*This article was originally released in February 2025 and updated with additional material in March 2025.
As the beverage alcohol market continued to evolve in February, brands demonstrated creativity through celebrity collaborations, innovative flavor profiles, and unique production techniques. From comedian Chelsea Handler’s ready-to-drink vodka lemonade to Michter’s precision barrel-aging approach, this month’s releases showcased the industry’s commitment to pushing boundaries in craftsmanship and consumer experience. Below is Park Street University’s recap of beverage alcohol product launches in February, along with a comprehensive list of noteworthy alcohol beverages introduced in 2025 so far.
Chelsea Handler Launched Vodka Lemonade
American comedian and actress Chelsea Handler stepped into the ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail category with the launch of her new Vodka Lemonade line, created in partnership with Owl’s Brew, each made with fresh lemon juice and organic lemon verbena. The all-natural canned cocktail line comes in three flavors, including Classic, which delivers a citrusy taste. Following the line-up is the Pink, which blends rosehips and cranberry for a subtle twist, and Mint, which offers a crisp, cooling refreshment.
The 5% ABV Vodka Lemonade line offers gluten-free, vegan-friendly RTDs with no more than 110 calories per serving. A six-pack is available for $19.99 at select retailers nationwide. (Source)
Absolut Released New Ready-to-Serve and Ready-to-Drink Cocktails
Pernod Ricard USA brand Absolut announced the latest expansion of its ready-to-serve (RTS) line and the newest addition to its ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail collection. The brand’s latest flavors on the RTS lineup include Espresso Martini and Classic Cosmopolitan, which both offer 20% ABV. The Espresso Martini delivers a blend of Absolut Vodka, Kahlúa rum, and coffee liqueur, resulting in a velvety smooth texture with espresso notes, while the Classic Cosmopolitan has Absolut Vodka with cranberry and citrus flavors.
Meanwhile, Absolut’s award-winning RTD collaboration with Ocean Spray continues to grow by adding two new flavors: Vodka White Cran Peach and Vodka Cran Mango. Crafted at 4.5% ABV, they are available in an Absolut Ocean Spray 12-pack priced at $22.99. Additionally, Absolut is rolling out new RTD options, including Classic Mule, Classic Cosmo, and Half & Half Tea & Lemonade, now available nationwide. (Source)
Kylie Jenner’s Sprinter Vodka Soda Dropped its First Single-Flavor 4 Pack: Peach
Sprinter’s brand founder, Kylie Jenner, announced the new single-flavor Peach 4-Packs of Sprinter Vodka Soda. This latest release rolled out nationwide, offering a 100-calorie, 4.5% ABV vodka soda crafted with real fruit juice and zero added sugar. In celebration of the launch, Sprinter threw a week of special events into the heart of Peach County, Georgia, Atlanta, and Athens. The Sprinter Peach 4-Pack will be available for vodka soda lovers for $9.99 at retailers across the country.
“Sprinter Peach has been our fan-favorite flavor since our launch last spring,” said founder Kylie Jenner. “It made perfect sense to launch our first single-flavor pack with Peach, and to celebrate, we are so excited to head to the Peach State.” (Source)
Michter’s Introduced Its First “Bomberger’s PFG” (Precision Fine Grain) KY Straight Bourbon
Mitcher’s unveiled its newest expression and brand-new bourbon called Bomberger’s PFG Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The offering undergoes a dual barrel aging process, first maturing in traditional American oak before being transferred to a French fine-grain oak barrel. The secondary aging process takes place in barrels made from hand-selected staves seasoned for over 40 months, from the known French forests such as Tronçais, Allier, Nevers, and Vosges. The maturation results in a bourbon that delivers rich layers of caramel, spice, and oak. Bottled at 100.2 proof (50.1% ABV), Bomberger’s PFG Kentucky Straight Bourbon is available at a suggested retail price of $140 per 750 ml bottle.
