Distillery and Brewing Awards 2024 Luxury Champagne Brand of the Year 2024 When we celebrate, we want to bring our loved ones together with great beverages and excellent music – so we play unforgettable songs like Celebration by Kool & The Gang. These remarkable moments are made even more special with a glass of Le Kool Champagne in hand and a great playlist of timeless tunes. Awarded the prestigious title of Best Luxury Champagne Brand in our Distillery and Brewing Awards 2024,
Sofi Parry, Senior Editor Phone: +44 (0) 203 970 0010 Website: www.lux-review.com No information contained on or in this website constitutes investment advice or an offer to invest or to provide management services and is subject to correction, completion and amendment without notice. Neither AI nor any of its associated entities are authorised to give financial advice of any nature nor are they regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Prior to making any investment, AI recommends that any prospective investor should consult with its own investment, accounting, legal and tax advisers to evaluate independently the risks, consequences and suitability of that investment. AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility. About the Distillery and Brewing Awards 2024 LUXlife Magazine is excited to announce that the Distillery and Brewing Awards will be returning in 2024! After the success of its inaugural year in 2023, this popular programme is now entering its second year on our platform. The highly anticipated Distillery and Brewing Awards 2024 are poised to be bigger and better than their predecessor, and the team at LUXlife are looking forward to celebrating a whole new collection of winners! The world of craft beer and distilled spirits has been rapidly expanding for the past couple of decades, and over time the industry has cultivated a reputation for creativity, innovation, and diversity. Global brewery revenues have continued to rise, hitting a peak of almost forty billion dollars at the end of 2023. Likewise, the craft spirits and distilleries market has also been increasing in value year-on-year, with an expected CAGR of over twenty-eight percent across the second half of the 2020’s. This growth is particularly impressive considering the devastating effect the pandemic had on the hospitality sector, which forced on-premises drinking sites like restaurants and bars to shut down for extended periods of time.
4. Raising A Glass To Le Kool Champagne: Luxury Champagne Brand of the Year 2024 8. The Dalmore Unveils the Highly Anticipated Second Instalment of Cask Curation Series in the Douro Valley, Portugal 10. Fettercairn’s Annual 18-Year-Old Release is A Celebration of Scottish Provenance Contents
4 | LUXlife Magazine Luxury Champagne Brand of the Year 2024 Raising A Glass To Le Kool Champagne
Distillery and Brewing Awards 2024 | 5 Robert Kool Bell and his Gang have been entertaining and uplifting people with their many hits that have gone down in history since 1964. Although the band is the longest nonstop touring group in the history of music, there’s so much more to come and we’re excited to share the legacy and story with you. Once Robert ‘Kool’ Bell and his late wife Sakinah had established Just Kool Enterprises, to connect the world around them, the dynamic duo teamed up with music producer Mohamed Moretta and his future wife Olfa to create the luxury Champagne brand – Le Kool as well as the Just Kool Party. Le Kool Champagne then started its journey with Estate Paul Berthelot, a Premier - Grand Cru vineyard, with land located in Dizy as well as the infamous village of Ay. They brought 140 years of knowledge and experience needed to create the best champagne available today. This is their journey. From the way the grapes are treated and carefully grown to the guarantee that each bottle from Le Kool Champagne is the first pour, or cuvées, from a barrel matured between three and seven years of age. With its hand-picked vineyard, selected by Kool himself from his own plot, inside Maison Berthelot’s five-generation development, Le Kool Champagne is a premium, luxury product, that adds magnificence to every occasion. This is exactly what Kool & his Gang stand for as they continually help us to celebrate and enjoy life through their music. The emotional connection that they have built over the years will last through generations. One way of preserving this connection is by delivering more than music. For example, partnerships between Kool and Accutron watches as well as the expansion of the Le Kool brand were meticulously planned. Their focus on creating new luxury products are clear ways to stir excitement and keep fans coming back for more. Adding credibility to all this, with Le Kool Champagne, we can raise a glass to any occasion and celebrate in style, while putting quality above celebrity. When we celebrate, we want to bring our loved ones together with great beverages and excellent music – so we play unforgettable songs like Celebration by Kool & The Gang. These remarkable moments are made even more special with a glass of Le Kool Champagne in hand and a great playlist of timeless tunes. Awarded the prestigious title of Best Luxury Champagne Brand in our Distillery and Brewing Awards 2024, Le Kool Champagne has further solidified itself as a major player ready to help us all to connect and celebrate life in the best way. We explore how Le Kool unites Kool & The Gang fans while responding to the tastes of those who love the luxurious splendor of superior champagne.
