construction in Bardstown, Kentucky, and Western Kentucky Distilling Company in Beaver Dam, Kentucky.

A mock up of a bottle of whiskey bearing the Estate Whiskey Certified logo.

“There is a lot of interest from whiskey producers in estate whiskey as a differentiator in products or businesses,” said Landon Borders, director of the Estate Whiskey Alliance and executive director of Innovation Connect at the University of Kentucky in a telephone interview.

Although the Alliance was founded with seven members, Borders says he has been speaking with distilleries from around the world and expects membership to triple within a year. “We know there is a lot of interest,” said Borders.

The interest of producers in having an official designation for estate-made whiskey is in response to consumer demand. “I am a whiskey connoisseur myself,” said Borders. “What has fascinated me is that this adds a lot of dimensions to the consumer experience.”

Estate whiskey offers a unique taste of terroir, using grains like triticale from local sources such as Black Fox Farm and Distillery. According to Borders, the distinct flavors of estate whiskey not only mirror the unique soil and climate of their origins but also vary perceptibly even within grains from different parts of the same farm. The variability introduced by changing weather conditions further enhances this distinction, potentially leading to vintages that reflect more than just age.

The Estate Whiskey Alliance is expanding its reach, allowing more consumers to explore and appreciate spirits made from heritage or novel grain types. Unlike mass-produced whiskey, which relies on standardized ingredients for consistency, estate whiskies embrace a diverse array of grains that best suit the local environment of their production. This could reintroduce traditional types of corn in bourbon production or new varieties of rye for rye whiskey.

By producing in smaller batches, Estate Whiskey Certified producers are poised to utilize grains adapted to their specific locations and climates, potentially reviving ancient grain strains or cultivating new ones for their distinct beverages. This approach provides an opportunity for larger whiskey brands as well, enabling them to offer exclusive estate varieties that enhance their standard product lines and provide a premium experience to discerning customers.

There’s an inherent charm in the Estate Whiskey Certified experience, where the setting at farm-based distilleries enriches the visitor experience. These establishments offer not just a tasting, but an educational insight that forges a link between the art of whiskey production and the essence of agriculture.

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Espresso martinis are currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity since their debut in the 1980s. For those who love the seasonal twist of pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin cold brews, consider venturing into the realm of pumpkin spice espresso martinis. You can enhance your espresso martini with a coffee creamer infused with pumpkin spice or simply add a dash of pumpkin spice syrup. But don’t just settle there. While vodka suits a standard espresso martini, incorporating a darker liquor can enrich your pumpkin spice version, elevating the flavors without overshadowing the espresso’s core essence.

Darker liquors, traditionally paired with coffee in beverages like Irish coffee, Caribbean coffee, and carajillo, are a logical addition to espresso martinis. Deviations from traditional martini components, which typically include gin and vermouth, are not uncommon, with vodka martinis gaining acceptance. Thus, choosing a darker liquor over vodka is not out of place in an espresso martini. The choice of dark liquor can vary, and we offer some insights and suggestions for your selection.

Discover more: 18 Unusual Craft Cocktail Ingredients You Should Try At Least Once

Newcomers to spirit tasting might be surprised to learn that all spirits begin as clear liquids. The deep brown hues are achieved through aging in barrels, a process that not only alters the appearance but also enhances the flavor profile of the spirit. Similar to barrel-aged wines or high-quality vinegar, the aging process can introduce nuances of caramel, smoke, vanilla, clove, and fruit, greatly influenced by the type of wood used and the barrel’s history, such as previous contents of wine or beer.

The delightful complexity of flavors found in dark spirits such as bourbon, spiced rum, and brandy are well-suited to enhance the traditional components of pumpkin pie spice, a mix that typically includes cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. When these barrel-aged liquors are incorporated into a pumpkin spice espresso martini, alongside the standard ingredients of coffee liqueur and espresso, they elevate the warm, spiced nuances of the beverage in a manner that vodka cannot achieve.

If the idea of using a darker liquor in your pumpkin spice espresso martini appeals to you, rest assured that options like bourbon, spiced rum, and brandy will each add a unique and delightful twist. Among these, bourbon is particularly noteworthy for its sweeter profile and subtle vanilla hints, which originate from its aging process in charred American oak barrels. Alternatively, if you prefer rum, consider a spiced rum to intensify the drink’s flavor, offering molasses-like sweetness and a spice blend that resonates with pumpkin spice, including cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.

For those seeking a cocktail that has both a fruity and sweet essence while retaining complexity, brandy is an excellent choice. As a distilled spirit made from various fruits and aged similarly to bourbon and dark rum in wooden barrels, it contributes rich, vanilla-like flavors and a spice palette that perfectly complements the pumpkin spice theme of the drink.

