Another New Years is almost here and many of us will be bringing in the new year with friends and family. It’s always a fun night of partying and celebrating another year gone by, plus the anticipation of what’s to come next.

As the clock strikes midnight, the celebratory toast is a ritual done around the world. Champagne is signature drink of New Year’s Eve, but we wanted to offer a delicious and sophisticated champagne cocktail recipe for you to try.

A Champagne Mojito was created by the team at NYC’s Restaurant DANIEL. This is not your basic mojito, because it combines FACUNDO NEO, which is a super-premium, hand-blended rum.

Blended with champagne, the classic Mojito cocktail morphs into a great tasting drink – Champagne Mojito – that will quickly become the hit of any party.

If you will be in New York City, you can actually order the Champagne Mojito at Restaurant DANIEL or simply make it yourself.

CHAMPAGNE MOJITO by Restaurant DANIEL
2 oz FACUNDO NEO Rum
2 oz Champagne
1 dash of Angostura Bitters
1 bar spoon sugar in the raw
3/4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
8 Fresh Mint Leaves

Method:
– Combine mint, sugar in the raw, lime juice and muddle.
– Add simple syrup and rum in a shaker.
– Shake the mix with ice and double strain into a high ball filled with ice.
– Top with Angostura bitters & Champagne.
– finally, garnish with a lime wheel and a fresh mint sprig.

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The Christmas holiday season is a great time to enjoy parties and other social gatherings with friends, family and co-workers.

Cruzan Rum is well known for its great rum taste and a popular spirit to drink alone or in your favorite cocktail. We wanted to share several Cruzan Rum choices to enjoy at your next party or give as a holiday gift.

Cruzan Black Strap (For the Home Bartender):
With a dark and aromatic taste profile, Cruzan Black Strap is reminiscent of classic navy rums of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and offers a richer taste and color than traditional rums. For the cocktail connoisseur who can’t get enough of classic rum cocktails such as hurricanes or coladas, adding a dash of Cruzan Black Strap as a floater adds a premium touch.

Cruzan Single Barrel (For the Bourbon Enthusiast):
Created with a blend of vintage rums that have been aged for up to 12 years, this well-rounded, mellow and full-bodied rum has a distinctive taste that is best enjoyed when sipped neat or on the rocks. Gift it to a fan of bourbon or whiskey who is looking to explore a new trend in spirits.

Cruzan Peach (For the Snowbound):
Perfect for someone who is eagerly awaiting the return to warm weather. With the sweet taste of juicy, ripe peaches, Cruzan Peach Rum will transport them to memories of warmer days and tropical locales. Mix it in with a mojito to bring the classic recipe up a notch.

If you have been looking for a great tasting rum cocktail, here are a few holiday cocktail recipes to try with Cruzan Rum. Kick back by an open fire or party until the early morning – anytime is Cruzan Rum time.

Cruzan Sleigh Bell
Ingredients:
2 parts Cruzan Aged Dark Rum
1/2 part Sweet Vermouth
1/2 part Bitter Amaro
Dash of Orange Bitters
Bing Cherry

Method:
Combine all ingredients over ice and stir. Pour into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a Bing Cherry.

Cruzan Snow Day
Ingredients:
1 3/4 parts Cruzan Aged Light Rum
1/4 part DeKuyper Crème de Menthe
1 1/2 parts Heavy Cream
Squeeze of Fresh Lime

Method:
Combine all ingredients over ice, shake, double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with crushed peppermint on the rim of the glass.

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For Scotch lovers, we wanted to inform you of three different bottles of Laphroaig Scotch that are ideal for this holiday season to either drink yourself or give as a Christmas gift.

These new single malt scotches from Laphroaig continue the premier status the brand holds in the industry and is the one other Islay malts are compared against.

Laphroaig Scotch delivers a peaty, smoky and authentic taste that is what one would expect from a fine, luxury spirit. The brand’s rich tradition lives on with these three, new bottles of Scotch.

