October 16, 2014 Joseph W. Mollica, Chairman Michael R. Milligan, Deputy Commissioner Contact: E.J. Powers 603.644.3200x11 epowers@montagnecom.com New Hampshire Liquor Commission to Host Largest Spirits Tasting in New England More than 400 premium and ultra-premium spirits featured at annual Distiller s Showcase event; Rare 23-year Pappy Van Winkle bourbon to be auctioned Concord, NH New England s largest spirits tasting event will take place on November 12 th in Manchester, NH as the New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) hosts its third annual Distiller s Showcase of Premium Spirits. More than 1,000 consumers will have the chance to sample 400 premium and ultra-premium spirits and cuisine from New Hampshire s hottest restaurants, bid on three bottles of rare 23-year Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, along with having the opportunity to interact with brand ambassadors and distillers from across the globe. Tickets are on sale for $60 at http://distillersshowcase.com/ for the November 12th event, which will take place from 6:00 8:30pm at the Radisson Hotel Manchester with proceeds benefiting the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire. The Distiller s Showcase of Premium Spirits is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to sample and purchase an unparalleled variety of the world s finest spirits, learn about the distilling craft and explore the latest brands and flavors, said NHLC Chairman Joseph Mollica. NH Liquor & Wine Outlets are known throughout North America for offering the products consumers love at unbeatable prices. What is equally impressive is our expanding selection of hard-to-find wines and spirits and products that are sold exclusively in New Hampshire. This commitment to delivering a vast selection at competitive prices is evident through our annual spirit sales, which increased 3.5% last year to $357 million. The Distiller s Showcase was designed to give spirit novices and aficionados alike the opportunity to sample from more than 100 tables featuring more than 400 diverse spirits, including various styles of whiskey, rye, Scotch, tequila, vodka, rum, gin, cordials and liqueurs. Many of the spirits available for sampling and purchase during the Distiller s Showcase, are spirits that are only available at NHLC s 78 NH Liquor & Wine Outlets. In addition to some of the world s premium brands, several New Hampshire distillers like Sea Hagg Distillery of North Hampton, Djinn Spirits of Nashua, Flag Hill Distillery of Lee, Tall Ship Distillery of Dover, and Smoky Quartz Distillery of Seabrook will take part in the Showcase as well. During the Distiller s Showcase, customers will be able to purchase spirits at a 10% savings through NHLC s state-of-the-art mobile ordering app and pick up their purchase at any one of the state s 78 conveniently located
NH Liquor & Wine Outlets. Guests can also purchase in advance commemorative Aschutney whiskey glasses handmade in America by Simon Pearce glassblowers. For the second straight year, guests will have the chance to bid on three bottles of the highly-coveted and extremely rare 23-year Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. Guests will also have the chance to bid on a bottle of Jack Daniel s Sinatra Century, a once-in-a-lifetime whiskey that honors the 100th birthday of Frank Sinatra and bottled from only 100 hand-selected barrels. A New Hampshire state flag that flew over the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee and has been autographed by Jack Daniel s master distiller Jeff Arnett and assistant master distiller Chris Fletcher will also be available for auction. Past events provided the opportunity to sample limited release BenRiach, Glendronach and ABERFELDY single cask single malt scotch whiskies, and interact with the likes of Chris Fletcher, Assistant Master Distiller at Jack Daniel Distillery, Alasdair Day, owner of Tweeddale Blend, and Elayne Duff, Diageo USA's luxury brand mixologist. Confirmed participants this year include: Donal O'Gallachoir, co-founder of Glendalough Distillery, Tim Clarke of Polly & Joan s Cordial Co., Christine Cooney of Heavenly Spirits, and Todd Hardie of Caledonia Spirits. The extraordinary event, which is expected to draw a capacity crowd of about 1,000 people, features spirit seminars, silent auctions and raffles, and delicious food from many of New Hampshire s premier restaurants. The following restaurants will participate in Distiller s Showcase: Amphora, Campo Enoteca, Hooked & Ignite, O Steaks and Seafood/Canoe Restaurant and Tavern, The Fresh Market, The Quill, The Republic, and Wild Rover Pub with several more set confirm in the coming days. In the past two years, the Distiller s Showcase has raised $89,700 for the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire