Headlines

Six Questions with Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve Master Distiller

Earlier this month, bourbon brand Woodford Reserve named Elizabeth McCall as master distiller, one of the few women to achieve the title among major whiskey companies. She is also the second generation of her family with a career in the spirits industry, following in her mother’s footsteps who worked at the Seagram’s production facility in the 1970s and 80s.

Taste Radio: Identifying Next-Gen Prime Time Brands. It Starts Here… And There.

Taste Radio’s hosts discussed the value of attending CPG-centric community events, how Expo West 2023 exhibitors can best advise our editorial teams about their presence at the event, highlighted recent capital raises for two beverage brands and riffed on new and innovative products from two Mexican-inspired food brands and a trio of innovative energy drinks companies, among several others.

Buffalo Trace, Maker of Coveted Whiskeys, Doubles Production

Buffalo Trace, the producer of the popular Pappy Van Winkle bourbons, will double its whiskey production in the coming days. The expansion of the Kentucky-based distillery, announced last week, will allow the Sazerac-owned company to increase the production of its whiskey expressions like Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Weller, Blanton’s, and E.H. Taylor Jr.

Split LVL: How Lawsuits and Infighting Derailed NXT LVL

Supported by partnerships with boxer Manny Pacquiao and hip hop star T-Pain, Takeover Industries, the maker of hydrogen water and gamer energy shot brand NXT LVL, looked to be riding high. Now the business is fighting to rebuild and numerous lawsuits show that the path that led Takeover to this moment appears to be anything but business as usual.

American Craft Spirits Association: Craft Spirits Have Young, Regional Demographic

Data released last week by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) showed that for the first time spirits revenues outpaced beer, but how did craft spirits measure up? At last weekend’s American Craft Spirits Association Conference in Portland, data experts shared insight into the segment’s growth and opportunities.