Beverage Industry Vets Form Capital Brands and the Tennessee Spirits Company

PULASKI, Tenn., March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- An experienced group of beverage industry experts have joined together to launch Capital Brands LLC to bring unique premium alcohol beverages to the global market.

The company will create, produce and market its own branded premium spirits. The venture's first division, The Tennessee Spirits Company, is a family of premium and flavored whiskey products that celebrate the tradition of Tennessee distilling.

The company also plans to build a new distillery, located at One Whiskey Way in Pulaski, Tenn., that will be designed as a destination for travelers and whiskey lovers alike.

Capital Brands has tapped Dave Scheurich as The Tennessee Spirits Company's master distiller. Scheurich has decades of distillery and production experience, which includes serving as general manager and distillery manager for the Woodford Reserve Distillery and in various capacities with Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, and Wild Turkey.

Working with Scheurich, The Tennessee Spirits Company is introducing three new products:

Jailers Premium Tennessee Whiskey (86 proof) – Scheurich begins with aged Tennessee whiskey, then chill filters it for exceptional clarity and taste, and a polished finish. The result is a smooth, complex and balanced flavor with caramel and maple overtones, aromatic, moderate spicy sweetness with a big mouth feel, and a long, pleasant and warm finish. The suggested retail price for Jailers is $24.99.

Breakout Premium 8-Year-Old American Rye Whiskey (86 proof) – A smooth introduction to the world of rye, Breakout is aged eight years, then chill filtered for clarity. Breakout boasts a full-bodied flavor with smoky, toffee overtones, and a nice warm-mouth feel with a long and pleasant finish. The suggested retail price for Breakout is $44.99.

Forbidden Secret American Cream Liqueur (15% ALC/VOL) – A luxurious blend of pure American dairy cream, Jailers Premium Tennessee Whiskey, dark chocolate and robust espresso mingle together to create the decadent flavors of Forbidden Secret. The suggested retail price for Forbidden Secret is $24.99.

The seasoned Capital Brands team leading these efforts includes: President and CEO Ernie Blockburger, SVP and CMO Bob Reider, CFO Pete Lazzari, and SVP and General Manager of The Tennessee Spirits Company Ray Steelman.

With a collective resume that reads like a well-stocked bar – representing Bacardi, Jack Daniels, Anheuser Busch, Ironstone Vineyards, Sobieski Vodka, Whalers Rum, Jim Beam, Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Coors, Gallo Wine Company and others – the team pulls from decades of hands-on work in the beverage industry.

Using the founders' relationships across the globe, Capital Brands has already established an impressive U.S. and international distribution network. Domestic distribution will be handled by Southern Wine & Spirits, Glazers and other tier one distributors, and will cover all 50 states. Capital Brands' international network will initially reach into Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and worldwide Duty Free.

"Our team is big enough to service markets around the world, but small enough to provide our customers with the personal service they demand," says Reider. "While it was an entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to innovation that brought our team together, our culture exudes a family feel and it's important to us that our customers, distributors and vendors feel like a part of that family."

Capital Brands LLC creates, produces and markets branded premium spirits to the global marketplace. The Tennessee Spirits Company, a division of Capital Brands, produces a family of premium and flavored American whiskeys. For more information, visit www.capital-brands.com or www.tennesseespiritscompany.com.

SOURCE Capital Brands