New York, N.Y., (April 10, 2012) – Hiram Walker, a brand known for both its traditional and innovative line of premium liqueurs, schnapps, brandies and triple sec, will be releasing a new flavored imitation liqueur, Hiram Walker® Whipped Cream Imitation Liqueur this June. The smooth whipped cream flavor is perfect for delicious dessert-like mixed cocktails and is a tasty treat served chilled and straight up as well.

“Whipped is the fastest growing flavor in the spirits category, increasing in size five fold between 2010 and 2011 , and has become a key growth driver in the vodka segment,” noted Sarah Sercia, Brand Manager for Hiram Walker, Pernod Ricard USA. “While whipped is an established flavor in the vodka segment, Hiram Walker Whipped Cream will be the only nationally available whipped flavor in the cordials segment. Cordials are the second most shopped retail segment behind vodka and have the highest incidence of cross-category shopping with vodka , making Whipped Cream a natural extension of our diverse flavor portfolio that will allow consumers and bartenders alike to create delicious and distinctive new cocktail recipes or develop new flavor variations on old favorites.

The launch of the new Hiram Walker Whipped Cream will be supported at retail with custom POS and merchandising materials including one case bins, case cards and special recipe neckers designed to inspire Cordial shoppers looking for innovative ways to enjoy Hiram Walker Whipped Cream. The neckers include four drink recipes that highlight Hiram Walker Whipped’s natural pairing with Pernod Ricard premium brands such as ABSOLUT® and Kahlua®. On-Premise, Hiram Walker Whipped Cream offers bartenders a delicious and reasonably priced offering to capture the increasingly popular whipped shot occasion.
Hiram Walker Whipped Cream will be available in 1L, 750ml and 50ml sizes. The suggested retail price for a 750ml is $9.99.

Following are just a few of the many ways to enjoy/serve Hiram Walker Whipped Cream. For additional recipes visit www.HiramWalker.com.

“Whipped Russian”

• 1 part Hiram Walker Whipped Cream Imitation Liqueur
• 1 part Kahlua®
• ½ part half & half

Shake well with ice. Strain over crushed ice and serve.

“CosmoWHIPolitan”

• 1 part Hiram Walker Whipped Cream Imitation Liqueur
• 1.5 parts Hiram Walker® Triple Sec
• 1.5 parts Cranberry Juice
• .5 parts fresh lime juice

Shake all ingredients in shaker and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

“Whipeside”

• 1 part Hiram Walker Whipped Cream Liqueur
• 1 ½ parts Absolut® Mandarin
• Club soda

Shake with ice Hiram Walker Whipped Cream Imitation Liqueur and Absolut Mandarin. Strain into tall glass with ice. Top with club soda, garnish with an orange wheel.

“Hot Chocolate Whipped”

• 1 part Hiram Walker Whipped Cream Imitation Liqueur
• 4 parts Hot Chocolate

Pour hot chocolate into mug. Add Hiram Walker Whipped Liqueur and serve.

Skinnygirl Cocktails, one of the fastest growing brands in the spirits industry, is the groundbreaking, low-calorie portfolio that has redefined the way women cocktail. What started in TV personality Bethenny Frankel’s kitchen has turned into a cocktail phenomenon–offering innovative, guilt-free options for women who want it all. Skinnygirl Cocktails is thrilled to put a twist on the Skinnygirl Margarita, the instant classic that started it all, and introduce Skinnygirl White Peach Margarita just in time for Cinco de Mayo.

White Peach Margarita is very fruit forward and offers a light and refreshing taste with flavors of sweet and juicy peach complimented with notes of silver tequila, tropical tones and lime with a lingering finish of peach and lime. At only 100 calories per 4 oz. serving, White Peach Margarita offers a satisfying cocktail while helping save calories for other indulgences. Skinnygirl White Peach Margarita is offered at 25.4 proof, the same as the original Margarita yet with a sweet kick. Like its predecessors, the product is served in 750 ml bottles with a screw top. It is currently priced at $14.99 every day and $12.99 promotionally. White Peach Margarita ships April 2012 and hits stores nationwide in May 2012.

From Ready To Serve (Margarita, Sangria, White Cranberry Cosmo, Piña Colada and White Peach Margarita) to Ready To Drink (Skinnyminis) to Ready To Mix (Vodka) to Ready To Enjoy (Wine), Skinnygirl continues to raise the bar by breaking the rules and redefining women’s cocktailing needs. In March 2011, the Skinnygirl Cocktails was acquired by premium spirits powerhouse Beam Inc. Beam has rapidly grown the brand into one of the fastest growing spirits brands in the market today. In 2011, Skinnygirl Cocktails’ comparable net sales rose a staggering 486%.