The focus is to be precise at every step of Bomberger’s PFG production process. Michter’s Master of Maturation, Andrea Wilson, remarked, “The result is a medley of engaging aromas from confectionary to floral, a palate of beautifully integrated fruits and herbaceous notes with a full body and a luxurious, creamy texture that lingers with soft spice and chocolate.” (Source)
Sazerac’s A. Smith Bowman Distillery Announced Fourth Cask Strength Bourbon Release
Virginia’s oldest distillery, A. Smith Bowman Distillery, announced the return of its Cask Strength Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey for its fourth annual release. Crafted by distiller David Bock, this bourbon expression has been aged for at least ten years and is non-chill filtered with a 139.7 proof. Cask Strength #4 delivers a layer of soft raspberry and chocolate, blended with stone fruit and a touch of cinnamon. Available for $99.99 retail price through an online lottery, running from February 24 to March 3. Outside of the lottery, limited quantities will be available at select bars, restaurants, and retailers through Sazerac’s U.S. distribution network. (Source)
Bulleit Announced its Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Diageo and Kentucky brand Bulleit Frontier Whiskey has announced the debut of its first-ever Bottled-in-Bond bourbon, distilled and aged at the Bulleit Distilling Company. Bulleit Bottled-in-Bond was distilled in the spring of 2017 and has spent seven years maturing in federally bonded warehouses. This limited-time release bourbon was bottled at 100 proof and delivers an aroma of spice and toasted oak layered with maple sweetness and nutmeg, infused with butterscotch. Bulleit Bottled-in-Bond is available nationwide with a suggested retail price of $54.99 for a 750-ml bottle.
“With our signature high-rye mash bill and seven years of aging under Bottled-in-Bond standards, this bourbon delivers a richness and complexity we’re excited to share. It’s a whiskey that truly showcases the best of what we do here in Shelbyville — bold, balanced, and crafted with care,” said Delicia James, Lead Whiskey Blender at Diageo. (Source)
Avaline Introduced Italian Bianco
Italian organic wine brand Avaline has relaunched its Italian Bianco white wine for a limited time with a suggested retail price of $28. The 11.5% ABV wine is crafted from Falanghina grapes and aromas of peach rings, white peach, and yellow and white flowers with notes of apricot and tangerine zest. This year’s release is produced by Cantine Losito, a family-run organic winery located in the Puglia region of Italy. (Source)
Lux Row Unveiled Small Batch Albariño Cask Finish
Lux Row Distillers unveils a new liquid innovation with the release of Lux Row Small Batch Albariño Cask Finish. This expression is a blend of wheat and rye bourbons, aged four years before undergoing a six-month finishing process in Albariño wine casks. This release will roll out for $59.99 for a 750-ml bottle with 52.5% ABV at Lux Row Distillers. The Albariño offering showcases notes of nectarine, lime, and grapefruit with lemon zest blended with honeydew.
“We wanted to combine the fruity citrus flavors of Albariño wine with the corn-influenced sweet notes of our wheated and ryed bourbons,” said Lux Row Master Distiller John Rempe. “The outcome is a delicious combination of two opposing flavors that results in a truly unique expression.” (Source)
Deep Eddy Vodka Introduced Pineapple Flavor
Heaven Hill-owned brand Deep Eddy Vodka has announced the release of Deep Eddy Pineapple Vodka, the newest flavor in its vodka collection. Crafted with all-natural ingredients that deliver a genuine pineapple taste, it is distilled ten times and filtered eight times. Deep Eddy Pineapple Vodka is available nationwide for $17.99 for a 750-ml bottle or a 50-ml mini version for $1.49. The pineapple-infused vodka is made in small batches and joins the lineup of flavors like lemon, ruby red grapefruit, sweet tea, lime, cranberry, orange, and peach.
“This new release reflects the brand’s dedication to high-quality, natural ingredients and authenticity, bringing a refreshing burst of island-inspired flavor that’s ideal for any cocktail or occasion,” said Julie Cole, Brand Director for Deep Eddy Vodka. (Source)
Q1 2025 Alcohol Industry Launch Recap
The first quarter of 2025 began with several notable whiskey brands unveiling distinctive new expressions that showcased creative aging techniques, unique flavor profiles, and collaborative storytelling.
