WHEN: Monday, March 8th, 2010

TIME: 6:00 pm - Media Preview
6:30 pm-8:30pm - fly-by-night bar features tippling and tweeting

WHERE: Astor Center – The Lounge, 399 Lafayette Street (at East 4th Street), New York City

TICKETS: Tickets are $30 and include two specialty Compass Box featured cocktails, with $5 of each ticket donated to local women’s charities. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.astorcenternyc.com

On Monday, March 8th, in honor of International Women’s Day 2010 (IWD), Compass Box Whisky Company along with the NYC chapter of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC) will co-host a one part fundraiser and one part cocktail party at Astor Center to officially toast women’s accomplishments and continued empowerment in the Big Apple and around the globe. A portion of ticket sales for the event will benefit a local women’s charity.

Boutique Scotch whisky innovators Compass Box launch their 10th anniversary year by celebrating whisky and women this IWD and inviting LUPEC members and leading female mixologists — from the city’s most popular establishments — to create a portfolio of well-crafted libations made exclusively in honor of IWD. Proving women’s whisky consumption is on the rise, these accomplished women have broken an age old barrier – by not only creating some of today’s most impressive cocktails but also making their mark in the spirits world in what was once thought of as a profession for “men only.” Creations will be served in their respective bars throughout the week.

International Women’s Day celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. It has been observed since the early 1900’s and today thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their incredible achievements.

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Frederic Chopin’s birth, Chopin Vodka unveiled a hand-blown, seven-foot tall, 200-liter glass bottle on the red carpet at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. This is the largest bottle of vodka ever produced and is an exact replica of Chopin Vodka’s signature bottle.

Inspired by its namesake, Chopin Vodka will auction the bottle later this year to benefit the GRAMMY Foundation and its important work in music preservation and archiving, guaranteeing a minimum donation of $50,000.

Featuring autographs by several luminaries from the film world who attended the Santa Barbara International Film Festival – including Sandra Bullock, Forest Whitaker, James Cameron, Emily Blunt, Kirk Douglas, Quentin Tarantino, Carey Mulligan, Roger Durling, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Saoirse Ronan, Michael Stuhlbarg, Kathryn Bigelow, Julianne Moore, Gabourey Sidibe, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Vera Farmiga, Colin Firth and Jeff Bridges – the 200-liter bottle will embark on a national tour before the public auction later this year.(Source: Chopin Vodka)

SKYY Vodka is Once Again Named the Official Vodka for the Second Installment of Sex and the City Movie Franchise

Gruppo Campari and its North American subsidiary Skyy Spirits announced today a comprehensive global marketing deal with Warner Bros. Entertainment for SKYY Vodka® to serve as the official vodka and promotional partner for the highly anticipated new film Sex and the City 2, debuting in theatres in the U.S. on Friday, May 28.

“After the tremendous success of SKYY Vodka’s partnership with the first Sex and the City film, there was no question that we wanted to continue our support of this lasting cultural phenomenon,” said Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO of Gruppo Campari. “Sex and the City helped to define sophisticated cocktail culture around the world, and that tradition will continue as SKYY teams with Warner Bros. to give fans another reason to celebrate friendship, fashion and ‘cocktail couture’ with Sex and the City 2.”

This new promotional partnership between Warner Bros. and Gruppo Campari/Skyy Spirits is a multi-faceted program that will showcase “cocktail couture:” the convergence of the iconic Sex and the City style and fabulous SKYY cocktails, the perfect accessory for social occasions. Key elements of the promotional program include:

Advertising: Global co-branded advertising featuring print, broadcast, outdoor, digital and social media vehicles.

Celebrity Spokesperson: Renowned Sex and the City Costume Designer Patricia Field will
serve as a spokesperson for multiple components of the SKYY campaign, as well as lending her design talents to several promotional elements tied to the film.

“So many of Sex and the City’s most stylish moments have been when the ladies were out in Manhattan, dressed to the nines, bonding over fun cocktails,” says Field. “SKYY Vodka has always been a brand with style, so I was thrilled to partner with them to create something special that celebrates those special ‘cocktail couture’ moments that truly are the essence of SKYY and Sex and the City.”

Limited-Edition Bottle: To commemorate the launch of the motion picture, Patricia Field will design a limited-edition SKYY Vodka Sex and the City 2 bottle, which will be available at retailers around the world in May, just in time for the film’s release. This is the first themed design change to the iconic cobalt blue SKYY bottle in the brand’s history.

