ABSOLUT VODKA LAUNCHES NEW ABSOLUT BERRI ACAI
Press release

Imagine a sensory encounter with the perfect mix of berry flavors. Fresh blueberry flavor native to Europe and North America, fruity pomegranate from Southwest Asia, and smooth açai from South America. Now imagine these blended with pure premium vodka. And served chilled over ice.

A LITTLE BACK STORY The launch of ABSOLUT CITRON in 1988 opened the segment of flavored vodkas in the U.S. Since then ABSOLUT VODKA has been a pioneer within the category, and the first to venture into several new flavor segments. The most recent flavor was ABSOLUT MANGO, which was launched in 2008.

THERE'S A NEW PLAYER IN TOWN ABSOLUT BERRI AÇAÍ is the latest addition to the ABSOLUT family, and it's the first blend among the core flavors of the permanent range of ABSOLUT. Expressive and complex — ABSOLUT BERRI AÇAÍ is a vodka with açaí, blueberry and pomegranate flavor, inspired by berries and fruits from around the world.

NATURAL INGREDIENTS FROM SOUTHERN SWEDEN Like all ABSOLUT products, ABSOLUT BERRI AÇAÍ contains no sugar and uses only natural ingredients. The açaí, blueberry and pomegranate flavors are blended with vodka distilled from grain grown in the rich fields of southern Sweden. Mixed with club soda, for instance, it conjures up a lazy summer afternoon, even in winter. Combined with simple syrup, lemon juice and a blueberry garnish, it leans in a fanciful direction. And when mixed with the dryness of cranberry juice and orange liqueur it becomes an exceptionally flirty and delicious Cosmopolitan.

IT'S ALL IN THE MIX The versatility of ABSOLUT BERRI AÇAÍ inspires the creative imagination. This flavor is no different. Just as the berries mix well together, ABSOLUT BERRI AÇAÍ mixes well with a wide range of fruit juices and sodas. With the new flavor, ABSOLUT hopes to inspire you to try out new things and explore the possibilities of drink mixing at home or when out with friends.

To learn more about Absolut Berri Acai you can start by clicking HERE.

BARTENDERS BASH SERIES 2010
The Tradition Lives On Again!
MAY 9TH - 11TH, JUNE 7TH - 8TH 2010
Holiday Isle & Fort Lauderdale, FL

By Rob Husted

You have heard the rumors for many years about Bartenders Bash and now we are excited to announce that Bartenders Bash is Back again this year May 9th - 11th 2010!!! Not only is it back but back at its rightful place at Holiday Isle complete with the Flair Bartending contest with JD Spradlin as the MC, Bikini contest, liquor vendors, mishaps and mayhem... For those of you that have never been or those that are seasoned professionals this year promises to be the best in years!

Also on June 7th - 8th 2010 there is another "End of Season In-the-Party" in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at Bahia Cabana. It is just like Bartenders Bash in the keys but just a month later... Complete with a Flair Bartending competition, Bikini contest and tons of free liquor! All of the rooms on the resort are rented out to the liquor vendors and bartenders as well.

Check your liver at the door and bring your pay stub that proves you work in the service industry as a "tipped employee" because this event is closed off to the public and reserved for the true party people that serve all year round and finally have a chance to be served.

Click on the picture below to view a preview of the DVD.

This event is not to be missed and the DVD is a great momento of all the fun that is the "Bartenders Bash Series" as well as a preview of what to expect if you have never been yet. You can pick up your copy of the "Bartenders Bash Series" DVD by clicking HERE!

For more info on the "Bartenders Bash Series" you can check out "www.BarWars.info". Or to RSVP you can click HERE!

See you there!

FLAIR BARTENDERS SHAKEDOWN 2009
-SHOWDOWN EDITION-
Where Flair & Mixology Create Cocktails...
December 8th 2009
West Palm Beach, FL

By Rob Husted

Tuesday December 8th 2009 saw the return of the Flair Bartenders Shakedown at the popular Dr. Feelgoods in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Flair Bartenders Shakedown for the past two years was the first Working Flair bartending competition that judged the ability of Flair bartenders behind a true working environment. In its third year this year with the help of Club Suntory we stepped it up a notch and the “Flair Bartenders Shakedown 2009 – Showdown Edition” was a reality! The competitors had to make five drinks and pour an accurate free pour to the best of their ability while entertaining the crowd within the five minute time limit all in front of a packed nightclub and watchful judges.