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Read the original article on Food Republic.

Malt produced at small-scale malthouses is typically hand-crafted, including the manual stirring of malt to avoid clumping as the barley germinates.

Since its establishment in 2013, the Craft Maltsters Guild began with just eight member malthouses. Presently, it proudly includes 110 member malthouses spread mainly across North America and internationally. Although exact figures are unknown, the Guild recognizes the presence of additional small malthouses not registered with them.

It is clear that over the past ten years, craft malt has evolved into a significant industry.

“Craft malt has gained significant traction primarily due to the rise of craft breweries and distilleries,” stated Steve Kurowski, the executive director of the Guild, during a phone interview. “These establishments are small businesses that often choose not to engage with larger malt companies. They have grown by encouraging their patrons to support local enterprises, hence they prefer to reciprocate that support by partnering with local maltsters who are attentive and responsive to their needs.”

The rise of small-scale maltsters who purchase grains like barley, wheat, rye, and others directly from local farmers has multiple advantages that extend to the broader context of local brewing and distillation. These smaller malt producers operate on a scale much smaller than large industrial malthouses, allowing them to buy grains from local small-scale farmers. This practice helps avoid the pitfalls of monocropping, promotes diverse crop rotation, and contributes to the overall health of the soil, which benefits a variety of crops, not just those used for brewing.

Contrary to large malthouses that require uniform and high quantities of grains, and typically source only a few varieties from specific regions like the Midwest, small maltsters have the flexibility to source grains from a broader geographic area, ranging from New York to California. This geographical diversity is necessary because certain grain varieties thriving in the Midwest may not perform as well elsewhere. Farmers outside the Midwest, therefore, grow varieties that are adapted to their specific regional soil and climate conditions. This variation and diversity are beneficial for agriculture, helping prevent the spread of diseases and fungi.

Additionally, the presence of small maltsters encourages more farmers to integrate malting barley into their crop rotation. This can potentially increase their income in an industry where, as noted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, profitability is often elusive. By promoting the cultivation of higher-value crops, craft maltsters are making a significant impact on the economic viability of farms.

Through their collaborations with local farmers, small maltsters help foster agricultural practices that are less reliant on monoculture. This shift supports more sustainable farming methods and strengthens connections with the local community. Integrating a broader variety of crops into the rotation is widely recognized to improve soil health, as different crops both contribute to and deplete different soil nutrients.

Craft Malt Month, an initiative of the Craft Maltsters Guild, runs from September 1 to 30.

September is Craft Malt Month, an initiative of the Craft Maltsters Guild to promote the work of the Guild and bring attention to the work of small malthouses and small farmers.

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Penne alla Vodka is a classic Italian American pasta recipe that combines zest and creaminess in a dish that’s incredibly satisfying and simple to prepare. This dish can make its way from the stove to your table in under 15 minutes. However, even though the recipe is straightforward, it’s crucial to not skip the vodka, even if it’s tempting to do so when it’s missing from your pantry. Without vodka, the recipe loses its complexity, turning into a standard marinara instead of something extraordinary. For optimal results, it’s key to add vodka towards the end of your cooking process. This timing allows the vodka to enhance the flavors without overpowering the sauce or lending any bitterness.

Vodka is a natural aroma enhancer and emulsifier, enriching the sauce with a smooth texture and vibrant taste. The alcohol in the vodka accentuates the tomato’s fruitiness and the garlic’s sharpness while also marrying the richness of the cream seamlessly into the sauce. It’s an effective way to maintain a balanced, rich sauce.

Read more: 26 Types Of Pasta Sauce Explained

To achieve the finest vodka sauce, introduce the vodka around a minute before integrating the pasta. Continue cooking the sauce for a few extra minutes to ensure the ingredients fully combine and the sauce clings to the pasta properly. Follow the recipe’s suggested amount of vodka for a subtle effect or add an extra splash just before serving for a stronger flavor. While vodka inherently doesn’t possess its own taste, choosing a high-quality vodka, free from additives and artificial ingredients, is important. Penne, with its ridges and hollow center, is traditionally chosen for this dish as it excellently traps and holds the sauce, but any pasta shape you prefer or have available will work well.

If you want to add another flavor to the sauce, you can choose a different spirit depending on the profile of your dish. You can try tequila or whiskey for a woodsy, earthy flavor; gin for extra herbal characteristics, mezcal if you want it a bit smoky, or wine to enhance the fruity acidity of the tomato, such as in this lobster spaghetti with white wine-tomato sauce. Remember that most of the alcohol will evaporate, but not before doing its job of intensifying the flavor and adding a silky creaminess to your pasta sauce.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

A visit to the picturesque island of Puerto Rico often features a stop at the renowned Bacardi distillery, located just across the bay from the historic Old San Juan.

