Launched in December 2025, four expressive cocktails bring the House's spirit of curiosity, conviviality and sharing into contemporary occasions.

Maison Meukow launched its Ready To Serve collection in December 2025: four expressive cocktails designed for people who value the pleasure of a well-made drink in a format made for spontaneous hosting, sharing and modern at-home occasions.

Built around four distinctive recipes - Vanilla Punch, Xpresso Martini, Wild Berry Cosmo and X.O Fashioned - the collection brings the Meukow universe into an easy-to-serve format, while leaving every host free to create the moment around it.

No shaker. No measuring. No ceremony required. Just pour, serve and enjoy.

For Maison Meukow, Ready To Serve is a contemporary expression of a House shaped by movement and curiosity. Founded in 1862 and today an independent family-owned Cognac House, Meukow is known for its Panther identity and a state of mind rooted in Passion, Agility, Audacity and Family Spirit.

Those values make the format feel particularly natural. Passion brings generosity and the desire to share. Agility allows a human-scale House to move quickly and listen to new drinking occasions. Audacity encourages Meukow to explore Cognac in different ways. Family Spirit keeps the experience warm, direct and relationship-led.

“Tradition guides how we make Cognac.
Curiosity inspires how we share it.”

A NOD TO COCKTAIL HISTORY

Cognac has been part of cocktail culture since its earliest chapters. In 19th-century New Orleans, one of the drinks most closely associated with the early history of the American cocktail was originally prepared with Cognac before rye whiskey later became customary.

That historical connection offers a natural wink to the present. Ready To Serve brings Meukow into contemporary cocktail occasions while keeping the emphasis where the House has always placed it: on quality, flavour, conviviality and the pleasure of sharing.

THE FOUR PERSONALITIES

VANILLA PUNCH: Meukow Vanilla liqueur, orange and pineapple. Sweet, exotic and velvety.

XPRESSO MARTINI: Meukow Xpresso liqueur and cold brew coffee. Intense, smooth and silky.

WILD BERRY COSMO: Meukow Wild Berry liqueur, cranberry and bergamot. Fruity, floral and juicy.

X.O FASHIONED: Meukow X.O Cognac, cane sugar and bitters. Rich, spiced and velvety.

Each bottle is ready to pour: chilled, over ice, dressed up or kept simple, shared at dinner, opened on a rooftop, served in a garden or brought to a house party. Meukow makes the cocktail; people make the moment.

The collection arrived as Ready To Serve and RTD formats continued to gain relevance through premium at-home experiences, flavour-led discovery and a growing desire for quality with ease. For Meukow, the format creates another way to meet contemporary drinking occasions while remaining true to the House's personality.

The range is presented in 50cl bottles. Vanilla Punch, Xpresso Martini and Wild Berry Collins are 18% ABV; X.O Fashioned is 25% ABV. Availability, recommended retail price and local distribution details vary by market.

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Suntory Global Spirits, a world leader in premium spirits, today announced that The House of Suntory's Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky 25 Years Old has been awarded a Trophy at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) 2026, the competition's highest honor in the Japanese Whisky category. The award marks the fourth consecutive year a Yamazaki whisky has received this accolade.

Why is Yamazaki 25 Years Old's International Spirits Challenge 2026 win significant?

• This latest achievement marks the fourth consecutive year that Yamazaki has earned the competition's honor in the Japanese Whisky category: Yamazaki 25 Years Old in 2023, Yamazaki 12 Years Old in 2024, and Yamazaki 18 Years Old in 2025.
• This achievement reinforces Yamazaki's position among the world's premier spirits and underscores Suntory Global Spirits' leadership in exceptional whisky.
• The recognition also reinforces the importance of upholding the Japanese Whisky standards set by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association, standards that help protect the authenticity, heritage and craftsmanship behind the category. As the association's logo begins to roll out across The House of Suntory's authentic Japanese Whisky products, consumers will have an easier way to identify whiskies that meet these standards.