©2012 Skinnygirl Cocktails, Deerfield, IL;
Avg. Analysis: All Products: Protein 0g, Fat 0g;
Vodka with Natural Flavors (per 1.5 oz.): Calories 75.8, Carbs 0g;
Cocktails (per 1.5 oz.): Calories 34.9, Carbs 2g;
Sangria (per 5 oz.): Calories 132, Carbs 22.5g;
Wine (per 5 oz.): Calories 100, Carbs 5g

For more information on the new way to cocktail, please visit SkinnyGirlCocktails.com.

How White Pike Was Born

• White Pike mixes in ways brown whiskeys won’t
• Farming, distillation and bottling all done locally
• When we bottle it, we ship it straight away
• Ingredients: organic spelt, corn, malted wheat
• Family-owned distillery, Alabama-trained Master Distiller
• No commercial enzymes are used because malted wheat gets the job done better

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Smells like harvest time in a creamy cornfield
• Taste: Calls to mind fresh buttered toast, rich in the middle and smooth as silk stockings
• Finish: Very clean, integrated
• Overall: Good for a mixer, or a little nip with a taste of water behind it—just the way we like
• White Pike Whiskey is the alcoholic child of Mother Industries, a New York based creative company, determined to make good stuff and have fun doing it.
• A couple of years ago Mother got excited by the idea of creating a highly mixable, white whiskey and by the emerging culture of craft distilleries.
• They found the best possible partners to make this a reality: Thomas McKenzie and Brian McKenzie of Finger Lakes Distilling.
• Two years later, after countless rounds and tireless efforts and wisdom of the distillers, Mother and Finger Lakes crafted something they hope people will appreciate and love, White Pike Whiskey.

Visit the White Pike Whiskey website

“Arkansas Hickory Smoked Whiskey” is artisan distilled in Rock Town Distillery’s handmade traditional American copper pot still. Each batch is made from a mash of the finest Arkansas soft red winter wheat and aged in ex-bourbon casks at the distillery in Little Rock. To achieve the hickory smoked character in the whiskey, prior to mashing; the grain was steeped in water and then slowly dried over a hickory smoked fire in our own smokers.

Arkansas Hickory Smoked Whiskey is handmade in very small batches and only about 58 cases were bottled of this first release and is now available in local liquor stores throughout Arkansas.

Arkansas Hickory Smoked Whiskey is bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV), with a suggested retail of $24.99 per 750ml bottle.

Rock Town Distillery’s products are distributed by Glazers of Arkansas.

ABOUT ROCK TOWN DISTILLERY

Rock Town Distillery is Arkansas’ first “legal” distillery since prohibition produces the award winning Brandon’s Vodka, Brandon’s Gin, Arkansas Lightning, Arkansas Young Bourbon Whiskey and now Arkansas Hickory Smoked Whiskey. The distillery located in downtown Little Rock at 1216 E 6th Street, Little Rock, AR 72202. The distillery is open for tours on Saturdays at 1:30pm and 3pm. To download images for this press release or for more information please visit www.arkansaslightning.com

New Liqueur Combines Distinctive Taste of Fresh-Roasted Coffee, Rich Chocolate and Light Tequila

Patrón Spirits announces the launch of the first brand extension for the highly successful Patrón XO Cafe coffee liqueur line. Available in the first quarter of 2012, the new Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa combines high-quality Patrón Silver tequila and the light essence of coffee with an extraordinary chocolate flavor to create a unique and enjoyable ultra-premium liqueur.

“Patrón XO Cafe has quickly become one of the fastest-growing products in our portfolio, and the success and excitement surrounding this brand has definitely energized the coffee liqueur category overall,” said Ed Brown, President and CEO of Patrón Spirits International. “When we looked at how we could build on what makes Patrón XO Cafe so special, chocolate was such a natural fit,” Brown added.

Chocolate, a word that originates in Mexico’s Aztec cuisine, has been used as a drink for nearly all of its history. The high-quality Criollo variety of chocolate in Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa is produced in Mexico’s Tabasco region. The coffee comes from the Mexican states of Veracruz and Chiapas.

Distilled at 60 proof, Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa is characterized by its deep, dark brown color, and an aroma of fresh coffee balanced with cocoa. The taste is dry, not sweet like many other coffee liqueurs, combining the rich flavors of fresh-roasted coffee, fine chocolate and light tequila. The finish is smooth, yet dry.

