CLERMONT, Ky., Sept. 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Together with Fred Noe, Beam Family’s Seventh Generation Master Distiller, Booker’s® Bourbon is supporting relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma with the release of the last remaining Booker’s® Rye Whiskey bottles. The last 276 bottles of this rare whiskey, which was named “World Whisky of the Year” by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2017, will be made available for sale immediately, with 100% of the company’s proceeds from sales donated to local Feeding America® food banks and Operation BBQ Relief®, two charitable organizations providing much needed food and aid to communities affected by these two storms.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b69b6c0c-5f67-4232-a21f-fd9d8d1b2339
Not available for sale when this acclaimed whiskey launched in May 2016, this limited supply of remaining Booker’s Rye bottles was held back for purposes of future fundraising and charitable support. With thousands of Americans in need, Booker’s Bourbon and the Noe family have decided to use these bottles and their proceeds to help support this critical cause.
“It’s devastating to see our friends down south suffer from the destruction caused by these hurricanes, and I’m humbled by the opportunity to help in any way we can,” said Fred Noe. “Booker’s Rye was one of the greatest experiments of my dad, Booker Noe, and while we sold out of the bottles we offered to the field, we held on to the very last of them to use them in a way that would have meant a lot to Dad. I can’t imagine a better reason or time for their release than this, and I’m proud to honor Dad’s generous spirit in this way.”
Feeding America and Operation BBQ Relief were selected because of the shared connection between the food and beverage industries and the immediate impact each organization makes in providing nourishment to those affected by tragedy.
As part of its mission to lead a unified effort for a hunger-free America, Feeding America, together with local state associations, is leading the charge to feed people following their displacement in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. Funds from the sale of Booker’s Rye bottles will be donated to Feeding Texas™ and Feeding Florida® and will be used to help procure and distribute food and water, as well as hygiene items, to impacted families in hurricane affected areas in partnership with local food banks.
Operation BBQ Relief is a nationwide organization comprised of volunteer competition BBQ teams who respond to natural disasters and other situations to feed displaced residents and emergency personnel. In the short time since Hurricane Harvey hit, Operation BBQ has served more than 370,000 meals in hurricane affected areas of Texas and is currently preparing to deploy resources to Florida.
Booker’s Rye Whiskey was the first-ever rye whiskey to be released from Booker’s Bourbon and is widely considered to be one of the greatest and final experiments of Sixth Generation Beam Master Distiller Booker Noe. Following its very limited release in 2016, Booker’s Rye Whiskey was named “World Whisky of the Year” by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2017 and is considered one of the most highly coveted and collected whiskies of 2016.
For more information about Booker’s Bourbon and Booker’s Rye Whiskey, visit: www.bookersbourbon.com. For more information about Beam Suntory’s philanthropy and charitable initiatives, please visit https://www.beamsuntory.com/responsibility/philanthropy.
About Booker’s® Bourbon
Booker’s® Bourbon was inspired by a 200-year-old family tradition and came to life when Booker Noe selected the first bottles of Booker’s as holiday gifts for his friends and family. With its instant popularity within Noe’s close circle, Booker’s Bourbon was soon after bottled and made available on shelves for everyone to enjoy. Booker’s Bourbon is one of the only bourbons bottled straight-from-the-barrel at its natural proof, which varies from batch to batch. It is crafted in small batches and aged for six to eight years in charred oak barrels, which are stored in the center of the rack house. Today, Fred Noe personally selects every batch of Booker’s Bourbon to ensure every bottle contains a robust, full-bodied whiskey that has a taste, aroma and proof that matches Booker’s whiskey preference.
About Feeding America®
Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About Operation BBQ Relief®
The mission of Operation BBQ Relief is to provide compassion, offer hope and friendship to those whose lives have been affected by disasters across the United States through our expertise in cooking and catering barbecue meals and our ability to quickly mobilize our teams into any area where nature disrupts and tears apart the lives of Americans. Visit operation bbqrelief.org for more information.
About Beam Suntory Inc.
As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Hornitos and Sauza tequila, EFFEN and Pinnacle vodka, Sipsmith gin, and Midori liqueur.
Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.
Booker's® Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, 65% - 75% Alc./Vol. ©2017 James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, KY.
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