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ICONIC Spirits, a division of The Brand House Group and leading producer of super-premium Japanese artisanal spirits, announces the US debut of its newest luxury innovations, TEITESSA single-grain Japanese whisky and AWAYUKI Japanese Strawberry Gin. Both are the brainchild of Julious Grant, Co-founder of ICONIC Spirits and Founder/Chairman of ICONIC’s parent company, The Brand House Group, and Taichi Seki, Co-founder and CEO of ICONIC Spirits.
TEITESSA is a single-grain Japanese whisky consisting of five expressions aged between 15 and 30 years in oak variations including American w********, Spanish oak and French Limousin oak. Crafted with Japan’s highest-quality rice grain, called Koshihikari, TEITESSA is produced using a Japanese distillation method that dates back several centuries. Utilizing the Sato still, a unique beehive-shaped still resulting in an early tail cut and smooth finish, TEITESSA is significantly more subtle than Scotch whisky. Its taste profile is a true reflection of Japanese craftsmanship and elegance, offering a mellow sweetness with a pleasant, fruity, lingering aftertaste – a distinctive characteristic among Japanese whiskies.
AWAYUKI Japanese Strawberry Gin is a rich, flavorful gin made with precious pink and white Awayuki strawberries grown in Japan’s Nara Prefecture and harvested with careful attention to detail at the peak of ripeness for a richer, more vibrant flavor. AWAYUKI includes over 300 lbs. of these rare strawberries, as well as juniper and other botanicals, making it extraordinarily fragrant, delicious and well-balanced.
“We are thrilled to introduce TEITESSA and AWAYUKI to the US market,” said Grant. “We believe that these spirits will write a new script for Japanese whisky and gin in the US, and we are excited to be at the forefront of this trend. When you combine the unique qualities that our age-old production methods deliver with the rare, superior ingredients we use, the end result is a duo of remarkable Japanese spirits unlike anything currently available.”
Grant is a former C-Suite executive with global spirits corporations Beam Suntory, Bacardi and Moët Hennessy, among several others. Together with Seki, previously a National Sales Manager for Asahi Beer and a former pro MMA fighter with a family history in the Japanese hospitality industry, the two industry visionaries offer US consumers luxury spirits that capture the history and innovation of Seki’s home country.
“Japanese people take a lot of pride in quality, presentation and the ability to constantly innovate,” said Seki. “TEITESSA and AWAYUKI embody these values. We met with many craft distillers across Japan to perfect the taste profiles and premium quality found within our portfolio and we’re pleased to offer consumers in the US these unique, authentic and delicious Japanese spirits.”
TEITESSA Japanese whisky and AWAYUKI Japanese Strawberry Gin are available at Total Wine & More locations in several major markets as well as select independent wine & spirits retailers and online through Drizly. Learn more by visiting www.iconic-spirits.com.