Laphroaig Select (The Entry Level Islay)
The newest member of the Laphroaig family, Laphroaig Select takes its name from the special selection of American and European casks chosen for their unique character that they give during maturation. With liquid carefully selected by Master Distiller John Campbell and The Friends of Laphroaig, Select brings selections of Quarter Cask, PX Cask, Triple Wood, and 10-Year-Old together to create a subtle blending of peat, oak and sweetness and is known to be more approachable for those interested the classic peaty flavor, characteristic of Laphroaig and Islay single malts.
Price is $55.00 for 750ml Bottle

Laphroaig Cairdeas Amontillado Edition (The Experimenter’s Expression)
Every year, Laphroaig releases a limited edition Cairdeas bottling, crafted specifically for the brand’s loyalty group, Friends of Laphroaig. This year’s Cairdeas Amontillado is an 8-Year-Old Laphroaig that has been double matured, first aged in ex-bourbon barrels and then in Amontillado hogheads for one year resulting in a unique Laphroaig expression that is perfect for the colder weather!
Price is $74.99 for 750ml Bottle

Laphroaig 10-Year-Old (The Classic Scotch Drinker)
Laphroaig 10-Year-Old is the classic Laphroaig expression with signature peat and smoke flavor with unmatched quality and superior taste are characteristic of all Laphroaig single malts. It is a perennial favorite of critics and aficionados alike and is known to evoke some unique opinions that make for great conversation during the holidays.
Price is $49.99 for 750ml Bottle

Remember to return and follow this popular luxury blog and read about other great Holiday gift ideas from The Life of Luxury.

The FACUNDO Rum Collection is the first luxury collection that includes four, rare sipping rums – sourced from the private rum reserves of the Bacardi family.

Just in time for the holiday season, the FACUNDO Rum Collection is now offering a limited-edition FACUNDO Elevated Holiday Gift Set and is available in select high-end liquor stores.

This ultimate gift set for fine rum connoisseurs comes in a plush, Italian leather travel bag with the monogrammed initials of the recipient debossed right into the leather.

What makes this gift set unique is that each item in the luxe bag was hand-selected. You can now enjoy your fave libation wherever you travel. The personalized leather travel bag includes:

· 2 BACCARAT “Harmonie” Tumblers: Since its creation in 1764, Baccarat has been synonymous with luxury, a catalyst for celebration, and the favorite among Royalty, Maharajas, Presidents, and all who enjoy expert craftsmanship and timeless elegance. These unrivaled qualities make the hand-crafted Harmonie tumbler the perfect vessel for the hand-blended FACUNDO rums.

· 2 Bittermens Bitters: Bittermens is an American-made, small batch bitters comprised of organic ingredients making it the go-to accouterment for high-end cocktails. Add a dash of Boston Bittahs or drops of Burlesque Bitters to round out FACUNDO NEO or EXIMO Old-Fashioneds.

· Brizard & Co. Cigar Humidor: Premium, hand-made Brizard & Co. humidor sourced from San Francisco’s Wingtip, a social club and “one-stop shop” for modern gentlemen. Wingtip collects and curates the best men’s products, similar to how FACUNDO’s Master Blender hand-selects each rum.

· Colibri Cigar Cutter: Since 1928, Colibri products reflect classic styling and superb functionality. Like the Collection, rich in heritage and built for the modern day Renaissance man, the cigar cutter is the ultimate accessory.

· Member Card: The card grants access to exclusive FACUNDO events and opportunities in major cities including New York, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Other luxury bar accessories for rum-sipping delight that are included in this amazing set are: mixing glass, bar spoon, jigger, leather bound journal, Powermat charger, premium lighter and ashtray, leather-wrapped ice bucket, plus an ashtray.

Customers who purchase the FACUNDO Elevated Holiday Gift Set will aso receive the complete FACUNDO Rum Collection, which consist of four of the rarest and most exquisite rums sourced from the Bacardi Family Private Reserves. Included rums in the collection are – EXQUISITO, EXIMO, NEO and PARAISO.

The incredible FACUNDO Elevated Holiday Gift Set is now available in the following U.S. cities – New York, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco.

Retail price is $5,000 in the above cities and available in limited quantities of only 10 per city.

If you are interested in purchasing a FACUNDO Elevated Holiday Gift Set, please contact us today. Follow our popular luxury blog and read about other news in the spirit and wine industry plus other luxury holiday gift ideas.

Looking for that perfect Christmas gift for that whisky connoisseur in your life? How about ‘The Luxury Collection’ from The Whisky Shop.

