It's Official, Four Roses Is Coming Back.

[cowdery]

JAPAN: Four Roses to return to US market

15 Aug 2003

Source: just-drinks.com

The US market is to see the return of the Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon brand after a 45-year absence, according to Japanese press reports.

The brand, which is now owned by Japan's Kirin, after Diageo sold it following the Seagram acquisition, has not been sold in the US since 1959. It had been a top seller.

Four Roses, under Seagram's ownership, became an export product. Four Roses is now sold mainly in Japan, France, and Spain.

According to the report, Kirin will partner with Southern Wine and Spirits of America Inc., a distributor and wholesaler of alcoholic beverages, to market the Bourbon in Kentucky.

I suspect bad reporting, but the last line of this story suggests it will be sold only in Kentucky, which it already is. I expect we'll get more, better information soon.

[kgiammarco]

Hmm... I'd hope that this means that we will get the super premium over here... That would be a nice treat...

-chris

[Barrel_Proof]

Whenever it arrives , it will be warmly received !

[bobbyc]

I suspect bad reporting, but the last line of this story suggests it will be sold only in Kentucky, which it already is.

Maybe not Chuck, Jim Rutledge told me and Mr Ed that the Single Barrel would first appear in the Golden triangle of Ky( Louisville,Lexington,Northern Ky) then to other parts of the state and on out from there. The 80 proof has been available in Ky and Ind for a while , I don't know why anyone would think that noteworthy at this point. Also I know a few folks who work at Lotus and I can get good info about what goes on there, Believe me they aren't getting a good Big picture as it concerns these things. So maybe the August rollout may be on again! We can only hope.

[CL]

I hope I am not peeing on anyone's parade, but when I was at 4R in July, they said the fall launch was to relaunch the existing 4R bourbon already available. The difference would be a new label on the bottle.

They did not mention (and I did not ask) what the plans were for the black label and the premium label. As I mentioned in my trip report, the SB was targetted for late next spring.

Of course, I can't guarantee any of this info is correct and I do hope that reality turns out to be more positive than what I said here. Let's hope that Bobby can turn up more info.

[bobbyc]

The existing 4R is wearing a new label for about a year now. Are we going to see one even newer than that?

[CL]

I didn't know that the label changed recently. Though, I distinctly remember the guide mentioning a new label. Could it be that they are just using a marketing launch to bring attention to the relatively recent label change?

While at 4R in July, I did take a picture of a display which they said contained all their bottlings. It has two yellow labels, the one on the left is the new label and the one on the right is the old label, I believe.

[jeff]

Yeah, We've had that new label for a while now here in Lexington. Maybe this is the "official" release after the "soft" release.

[cowdery]

Apparently, it was less officials than I thought. This from "Just Drinks" today:

CORRECTION: Four Roses Bourbon in the US

19 Aug 2003

Source: just-drinks.com editorial team

On the 15 August we printed the story that, according to Japanese press reports, Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon was to return to the US market through a deal with owners Kirin and the US distributor Southern Wine and Spirits of America.

However, it has become clear that these reports were wrong and Southern Wine & Spirits does not have a working arrangement with Kirin to sell Four Roses Bourbon in the US.

We apologise to Southern Wine & Spirits and Kirin for any inconvenience caused and to our readers.

We are currently investigating how this information got misinterpreted.

This suggests that news of a deal in the works was released prematurely. Does anyone know who the distributor is for the current Kentucky availability? By law (and for practical reasons) they have to go through a distributor. Any of our Kentucky correspondents might ask a friendly whiskey merchant who distributes Four Roses.

[bobbyc]

Any of our Kentucky correspondents might ask a friendly whiskey merchant who distributes Four Roses

It is indeed Southern.

[kgiammarco]

Hmm.. hopefully the revised press release will say that they will be distributing the Single barrel in time for the festival...

-Chris

[cowdery]

My guess is that the source article(s) indicated Kirins intention to widen distribution in the U.S. and also described the current distribution situation. That got screwed up in translation and the incorrect article was the result.