“Patrón XO Cafe has always been one my proudest achievements,” said Francisco Alcaraz, Patrón’s master distiller who created the recipe for the entire line of Patrón tequilas and liqueurs. “And, I’m very excited to present Patrón XO Cafe Dark Cocoa, an elegant spirit with a precise, balanced blend of Patrón tequila, coffee and rich chocolate that took several years to perfect.”

About Patrón Spirits
Simply Perfect in every way, Patrón tequila is an ultra-premium luxury white spirit that’s delicious on the rocks, and mixes flawlessly into most any cocktail. From the highest-quality Weber Blue agave plants grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, to the centuries-old distillation process, to the signed, handcrafted glass bottles, Patrón is produced with unparalleled attention to detail. Imported and marketed by The Patrón Spirits Company, additional brands in the portfolio consist of Gran Patrón Burdeos, Gran Patrón Platinum, Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, Patrón Añejo, and Patrón Citrónge (extra fine orange liqueur), as well as Pyrat XO Reserve and Pyrat Cask 1623 Caribbean rums, and Ultimat ultra-premium vodka. For more information and cocktail recipes like the one above, please visit www.patrontequila.com.

We DARE you to ditch the same old lite beer you’ve been drinking and let us send you a six-pack of New! Mike’s Lite Hard Lemonade or Mike’s Lite Hard Cranberry Lemonade.

Consider it a reward for ringing in the New Year with the right routines.  Mike’s Lite Hard (scroll down for brand info) tastes great and has fewer calories than the leading light beer – perfect for those who packed on the holiday pounds.  We know once you experience the crisp, refreshing taste and invigorating, all-natural flavors, you’ll be hooked – HARD.

We also know you’ll dig our upcoming partnership with TruTV.  We’re collaborating with the “Impractical Jokers” to create a series of viral videos in which we dare them to take on crazy challenges.  We’ll also introduce you to the Mike’s ‘Dare Hunter’, who will show off some of his dares and give consumers a chance to submit original dare videos.  More contest details coming your way soon…

In the meantime, why not resolve to re-think your drink – one that affords you low calories AND great taste.  You’ll be glad you did.  Shoot us your mailing address and let the tasting begin.

The ‘skinny’ on Mike’s Lite Hard Lemonade

• Available in two flavors: lemonade and cranberry lemonade
• First naturally sweetened flavored malt beverage of its’ kind
• Combination of real, fresh lemon juice and the Company’s proprietary neutral malt base for a smooth taste that’s full of flavor
• Refreshing alternative to the everyday light beer with fewer calories
• Made with 100 percent natural sweeteners
• Gluten-free
• Suggested retail price (varies by market) of $6.99 per 6-pack.  If our fans don’t feel the flavor, we’ll cough up the cash as part of our latest in-store retail promotion ($3 mail-in rebate)
• Learn more about Mike’s Lite on our website www.mikeshard.com/ or facebook page www.facebook.com/mikeslite

Newcastle Offers Fourth Limited Edition Beer, Announces Nationwide Availability for Entire Series

Newcastle Brown Ale, brewer of the legendary “One & Only,” today announced the release of its fourth Limited Edition brew, Founders’ Ale. Available nationwide for a limited time, this beer tips its hat to the heritage and tradition of Newcastle’s five founding breweries. The introduction also marks the expansion of all Limited Edition brews – Founders’ Ale, Summer Ale, Werewolf and Winter IPA – which are now available nationwide on a rotating basis throughout the year.

Available for the first time in the U.S., Newcastle Founders’ Ale is a full-bodied, drinkable brew with dry, hoppy and roasted flavors. The classic Bitter ale is balanced by subtly sweet aroma notes of caramel and fruit with a short, clean finish.

“The iconic five-point star on our label recognizes the five founding breweries of Newcastle, and this beer further celebrates the legend of our original, hard-working Geordie brewers and patrons,” said Charles van Es, brand director Newcastle Brown Ale. “With Founders’ Ale we are answering consumer demand by offering all of Newcastle’s Limited Editions nationally in 2012, giving everyone a chance to enjoy a bit of authentic English history.”

Brewed with premium malts and Styrian Goldings hops, Newcastle Founders’ Ale has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 4.8 percent with 20 International Bittering Units (IBUs).

Newcastle Founders’ Ale will be available nationwide from February 2012 through April 2012 in 6-pack and 12-pack bottles priced comparably to Newcastle Brown Ale. Founders’ Ale will also be available on draught at fine pubs in select markets.