Given that this location is known for creating over 70% of the rum consumed in the U.S., it’s understandable that Bacardi, the world’s largest rum distillery, comes to mind first.

Besides large-scale producers like Bacardi or Don Q, which is made in Ponce in Puerto Rico’s south, there has been a revival of smaller, craft rum brands.

With a little additional planning, travelers can explore off the standard tourist routes and discover distinctive rum and distillery experiences.

About 22 miles west of San Juan in Vega Alta is San Juan Artisan Distillers, the first and only Puerto Rican distillery growing its own sugarcane and producing its own rum.

After the Great Recession, founder and president José “Pepe” Álvarez, originally in the agriculture industry, thought it was time to try something different.

His son and head distiller, José Roberto Álvarez, explained: “There had been a long history in Puerto Rico of sugarcane planting. We exported sugar all over the world.”

Though the sugarcane industry collapsed by the 2000s, Puerto Rico “used to be covered in sugarcane farms.”

“There even was a train that went around the island, picking up sugarcane from the farms and taking it to the sugar mills. So, it’s a very nostalgic and cultural aspect of our heritage that completely disappeared,” Álvarez said.

Their goal was to create a higher-quality product by sourcing it from sugarcane juice, a French style of making rum.

As operations took in 2017, tragedy struck when Hurricane Maria demolished 50 to 70 acres of their sugarcane farm.

With that setback, in the interim, they launched their Tres Clavos brand – originally using sourced rum from the Dominican Republic following Maria, but using locally sourced fruit – which is inspired by chichaíto (Puerto Rican moonshine).

Once back on their feet, the Tres Clavos brand became a Caribbean blended rum as they started using half of their own rum and half from the Dominican Republic.

When the sugarcane farms recovered, they were able to launch their Ron Pepón brand, made completely from their own sugarcane juice, which has a grassy, fruity and “more funky” flavor profile than rum that is widely traditional on the island.

Álvarez says American culture is also much more familiar with rum made from molasses or sugar, which highlights more caramel and vanilla notes.

Disposing of the waste after making rum from molasses or sugar is also more difficult, costly and harmful to the environment than disposing of used sugarcane juice.

Tour guide Alejandra Torres Zayas explained that historically, producers would dispose of the waste into the ocean, not realizing the environmental hazard. Now, there are government-approved ways to dispose of it, but because of SJAD’s method, they are able to put it back in the land and use it as fertilizer.

Their efforts have been paying off. SJAD’s Ron Agrícole earned a gold medal at the Fifty Best White Rums 2021 and double gold in 2022.

Those who do make the visit outside of San Juan to the distillery see firsthand the “family vibe” and “personal attention,” Álvarez believes.

“People really like to see the whole picture, the farm, the milling, the distillery, the manufacturing,” Álvarez said.

People always “arrive happy and leave happier.”

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more.

Old Elk Wheated Bourbon

Old Elk Bourbon Whiskey is gaining recognition for its innovative approach to its wheated bourbon formulation. The distillery based in Colorado has recently launched its Cognac Cask Finish Straight Wheat Whiskey just in time for Bourbon Heritage Month in September.

Melinda Maddox, the master blender at Old Elk, supports the change in the wheated bourbon formula, notably with the adoption of French limousine cognac barrels for finishing. This particular bourbon blend comprises 51% corn, 45% wheat, and 4% malted barley.

“The complex flavor profiles of cognacs initially inspired us,” Maddox has explained to Forbes. “The intricate contrast and complement of flavors—featuring both fresh and ripe rich fruit—play a crucial role in enhancing the spice and personality of our wheat whiskey.”

Wheated bourbon is a type of bourbon whiskey where wheat is used as the secondary grain instead of the more common rye. This substitution gives wheated bourbon a softer, smoother, and slightly sweeter flavor profile compared to traditional bourbon, which typically has a spicier and more robust taste due to the presence of rye.

After years of continued and seemingly unstoppable growth, bourbon whiskey sales numbers have been mixed over the last year. Still, the global bourbon market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 11.44% from 2023 to 2029, according to business intelligence firm Market Reports World. By 2029, the bourbon industry is projected to be worth $10.76 billion. But to sustain that growth, it’s arguable that bourbon makers will need to respond to shifting consumer preferences and innovate upon traditional products.

At Old Elk, this shift in the wheated bourbon recipe is part of the company’s broader strategy to enhance and diversify its offerings. The Cognac Cask Finish marks a significant departure from previous releases, showcasing the distillery’s refined approach to cask finishing. Maddox emphasizes the importance of experience in crafting this new expression.