On-Premise/Off-Premise Promotions: Sex and the City 2 promotions will feature signature SKYY Vodka cocktails inspired by the film, highlighted by a line of limited edition fashion and cocktail accessories designed by Patricia Field that will be available at bars and restaurants across the US.

Sweepstakes/Giveaways: SKYY will execute consumer sweepstakes (where legal) in key markets tied to the advertising for a chance to win tickets to the star-studded Sex and the City 2 premieres, a local advance screening or other fabulous prizes. Consumers in the U.S. will also have a chance to win a New York City shopping spree with Patricia Field. Consumers can sign up now in the “Membership” section of www.skyy.com or become a fan at Facebook.com/skyyvodka to receive more information. (Source: Skyy spirits)

Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey announced today that it has entered into a partnership with 2008 Masters Champion Trevor Immelman to serve as a global spokesperson for the brand. As part of his brand ambassador role with Gentleman Jack, Immelman will be included in advertising and promotional materials, and make personal appearances on behalf of the brand.

Immelman’s love for golf began at age five and by the age of 12 was already a scratch player.  His win at Augusta was his first major victory and his second win on the PGA Tour. In addition to his two PGA Tour wins in the United States, Immelman has won multiple tournaments internationally, including the 2003 World Golf Championships–World Cup; was a member of the International Team for the 2005 and 2007 President’s Cup events; and was named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2006.

“We are very proud to have Trevor Immelman on the Gentleman Jack brand team,” said Mark Grindstaff, U.S. Marketing Director for the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands.  “Trevor’s success reflects the essence of what our Gentleman Jack consumers strive to achieve. His sense of classic style and sophistication perfectly matches the image of the Gentleman Jack brand.”

Gentleman Jack’s partnership with Immelman marks the brand’s first sponsorship of a well-known sports figure and underscores its decision to become more deeply associated with golf. “We feel that Gentleman Jack delivers on the golfer’s desire for high quality, time-honored brands and is perfectly suited for any social occasion,” said Grindstaff.

“I am very excited to be working with a brand like Gentleman Jack,” said Immelman.  “Not only am I impressed with the product, but also the responsible manner in which the brand is promoted.  After being introduced to this whiskey, the Perfect Manhattan made with Gentleman Jack is now at the top of my cocktail list.”

Blackheart Premium Spiced Rum is now available from Heaven Hill Distilleries.  Blackheart is a high-proof spiced rum that embodies an edgy, hip lifestyle with a unique brand story.

Blackheart Rum is named for the sultry seductress of the high seas.  Blackheart is bold and bawdy, cunning and cutthroat, sexy and seductive and left a trail of broken hearts wherever she traveled – that is how she came to be known as Blackheart. This is her rum.

“With the strength of the rum category, we recognized a great opportunity to deliver a product with a really engaging story,” said Brittany Blevins, Blackheart Brand Manager.  “The core target for this rum embodies the rebellious nature of the Blackheart Rum.  As the high-proof segment of the category grows, we believe Blackheart will be ideally positioned.”

Blackheart Premium Spiced Rum is available in 750ml and 50ml sizes and bottled at 46.5 percent alcohol by volume (93 proof).  The depiction of the infamous Blackheart character is reminiscent of historic pin-up girl artwork.  Her seductive pirate attire is a reflection of the rum’s sassy attitude.  Collectively, the bottle, label art and marketing appeal to a new generation of rum drinkers.

Absolut vodka announces the debut of Absolut Berri Açai, the eleventh flavor to join its portfolio.  ABSOLUT Berri Açai is an inspired blend of luscious, juicy acai, blueberry and pomegranate flavors, offering consumers exceptional cocktail experiences and retailers and on-premise operators a fashionable new ABSOLUT flavor to boost their sales and their bottom line.

“Our mission is to continue to deliver creative and visionary products to our consumers and trade partners that further solidify Absolut’s leadership position in the vodka category,” said Clare Kanter, Senior Brand Manager of Absolut vodka. “Absolut offers one of the broadest and most diverse range of flavors in the category, with flavors representing more than 25% of the brand’s annual sales.

