News Notes: MB Roland is Being Sold, Still Austin Enters New York, Don Julio's New Limited Edition

MB Roland Distillery Heads to the Auction Block

Following 18 years in operation, Pembroke, Kentucky-based MB Roland Distillery is going up for auction. It was among the state’s first grain-to-glass distilleries when it opened in 2009. Co-founders and husband-and-wife Paul Tomaszewski and Mary Beth Roland have announced their retirement and the resulting sale of the business.

Included in the auction are the business and 26-acre property, which encompasses the 10-acre distillery campus and an additional 16 acres of undeveloped land. The sale will also include MB Roland’s satellite tasting room in Cave City, and a Harvest Host location. The sale will include all of the distillery’s spirits, including the MB Roland, Dark Fired, Barker’s Mill, Old 2nd District, Kentucky Pink Lemonade, and St. Elmo’s Fire brands, among others, as well as all aging inventory.

Still Austin Now Available in The Big Apple

Texas craft distillery Still Austin has expanded its distribution footprint to New York, and its whiskeys are now available in bars and retail stores across the state. The expansion comes through the distillery’s partnership with Southern Glazer’s, the country’s largest spirits distributor.

This is just the latest development at Still Austin, which has been rapidly growing and expanding in recent years. Last year, the distillery hit a sales milestone by moving over 50,000 cases (just north of 600k bottles), up 43% from 2024, according to Whisky Advocate’s research arm Impact Databank. As we reported in July, Still Austin also finished construction of a new 15,000-square-foot visitor center, which is now open, and plans to build a larger distillery to increase production capacity.

Old Fitzgerald Partners with Jonathan Adler on Limited-Edition Backgammon Set

Heaven Hill’s Old Fitzgerald has partnered with designer Jonathan Adler to launch a limited-edition backgammon set. The design incorporates Old Fitzgerald's green color palette and a brushed-brass key motif, a nod to its longtime “Your Key to Hospitality” tagline. Priced at $425, the set is available through the Heaven Hill Distillery Shop and Jonathan Adler's website, with orders placed by December 14 expected to arrive in time for the holidays.

The distillery and associated real estate will be up for auction online at Bolinger Real Estate & Auction starting December 7th. The auction is set to end on December 14th.

Other Spirits

Don Julio Unveils Limited-Edition Día de Muertos Tequila Bottle

Diageo-owned Don Julio is marking Día de Muertos with El Puente Eterno, meaning “The Eternal Bridge,” in its third annual edition to celebrate the Mexican holiday. This year, the brand has partnered with Mexican designer Patricio Campillo on a limited-edition bottle featuring artwork inspired by the marigold flowers traditionally associated with guiding departed loved ones home. The liquid isn't new; it’s the label’s signature 70 Añejo Cristalino, aged 15–18 months in American white oak barrels before filtering. The Artist Edition bottle will be available for $70 in the U.S., Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica, while select international markets will sell specialty-designed boxes of Don Julio Blanco, Reposado, and Ceniza.

Appleton Estate’s Latest Hearts Collection is Here

The Hearts Collection represents some of the most sought-after rums in Appleton Estate’s portfolio, focusing on big age statements and rare vintage dates. For its latest batch, the distillery is tapping barrels that were filled in 1999—revisiting the same vintage explored in 2020’s release, but now with some additional aging. The newcomer has a 26-year age statement and was bottled at 63% ABV. It has a suggested retail price of $500.