The competitors were judged in two rounds of competition. The first round being focused on Blind Working Flair were the competitors earned points on Working Flair, Difficulty, Smoothness, Variety, Originality, Mixology, Promotion and each drink completed along with a bonus for an accurate free pour. They were deducted for spills, drops, breaks, wrong ingredients and portions, unsanitary procedures and more.

After the first Blind Working Flair round the scores were tallied up and the top four competitors only moved on to the second round. This determined fifth through ninth but first through fourth all determined solely on the second round which focused on Blind Mixology. The second round consisted of four identical Flairco portable bars (set up the same from the Working Flair Round) lined up in a row each with the same mystery basket on the bartop. The competitors opened up their baskets to reveal a mystery liquor and three mystery ingredients. From that the competitors all had ten minutes to make their best cocktail showcasing the mystery liquor and three mystery ingredients from their basket.

The competitors were encouraged to bring in their own tools for this round but no ingredients. This leveled the playing field a bit to limit the ingredients for their original cocktails to the contents of the basket and a community table full of ingredients behind them to fight over. Much like the show “Chopped” on the Food Network.

After ten minutes the competitors presented their original drinks to the Mixology judges and the worst drink got “86” and that competitor took fourth place. We then repeated the round two more times each with a new basket, mystery liquor and three mystery ingredients until we had a third, second and first place. This round was amazing and really showed that Flair Bartenders are amazing Mixologists as well.

The first basket consisted of Midori Melon liqueur, raw eggs, seaweed and fresh ginger.

The second basket consisted of Zen Green Tea liqueur, Finest Call Agave, fresh cucumber and basil.

The final basket consisted of Yamazaki, Bacon, fresh red pepper and apple juice.

The final results were…
1st Place- Chad Tocco, Fort Lauderdale, FL.
2nd Place- Edurado Gomez, Fort Lauderdale, FL.
3rd Place- Rodrigo Delpech, Fort Lauderdale, FL.
4th Place- Josh Goldurs, Big Pine in the Florida Keys, FL.
5th Place- Luis Medina, Puerto Rico.
6th Place- Cesar Romero, Miami, FL.
7th Place- Brian Kelly, Las Vegas, NV.
8th Place- Chris Ramler, Miami, FL.
9th Place- Joey Lenz, West Palm Beach, FL.

For more info on the "Flair Bartenders Shakedown" you can check out "www.BarWars.info".

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL 2010
Where Spirits Live July 21st - 25th 2010

Presss Release

Tales of the Cocktail® is an internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine and culture held annually in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community-award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers-for a five-day celebration of the history and artistry of making drinks. Each year offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours and parties all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made.

Each year offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours, and parties; all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made.

Stir Your Soul at the
8th Annual Tales of the Cocktail

Tales of the Cocktail features a vast number of separate ticketed events. Ticket packages are available online while supplies last.

Get Your Tickets for:

* Founder’s Day Passes

* Day Passes

* The Nightclub & Bar Professional Series

* Seminars

* Spirited Lunches

* Spirited Dinners

* Cocktail Parties

* Competitions

For more info on "Tales of the Cocktail" you can click HERE.

BRUCE WILLIS STAKES CLAIM IN BELVEDERE!
Press Release

Belvedere has strengthened its relationship with Bruce Willis, selling him a 3.3% stake in the troubled wine and spirits firm.

The sale, for an undisclosed sum, will not result in Willis taking a seat on Belvedere's board, Dow Jones said today (22 December), due to "technical reasons", according to company head, Jacques Rouvroy.

As part of the deal, Willis will promote Belvedere's Sobieski vodka brand in North America in a "multi-year" agreement.

In April, Belvedere initially announced its partnership with Willis, which sees the actor appear in a Sobieski advertising campaign and at events in selected markets throughout Europe and China.

Belvedere has had a tough 2009, having only gained approval for a relaunch plan last month. The firm was placed under bankruptcy protection in France in July 2008.

Diageo has lined up the launch of a consumer competition on Facebook for its Bushmills Irish whiskey brand. The company said March 15th 2010 that the winner of the 'Make it at Bushmills' contest will get to spend 30 days at the Bushmills distillery in Ireland with a friend, in penthouse accommodation with GBP5,000 (US$7,500) spending money.

