Pick of the Launches

Here is the pick of the launches from last month, as featured in Drinks International Magazine March edition.

Balblair Vintage 2005

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Brand owner Inver House Distillers

RRP £43, €55, US$60

Markets Global

Contact Leonora Mellish, +44 (0)207 749 2637, leonora.m@stirpublicrelations.com

Bottled in December 2015, Balblair Vintage 2005 (46% abv, natural colour, non chill-filtered) is now available globally in independent and specialist retailers.

Balblair is claimed to be the only scotch to release exclusively vintage statement whiskies. All are selected by distillery manager John MacDonald.

Vintage 2005 is said to display classic Balblair house aromas of green apple, ground spices and honey. On the nose, oaky vanilla, leather and orange hints are present from its maturation in American oak ex-bourbon barrels.

On the palate it is said to be full bodied, yet sweet in character with hints of honey and toffee and the 2005 culminates in a spicy, long finish, which is more pronounced than Balblair 2003.

Martisor Pinot Grigio

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Brand owner Cramele Recas

RRP £7.49, €10, US$11

Markets Europe, US, Asia

Contact recaswine.ro/en

Newly launched by the Romanian winery Cramele Recas, the Martisor Pinot Grigio is a wine dedicated to celebrating one of Romania’s spring traditions to honour women.

Martisor is an ancient Romanian tradition when men give presents to the women they love, be they their mother, wife, sister, aunt or daughter. Men give the women a handmade red and white string necklace, believed to keep their loved one strong and healthy.

Leeuwin Estate 2012 Art Series Margaret River Shiraz

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Brand owner Leeuwin Estate

RRP US$40, €36.50, £28

Markets Global

Contact (trade): Simone Furlonge, simone@leeuwinestate.com.au, leeuwinestate.com.au

Leeuwin in Margaret River, Western Australia, has just released the 2012 vintage of its Art Series Shiraz. It is described as: “Fragrant and lifted, the nose shows aromas of mulberries and blueberries with lifted floral notes, together with complex spice and oak.

“Mulberries and blueberries feature on the palate too, with notes of violets and rose petals. Asian five spice, caramel, vanilla bean and cocoa sit in the background.

“The palate is finely woven, with carefully tuned tannins, an opulent texture and generous length. Structural oak gives direction.”

Marka

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Brand owner Oslo Håndverksdestilleri

RRP €38, £28.99 (50cl)

Markets Europe initially

Contact Marcin Miller, marcin@oslohd.no

Oslo Håndverksdestilleri launches its first product, Marka (35% abv), described as a Norwegian-style digestive bitter with dandelion, bog myrtle and angelica root, all of which are evocative of the Nordic forest.

OHD claims to be the first production distillery to open in Norway since 1927. Structural work has begun at the premises in the Bryn area of Oslo.

Bespoke copper stills are due to arrive in a couple of months and the distillery is planned to open in June.

While the distillery is undergoing construction, Marka is being produced at nearby Ægir brewery where OHD’s head distiller, Dave Gardonio, was formerly head brewer.

Co-founder and partner in OHD Marcin Miller said: “Norway inspires with its pioneering spirit and breathtaking scenery. Our new distillery will aim to capture the culture and traditions of this special country in a profound way, initially with Marka, then with a Norwegian gin and an akevitt.”

Golovkine vodka

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Brand owner Sagittarius

RRP €58, £45

Markets Europe

Contact Sagittarius Distribution: Andrew@sagittarius-uk.com

Sagittarius says Golovkine is not only distilled five times in the best distillation columns in France, but a further sixth distillation in an old copper alembic still gives it unrivalled depth and roundness. It claims Golovkine is a premium vodka to rival all other first-rate brands.

Sierra Gran Cafe

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Brand owner Borco

RRP £18, US$26, €24 (50cl)/£25 (70cl)US$36, €32

Markets Global and travel retail/duty free

Contact Brigid Finn, +44 (0) 1403 273807, info@thedrinksco.co.uk

Following the popularity of coffee-flavoured drinks, Borco has unveiled a Gran Café expression of its Sierra tequila brand.

Distributor The Drinks Company reports that Gran Café (25%) is made from blue agave from the highlands, double-distilled in copper pot stills and blended with 100% Mexican coffee.

It is aimed at ‘fun-oriented’ 21 to 35-year-old men and women.

Vilarnau Brut Reserva NV & Brut Reserva Rosado NV

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Brand owner Vilarnau

RRP £11.99, €16, US$17

Markets Global

Contact Gonzalez Byass, +44 (0)1707 274790

Spanish cava producer Vilarnau has unveiled its latest limited-edition labels for its Brut Reserva and Brut Reserva Rosado. The new designs showcase the Catalan Trencadís design. This year’s labels see a new take on the Trencadís mosaic used in Catalan modernism and popular among architects such as Antoni Gaudi and Josep Maria Pujol.

Vilarnau Brut Reserva, Peñedes DO, is produced from Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo. Vineyards are in the area of d’Espiells in the municipality of Sant Sadurni d’Anoia. Made from the traditional cava grapes, this is a dry cava that spends more than 15 months on its lees.

Vilarnau Brut Reserva Rosado, Penedes DO, is produced from Trepat grapes grown on vines in the Conca de Barbera area and Pinot Noir from the Vilarnau estate vineyard.

Sassicaia 2013

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Brand owner Tenuta San Guido

RRP £525 (in bond, six bottles)

Markets UK

Contact Adam Raffety, Armit Wines araffety@armitwines.co.uk

Armit Wines has announced the release of the 2013 vintage of Tenuta San Guido’s flagship wine, Sassicaia, to the UK market.

Armit’s head of wine buying, James Snoxell, said: “The 2013 vintage is an extraordinarily elegant wine with an expansive bouquet of sweet red cherries and wild berries. On the palate, bright redcurrant fruits mingle with Mediterranean spices, exotic wild herbs and a delicate balsamic note.”

Taylor’s 1966 Single Harvest port

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Brand owner Fladgate Partnership

RRP £150, €200, US$215

Markets Global

Contact www.taylor.pt

Taylor’s Port, owner of one of the most extensive reserves of cask-aged ports, is to release a 1966 Single Harvest, which is the third in a series of 50-year-old limited-edition ports.

Retailing at around £150 a bottle, this aged tawny comes in a classic frosted bottle and packaged in a wooden box.

Fladgate says 1966 was a port vintage of exceptional quality, widely declared by most port shippers.

 

Rock Oyster Cask Strength

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Brand owner Douglas Laing & Co

RRP £50, €66, US$72

Markets Specialist whisky retailers and douglaslaing.com

Contact jenny.rogerson@douglaslaing.com

Douglas Laing, a leading independent scotch whisky blender and bottler, has released limited-edition Rock Oyster Cask Strength blended malt scotch whisky (57.4% abv).

Managing director Fred Laing said: “For Rock Oyster Cask Strength, I’ve selected a range of casks from the islands and lovingly vatted them together to create a blast of sea air on the nose and a tempestuously oceanic storm on the palate. Anticipate a big peat hit full of Islay phenols, iodine and coal dust, with a shake of pepper softening to a distinct honey sweetness from the Arran casks. The Isle of Jura brings waves of citrus and barley.”