From 2005 to 2007, the açaí fruit industry jumped from $3 million to $14 million and sales of acai products more than tripled to $66 million in the last year alone. Now is the perfect time to launch Absolut Berri Açai”

Absolut Berri Açai will debut nationally February 1, 2010. To support the launch, ABSOLUT will run an aggressive schedule of consumer and trade advertising including print, out-of-home and online executions. At retail, engaging point-of-sale materials ranging from posters, banners and dummy bottles to 50ml displays, ceiling danglers and sampling kits will help draw attention to this exciting new flavor. Table tents, zester sets, posters and coasters will announce Absolut Berri Açai to customers at on-premise establishments. Sampling events (where legal) will feature signature cocktails such as the Absolut Berri Açai Sour, made with Absolut Berri Açai , simple syrup and fresh lemon juice squeezed using the Absolut zester.

Forty years ago, from a land of unsurpassed purity, Finlandia Vodka was born and brought to the United States as the first imported premium vodka.

“Although, we can trace our roots back to 1888 with the founding of the original distillery by Dr. Juslin Wilhelm in the small Finnish village of Rajamaki, Finlandia Vodka was officially first imported into the United States in 1970,” said Maureen Brekka, managing director for Finlandia Vodka. “The tradition of Finlandia Vodka and its production tradition is such an important part of Finnish history and culture that today, some of the original distillery buildings in Rajamaki are protected as part of the national heritage.”

Dr. Wilhelm could not fathom how large his creation would become. Today, Finlandia Vodka has grown into the 2nd largest premium vodka brand in Europe and 5th largest premium vodka brand globally, selling more than three million cases annually and available in more than 130 countries worldwide.
The secret to Finlandia’s success is its pure ingredients and the highest possible production standards. Finlandia Vodka is crafted from entirely natural ingredients including pure glacial spring water and the finest six-row barley, grown under the long days and white nights of the Finnish Midnight Sun. Then, we use a highly energy efficient distillation process to reduce our environmental impact while delivering unsurpassed quality.

“As a Finnish brand, we combined our respect for nature with our knowledge of spirits to create a process that not only produces the world’s finest vodka but considers its environmental footprint,” Brekka said.

Another part of Finlandia’s heritage and its 40 years of history is its iconic bottle. The bottle has always embodied the clarity and freshness of the vodka inside, as well as embraced the spirit of the arctic country from which it came. Sculptor Tapio Wirkkala created the first bottle. The design of the Finlandia bottle was among his most famous designs inspired by his fascination with ice. The design had similar elements of Wirkkala’s famous collection of Iittala glassware Ultima Thule, course icy edged glassware inspired by the elements of his native Finland. Through the bottle’s evolution, Finlandia remains grounded in the same the principles of natural purity as it did 40 years ago.

“The current bottle, introduced in 2003, was created in cooperation with world renowned Finnish designer, Harri Koskinen,” said Tomas Manasek, director of global marketing for Finlandia. “Our current bottle, with its clean simple lines and dimples that appear as though nature itself sculpted the bottle from melting ice, pays homage to the people of Finland and their sensibilities.” Finlandia remains committed to maintaining our strong connection to Finnish design.

To celebrate its 40th Anniversary, Finlandia Vodka is offering special gift packages throughout the year and holding anniversary celebrations to commemorate its introduction into the United States.

“The past 40 years have been tremendous for Finlandia Vodka, and we look forward to celebrating our next 40 years in 2050,” Brekka said.

With the recent resurgence of pre-Prohibition bourbon cocktails, the classic Manhattan is making a comeback across the country. Woodford Reserve bourbon and Esquire magazine have searched the country for the nation’s ultimate well-crafted Manhattans and will feature eight “Masters of the Manhattan” on November 9 during The Manhattan Experience Finals in New York City.

Each bartender showcased their own spin on the historic cocktail at events across the country and will present their own well-crafted Manhattan cocktails at the Woodford Reserve/Esquire Magazine Manhattan Experience. The event takes place in New York City on Monday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Esquire Soho, the magazine’s Ultimate Bachelor Pad. There, the bartenders’ creations will be reviewed by a panel of experts, including Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris, Executive Chef Christopher Lee and Mixologist Julie Reiner.
“We have had some wonderful and creative recipes submitted during our search over the past few months, highlighting the complexity and versatility of Woodford Reserve,” said Laura Petry, Woodford Reserve brand manager. “Along with our partners at Esquire, we look forward to showcasing the cocktail craftsmanship of some of the finest mixologists in the country.”