6 | LUXlife Magazine By providing luxurious bubbles to music fans around the world, Le Kool Champagne offers a chance to celebrate and commemorate special moments steeped in opulence, while creating lasting memories with loved ones. There are many occasions to celebrate each year. Le Kool Champagne and the Just Kool Parties are the perfect catalysts for a good time. Kool & The Gang’s recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has further strengthened their emotional connection to the fans. This adds great validation to their legacy and cultural impact. Their repertoire of songs, which they have cultivated over decades of devotion, continue to unite people through the power of music. Surrounded by artists such as Dionne Warwick, Big Mama Thornton, Cher, Foreigner, A Tribe Called Quest, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J Blige, and more, Kool & The Gang were part of the illustrious Class of 2024 – a showstopping collection of artists that have gone down in history. A memorable moment at their induction event was Kool’s tribute to his late wife Sakinah. He played a purple guitar with an image of Sakinah and her name printed on the body as a way of expressing his love and respect for her. This act of devotion highlights his core values of unity, love, and empowerment for women – which is one of the reasons why Le Kool created the First Lady. The First Lady Rosé’s creation was also a way to honor Sakinah by creating a highly sophisticated drink inspired by the woman with whom Kool shared his life. This feeling of love, respect, and empowerment also extends outwardly to women from all walks of life around the world. Le Kool Champagne’s mission is to uplift women everywhere with their celebratory drinks – perfectly designed to look incredible and deliver a spectacular drinking experience. The sophisticated and classy designs of the First Lady bottles were created not only to honor Sakinah but to uplift all generations of women. This will inevitably preserve the brand’s iconic status and ensure its longevity throughout the years while uplifting women everywhere. Le Kool Champagne must evolve with the times and its delivery of modern product designs, guarantees that it will always be remembered, just like the timeless music of Kool & The Gang. Staying modern and relevant, Le Kool refreshes the visual identity of its bottles to deliver products that also appeal to a younger female audience, empowering and recognizing them right into their young adult years. This also means that Le Kool Champagne will be well-positioned to collaborate with younger influencers and tastemakers, fashion designers, and other individuals to co-create content and experiences that truly resonate with fans and consumers within today’s social media-driven landscape. Another way that Le Kool Champagne connects with its target audience is through its product extensions such as Summer Madness, a premium champagne 375ml half-bottle. This was a conscious way of making the brand’s luxurious products more accessible and affordable to anyone interested in trying its noteworthy champagne offerings. By interacting with younger consumers, Le Kool and the Just Kool party concept have established a connection with their audience at an earlier stage. From the music to the attitude and the luxury of premium bubbles, they have fostered brand loyalty and influenced a wave of people who are dedicated to love, unity, respect, peace, and a sense of community. Le Kool's offerings support the socially conscious, and its growth in the luxury champagne market is sure to further secure its position as a unifier of multiple generations. Kool continues to share his accomplishments with the fans who have been loyal listeners of his music for the past six decades. New fans are also a crucial part of the fame and triumph which the band has become known for, and they do all they can to give back to their followers across the world.
