Bringing the terroir of Scotland together with the precision and artistry of Japan, the award-winning Suntory blending team brought together complex whiskies to celebrate the wonderful attributes that make scotch special.

Ardray’s journey began with a vision. Calum Fraser, Beam Suntory’s Chief Blender for Scotch, worked with Suntory’s blenders, to bring this to life. Calling on blend styles of the past when fewer, more characterful malts were blended to create whiskies of distinction, complexity, and depth, Ardray intertwines the past and the future.

With inspiration drawn from The Father of Japanese Whisky, Suntory’s founder Shinjiro Torii, his journey now comes full circle. A hundred years ago, inspired by traditional Scottish whisky, Torii-San envisioned a Japanese approach to create a whisky that would suit the delicate palate of the Japanese. With this blend, we honor Torii’s quest, from a reinterpretation of Scotch for the Japanese palate to Ardray.

Drawing from just a handful of Scotch distilleries from Beam Suntory and their partners at Edrington (owners of The Macallan, The Glenrothes and Highland Park), this is a blended whisky that captures the role of terroir and the production traditions of Scotland’s distilleries that define each of their unique spirit character.

“In creating Ardray, we have combined an exceptional selection of the very best Scotch whisky has to offer with the inspiring talent of Suntory’s blending team to create something new, refreshing and exciting,” said Calum Fraser, Beam Suntory’s Chief Blender for Scotch. “The time, care and attention to detail taken to source both malt and grain whiskies from some of Scotland’s most noted distilleries has allowed us to explore hundreds of blends of Scotch malt and grain whiskies to achieve Ardray’s optimum balance of multi-layered flavors. Driven by the desire to ensure the true beauty of this blend is greater than the sum of its parts. Ardray promises a rich and complex taste, with a distinctive harmony of flavors: a mild, gently floral, and citrusy fruitiness, with a vanilla custard creaminess and a rich, silky mouthfeel and lengthy aftertaste that is unmatched.”

Presented in a bespoke bottle each marked with the year of release, the artwork of artist Lia Melia adorns each one, capturing Scotland’s raw beauty. Its textured rippling pattern representing malt and grain highlights two fundamental ingredients in Scotch whisky. The feel of the glass bottle takes after the free-flowing water of Scotland’s streams and rivers, and the patterns made by the wind blowing across barley fields.

Ardray Blended Scotch Whisky is bottled at 96 proof, is non-chill filtered and retails for $85.

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The partnership with the Michelin Guide is the latest example of how Basil Hayden redefines traditional bourbon tropes with their approachable yet refined recipe. Crafted in 1992 by Booker Noe as part of the Small Batch collection, the brand introduced a more subtle side of bourbon compared to its counterparts.

“Consumers seek out Michelin and Basil Hayden for similar reasons: They want an elevated experience,” said Cara Cornelius, Vice president of Food and Travel Experiences for Michelin Americas. “We know, however, people sometimes assume these experiences are out of reach, kept behind an expensive bill or impossible reservations. Our goal for this new partnership is to bring Michelin-level events to the consumer and show how sophistication and quality can be enjoyed by all.”

The duo’s first activation is an immersive “tasting garden” that will travel to food festivals across the U.S. The co-branded footprint will feature a diner-inspired exterior that gives way to a surprise, high-end cocktail bar where attendees of legal purchase age or older will enjoy Basil Hayden craft cocktails paired with Michelin-inspired small bites. Designed as an inclusive entry point into the world of Basil Hayden and the Michelin Guide, attendees will depart having discovered perfect pairings and new occasions for bourbon.

In addition to the pop-ups, Basil Hayden will serve as an official partner of the 2023 Michelin Guide ceremonies and will present the Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award. The partnership will also include a suite of initiatives, including a sweepstakes where a lucky winner will get to experience a Michelin Star weekend.

Jonathan Marks, Senior Marketing Director for Global Small Batch Bourbon at Beam Suntory, shares excitement for the collaboration. “We are honored to be the official American whiskey of the Michelin Guide. Both the Michelin Guide and Basil Hayden celebrate excellence in our craft and create unique experiences for consumers, making this the perfect partnership. At Basil Hayden, we aim to unlock experiences to make them accessible and approachable – just like our whiskey. Basil Hayden’s refined yet welcoming taste profile makes it appeal to both whiskey novices and seasoned bourbon drinkers,” Marks said.

