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Celebrating History’s Bad Boy of Bourbon: Lewis Rosenstiel

April 29th, 2020

Written by John Raiona, Executive Bourbon Steward.

bourbon history

Most Bourbon Stewards might know that on May 4th, 1964, a piece of legislation declaring Bourbon “a distinctive product of the United States” surfaced in Congress. But what you might not know is this significant piece of Bourbon history is surrounded by a bit of infamy. Some lawmakers questioned giving special recognition to the humble, blue-collar drink and their reluctance was, contextually, easy to understand.

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Sensing Spirits: A Quick Sensory Guide for Whiskey

April 22nd, 2020

whiskey noser

If you’re new to the spirits world, the term “whiskey noser” may throw you for a loop. But if you consider yourself a connoisseur, then you might count yourself among them.

A whiskey noser is, simply put, someone who uses the senses – sight, smell, taste – to explore and appreciate whiskey. This term derives from the importance of smelling a whiskey in order to fully understand it; after all, we experience taste primarily through aroma. Of course, that’s not to say that other aspects of the sensory experience don’t matter…

We’re here to help you discover your sense of spirits by breaking down the three main elements of conducting a sensory evaluation.

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The “Nouveau Generation” of Mexican Rums

April 15th, 2020

By Antonio Galvez Yarza, Founding Director & Partner, Mexican Craft Spirits SAPI de CV / The Sugarcane Company SA de CV

For being such a big consumer and promising producer of rum, it’s surprising that Mexican rums have gone largely unnoticed by the world rum scene. In fact, I had not even heard of them until a few years ago. That’s why I decided to do a little exploration into the past, present, and future of this growing category. 

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Industry Observations During a Global Pandemic

April 8th, 2020

Written by Rommel Medrano, VP Integrated Marketing, UPBrand.

observations

Experts are forecasting that there are still substantial hurdles ahead as the US now leads the world in confirmed Coronavirus cases. However, there are lots of reasons for hope. Our government is stepping up with an openly welcome relief package, while families and communities far and wide continue to do what they can to power through this temporary downturn.

Working under the presumption that we’ll all come out of this tight spot with an even stronger resolve, as potential thought partners, the team at UPBrand is putting that mindset into practice by continuing to think about the businesses and the brands represented by current and prospective clients alike. While some of the points made below may already be known, we’re sharing our observations as initial context for some ideas we welcome discussing further with you, as appropriate.

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Celebrating Beer & Brewers on National Beer Day

April 1st, 2020

April 7th marks one of the happiest days of the year – National Beer Day! While it’s true you may not need much of an excuse to crack open a cold one, we’re here to give you the low down on this special day with a reminder to thank your local brewers.

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