Distillery and Brewing Awards 2024 | 7 Touring regularly, Kool & The Gang continue to entertain audiences from all around the globe, from Europe to Asia to Africa and the Middle East. In addition to touring, Kool also supports children who are attending school in underfunded districts. The Kool Kids Foundation acts as a springboard for young, aspiring musicians who may not have a chance to fully flourish otherwise. This reflects what Kool and Sakinah built together all those years ago, as the pair wanted to give better opportunities to younger generations by putting instruments back in the schools. As the future beckons, Le Kool is soaring to new heights by creating partnerships with AI-driven technology and content creation for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, The Angel AI digital twin technology will provide people with 24/7 access to information about the band, brand, products, and experiences – helping fans to feel closer and more knowledgeable. The digital twins offer an immersive experience when interacting with the brand and customers will even be able to digitally meet with the twins, ask questions, and have personalized conversations, yet again fostering a stronger connection between the brand and its fans. Robert “Kool” Bell’s AI Twin here - https://twinprotocol.ai/t/ RobertKoolBell Mohamed Moretta’s AI Twin here - https://twinprotocol.ai/t/ MohamedMoretta The First Lady Rosé AI Twin here - https://twinprotocol.ai/t/FirstLady This kind of technology will also improve Le Kool’s understanding of its customers’ needs, pain points, and behaviors so that the brand can continue to build upon its success – building efficiency in responding to customer needs and tailoring products and marketing to improve customer satisfaction and product strategies. The Le Kool Champagne - Just Kool party continues to entertain younger audiences by performing electronic versions of their favorite Kool & The Gang hits. Parents and their children are now sharing music for the first time, creating a perfect storm to cross-promote their multiple products to an extremely attentive audience. Winning Best Champagne Brand 2023 last year, Le Kool Champagne is celebrating its second consecutive win from us at LUXlife in 2024, and we’re sure to see the company continue to unite fans of Kool & The Gang and lovers of luxury from all around the world. In 2025, Kool will launch his stage musical called Be Kool, which will finally tell his life story from humble beginnings to superstardom and everything in between. With so much in the pipeline for Kool from partnerships to new products, musical productions, and technology, the future looks exciting for his bands Kool & The Gang & Just Kool as well as the luxury brand Le Kool Champagne. Contact: Olfa Moretta – [email protected] Web Address: https://lekoolchampagne.com/
8 | LUXlife Magazine he 2024 release is the second chapter in the series that celebrates The Dalmore’s whisky making artistry and the role played by exquisite casks sourced from the world’s finest winemakers, in the creation of the iconic Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Casks are intrinsic to the craft of Scotch Whisky, as the vessel within which the spirit is matured. In time the cask will influence the whisky, due not only to the type of wood it is made from, but the fine wines it has held previously. The life a cask has led is fundamental to the potential it represents to the whisky maker, which is why The Dalmore whisky makers curate exquisite casks sourced from the world’s finest wineries and bodegas. The Port Edition was born from the exclusive partnership between The Dalmore and Symington Family Estates, who grant The Dalmore’s whisky makers exclusive access to the rarest of Graham’s Port casks. Each set in the collection comprises three rare, aged whiskies, which together showcase the flavour potential in Graham’s Port wine casks, each one nurtured for decades under the watchful eye of winemakers, today led by Head Winemaker Charles Symington (4th Generation). It is in the hands of The Dalmore’s whisky makers that these carefully curated, very rare Port casks enhance the rich character of the exceptional Single Malt Scotch Whisky for which The Dalmore is renowned. The Port Edition is beautifully presented in a bespoke leather-finished travel case handcrafted in Florence, Italy – perfectly framing the trio of new expressions. Each age-statement whisky is housed in the iconic Dalmore bottle adorned with a matching collar. The presentation features a striking green hue, synonymous with Portugal and the winemakers, which Port Edition celebrates. • Aged 27 Years, finished in very rare Graham’s 1997 Single Harvest Tawny Port casks • Aged 30 Years, finished in very rare Graham’s 1994 Single Harvest Tawny Port casks • Aged 43 Years, finished in exceptionally rare Graham’s 1952 Single Harvest Tawny Port casks Each expression is natural colour and non-chill filtered. The Dalmore Unveils the Highly Anticipated Second Instalment of Cask Curation Series in the Douro Valley, Portugal The Dalmore Cask Curation Series Port Edition makes its debut at the home of Symington Family Estates – the finest winemakers of Portugal – and makers of Graham’s Port. This very rare trio of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies is strictly limited to 150 sets, available now T