At the end of the 30 days, the winner will be offered the opportunity to create their own blend of Bushmills. Specific details behind the competition were not immediately announced, although the contest is set to go live on the Bushmills Facebook page from St Patrick's Day, Wednesday 17 March 17th 2010. Diageo acquired Bushmills from Pernod Ricard as part of Pernod's takeover of Allied Domecq in 2005.

US: PROXIMO SPIRITS THREE OLIVES RANGTANG VODKA
Press Release

Product Launch - Proximo Spirits' Three Olives Rangtang vodka Category - Spirits, vodka, flavoured Available - Now

Location - US, wherever the Three-O vodka brand is available. There is also a locator tool on ThreeOlives.com

Price - MRP of US$19.99 per 750ml bottle Distribution - Proximo Spirits Proximo Spirits has added an 18th flavour variant to its Three Olives vodka portfolio. Three O-Orange joins a stable which includes cherry, grape and root beer.

PERNOD RICARD WINS MALIBU LAWSUIT
Press Release

Pernod Ricard has won a court ruling to protect the image of its Malibu flavoured rum brand, including its signature opaque white bottle, in the US. A US District Court judge ruled that White Rock Distilleries infringed upon Malibu's trademark rights with its own line of fruit-flavoured rums, Pernod said on February 24th 2010.

Pernod Ricard USA filed a lawsuit in March 2009, alleging that White Rock breached copyright on Malibu via its marketing of Barbarossa, Baroca and Jack flavoured rums in opaque white bottles. "The white bottle is the signature design element of the Malibu® trade dress, and we will be very aggressive in protecting it," said Thomas Lalla, senior vice president and general counsel at Pernod Ricard USA.

White Rock has agreed not to produce, market or sell any distilled spirit "in a white bottle or in any bottle using a palm tree and sun design that is substantially similar to the Malibu palm tree and sun logo," said Pernod. White Rock must also pay Pernod's legal fees from the dispute, said the judge at the court for Southern District of New York.

GRUPPO CAMPARI INKS SKYY VODKA, SEX & THE CITY DEAL
Press Release

Gruppo Campari has announced a global marketing deal between its Skyy Spirits subsidiary and Warner Bros Entertainment. Skyy Vodka will be the official vodka and promotional partner for Sex and the City 2 as part of the deal, Gruppo Campari announced this week.

Cocktail culture will be the main theme of advertising and promotion around the film, which is set to be released in the US on May 28th 2010. Co-branded advertising featuring print, broadcast, outdoor, digital and social media is being planned by the two firms. "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," said Gruppo Campari CEO Bob Kunze-Concewitz. Campari will create signature Skyy Vodka cocktails and a limited edition bottle, which is to be released at retailers around the world from May. Further details of the bottle were unavailable at this time.

There will also be a range of "fashion and cocktail accessories" available at US bars and restaurants and designed by Sex and the City's costume designer, Patricia Field. Campari will operate sweepstakes in key markets to give consumers a chance to win premiere tickets or seats at local advance screenings of the film. A shopping spree with Field will also be up for grabs. 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, said Campari.

It added that Skyy will also host a series of charity screenings of the film in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

POLICE HUNT FOR STOLEN JAGERMEISTER
Press Release

Drinks distributor Cellar Trends is working with police to track down GBP80,000-worth (US$125,000) of Jagermeister that was stolen from a lorry in the UK. Thieves stole 50 pallets of the German liqueur from a lorry in Lincolnshire earlier this week, said Cellar Trends, which distributes the brand in the UK.

It has asked retailers and bars to keep an eye out for the stolen 50cl bottles. "The stock is readily identifiable because 50cl packs are not in general distribution," said Cellar Trends. Anyone with information should contact Cellar Trends on 01283 217703 and ask for Christian Davis, or PC Meldrum at Lincolnshire Police on 01476 402222.

UK GOVERMENT TO LAUNCH MANDATORY ALCOHOL CODE
Press Release

Drinks industry leaders have offered a lukewarm response to the UK Government's plan to introduce a mandatory code on alcoholic drinks sales in the country. After months of wrangling over details, the Government announced on January 19th 2010 that it will implement the five-point code in different stages during 2010.

So-called "all you can drink" offers will be banned, tap water must be available free to drinkers and bars must provide "small measures" of beers, wine and spirits, the Government said.

Age verification policies must also be in place and the so-called "dentist's chair" - where drink is poured directly into consumers' mouths - will be banned. Breach of the code carries a maximum GBP20,000 fine and up to six months in prison, said the Government, which says that alcohol-related harm costs the UK health service GBP2.5bn every year. Drinks trade bodies gave a mixed response to the code on January19th 2010. Lobbying efforts have already succeeded in watering down its length and delaying its implementation.