About Newcastle Brown Ale
In 1927, in the Northeast of England, Colonel Jim Porter created uniquely crafted ale with its own distinct golden brown color, lightly hopped taste and character that quickly became a local favorite. Best served cool, Newcastle Brown Ale has since become a world favorite as a dark beer that’s easy to drink. Newcastle Brown Ale is imported by the nation’s premier beer importer, Heineken USA, headquartered in White Plains, New York. For more information, please visit www.NewcastleBrown.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/newcastle.

About Heineken USA 
- Heineken USA Inc., the nation’s premier beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken International BV, which is the world’s most international brewer. Brands imported into the U.S. include: Heineken Lager, the world’s most international beer brand; Heineken Light; Amstel Light, a leading imported light beer brand; Newcastle Brown Ale, the leading imported ale in the United States; and Buckler non-alcoholic brew. Heineken USA is also the exclusive USA importer for the Tecate, Tecate Light, Dos Equis, Sol, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from FEMSA Cerveza of Mexico. For a safe ride home, download the Heineken USA-sponsored Taxi MagicTM application from your smartphone. Please visit www.EnjoyHeinekenResponsibly.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/Heineken.

IWSC Distiller of the Year William Grant & Sons announces the arrival of the ground-breaking blended malt Scotch whisky, Monkey Shoulder, on American shores! Often referred to as one of the “most coveted” spirits in the U.S. due to its popularity among the bartending community and whisky connoisseurs, Monkey Shoulder has just landed exclusively in Illinois!

An irreverent nod to the traditional distillery malt-men who painstakingly turn malt barley by hand and wooden schiel, the “Monkey Shoulder” moniker refers to the colloquial term of a once common temporary injury, when after a long day’s work, a maltman would feel as though he had a monkey on his shoulder. While the injury is fortunately a thing of the past, the dedication to quality and craftsmanship involved in the hand turning of barley lives on in the Monkey Shoulder distillation process and the name today.

Since first appearing in bars across the United Kingdom in 2006, Monkey Shoulder has redefined whisky drinking for a new generation of Scotch whisky drinkers looking for an upgrade.  What sets Monkey Shoulder apart from other whiskies is its unique combination of provenance and personality.  By marrying five generations of award-winning distilling experience with a uniquely cheeky contemporary style and commitment to innovation within the Scotch category, Monkey Shoulder represents the ideal pairing of style and substance.  A unique blend of three of Speyside’s finest Single Malts, Monkey Shoulder is matured in first fill Bourbon casks hand selected by iconic Malt Master Brian Kinsman, to ensure its signature smooth flavor.

“Monkey Shoulder is a new style of Scotch whisky – one rooted in heritage and tradition but firmly grounded in the contemporary world.  Connoisseurs appreciate that Monkey Shoulder is a new style of Speyside whisky from a known world class distiller, while whisky newcomers are drawn to the mixability of the quality liquid and the irreverent and cheeky personality Monkey Shoulder presents to the category,” said Cindy Wang, Senior Brand Manager, Monkey Shoulder.
Under the scrutiny of William Grant & Sons award-winning distillers in Dufftown, Scotland, Monkey Shoulder is crafted in small batches of only 27 cases and offers a beautifully sweet and rich vanilla flavor, with brown sugar and creamy toffee notes balanced with oak and just a hint of spice.  Monkey Shoulder already has a history of accolades and awards including a Gold award at the 2011 International Wine & Spirit Competition, a Master distinction in the Speyside Blended Malt category at the 2011 Scotch Whisky Masters and a Gold award in the 2011 International Spirits Challenge.

“Having caught the eye of the world’s leading bartenders, it’s high time my talented and influential friends in the U.S. have the opportunity to obtain and appreciate a bottle of Monkey Shoulder without a trip to London,” said Dean Callan, global brand ambassador, Monkey Shoulder.

For more brand information, visit www.monkeyshoulder.com

Founders Brewing Company Releases All Day IPA Session Ale.  First addition to award-winning breweries’ lineup in six years

Founders Brewing Co.’s Co-Founder and Vice President of Marketing, Dave Engbers, announced today that All Day IPA would be the next addition to the brewery’s year-round lineup, with availability limited to Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, and the greater Chicago area beginning on February 6, 2012.

All Day IPA is a session ale that has the traditional qualities of an India Pale Ale with significantly lower alcohol. At 4.7% ABV, the beer is highly drinkable, but maintains the intense tropical aromatics and complex flavors consistent with Founders’ portfolio.