Distillery and Brewing Awards 2024 | 9 The Dalmore has previously released Port-finished expressions to great acclaim. It is the unique influence offered by Graham’s rare Port casks that excites The Dalmore’s whisky makers. Each cask represents the potential to influence the character of the whisky, offering notes of rich fruits and dark chocolate. A century of whisky making artistry is captured in this exceptional collection. The story begins in the valley high above the Douro River, where since the 1700s, Portuguese winemakers have painstakingly carved into the schist soil to create terraced vineyards in the mountainside, distinctive to the Douro. Each year at Graham’s principal estate, Quinta dos Malvedos, the grapes – exclusively picked by hand – are taken to the onsite boutique winery where they are transformed into the exquisite wines the port house is renowned for. 90 miles downriver in Vila Nova de Gaia is Graham’s 1890 Lodge, overlooking the historic coastal city of Porto, the gateway to the Atlantic. After each harvest, Graham’s wines are taken to the lodge where they are assessed by Master Blender, Charles Symington. Only the very finest wines are selected for long-term ageing and these wines often remain at the lodge for decades. Graham’s Lodge has become the destination for discerning city visitors who visit the Porto region in their millions each year. Graham’s is a hallmark of port, which is why visitors make the pilgrimage to the Graham’s Lodge to explore how flavour is blended to create the perfect wine in this style. Scotland and Portugal enjoy a shared history. Brothers William and John Graham founded the company in 1820 and later would take 27 pipes of port wine as payment in place of a debt. That transaction would set the course for the creation of one of the great and enduring port houses. In 1970, the 3rd generation of the Symington family acquired Graham’s Port and have continued to grow its reputation for producing outstanding ports. For decades, The Dalmore’s whisky makers have made the journey to Vila Nova de Gaia to hand-select very rare port pipes, perfect for their whisky making artistry and made exclusively available to The Dalmore. “Graham’s really is special, as a peaceful place to meet the casks, and listen to them and their story. Plus, it is a unique place to enjoy The Dalmore, overlooking the river and the city. The collection is a celebration not only of partnership, but of the friendship between us at The Dalmore and the Symington family (owners of Graham’s Port)”. Margaret Nicol, The Dalmore The curation of exquisite casks is central to the whisky making artistry for which The Dalmore has become renowned. The distillery was established to create a Single Malt like no other, leading to the pioneering of multi-cask maturation in 1868. Led today by Gregg Glass and Richard Paterson OBE, The Dalmore is home to an unbroken chain of visionary whisky makers, curating the rarest of casks in pursuit of the creation of truly exceptional whisky. The Dalmore distillery’s collection of idiosyncratic stills creates a New Make Spirit of unique character and depth – robust and fruity, particularly wellsuited to longer and more complex maturation. This allows The Dalmore’s whisky makers to develop spirit over longer periods and inspires them to seek out the finest and rarest casks from the world’s greatest vineyards and bodegas. Each of these exquisite casks offers unique potential, its characteristics influencing the personality of The Dalmore Single Malt as it quietly matures over the months, years, and decades. This collection is the second chapter of The Dalmore Cask Curation Series. In 2025 the third release will be unveiled, followed by the fourth and final release concluding the series in 2026. Each release will celebrate The Dalmore’s long-standing relationships with the world’s finest winemakers. For more information: www.thedalmore.com/
