Top 10 spirits launches in September 2021
From a sippable coffee-flavoured gin to a 60-year-old single malt Scotch, we unveil the standout spirits launched last month.
September saw the release of an array of products, ranging from Diageo's latest collection of Scotch whiskies to a stout-infused aquavit.
In the world of whisky, The GlenAllachie unveiled a 14-year-old cask-strength Scotch, while The Macallan unveiled an even older 30-year-old expression.
Sipsmith and JJ Whitley experimented with flavours, too – Sipspresso Coffee Gin hit the shelves as a sipping spirit, while JJ Whitley produced a blue-raspberry vodka.
Scroll on to discover the 10 spirits launched in September that have earned a place under our monthly spotlight.
Want more new spirits? Check out our list from August.
Diageo Special Releases 2021
Spirits giant Diageo launched a collection of single malts for 2021’s Special Releases collection, named Legends Untold. The range comprises: Mortlach 13 Years Old; Singleton of Glendullan 19 Years Old; Talisker 8 Years Old; Lagavulin 26 Years Old; Lagavulin 12 Years Old; Cardhu 14 Years Old; Oban 12 Years Old; and finally Royal Lochnagar 16 Years Old.
The bottles are available this autumn from specialist retailers across Europe, the US, Canada, Australia, select markets in Asia and global travel retail. Each bottle displays a QR code so consumers can delve into the story behind the whisky's creation process.
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep One
Campari Group-owned Wild Turkey has debuted the sixth limited edition Bourbon in its Master’s Keep collection.
The new bottling is a blend of ‘bolder’ Bourbon, selected from barrels by master distiller Jimmy Russell, and a 14-year-old chosen by his son, Eddie Russell, who also shares the role of master distiller. Both whiskeys have been matured twice using new oak barrels that have been toasted and charred. The resulting combination offers notes of sweet honey and brown spice, with vanilla, butterscotch and caramel.
The Bourbon is available to purchase for RRP US$175 from select US retailers.
Ron Santiago eight-year-old rum
Diageo added to its Ron Santiago line with an eight-year-old añejo bottling last month, which joins the range comprising Carta Blanca, Extra Añejo 11 Years Old and Extra Añejo 12 Years Old.
The eight-year-old, which provides notes of honey, vanilla, cacao and tropical fruit on the palate, will debut in the UK, Germany, Italy, the Baltics and Cuba.
Earlier this year, the Cuban brand was given a redesign to boost its presence across Europe.
OP Anderson stout-infused aquavit
Anora Group partnered with Swedish brewery Omnipollo to launch a stout-infused aquavit in September, crafted by aquavit master blender Jonas Odland and Omnipollo brewer Henok Fentie.
The limited edition OP Anderson Aquavit Omnipollo Stout was made by blending stout distillate with OP Anderson Original Aquavit, which was matured in American oak casks. This had the effect of mellowing the aquavit spices of caraway, aniseed and fennel, and extracting aromatic essences from the whiskey-infused oak.
Only 3,600 bottles are available of the 40% ABV expression, which will be available to buy in the Nordics from autumn 2021, priced at SEK 299 (US$34) per 500ml bottle.
JJ Whitley Blue Raspberry Vodka
Halewood Artisanal Spirits has added to its JJ Whitley range with a Blue Raspberry Russian Vodka.
The bright blue liquid is distilled in St Petersburg, Russia, with wheat and water, and presents notes of raspberry on the nose, and flavours of blueberry and raspberry on the palate. The vodka is available to purchase for RRP £16 (US$21.91) and sits at 38% ABV.
Last month, Halewood decided to replace its diesel vehicles with electric cars, aiming for 90% of its fleet to be transitioned to electric power by the end of September.
Sipsmith Sipspresso Coffee Gin
Beam Suntory-owned Sipsmith revealed the third release in its Sipping Series last month: Sipspresso Coffee Gin.
Sipsmith partnered with coffee company Pact Coffee to create the limited edition gin, which sits at 37.5% ABV. The espresso blend contains a mix of Brazilian and Rwandan ground coffee, cinnamon and fresh vanilla.
The gin is available to buy for RRP £28.50 (US$38.95) in UK supermarkets Tesco and Waitrose, as well as on Amazon and Sipsmith’s website.
The Macallan 30 Years Old
Single malt Scotch producer The Maccallan unveiled a 30-year-old whisky, which joined its Double Cask Range.
The Macallan Double Cask 30 Years Old, matured in Sherry-seasoned American and European oak casks, rests at 43% ABV. The oak is said to be “the single greatest contributor to the quality, distinctive aromas and flavours”. It will retail for RRP £3,000 (US$4,100) a bottle.
In August, The Macallan released the first single malt in a new range inspired by the brand’s legacy – a whisky enclosed in a Lalique decanter and distilled in 1950.
Casa Del Sol Tequila
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria ventured into the Tequila category last month, joining the likes of Kendall Jenner, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and George Clooney, among others.
The title of the bottling, Casa Del Sol, translates to 'house of the sun' in Spanish. The bottling is made from 100% Blue Weber agave and is available in three variants: blanco, reposado and añejo.
The Mexican-American actor said her aim was to raise the voices of women and celebrate her Mexican heritage.
Casa Del Sol can be purchased from select retailers and restaurants across the US states of California, Colorado and Florida. Blanco can be bought for RRP US$59.99, the reposado for US$69.99 and the añejo for US$99.99.
The range is available for pre-sale online in the US from the Casa Del Sol website and will be available in the off-trade nationally in early 2022.
GlenAllachie Aged 14 Years Oloroso Wood Finish
Another aged whisky launched in September was Speyside distillery The GlenAllachie’s cask-strength, Sherry-finished 14-year-old single malt Scotch, which joined its Wood Finish series. The creation of the liquid was led by master distiller Billy Walker, and was initially aged in first- and second-fill American oak barrels before being transferred to oloroso Sherry puncheons for a further two years’ ageing.
The limited edition GlenAllachie Aged 14 Years Oloroso Wood Finish is now available to purchase exclusively in the UK from specialist retailers, with an RRP of £89.99 (US$124.82).
The brand also recently has added a third batch of whiskies to its Wood Finish range, produced by Walker.
Horse With No Name
Creator of Monkey 47 gin, Alexander Stein, teamed up with Pernod Ricard to launch a habanero chilli-laced spirit drink made from Bourbon.
The new spirit, called Horse With No Name, is the first product from The Horse’s Spirit Company, which was founded by Stein during lockdown.
The drink combines a straight Bourbon, aged for four years in toasted American oak, with a distillate made from Red Savina habanero chillis grown in the Black Forest in Germany. It is bottled at 45% ABV.
Horse With No Name is available to purchase for RRP £47.89 (US$34.93) per 500ml bottle via Master of Malt and Amazon, and through on-trade stockists including Venus, Amathus, Enotria and DMD.