The Whisky Shop offers the most exclusive, collectable and high value whiskies in the world in their 22 UK stores nationwide, plus a new website at www.whiskyshop.com

The Luxury Collection consists of three, rare and high value whiskies. The retail price of the three whiskies range from £600 to £26,500. Take a look at the three options below.

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The Dalmore 25 – £600 – 42% abv
– The Dalmore 25 forms part of The Dalmore Principal Collection and only 3000 bottles are available globally each year.
– During a quarter century of patient aging, this whisky passes through a range of cask types, creating wonderful depth and complexity of flavour.
– Initially matured in American white oak barrels, the whisky is then transferred for a further aging period in a combination of Palomino Fino sherry butts and first-fill Bourbon barrels. Each batch is then mixed and rested, or “married” in Bourbon barrels before being transferred into Tawny Port casks, known as “pipes”, from Portugal for a final, delicate finishing period.

Tasting notes:
With layer upon layer of flavour, coming from the various casks used in the maturation process, this is a voluptuous whisky. Definitely one for after dinner, notes of rich dried fruit, orange peel, spiced gingerbread, marzipan and chocolate truffles make it a perfect Christmas dram.

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Glenfiddich 50 year old – £20,000 – 46.1% abv
– Created from just two casks, one from 1955 and one from 1957, only 500 individually numbered bottles of this incredibly rare and precious whisky will ever be produced, with just 50 being released each year since 2009.
– The elegant presentation is fitting for a whisky of such rarity. Each bottle is hand-blown by independent Scottish glass studio, Glasstorm, dressed with a heavyweight stopper, neck collar and label plaque fashioned from Scottish silver by sixth-generation silversmith Thomas Fattorini, and finished with a numbered wax cartouche.
– The hand-stitched black leather case was inspired by one of William Grant’s original ledgers and is lined with bespoke hand-woven silk to perfectly complement this stunning bottle.

Tasting notes:
The Glenfiddich 50 year old is wonderfully fresh despite over half a century in oak casks. With a pale, golden hue, the whisky is strikingly fruity and floral – a real surprise in a whisky of this age. Orange marmalade and vanilla fudge come through, along with a delicate hint of smoke like a whisper from an older era of Speyside whisky-making.

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The Balvenie 50 – £26,500 per bottle – 45.4% and 45.9% abv
– The Balvenie is steeped in a rich tradition of handcrafted whisky and the latest release of The Balvenie 50 is the pinnacle of this craft.
– David Stewart, The Balvenie Malt Master, and one of the whisky industry’s longest-serving master blenders, has selected two European oak hogshead casks, both of which were filled on the same day in May 1963 and left to rest in Warehouse 24 at The Balvenie distillery.
– Rather than marrying the whisky from each cask, they have been bottled separately to create a magnificent pair of single cask bottlings, offering connoisseurs the chance to explore the uniquely complex characteristics imparted by each cask.
– In keeping with the traditions of The Balvenie, the bottles are presented in stunning handcrafted wooden cases comprising 49 layers of wood and a single brass layer. Cask 4567 produced 131 bottles, and with only 128 bottles coming from cask 4570, not everyone will be able to secure a pair.

Tasting notes:
The Balvenie 50 year old Cask 4567, 45.4% – a beautiful, deep reddish colour, the whisky has sumptuously rich aromas and flavours of dark fruits and Christmas spices, typical of a European oak maturation.
The Balvenie 50 year old Cask 4570, 45.9% – by contrast, this has a rich golden hue and a surprisingly light and elegant oakiness, underpinned by some of the characteristic vanilla and honey sweetness of The Balvenie.

If you are interested in reading about other new spirit and wine product releases or exclusive gift ideas, follow our luxury blog

Remy Martin has announced they plan to open their first members club – La Maison Remy Martin. The club will is ideal for cognac lovers but will only be open between November 25 and December 6, 2014 in London, England.

The new club will consist of two bars serving Remy Martin cognacs and offer creative workshops plus the chance to meet talented craftsmen of London.

The La Maison Rémy Martin concept will be a first for any cognac brand but access is extremely limited. The cognac club will only be accessible for members only and personally invited by Remy Martin. For the public, if you want a chance to attend, there will be a competition where 100 lucky people can win the chance to become a member of La Maison Remy Martin.