10 | LUXlife Magazine Fettercairn’s Annual 18-Year-Old Release is A Celebration of Scottish Provenance Highland distillery Fettercairn has released the latest edition of its 18-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky. Only available annually and in limited quantity, Fettercairn 18-Year-Old is finished in responsibly-sourced, native Scottish Oak and shines a light on provenance and innovation. Nestled in the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains, the team at Fettercairn, which this year celebrates 200 years of imaginative whisky making, are pioneers of provenance, with the quality and extra effort to use locally sourced ingredients evident in every drop. Only locally sourced barley from farms within a 50 mile radius of the distillery is used and, when it comes to distilling, Fettercairn’s stills are crowned with unique copper cooling rings, which cascade ice cold water from the nearby mountains down the outside. This innovation cools the stills, and allows only the lightest vapours to rise, creating the whisky’s characteristic tropical house style. For Fettercairn 18-Year-Old, this effort also extends to the cask, as part of an ongoing new initiative. Fettercairn’s Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass first started to implement the awardwinning Scottish Oak Programme eight years ago, bringing a new approach to whisky making. This innovative programme has been developed to ultimately future-proof the industry, whilst creating a circular economy by encouraging the use of 100% native wood in whisky making. The small batch Fettercairn 18-Year-Old is the first expression of the programme, released annually as a limited-edition due to its rarity. First unveiled in 2022, this is only the third time the expression has been made available. Fettercairn 18-Year-Old is fully finished in responsibly sourced Scottish Oak, after an initial maturation in handpicked first fill and refill ex-bourbon American White Oak barrels, to produce a beautiful depth of flavour. Perfect for curious whisky lovers who look for innovation and value skilled craftsmanship, Fettercairn 18-Year-Old is non-chill filtered, offered in its natural colour and at an ABV of 46.8%. Golden amber in colour, Fettercairn 18-YearOld has notes of sugared almonds, baking spices, passion fruit and guava on the nose. To taste, expect exotic syruped fruits, patisserie sugars, brioche and spices, with soft hints of berry fruits, flowing through to a cacao, and natural vanilla finish. Fettercairn’s future-facing attitude, commitment to progressive whisky making and celebration of local provenance and produce, aligns beautifully to the conscious movement that many are following – to be more aware, to eat with the seasons, shop locally and cook from farm-to-table. With game season well underway, Fettercairn 18 Year Old’s fruity notes will pair effortlessly with game birds such as duck, partridge or grouse in both tastes, as the whisky will enhance the sweeter flavours of the game, as well as in ethos, given game’s managed farming. Equally, for keen foragers, Hen of the Woods mushrooms, often found growing amidst oak trees themselves, or Chanterelles would also make for an intriguing pairing with Fettercairn 18-Year-Old. Whilst tropical desserts shine alongside the matching notes of the whisky, more traditional autumn flavours, like apples dusted with cinnamon, custard infused with vanilla and Chelsea buns, will also complement brilliantly. Award-winning Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass comments: “The Scottish Oak Programme is one of my proudest achievements and the annual release of the Fettercairn 18-Year-Old is a regular reminder of the journey our team has gone through so far, to bring this to life. “Over the last three years, we’ve gained a loyal following for this special whisky and our hope every year is for more people to experience how truly special Scottish Oak is and the incredible flavours it can impart to Scotch. “So, the diverse flavours of Scottish Oak can be enjoyed for generations to come, in 2021 we replanted an ancient forest at Fettercairn. The saplings are growing well, with many now visible from the distillery. We’re still generations away from these trees being used in whisky making but having them there to watch over our distillery offers an important reminder that our work isn’t just for the present, it’s for the future.” Fettercairn is celebrating its landmark 200th anniversary in 2024. Earlier in the year, the distillery announced refreshed ranges in both domestic and global travel retail markets. The domestic core range now features a 12-YearOld, 16-Year-Old and 24-Year-Old, while global travel retail will exclusively offer Fettercairn 14-Year-Old, 17-Year-Old and 25-Year-Old. To further mark the milestone, The Fettercairn 200th Anniversary Cabinet was unveiled in June, with just ten sets to ever be created. The handmade, bespoke cabinets are crafted from Scottish Oak, sourced from the distillery’s estate, and each hold six bottles of incredibly rare whisky. The six bottles combined total 200 years and each mark a significant moment in the distillery’s history. The collection includes a 60-Year-Old, the oldest ever to be released by Fettercairn and the birth year of Distillery Manager, Stewart Walker, and a 3-Year-Old which has been fully matured in 100% Scottish Oak, a look to Fettercairn’s future. Fettercairn 18-Year-Old is non-chill filtered and bottled in its natural colour, with an ABV of 46.8%. An annual, limited release, the 2024 edition will be available in specialist retailers from October, with an RSP of £212.
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