and NHLC expects the event to raise another $60,000 this year. In the last two-and-a-half years, NHLC has worked with suppliers and brokers to raise more than $450,000 for nonprofit organizations making an impact in New Hampshire. Homes for our Troops, the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire, Moore*Mart, Easter Seals New Hampshire, Toys for Tots, New Hampshire Food Bank, Granite United Way, the New Hampshire Breast Cancer Coalition and the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire have all benefitted from NHLC s support. The Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire helps more than 2,200 animals each year find loving homes. The Animal Rescue League will use this needed funding to support general operating expenses, as 72% of the League s operating budget goes to general animal care and medical expenses. The New Hampshire Liquor Commission is encouraging guests to imbibe responsibly and will feature a Brown- Forman social responsibility area. The Radisson Hotel Manchester is offering a special sip and stay package and a safe ride home program from Grace Limousine. Visit distillersshowcase.com for more information.
Photo Captions: NHLC 1: The New Hampshire Liquor Commission will host the largest spirit tasting in New England on Thursday, November 12, at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester. The third annual Distiller s Showcase of Premium Spirits will feature more than 400 premium and ultra-premium spirits and is expected to draw more than 1,000 consumers. Along with having the chance to interact with international brand ambassadors, guests will also have the chance to bid on three bottles of the extremely rare 23-year Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.
NHLC 2: More than 1,000 spirit lovers will get the chance to sample from an incredible array of more than 400 premium and ultra-premium spirits during the third annual Distiller s Showcase of Premium Spirits on Thursday, November 12 th, at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester. The New Hampshire Liquor Commission event, which raises critical revenue for the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire, features spirit seminars, more than 100 tables of spirits for sampling, delicious food from New Hampshire s top restaurants, and it provides the opportunity to interact with brand ambassadors from across the country and the globe. NHLC 3: With more than 400 premium and ultra-premium spirits for tasting, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission s Distiller s Showcase of Premium Spirits has something for everyone. The event, which takes place on Thursday, November 12 th, in Manchester and which raises critical funding for the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire, provides spirit lovers a chance to sample from some of the world s best spirits and to interact with brand ambassadors from all over the country and the world. The event is expected to draw more than 1,000 consumers. About the New Hampshire Liquor Commission The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) operates 78 retail locations throughout the Granite State and serves more than 11 million customers each year. More than $3 billion in net profits has been raised since the
first store opened in 1934. NHLC had its best sales year ever in Fiscal Year 2015, generating $642 million in gross sales, an increase of $21 million or 3.4% -- over the previous fiscal year. Total liquor net profits transferred to the New Hampshire s General Fund reached $151.7 million, which are used to fund programs including education, health and social services, transportation and natural resource protection. NHLC is expecting to net an additional $1 billion for New Hampshire s General Fund in the next seven years. Visit www.liquorandwineoutlets.com to locate a store, search for product availability, learn about monthly sales, review wine tasting schedules, and sign up to receive significant savings with monthly Email Extras. About the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire The Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps more than 2,200 cats, dogs, and small animals find loving homes each year. To help people who love their pets, but are currently struggling to care for them, they offer community outreach programs, such as a Pet Food Pantry, Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinics, and statewide Animal Cruelty Investigations. The League is open to all residents of NH, with focus on the local communities of Amherst, Auburn, Bedford, Brookline, Candia, Dunbarton, Francestown, Goffstown, Hollis, Hooksett, Litchfield, Londonderry, Lyndeborough, Manchester, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, New Boston, Peterborough, Wilton, and Windham. ###