Industry leaders have privately admitted that some sort of code is a "hit" producers and outlets must be prepared to take on the chin. The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) said it is concerned that the code focuses too much on bars and pubs and not enough on cheap alcohol in supermarkets. "We have consistently supported legislation to crack down on irresponsible promotions in pubs and supermarkets," said BBPA CEO Brigid Simmonds. "However, with nearly 70% of all alcohol now sold through supermarkets, the pub-centric measures announced today are lop-sided and unbalanced."

Drinks producers support Government measures to tackle irresponsible consumers and companies, said Jeremy Beadles, CEO of the Wine Spirit Trade Association (WSTA). But, he added: "In most respects the Code enforces best practice that is already met or exceeded by the vast majority in the trade." He reiterated that the WSTA would like to see "strict enforcement of existing laws designed to prevent alcohol misuse". It remains unclear how the code will play out in practice, with the rules on serving size and age verification not set to be introduced until October. There must be a General Election in the UK before June and the current Government trails the main opposition, the Conservative Party, by around ten points in opinion polls.

DIAGEO'S BAILEYS TO SPONSOR DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES IN THE UK FOR $1.6 MILLION USD
Press Release

Bailey Diageo's Baileys Irish cream liqueur brand is to sponsor the new series of Desperate Housewives in the UK. The sponsorship will run from the first episode on January 27th 2010 until June 2010 across Channel 4 and E4. Baileys idents will be shown before and after the advert breaks during Desperate Housewives throughout the 23-episode season. In addition, the firm is investing GBP1m (US$1.6m) on a marketing campaign for the brand running throughout Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter.

A number of TV advertisements will also launch on March 8th 2010 and will run until Easter weekend. Violeta Andreeva, Baileys brand manager at Diageo Great Britain, said: “We’re really pleased to be working with Channel 4 and for our Baileys idents to be featuring in the sixth season of Desperate Housewives, one of the most popular TV programmes for women 18-49.” In October, Diageo launched its Baileys Coffee liqueur in Sweden. The coffee-flavoured version launched via state-owned alcohol retailer Systembolaget.

SKYY'S NEW FLAVOR
Press Release

SKYY Vodka, the super-premium purity-minded spirit in the distinctive cobalt blue bottle, has introduced the first nationally available all natural ginger infused vodka as part of the Infusions line we wrote about earlier. Thanks to its signature infusion process, fresh spiced and juiced ginger flavors abound, along with notes of roasted oranges and cinnamon and intricate aromas. It joins the entire line of All Natural SKYY Infusions: Citrus, Pineapple, Cherry, Grape, Raspberry and Passion Fruit. an assortment of all natural infusions made from real fruit that has been ranked number 1 in taste by the prestigious Beverage Tasting Institute. Below are some cocktail recipes featuring the new elixir created by some of the country's leading mixologists:

Fruit and Gingerly Created by Adam Wilson of Beretta San Francisco 2 oz. SKYY Infusions Ginger 0.5 oz. Orange Juice 0.5 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice 0.5 oz. Lime Juice 1.5 Tbsp Fresh Cranberries 3 Chunks Pineapple Club Soda Muddle cranberries and pineapple in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and rest of ingredients except soda and shake vigorously. Pour into a Collins glass with fresh ice and top with soda. Garnish with chunk of pineapple and/or three cranberries on a toothpick laid horizontally over rim of the glass.

SMIRNOFF'S NEW FLAVORS
Press Release

Product Launch - US: Diageo's Smirnoff Blue: Spiced Root Beer, Dark Roasted Espresso March 11th 2010 Diageo's Smirnoff Blue: Spiced Root Beer, Dark Roasted Espresso Category Location - US, nationwide Price - US$16.99 per 750ml bottle (prices may very per market). Also available in 50ml, 375ml, 1-litre and 1.75-litre sizes Distribution - Diageo Spirits.

Dark Roasted Espresso and Spiced Root Beer represent the first additions to the Smirnoff 100-proof vodka extension. "Spiced Root Beer and Dark Roasted Espresso are great additions to our portfolio, and signify the brand's commitment to being 'there',” said David Tapscott, Diageo's director of Smirnoff vodka. “'There' at the forefront of innovation with a unique approach to the category; and 'there' offering consumers new ways to enjoy life's many flavours and good times responsibly.”