Located in the SoHo area of London, La Maison Remy Martin can be found at 19 Greek Street and will cover all four floors of the building. On the first floor, members can experience the VSOP Bar & Lounge and enjoy the work of five talented mixologists from London. These are five of the every best and include Erik Lorincz from The American Bar at The Savoy, Alex Kratena from the Artesian and Agostino Perrone from The Connaught Bar. They will develop an inspiring cocktail menu specifically designed for La Maison Rémy Martin.

The club’s second floor will host the “Cognathèque”, whch is a retail space that features a gorgeous seating area. Mmebers can sample and buy Rémy Martin cognacs that are currently sold around the world. worldwide. Also enjoy a Rémy Martin cognac masterclass to be hosted by the International Brand Ambassadors of the house.

The third floor will host “L’Atelier Rémy Martin” which is an exclusive space where Remy Martin will collaborate with selected lifestyle brands to offer creative workshops. You can also view selected pieces of Remy Martin’s latest Futur Heritage project in partnership with ECAL,

On the fourth floor of the La Maison Remy Martin club is the Remy Martin XO lounge. The bar provides an opportunity to try Remy Martin XO serves.

If you are interested in visiting the La Maison Remy Martin in London, and taste some of the best cognacs in the world, please contact us for more information or visit lamaison.remymartin.com. Follow this popular luxury blog to read about the latest luxury industry news.

Since 1824, luxury single malt whisky brand – The Glenlivet has produced great tasting Nàdurra whisky utilizing historic oak barrels during the whisky aging process.

The stylish Glenlivet Nàdurra Dram Chair was created by award winning, British design maker Gareth Neal.

The body of this contemporary designed chair is made with Aberdeen Angus leather, from the only remaining oak tannery in all of Britain.

Commissioned by the luxury Scotch whisky brand The Glenlivet, Gareth Neal was tasked to design the ultimate Dram Chair. Beyond a comfortable sitting chair, the Glenlivet Nàdurra Dram Chair was also meant to be conducive to enjoy drinking Scotch whisky.

The dram chair’s frame is made of oak. The wood was personally chosen Gareth Deal. Luxurious copper rivets hold the chair’s arm to its frame. The arm has perfectly design to align to where its owner will rest his dram.

The new Glenlivet Nàdurra Dram Chair is surprisingly light. It’s ideal to move around with ease, so a he or she can enjoy their Scotch whisky.

The chair design was inspired by the unique, nineteenth century crafts and natural materials that represent class and dignity of The Glenlivet family.

The chair is now on display until December 24, 2014 at the The New Craftsmen in London’s Mayfair. After, it will move to The Glenlivet Distillery and Visitor’s Centre until March 2015.

You can purchase the Glenlivet Nàdurra Dram Chair as a made to order by visiting and registering as Guardians of The Glenlivet (www.glenlivet.com).

If you enjoy reading about new products such as the Glenlivet Nàdurra Dram Chair by British Gareth Deal, return to follow our luxury blog.

Diageo is widely known as a global leader in beverage alcohol. The alcohol brand recently announced their worldwide launch of a new Single Grain Scotch Whisky – named Haig Club™.

The new Haig Club whisky was developed along with sports icon David Beckham plus British entrepreneur Simon Fuller. You will be able to enjoy this great tasting whisky in U.K. bars, restaurants and retail stores.

Over the next several weeks, Haig Club will be rolled out in China, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States. Future expansion markets are planned including Europe and and South America.

Haig Club Single Grain Scotch Whisky is made at Scotland’s oldest grain whisky distillery – Cameronbridge in Fife.

Built on heritage but designed for the modern world, the House of Haig can be tracked back to the seventeenth century. Its whisky roots run deep, thus making making the Haig family Scotland’s oldest grain whisky dynasty.

Haig Club is a luxury whisky made to appeal to a variety of people who are either new to whisky or longtime whisky connoisseurs.

During a toast by David Beckham at the launch event held on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland – he stated “Thanks for joining me in this beautiful place. It’s great to have many people I know and care for in the room. For Simon Fuller and I, this is a special night as we launch our new collaboration with Diageo, a wonderful whisky called Haig Club.

