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Friday, September 30, 2016

New Whiskey Labels: Balcones, Vanishing Whiskey and More


This week's most interesting new labels from the federal TTB database:

Balcones cleared labels for a cask strength versions of their Baby Blue Corn Whiskey and Texas Single Malt.

Weird Label Department: According to the label, Chadwick James Private Reserve is a "whiskey vanished on wood cubes." Does that mean there's none left?

And it always touches me to see a distillery put a lot of effort into their label, both graphically and in terms of providing the consumer with information. Here's a great example of a stunningly beautiful and highly informative label from Cannon Beach Distillery in Oregon.

Note:  The fact that a label appears on the TTB database does not necessarily mean it will be produced.  In addition, some details on the label, such as proof, can change in the final product.


8 comments:

  1. Interesting, guess the "True Blue" nomenclature is gone for good. It was originally "baby blue" in contrast to True Blue (cask strength) and True Blue 100.

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  2. We are still making True Blue. In fact we just bottled batches of cask strength and 100 which will be released in Texas in October. This "new" whisky is still youthful with fresh corn notes like Baby Blue, but at cask strength, and bottled specifically to commemorate the grand opening of our new distillery. Limited edition and yet to be seen if we will do it again this way...

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  3. Hmmmm. 'Stunningly beautiful... Highly informative'
    ....Ohhhh. K.
    This what we in marketing game call understated elegance.... Or NOT!
    Maybe just crummy. Yeah, that's it... crummy.

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  4. I think the Chadwick James contains a misprint. Surely it's, "whiskey varnished on wood cubes," no?

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  5. They probably meant "finished," but it's odd.

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  6. Oh, they definitely meant finished. I just liked the "varnished" reference for what will probably be an underwhelming whiskey.

    I can see the reviews now..."notes of acetone and shellac on the nose."

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  7. Cannon Beach Distillery is one of those oddball places. Last time I looked they weren't members of the state distiller's guild, don't advertise, aren't really found in any of the state liquor stores and didn't have a website.

    Given that those are generally fairly easy things to do to get your brand out there I'm betting their marketing budget is about Zero and label design is a distant second to running the still and sitting on the beach drinking their own supply.

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  8. Ho-boy, the TTB really dropped the ball on this one! -They're supposed to approve LABELS, right?

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