The Basil Hayden and Michelin Guide pop-up tour kicks off this summer and will continue through the fall. The tour stops and dates are as follows:

• June 16-18: Chicago’ Taste of Randolph
• July 1-3: Denver’s Cherry Creek Arts Festival
• Sept 14-17: Louisville’s Bourbon & Beyond
• Sept 21-24: Atlanta Food & Wine Festival
• Oct 12-15: New York City Wine & Food Festival 
• Nov 11: San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival

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Developed by Freddie Noe, 8th Generation Master Distiller of the Fred B. Noe Distillery, this venture into an emerging category explores the full potential of a single grain – American Malted Barley. With little to no definition in the American Single Malt category, he developed his own guidelines, making production choices to celebrate the flavor of this single grain.

“As a new venture, crafting Clermont Steep has been one of the toughest challenges I have ever faced in the distillery, and I am incredibly proud of where we’ve landed,” said Freddie Noe, Fred B. Noe Distillery’s Master Distiller. “This American Single Malt Whiskey is smooth, sweet and incredibly balanced, and it deserves a spot on any whiskey lover’s bar cart, right alongside their bourbons and ryes.”

Clermont Steep is a whiskey steeped in influence from both process and place. Just as single malt couldn’t exist without steeping the grain, this whiskey couldn’t exist without Clermont, Kentucky – the soul place of the James B. Beam Distilling Co. Noe and his team hand-selected the American malted barley for the mash and used Beam family jug yeast in the natural fermentation process. It’s the same yeast that is used in all Beam products. The single malt was then distilled on a column still and aged for five years in barrels that were toasted, then quickly charred to a char level 1.

The launch of Clermont Steep marks a significant milestone in the American Whiskey landscape as James B. Beam Distilling Co., the world’s largest producer of bourbon, takes a stake in a rapidly growing segment.

“I’m always looking toward the future of American Whiskey, and the boundless runway in this category intrigued me,” said Noe. “We don’t just want to participate in American Single Malt Whiskey; we want to help define it for the future of the category.”

The foray into an American Single Malt Whiskey is proof of the innovation possible within the Fred B. Noe Distillery under Noe’s guidance. The Fred B. Noe Distillery was named after 7th Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe and serves as the home to Booker’s Bourbon, Little Book Whiskey, Hardin’s Creek Bourbon and, now, Clermont Steep.

Clermont Steep will be available in select states across the US and on ReserveBar, for $59.99.

The post The Noes Make An American Single Malt appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

To craft this expression, eighth generation master distiller Freddie Noe blends the signature Basil Hayden Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with bourbon partially aged in Californian red wine casks. It is representative of Basil Hayden Founder Booker Noe’s mission for his whiskey to open people’s minds up to what bourbon can be.

“We are creating new avenues for consumers to enjoy our light and inviting expressions through unique cask finishes and innovative releases,” said Jonathan Marks, Senior Marketing Director for Global Small Batch Bourbon at Beam Suntory. “Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish continues the Basil Hayden mission to opening up the category to new drinkers and occasions.”

Hitting shelves alongside the annual release of Basil Hayden 10-Year, Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish arrives just in time for the holidays for $59.99.

The post Basil Hayden Pops Cork On Red Wine Cask appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

This one-of-a-kind jacket redefines denim using the finest whiskey-hued Japanese woven fabric. Produced on old shuttle looms in Okayama and cut and sewn in the USA, the Bourbon Selvedge Denim Jacket is as unique as the bourbon that inspired it.

“I have been traveling back and forth to Japan for decades drawing inspiration from the dynamic people, culture and fashion,” says Todd Snyder. “It’s been so fascinating to see how American trends have been adapted and re-interpreted in Japan, like denim, and vice versa, with Japanese trends in the U.S. I am honored to work alongside Legent to bring to life two cultures through quality craftsmanship.”

Since launching in 2019, Legent has changed the landscape of the bourbon category. A product of two whisk(e)y legends, Legent is expertly distilled by Fred Noe, seventh-generation Master Distiller of Jim Beam, bourbon’s pioneering family, and artfully blended by Shinji Fukuyo, fifth-ever Chief Blender of Suntory, the founding house of Japanese whisky. The bourbon brings together the best of the East and West unlike any other, resulting in a perfectly balanced yet complex and layered whiskey with a bright, smooth, unexpectedly long finish.

“As a brand that is rooted in breaking traditions and redefining classic American staples, we are thrilled to collaborate with Todd Snyder on this innovative denim wearable,” said Jon Marks, Brand Director of Super Premium Whiskies at Beam Suntory. “Todd’s mastery of premium denim and expertise in blending Japanese craft with American style make him the perfect fit for this partnership.”

Each jacket is hand numbered and available for a limited time on ToddSnyder.com and at Todd Snyder locations in New York for $248.

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