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SMOOTH AMBLER UNVEILS CONTRADICTION RYE , NEW PACKAGING
Smooth Ambler Spirits has launched Contradiction Rye as the first line extension to the Contradiction label .
Like Contradiction Bourbon , Contradiction Rye is a marriage of whiskey made at the distillery with sourced liquid .
Contradiction Rye contains four rye whiskies in the blend : two from Tennessee ( 51 % rye and 70 % rye ), one from MGP ( 95 % rye ) and one homemade rye whiskey ( 88 % rye ) from the Smooth Ambler distillery in West Virginia .
“ This new addition to the Contradiction and Smooth Ambler family delivers a perfect balance of bold spice and smooth flavors ,” says Founder John Little . “ We spent years working through various blends and proofs to make sure we got this right . And , at 105 Proof , we think we did !”
Contradiction Rye also debuts new package design . This consists of an entirely new bottle shape and a new label .
While all Smooth Ambler products will now come in the new packaging , the liquid for the portfolio remains the same .
Like all whiskies from Smooth Ambler Spirits , Contradiction Rye is non-chill filtered and produced in small , numbered batches . It is bottled at 52.5 % alcohol by volume ( 105 Proof ).
On the nose is nutmeg , rye bread , tropical fruit , cream soda and herbaceous notes , the company says . The palate contains brown baking spices , orchard fruit , cream soda and dried mint , before a finish of garden herbs , caraway seed and minerality .
Contradiction Rye is available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $ 39.99 per 750-ml . bottle . It ships starting fall 2021 .
NEW RIFF DISTILLING BREAKS GROUND ON EXPANSION
As the boom in American whiskey reaches new heights , New Riff Distilling has broken ground on a $ 2-million expansion that will increase production by 50 %.
Construction on the 800-square-foot addition has started at the distillery ’ s Newport location , allowing the installation of three additional fermenters .
Co-founder Ken Lewis says the expansion will allow New Riff to producer older and more specialty whiskeys . And the expansion necessitates hiring additional new employees .
The expansion resolves a current production bottleneck , the company says . It lets distilling occur 24 hours a day , four days a week .
This will allow the distillery to produce 12,000 barrels per year , the company estimates , up from 8,000 with the existing setup .
MARIAH CAREY LATEST CELEB WITH ALCOHOL BRAND , BLACK IRISH
As the trend of celebrities launching alcohol brands continues , music icon Mariah Carey has announced Black Irish , an Irish cream liqueur .
The brand recently initiated a distribution partnership with Republic National Distributing Company , which is in 33 states . This new deal is meant to strengthen brand presence and build overall consumer awareness of Black Irish in the spirits market .
Made with aged Irish whiskey , Black Irish is available in Original Irish Cream , Salted Caramel and White Chocolate . Black Irish comes from a
certified sustainable facility with 50 % renewable energy , the company says . It ’ s a blend of whiskey and dairy sourced from Irish farms . Black Irish White Chocolate also uses Belgian chocolate for a rich palate , the company adds .
“ I have been putting my heart into this project for almost two years and I am so excited to finally share this news with you all ,” says Carey . “ I wanted to create something that embodies the holidays and gives everyone a reason to celebrate year-round , and I really think we have done that with Black Irish .”
The suggested retail price is $ 29.99 per 750- ml . bottle , and $ 3.99 per 50-ml . bottle .
6 Beverage Dynamics • September / October 2021 www . beveragedynamics . com