“Our cognac cask finished wheat really benefited from having established ourselves in the cask finishing series,” she explains. “By this, I mean we were able to take all the knowledge and time we have spent developing our cask series and really fine tune our approach to aging this series. Because of what we have learned, I knew I wanted to blend barrels that had aged for varying spans of time, and I wanted to proof this batch to showcase the lighter flavors.”

The modification also included a precise change in the whiskey’s alcohol content, reducing it to 95 proof to better match the characteristics typical of cognac. This change not only enhances the new finishing but also introduces a unique variation to the classic wheated bourbon flavor.

“I aimed for the whiskey to have a proof point similar to that of a cognac,” Maddox explains. “Quality is always a challenge with cask aging. We have put significant effort into ensuring the casks we use are sourced from reliable partners, guaranteeing they reach us in top condition.”

Looking to the future, Old Elk is set to continue its pioneering work in its Cask Finish Series, with plans to launch a Ruby Port Cask Finish soon. Maddox shares his thoughts on the expected impact of this forthcoming release.

“The ruby port-finished rye will be unexpected for many,” Maddox remarks. “I believe it will appeal to whiskey enthusiasts who usually do not prefer rye.”

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Distilled in 1966, this is the oldest scotch release ever from the famed Speyside distillery.

Earlier this summer we tipped you off to the news that Benriach, the celebrated Speyside producer, would be releasing its oldest and most exclusive expression to date: a precious bottling of single malt collected from a single cask that was originally filled all the way back in the 1960s. Now that it’s available on shelves, we’ve scored a taste of the juice and can happily report that it’s high on the list of best whiskies we’ve sipped all year. Here’s what it tastes like and how you can hope to score a bottle of the $25,000 liquid.

The Benriach 50 is an entirely unpeated malt that was laid into barrel on September 21st, 1966. It spent the entirety of its maturation in bourbon cask 2383. Over the ensuing decades, the auspicious cooperage sat patiently in the distillery’s Speyside warehouse imbuing all sorts of rich and over-ripened fruit into the whiskey within.

These specific characteristics aren’t at all out of the ordinary for the mark. Indeed, when it comes to house style, Benriach’s unpeated whiskies are admired for their rich fruitiness. But there’s something almost supernaturally synergistic about the way this particular cask enhanced its charge. The hand-in-glove between barrel and distillate is remarkable.

From the moment it’s poured, the distinctive 89-proof malt begins its sensory journey. It releases aromas of honey-soaked dates and sweetened cherries that fill the air. Upon tasting, a luxuriously smooth texture delivers these flavors, smoothly introducing notes of grapefruit zest with a bittersweet edge. Enjoy the lively taste as it gracefully fades into a long finish adorned with spiced, candied fruits.

As you savor each sip, it becomes evident that the timing of retrieval from the barrel was impeccably chosen. A delay could have disrupted its graceful equilibrium. With master blender Rachel Barrie at the helm, attributing the whisky’s balance and character to mere coincidence is unthinkable.

Rachel Barrie, a renowned figure in the Scotch whisky industry, commands the creation of spirits at Benriach. Although her tenure began only in 2017, her profound influence ensures that the 126-year-old distillery continues to excel in a contemporary setting, perhaps marking this creation as her definitive work.

Barrie asserts, “The Benriach 1966 Cask Aged 50 Years stands as our crowning achievement. Our craftsmanship in flavor cultivation is a legacy of our extensive history with a varied selection of international casks. Through our imaginative and investigative approach to whisky production, decades of experience have refined our capability to identify truly exceptional casks. This defines our artistry.”

And Barrie’s contribution is just one of many in its creation. The venerable fifty-year-old Benriach is elegantly encased in a crystal decanter, meticulously shaped by the renowned Scottish glass studio, Glasstorm. It is presented in an artfully crafted box designed by master craftsman John Galvin, taking inspiration from the varied collection of casks within Benriach’s traditional dunnage warehouses.

Here comes the challenging part: acquiring one of these bottles. The Benriach 50 was initially released in Asia in May 2024 and has gradually become available worldwide, with merely four bottles making it to the U.S. markets this summer. Chances are slim that you’ll find this rare item on the shelves of your local liquor store. The most effective strategy might be directly contacting Benriach to connect with their private client team.

While waiting, you might consider the Benriach 25, which showcases much of the signature style of the house. It benefits from aging in a mix of sherry casks, bourbon barrels, virgin oak casks, and Madeira wine casks. Priced at $360 a bottle, this is a more accessible option for savoring a well-aged single malt, unlike its $25,000 senior counterpart.

Benriach 50 is a contemporary work of art, crafted over half a century.

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