"Yamazaki 25 Years Old was first introduced in 1999, and in 2021 we evolved the whisky to more intentionally express Tsukuriwake — the diversity of our whisky‑making — and Tsukurikomi — the refinement and mastery behind our craft." said Suntory Chief Blender, Shinji Fukuyo. "Seeing Yamazaki 25 Years Old receive this prestigious recognition today is profoundly meaningful for our entire team. It affirms the continuity of our craftsmanship across generations and our unwavering commitment to creating whiskies that honor Yamazaki's legacy while continuing to evolve."

What is the International Spirits Challenge and how are its awards judged?

The International Spirits Challenge is one of the industry's most prestigious competitions, judged by a panel of world-renowned experts who assess spirits for quality, balance, and character.

International Spirits Challenge judges noted: "There's a reason Yamazaki is so widely accepted as a global benchmark in quality whisky. The combination of texture and fruitiness, the multiple layers - it has everything happening within it to make me want just a little bit more."

What does Yamazaki 25 Years Old taste like?

• Color: Amber
• Nose: Mizunara smoky notes of incense, followed by a complex bouquet of mature kaki persimmon and ume plum notes.
• Palate: A smoky first sip of Mizunara sandalwood notes that open and deepen into complex layers of kaki persimmon subtle sweetness, tart ume plum notes and gentle shoga ginger spicy notes.
• Finish: Profound long finish with Mizunara smokiness and lingering subtly sweet wood notes that remain.

What other notable awards did The House of Suntory win?

• In addition to this top accolade, Hakushu 18 Years Old Peated Malt and Hakushu 25 Years Old each earned Double Gold medals, further underscoring the exceptional quality and strength of The House of Suntory portfolio.
• Suntory Spirits also earned recognition as Producer of the Year in the Japanese Whisky category for the seventh consecutive year.
• All other awards can be seen below:

Trophy

• The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky 25 Years Old

Double Gold

• The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky Peated Malt 18 Years Old
• The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky 25 Years Old

Gold

• Suntory Whisky Ao Irish Edition
• Suntory Whisky Hibiki Suntory Whisky 100 years Anniversary Blend
• Suntory Whisky Toki
• The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky Japan Edition
• The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky Story Of The Distillery 2025
• The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky 12 Years Old
• The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky 12 Years Old
• The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky 18 Years Old
• The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky 18 Years Old
• The Yamazaki Single Malt Japanese Whisky Mizunara Japanese Oak Cask 18 Years Old
• Suntory Whisky Kakubin
• Suntory Whisky Hibiki 12years Old
• Suntory Whisky Hibiki 21years Old
• Suntory Whisky Hibiki 30years Old
• The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky Peated Malt Spanish Oak
• The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky Smoky Batch The Fourth
• The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky Japanese Forest Bittersweet Edition
• The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky
• The Yamazaki Single Malt Japanese Whisky Mizunara Japanese Oak Cask 25 Years Old

LORETTO, Ky., Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Maker's Mark, the iconic handmade Kentucky bourbon, today announced the World Wood Collection, a new Global Travel Retail-exclusive series celebrating the influence of exceptional oak from around the world. The inaugural release, Expedition 01, marks the first Maker's Mark whisky to feature three oak finishes across three continents: Japanese Mizunara, French, and American white oak staves.

The World Wood Collection represents the evolution of Maker's Mark's wood finishing philosophy, first introduced with Maker's Mark 46, which demonstrated how oak staves could unlock new dimensions of flavor in bourbon while remaining true to the brand's handmade heritage. Maker's Mark has long treated oak as a key ingredient—not simply a container for its whisky, and has invested in advancing both the art of wood finishing and the stewardship of American white oak at Star Hill Farm.

"At Maker's Mark, we celebrate bourbon as an agricultural product and the universe of flavor that can be unlocked through nature—water, wheat, oak and time," said Rob Samuels, managing director and eighth-generation whisky maker. "That belief has long guided our commitment to sustainable forestry and to protecting the future of American white oak. Through intentional wood finishing, The World Wood Collection explores exceptional oak from around the world to create a whisky that expands the boundaries of flavor while staying true to our craft."

Expedition 01 brings together Japanese Mizunara, French and American white oak, with each whisky individually finished before being expertly blended into a single expression. The result is a complex, balanced whisky in which every oak contributes its own distinctive character.