This beer was in development for nearly three years before the brewery perfected it. Then, the All Day IPA recipe won the silver medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival. Due to capacity constraints and multiple expansions, Founders Brewing Company now feels they are prepared to launch their first year-round product since 2006. Limited distribution is due to the soft hop harvest. “We will never compromise a recipe in order to increase sales,” explains Engbers.

“It’s the beer that almost wasn’t,” says Co-Founder, President & CEO Mike Stevens. “It’s tough to brew and gave us more than one problem throughout its development. But then we realized that this is the beer we’d all been waiting for.”

Engbers adds, “We pride ourselves on only putting beers in bottles that we would pick out on the shelves ourselves—and we’re picky beer drinkers…it would be just wrong not to be bottle All Day IPA.”

The last beer that Founders added to its year-round six-pack and draft lineup was Red’s Rye PA in 2006.

Founders Brewing Company opened their doors in 1997 with the vision of creating some of the most unique craft beer in the world. Today, Founders has a loyal following, with several beers lauded nationally and internationally as award winners in their respective categories. They are currently rated the second highest brewery in the world by ratebeer.com.

Founders Brewing Company, 235 Grandville Avenue SW in downtown Grand Rapids, is a proud member of the Michigan Brewers Guild and the Brewers Association.

I’M DREAMING OF A WHITE… CRANBERRY COSMO

A “Clearly Fabulous” Third Skinnygirl Cocktail From Beam Global And Bethenny Frankel(Deerfield, Ill.) — Skinnygirl Cocktails, the fastest growing ready-to-serve spirits brand in the country, and Bethenny Frankel, Entrepreneur, TV personality, and New York Times Best Selling Author, introduce Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo this holiday season. The third addition to the Skinnygirl Cocktails portfolio is the go-to, guilt-free cocktail and the first vodka-based innovation. Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo is a must-have for entertaining and gifting this holiday season and throughout the year. “Indulging shouldn’t come at a price. That is why the Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo gives you an elegant twist on a classic,” says Bethenny Frankel, who serves as the committed brand collaborator, innovator and ambassador for Skinnygirl Cocktails. “It’s fun, flirty, sexy, and clear so it won’t stain your carpet.”Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo contains citrus aromas with hints of orange essence and subtle lime along with berry fruit notes with hints of cranberry. There is a subtle tart finish complimented by sweet agave nectar. In line with Bethenny’s goal to create simple solutions for women, the cocktail is colorless and won’t stain furniture or your favorite holiday frock. Like Skinnygirl Margarita, Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo has only 100 calories per 4oz. serving, helping to save calories for other indulgences. “We are closing the year with the launch of Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo, a cocktail that perfectly rounds out our 2011 portfolio” says General Manager of the Mixables Category Brand Team at Beam, Debora Boyda. “Beam Global Spirits & Wine is excited to build strength around our already existing innovations and expand horizons for cocktail lovers around the globe.”Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo is available in select retailers for a suggested retail price of $14.99 for a 750 ml. bottle. It will be available nationwide by the end of the summer. For location information, go to www.skinnygirlcocktails.com. Check us out on Twitter @skinnygirlCKTLS and friend us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SkinnygirlCocktails.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine:

Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is one of the world’s largest premium spirits companies, encompassing a portfolio of nearly 100 brands (including 10 of the world’s top-100 premium spirits brands), more than a dozen global operating and commercial facilities and 3,500 employees worldwide. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Teacher’s® Scotch Whisky, Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, Hornitos ™ Tequila, Skinnygirl® Margarita, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, DeKuyper® Cordials and Knob Creek® Bourbon. Growth through innovation is a key strategy at Beam Global, with Red Stag by Jim Beam®, Cruzan® 9 Rum, Maker’s 46 and Courvoisier® 12 Cognac and Courvoisier® 21 Cognac all being launched as new products over the past two years. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.About Bethenny Frankel:

New York Times Best Selling Author of Naturally Thin, The Skinnygirl Dish and A Place of Yes, Bethenny Frankel, has a knack for making healthy food taste delicious. She was the breakout star from Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City, which lead to a spinoff series in 2010, Bethenny Getting Married? Bethenny is currently filming her third season of the spinoff series on Bravo, Bethenny Ever After … She is the creator of Skinnygirl Cocktails, Skinnygirl Shapers and fitness DVDs Body By Bethenny. Bethenny’s renowned Skinnygirl Cocktails recently made news around the world with its sale to Beam Global. She remains the creative force behind the brand.