WhistlePig Teamed Up With Alice Cooper
American rock icon Alice Cooper joined forces with WhistlePig to introduce the Sex, Drugs, Rock & Dry Old Fashioned, an alcohol-free cocktail blended with adaptogens. The ready-to-pour cocktail features non-alcoholic 100% Rye ‘Non-Whiskey’, barrel-aged maple syrup, and adaptogenic ingredients like cordyceps mushrooms, Schisandra berry, and damiana. It delivers notes of summer berries, wild herbs, and a kick of black pepper, and can be purchased at $49.99 per 750ml bottle.
WhistlePig also offers the Go Pig Go Bundle for $199.99, which includes a cocktail and rye-infused vinyl featuring Alice Cooper’s Breadcrumbs album and is limited to just 250 units. (Source)
Buffalo Trace Unveiled its 2025 Prohibition Collection
Sazerac-owned Buffalo Trace Distillery released its second annual limited-edition collection, the Prohibition Collection Series #2, a tribute to the forgotten whiskey brands. This year’s whiskey line features five new expressions, including Mirror Brook, a 50% ABV Kentucky blend that offers notes of ripe cherry and mellow oak, and VOP, a barrel-proof straight Bourbon that features a rye spice, toasted oak, and rich cherry. The collection also includes Anderson’s Belle, a bottled-in-bond classic that delivers oak and dried fruit undertones, while Old Fashioned Mountain Corn, at 55% ABV, has sweet corn and caramel flavors. Concluding the collection is the Silver Wedding Rye Whiskey, which delivers 62.5% ABV with layers of vanilla, toffee, and earthy rye spice.
Each of the five whiskey expressions is bottled in 375ml bottles and comes with a suggested retail price of $999.99 for a set. (Source)
Penelope Released American Light Whiskey
Penelope Bourbon announced the release of American Light Whiskey, its newest whiskey expression, and the latest addition to its Annual Limited Releases collection. Distilled at 189 proof in 2006 at the historic Seagram’s Distillery and matured for 17 years in second-fill oak barrels, the offering reaches a cask strength of 138.8 proof (69.4% ABV). This limited-edition whiskey features a mash bill of 99% corn and 1% malted barley and delivers aromas of butterscotch, cake batter, and cotton candy. American Light Whiskey will be available in select markets starting in February with a suggested retail price of $99.99 per 750ml bottle.
“This release is the result of an innovative chapter in the history of American whiskey,” said Danny Polise, Penelope’s Founder and Master Blender. “The high corn mash bill and long aging really brings out unique character in the batch. It’s truly been a pleasure to watch this whiskey evolve with aging and be able to release this 17-year batch after our prior 13 and 15-year releases.” (Source)
Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Added to its Bootleg series
Heaven’s Door unveiled its sixth release in its Bootleg Series collection, crafted with 12-, 13-, and 14-year-old wheated bourbons, and finished in Limousin cigar barrels. The Bootleg Series Volume VI is bottled at 60.58% ABV with an SRP of $500 and features Dylan’s Favela Villa Candido painting from his 2015 ‘Brazil Series.’ This year’s release delivers spiced oak, dried fruit, and caramelized sweetness with fewer than 5,000 bottles available.
“The shape of this barrel provides more whiskey to wood-to-surface contact, which yields more pronounced flavor notes,” Master Blender Alex Moore said. “Additionally, the Limousin oak is air dried over time versus kiln dried, which makes a big difference in terms of the tannins and sugars that are naturally resident in the oak.” (Source)
Glenlivet Released its Oldest Permanent Whisky Expression
Glenlivet unveiled its oldest permanent expression in its core lineup with the introduction of The Glenlivet 40-Year-Old. This expression is matured over four decades, bottled at a cask strength of 46.9% ABV, and finished in sherry-seasoned Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks. The Glenlivet 40-year-old is said to deliver notes of poached plums, dark cherries, and warming spices and is presented in an elongated bottle inspired by its 1824 design for an SRP of $5,704.
“The Glenlivet 40-year-old represents more than four decades of dedication and craftsmanship from our team,” said The Glenlivet Cask Master, Kevin Balmforth. “This release embodies the trailblazing spirit of The Glenlivet while honoring the foresight of those who began this journey 40 years ago.” (Source)
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