Top 10 spirits launches from October
We don’t publish gift guides at SB, but if you’re looking for inspiration for what to get a loved one this festive season, you don’t have to look much further than our 10 favourite releases from October.
From a controversial release from one Brooklyn-based producer to one of the biggest celebrity-backed spirits releases of the season, October certainly delivered some eclectic releases in the world of spirits. Keep reading to find out what made our top 10.The Pathfinder
Launched to ‘breathe energy’ into the non-alcoholic sector, The Pathfinder Hemp and Root made its UK debut last month, having ‘risen to cult status’ in the US with 300% year-to-date growth.
Inspired by the mysteries from apothecaries of the ‘old west’, alternative medicine and the supernatural, the liquid is described as very earthy, bold and vibrant, and aims to bridge the gap between the alcoholic and non-alcoholic sectors.
Find out more about the release here.
Angostura 200th-anniversary edition
Trinidad & Tobago-based company The House of Angostura released limited edition bitters to celebrate the brand’s bicentenary this year, and there are only 120,000 bottles available globally.
Paired with aged Angostura rum, the bitters feature a blend of herbs and spices reminiscent of those used by the brand’s founder, Dr Johann Siegert, in his 1824 apothecary.
The anniversary release is presented in a custom-designed collector’s edition box.
Find out more about the release here.
Burnt Faith x East London Liquor Company
Two London-based spirits producers came together in October to distil an apple brandy to support The Orchard Project.
Burnt Faith and East London Liquor Company (ELLC) pressed, distilled, aged, and bottled small-batch English brandy in the English capital, creating a liquid that is said to embody the spirit of the East End.
The East London Apple Brandy was made with fermented Dabinett apples, which were then turned into cider and distilled in ELLC’s hybrid column still.
Find out more about the release here.
Empirical Coriander
Flavour-forward distillers Empirical are not ones to shy away from controversy. Having launched a habanero distillate called Fuck Trump and His Stupid Fucking Wall in 2018, October saw the producer take it a step further in the controversy stakes as it utilised perhaps the most contentious ingredient of them all: coriander.
Known in the US as cilantro, coriander is as divisive as the president elect himself, but that didn’t dissuade the Copenhagen-founded producer from championing it in its latest release.
The now Brooklyn-based Empirical designed the spirit to be unique yet approachable, and work in cocktails like a Margarita or Highball.
Find out more about the release here.
Woven’s Friends in the North
Blended whisky producer Woven unveiled Experience N.20 Friends in the North in October, a limited edition expression that aims to highlight the ‘dynamic and diverse’ whisky landscape of the Nordic region.
The spirit was crafted from liquids sourced from noteworthy Nordic distilleries, including Kyrö Distillery in Finland, High Coast Distillery and Agitator Distillery in Sweden, and Feddie Ocean Distillery in Norway, and is said to not only capture the spirit of Nordic whisky-making but also celebrates the diversity and innovation that are the hallmarks of the region.
Find out more about the release here.
Monkey 47 Distiller’s Cut
Capers became the 48th botanical used in Pernod Ricard’s Monkey 47 Gin in October, as the brand released its annual Distiller’s Cut expression.
The brand said it was inspired by the classic Italian dish of pasta with anchovies and capers, and sourced the botanical from the small island of Pantelleria in Italy, the so-called ‘black pearl’ of the Mediterranean, where caper bushes thrive amid the volcanic soil and warm climate.
“Each year, our Distiller’s Cuts lets us go wild and push the boundaries of the Monkey 47 aromas,” explained Alexander Stein, founder of Monkey 47. “We realised that capers can be more than just a garnish for a tried-and-tested pasta recipe.”
Find out more about the release here.
Espolòn Marigold
Inspired by Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), this limited edition reposado Tequila from Campari Group’s Espolòn was infused with natural marigold flower extract, a nod to the vibrant flowers that adorn traditional ofrendas during the Mexican celebration. The Tequila was aged in new oak barrels for two months and blends the floral and citrus aromas of marigolds with fruit-forward notes from the oak. It is bottled at 40% ABV and available across the US for US$44. Find out more about the release here.Funkin x Irn-Bru
This is one for the true Scots. In October, cocktail mixer producer Funkin collaborated with Scottish brand Irn-Bru to mark the soft drink’s first foray into alcoholic ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages.
The RTD cocktail is a Vodka Martini combined with Irn-Bru and Funkin’s nitro infusion technique, which leads to a ‘velvety smooth texture’ rather than the orange drink’s typical ‘soft fizz’.
Find out more about the release here.
Still G.I.N
Ain’t nuthin’ but a gin thang. Last month, the cover star of our latest magazine issue, Snoop Dogg, debuted Still G.I.N alongside his business partner and fellow rapper, Dr Dre.
The gin marks the second product from the rappers following the release of canned RTD cocktail line, Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop.
The citrus-led gin with subtle floral and spice notes is made with a blend of botanicals using vapour distillation in a copper pot still. It is described as a ‘clean and light modern gin’ that is perfect for mixing, offering notes of tangerine, jasmine, and coriander, with an aromatic finish.
Find out more about the release here.
58 and Co Vermouth
As part of its Co-Lab series, which sees London-based distillery 58 and Co partner with sustainable brands to repurpose byproducts, the spirits producer partnered with boxed-wine brand Laylo to create vermouth from repurposed excess wine.
Using some of Laylo’s Pinot Grigio that was considered to be ‘past its best’, the two brands transformed the wine into a bianco vermouth using hand-picked botanicals from the garden of 58 and Co’s east London distillery, including lemon verbena, wormwood, Egyptian lemon, cassia, orris root, cox apples and vanilla. A great base for any Martini.
Find out more about the release here.