• Japanese Mizunara oak contributes delicate floral notes and subtle umami complexity.
• American white oak delivers sweet vanilla notes, brightness, and a rounded character.
• French oak introduces warm baking spice, caramel richness and an elegant, lingering finish.

"Expedition 01 represents the kind of premium, story-driven whisky experience that resonates with today's global travelers," said Vanessa Widmann, managing director for Global Travel Retail at Suntory Global Spirits. "With its exclusive availability in Global Travel Retail, distinctive oak-forward story and premium presentation, it offers travelers a rare opportunity to discover a truly unique expression from Maker's Mark — one that celebrates craftsmanship, exploration and the influence of exceptional oak."

Available exclusively through Global Travel Retail ahead of Holiday 2026, Expedition 01 is bottled at 1L and 47.5% ABV and presented in premium packaging inspired by the distinctive grain of each oak species, reinforcing the collection's focus on craftsmanship and discovery.

The limited-edition expression will be available beginning today in New York (JFK), London (LHR), Istanbul (SAW), Perth (PER), and Bengaluru (BLR) through Avolta retail outlets for the suggested retail price of $84.99.

For more information, visit www.makersmark.com.

LAWRENCEBURG, Ky., Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning Russell's Reserve introduces Single Rickhouse 2026 – Camp Nelson D, the highly anticipated fifth addition to its acclaimed Single Rickhouse Collection. The Collection explores whiskey "terroir," how the precise location and environment of a rickhouse can influence a whiskey's character even when the foundational elements and recipe remain constant. The 2026 edition presents the Collection's most distinctive profile yet, with unexpected rye-like spice emerging from a bourbon shaped by Camp Nelson D's elevation, airflow, and uniquely exposed maturation environment.

Built in 1946, Camp Nelson D remains one of the five historic rickhouses still standing on the Camp Nelson property. Positioned on the western side of the campus and at the highest elevation of any rickhouse featured in the Collection to date, Camp Nelson D sits apart from the surrounding warehouses. Its elevated, exposed, west-facing position creates strong, consistent airflow, contributing to an aging environment not previously explored through the Collection.

"Camp Nelson D was the first rickhouse I ever worked in at Camp Nelson when I started as a union employee 45 years ago, so coming back to it for this release meant a lot to me," said Master Distiller Eddie Russell. "We set out looking for those sweeter notes we know and love, but the rye spice notes immediately stood out. It's the most different Single Rickhouse release we've created, proving how every rickhouse can shape whiskey."

The 2026 edition demonstrates Eddie Russell's skill in barrel curation. As he and his team tasted through Camp Nelson D, they found themselves drawn to barrels from nearly every floor of the rickhouse, ultimately selecting barrels from floors one, three, four, five, and six. Drawing from more floors than any previous Single Rickhouse release, the warehouse's distinct location allowed Russell to build a whiskey that balanced fruit-forward sweetness with the bold spice notes that became the hallmark of the final blend.

"We don't typically draw from the first floor," Russell said. "But some of the barrels we tasted down there contributed an earthy character that helped build the spicy, rye-like profile we found ourselves chasing. Once we realized what was developing, we leaned into it. This is the first Single Rickhouse release where, tasted blind, you'd bet it was a rye."

The resulting bourbon opens with aromas of baked fruit, apple, baking spices and vanilla, followed by flavors of cinnamon, clove, stone fruit and rye bread. A medium-length finish brings forward rye spice, pepper, cinnamon and spicy oak. Non-chill filtered and bottled at a barrel proof of 120.8, Single Rickhouse 2026 captures the full character of this singular aging environment.

Released as Eddie Russell celebrates 45 years at Wild Turkey Distilling Co., Camp Nelson D reinforces his long-held belief: even with consistent whiskey-making fundamentals, the aging environment dramatically influences the final spirit. The result is a distinctive bourbon crafted to be savored and enjoyed.

• Proof: 120.8
• Aroma: Notes of baked fruits, apple, baking spices and vanilla
• Taste: Flavors of cinnamon, cloves, stone fruit and rye bread
• Finish: Medium-length finish with notes of rye spice, pepper, cinnamon and a spicy oak profile

Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson D is now available for a limited time at a suggested retail price of $300 per 750mL bottle at select retailers in U.S. markets and the Wild Turkey Distillery Visitor Center.