This whisky is designed to be different – from the unique way in which it has been crafted to the distinctive bottle design. Crafted at Scotland’s oldest grain distillery, Haig Club has a rich tradition and heritage that we are honored to be part of and now take forward.

To celebrate this partnership, we are lucky enough to have dinner prepared by not one but two Michelin Star Chefs tonight, Scottish chef, Tom Kitchin and my good friend, Gordon Ramsay.

Please join me in raising a toast to an amazing whisky, wonderful company, good friends and the start of a new adventure. Welcome.”

The unique flavors of the new Haig Club whisky were developed by master blender Chris Clark. He carefully selecting mature whisky from Refill, American Oak and Rejuvenated casks that produced a stunning Single Grain Scotch Whisky with a fresh, clean style showcasing butterscotch-smooth tropical fruit and unexpected, spicy backing harmonies.

If you are a whisky or other alcoholic drink connoisseur and enjoy reading about new products and spirit industry news, follow our luxury blog.

Iris van Herpen designed a stunning über-premium creation that was inspired by the importance of time in crafting the gift box of a new Dom Pérignon champagne.

Iris van Herpen is a respected Dutch fashion designer and creative force. The Power of Creation this end-of-year season 2014 was the inspiration for the beautiful box design by Iris van Herpen.

The new luxury champagne also comes with a limited edition gift box that accompanies the bottle of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2004.

The champagne gift box design utilizes the color green so that it visibly illustrates the process of fine wine creation.

Please enjoy viewing – Dom Pérignon Metamorphosis, The Movie:

Building upon the collaboration with Iris van Herpen, renowned creative visionary Daniel Sannwald assisted in the creative process by contributing his artistically daring digital video in addition to opulent photography.

If you enjoy reading about fine wines and champagne such as Dom Pérignon, return to this luxury blog and keep up with all the latest industry news.

In the U.S., the Labor Day holiday is a time to celebrate America’s working men and women. The holiday occurs each year on the first Monday of September.

Labor Day became a national holiday way back in 1896 when then President Grover Cleveland declared it during a time of growing awareness of the labor movement in this country.

Whether you are celebrating Labor Day with a BBQ or party with friends and family, a great cocktail choice to consider uses 2 GINGERS Irish Whiskey.

For whatever your Labor Day event is, we want to share to great tasting cocktail recipes with you – the BIG GINGER® and the 2 GINGERS® Negroni with 2 GINGERS Irish Whiskey.

BIG GINGER®
– 2 parts 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey
– Ginger Ale
– Lemon Wedge
– Lime Wedge

METHOD: Pour the 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey into a pint glass with ice. Top with ginger ale, followed by a wedge of a lemon and lime.

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2 GINGERS® Negroni
– 2 parts 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey
– 1 part sweet vermouth
– 1 part Campari® liqueur

METHOD: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir, then strain into a low-ball or rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

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If you enjoy reading about delicious cocktail recipes like with 2 GINGERS Irish Whiskey and other great ways to entertain at parties, please follow this luxury blog.

National Scotch Day will be on July 27 and a great way to celebrate it is with Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

A popular spirit with a long history, scotch is favorite of many people. It’s been reported that scotch was originally written about was way back in the 1400’s.

Scotch was distilled by monks until the 1500’s, but today it is proudly produced in five different regions. It is still the top-selling spirit in numerous countries around the world.

Laphroaig is an Islay scotch that was first produced back in 1815. Laphroaig made the Single Malt Scotch popular and utilized using American ex-bourbon casks during the scotch aging process.

Laphroaig 10-Year-Old Scotch is definitely the top choice that other Islay malts try to achieve. The scotch is still distilled the very same way just as it was almost 200 years ago.

To celebrate the upcoming National Scotch Day, we wanted to share a cocktail recipe from Laphroaig that makes an ideal summertime drink. It combines both pineapple and cranberry juice with Laphroaig 10-Year-Old Scotch whisky.

Laphroaig Suntanned Scotsman
Ingredients:
1 1/2 parts Laphroaig 10-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
1 1/2 parts Pineapple Juice
1 1/2 parts Cranberry Juice

Method:
Build over ice in a highball glass.
Garnish with a slice of pineapple on the rim.

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