All eight of the recipes will be featured in a Woodford Reserve advertisement in the January edition of Esquire.

To celebrate the spirit of crafting the ultimate cocktail, Esquire magazine’s resident mixologist David Wondrich has developed the Esquire Manhattan featuring Woodford Reserve. The cocktail recipe is as follows:

Esquire Manhattan featuring Woodford Reserve

2 oz. Woodford Reserve bourbon
1 oz. Cinzano red vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash Pernod 68 absinthe

Stir well with plenty of cracked ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and twist a swatch of thin-cut lemon peel over the top.

Cognac Ferrand announces the promotion of Guillaume Lamy to Vice President North America. In this newly created position, Mr. Lamy, who has been with the company for the last 10 years, will be responsible for sales and marketing of the Cognac Ferrand brands in North America including: Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Citadelle Gin, Mathilde Liqueurs, Plantation Rums, Cerbois Armagnac and Daron Calvados.  His role will also include managing the relationship between Cognac Ferrand and importer W.J. Deutsch & Sons on Landy Cognac. This promotion is effective August 1, 2009 and Mr. Lamy will continue to report to Alexandre Gabriel, president and owner of Cognac Ferrand, based in France.

“Guillaume has worked for Cognac Ferrand since 1999 and his contribution and insight into the U.S and Canadian spirits market are invaluable,” says Alexandre Gabriel. “Guillaume is truly a part of Cognac Ferrand’s DNA and he understands exactly what our company is all about.  We are both excited to continue our work together in the U.S., along with our excellent sales team, to promote our portfolio of artisanal spirits.”

Just last month, W.J. Deutsch & Sons (White Plains, NY) announced that the company will begin importing and marketing Landy Cognac in the U.S. as a major asset in their newly created Spirits Division.  Sales and marketing of the Landy Cognac brand will be executed by the W.J. Deutsch team, while logistics and the supplier relationship with Cognac Ferrand will be overseen by Guillaume Lamy.

W.J. Deutsch & Sons is also the importer of record for Cognac Ferrand’s award-winning brands including: Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Citadelle Gin, Mathilde Liqueurs, Plantation Rums, Cerbois Armagnac and Daron Calvados.  For these brands, W.J. Deutsch is responsible for compliance and the management of stateside inventory.  All marketing and sales for these brands are managed directly by Cognac Ferrand USA, under the guidance of Guillaume Lamy, through their own sales team, PR agency and network of distributors across the U.S. (Source: Cognac Ferrand)

Imperial Brands, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Belvédère S.A, today announced the launch of Sobieski Cytron and Sobieski Vanilia. Noted for its quality, affordability, Polish craftsmanship and authenticity, the two new flavors are an extension of their flagship Sobieski vodka brand, the #1 premium vodka in Poland and one of the world’s best-selling and fastest growing vodka brands.

Sobieski Vodka launched in the U.S. in 2007 with its “Truth in Vodka” marketing campaign that urges consumers to focus on what’s in the bottle, rather than on gimmicky marketing techniques and overpriced packaging. This back-to-basics, anti-hype campaign helped Sobieski Vodka break the sales record for a newly-introduced spirit where in 2008, 255,000 cases of Sobieski were sold in the U.S. in the first full calendar year. The Imperial Brands management team is determined to reach its goal for Sobieski to become the fastest new vodka brand to reach the one million-case sales milestone.

“Recognizing the public and industry’s demand for flavored vodka, we selected two celebrated, yet pure and savory extensions,” says Timo Sutinen, VP Marketing & Business Development, Imperial Brands, Inc.  “We are delighted to add Cytron and Vanilia to the Sobieski family.  They are exceptionally smooth vodkas with taste profiles incomparable to any other premium vodka brand.”

Sobieski Vanilia and Cytron are authentic Polish vodkas made from the finest Dankowski Rye with natural vanilla and citrus flavor. Vanilia’s colorless vodka has mellow brown sugar and hazelnut tones on the nose with a rich, buttery texture. A crystal clear spirit, Sobieski Cytron reveals a zesty and crisp nose. The bold, succulent taste leads to a fresh and irresistibly smooth finish.

Sobieski Vanilia and Sobieski Cytron vodkas are available nationwide at the suggested retail price of $10.99 (750ml).