I’m very excited to announce our new brand – Beach Whiskey. More to come…
Cheers, Smoke
BEACH WHISKEYâ„¢ INVITES YOU TO YOUR PLACE IN THE SUNâ„¢
Brand new whiskey says, “life’s a beach†in the super-premium segment
Los Angeles, CA (August 27, 2015) … The Ultimate Beach Party has begun! Beach Whiskey™, a meticulously crafted super-premium American whiskey is set to launch this fall.
“Over the last decade, the spirits industry has seen significant growth in both market size and share,†said J. Smoke Wallin, co-founder and CEO of Beach Whiskey and CEO of Taliera, a brand incubator and global sales, marketing and distribution agent. “At the same time, global fascination with American whiskeys and the explosive growth of flavors in the category means the time is right for a new brand like Beach Whiskey.â€
Beach Whiskey (SRP $27.99, 750ml) is carefully crafted in the United States from corn at partner distilleries to produce a clean and crisp base, before filtering and blending to exact specifications. The team at Beach Whiskey spent much of the past year tasting whiskeys and flavors and testing those profiles with consumers and trade experts to perfect the recipes and final product.
At launch, the Beach Whiskey portfolio includes Original (40% ABV / 80 proof), Bonfire Cinnamonâ„¢ (35% ABV / 70 proof), and Island Coconutâ„¢ (26% ABV / 52 proof).
Beach Whiskey celebrates the beach life and all that comes with it… parties, sports, relaxing, good music, and having fun. Even the packaging – an etched label on an embossed sea glass bottle – is designed to evoke the spirit of the beach life and it’s a love of the beach that brought the Beach Whiskey creators together. In addition to Wallin, founding investors of Beach Whiskey include TV and radio personality Billy Bush, and entrepreneurs Andrew McGinnis and Kenny Dichter.
Wallin, a native of Longboat Key, Florida, said while growing up he spent all his free time either at the beach or in and around the water. “Because we all love the beach, we also share the responsibility for protecting it. Beach Whiskey believes in preserving the world’s water and beaches, and by promoting the beach lifestyle, we hope to raise people’s awareness of this precious natural resource.â€
Andrew “McG†McGinnis, co-founder and SoCal native, is an avid surfer, waterman and beach volleyball player, who grew up playing beach sports and living the beach life in Santa Monica, Malibu and on Lake Tahoe. “Beach Whiskey is about combining my love of whiskey with my love of the beach,†said McGinnis. “It’s about creating a fun and delicious whiskey that can be enjoyed at a daytime beach party or by a bonfire at night.â€
Beach Whiskey will be featured at the Hospitality Executive Exchange (HEE), a gathering of food and beverage industry leaders, at the beach on Amelia Island, FL (August 29-September 2) where Bush will be giving the keynote. “I love the idea of combining fine whiskey with the beach life,†said Bush. “Beach Whiskey provides the right mix of fun with great flavors. I’m excited to be a part of this ground-breaking brand!â€
ACCESS HOLLYWOOD — Season: 2014 — Pictured: Billy Bush — (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)
“We are absolutely thrilled to be the first conference to introduce Beach Whiskey to the Hospitality Industry, and having Billy Bush as our welcome keynote speaker is the icing on the cake,†said Jen Robinson, CEO/Duchess of The Pineapple Group LLC, which owns and manages HEE. “Beach Whiskey is definitely a brand that we want as a long-term partner, and where better to showcase it than at the beach.”
Simply delicious and smooth, Beach Whiskey cuts across traditional beverage categories and appeals not only to whiskey aficionados but also to anyone who loves a great cocktail and a fun time in the sun. “Beach Whiskey is exceptional!†said Kendall Lockwood, Indianapolis Craft Mixologist and GM of the Ball & Biscuit, who created signature cocktails for the brand. “It is wildly versatile – great straight, on the rocks or blends beautifully with a variety of flavor profiles in cocktails.â€
Michael Tolley, CCO/Beverage By Design agreed. “As a seasoned beverage trainer, bar consultant, and a drink recipe developer, there is nothing I enjoy more than a spirit in the raw! Beach Whiskey is one that can stand on its own, conceived in an era of craft, not misery. A spirit of today, for today… Beach Whiskey! I’ll have mine on the rocks.â€
Beach Whiskey will be initially available in Southern California and Florida, with a selective rollout planned in major markets during early 2016.
About Beach Whiskeyâ„¢
Beach Whiskey was founded in 2015 by entrepreneurs who are leaders in the beverage, entertainment, lifestyle and business services industries. Beach Whiskey is an American whiskey made for sun worshiping, moon chasing, fun seekers. A whiskey for the wise and the whimsical. A whiskey for those drawn to the water, the waves, who welcome a little wickedness. Beach Whiskey is about time…… your time, our time, our whiskey! Born on the beach, enjoyed everywhere. No matter where you are, our mission is to bring the beach – “your place in the sun†– to thirsty, fun-loving whiskey drinkers everywhere. Please sip and swim responsibly!
Media samples and hi-res images are available upon request.
Contact Laura Peet, PeetCom, Inc., lbptalk@aol.com, (917) 860-6285.
Every once in a while, I take a step back and recognize just how cool this industry is and what a privilege those of us in the food, beverage and hospitality world have. This is not to say all of you in other industries are not cool or that ours is so much better. It is simply a fact that this one is a lot of fun.
I spent the past week mixing it up with celebrity mixologists, chefs and a whole bunch of smart industry people who are making their mark in their own ways. The Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, CA did a fantastic job of hosting our group.  A special thanks to Director of Food & Beverage, Jocelyn Kraus and Executive Chef Carissa Giacalone. Aside from the amazing food and beverage we experienced, one thing that struck me from these industry leaders is the appreciation of history and those who came before us.
In his excellent presentation on his journey in mixology, Tony Abou-Ganim “THE MODERN MIXOLOGIST†offered his insights on the industry as a whole, both past and present and how the industry evolved right before his eyes. I loved his personal stories of getting started bartending and his open appreciation for the individuals who helped him along the way. That’s really what makes the hospitality industry special. The people are what make great service and experience. The people who come before you and help you along the way, are the foundation for everything that you get to do and be.
Tony gave thanks to the legendary Dale DeGroff “THE COCKTAIL KING†who gave him an early appreciation for loving what you do and taking pride in it. It was not so long ago that everyone bartending or waiting tables was doing it to get the next “real†job. Today, there are a whole generation of young people who are pursuing their passion with the explicit goal of being an excellent mixologist, brewer, wine maker, hospitality professional. Dale also recommended Tony for the newly created Director of Beverage role at the newly opened Bellagio way back when, that changed his life forever. Dale gave us a true appreciation for the great mixologists of the 1800s and pre-Prohibition era. His entertaining and spirited history of bitters was fascinating to experience, as we tasted 6 different modern bitters.
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Tim Kirkland “THE RENEGADE SERVER†gave us incredible insights into the simple nuances of what separates truly exceptional hospitality service operations from merely good ones. His observations on customer service have direct application to training and inspiring front line crews to sell more and serve better. Michael “Bumby†Bombard “Straight Up Solutions” shared his learnings in cocktail menu development and presentation including a valuable discussion on glassware, ice and a drill down into garnishes. Its all about the presentation.
We had the opportunity to share some of the finest beers in the world with my industry friends. Anyone who has visited an English pub would recognize Old Speckled Hen, the #1 English Ale.
It was fun to introduce this quirky English brand to the hospitality folks in attendance. Judging from the response, there will be some Hen coming to a restaurant near you soon.
Chef Kathy Casey of Liquid Kitchen and Master Mixologist & Chain Accounts Manager for Beam Suntory Philip Raimondo shared a fun presentation of “Bar Redux†– in which they discussed new ways to train hospitality operator staff, jazz up your drink program and bring your bar layout up to date. Of course, Phil also served as lead pianist and singer for the groups late night escapades, all legendary, none reportable.
In Whisk(e)y “Boot Camp†we took a tour around the world from Scotland to Ireland to Canada and the US and back to Scotland. Led by the knowledgeable William Grant & Son’s Whisky Team, this fun survey of different styles of whisk(e)y was enjoyable and informative. Interesting facts – top Scotch whisky export markets 1. USA 569$, 2. FR 330$, 3. Singapore 288$, 4. Germany 138$ 5. Spain, 6. Taiwan. Among my favorites were the Glenfiddich 15 Solera and The Glenfiddich 18, but there were many other excellent ones including The Balvenie 21 and Irish Tullamore Dew. Monkey’s Shoulder was interesting too.
After the whisk(e)y tasting, several chefs joined me to taste some Scotch along side some BELHAVEN beer, Scotland’s #1. The BELHAVEN BLACK was particularly popular among the culinary set as an accompaniment to the fine sipping Scotches. We all decided this would be an excellent way in which to offer guests an enjoyable and true Scottish experience.
Celebrity Chef Rick Moonen (rm seafood at Mandalay Bay) shared inspiration at the final dinner as he gave us a fireside chat tracing his culinary roots to the great NY French restaurants and today with his focus on sustainably and seafood. Rick shared his great successes as well as some of the tough times he experienced during the downturn and how he had to be resilient and reinvent himself and his restaurants to survive. I love what he is doing with mixology and cannot wait to go check out his newest iteration in Vegas (RX Boiler Room)! We played a tasting game, whereby we all tasted different ice cream creations of his and had to guess the flavors. It was quite difficult but enjoyable. Apparently he does this regularly with a group of sommeliers in Vegas but instead of 3 types, he gives them 16 types to guess. Yikes!
As always, “The DUTCHESSâ€, Jen Robinson was the hostess with the mostess and kept everyone moving and staying on track at the Executive Hospitality Exchange West #HEEWEST. Thanks Jen for an enjoyable experience once again and I look forward to our next adventure together!
There are many other great stories, but alas, not for this post (not mentioning any names Mike Tolley “Beverage By Design”). It was great spending time with some of the leading hospitality accounts and learning how they are thinking about their businesses and how to compete and differentiate. There may be no more competitive environment than that of the restaurant and bar business. Many of the most successful in today’s environment are differentiating on service and their unique offerings. In many cases, the beverage side of the house offers the best opportunity to achieve this. I look forward to further discussions on this front with savvy operators and brands that want to activate their business.  My next such opportunity will be at the YPO Food & Beverage Roundtable in February where I have the privilege of being Co-Champion for the event. We expect 60+ F&B CEOs for an educational and enjoyable week hosted by Disney.
As Jack says… all work and no play, makes Smoke a dull boy …