DENVER, Nov. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Stranahan's®, the nation's number one American single malt whiskey1, today announced that Stranahan's American Single Malt Whiskey: Snowflake Redcloud Peak was named "Best in Class American Single Malt Whiskey" at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), widely considered the world's most influential such competition. Last year, Stranahan's Original took home the award, making 2025 the second consecutive year that Stranahan's took home the top accolade, reaffirming the brand's status as the most awarded in the category2.

Snowflake is an annual winter release by Stranahan's that showcases an array of rare and worldly cask finishes harmonized in one bottle of American single malt. Since its initial release in 2011, Snowflake has earned global attention for its complexity, rarity and fan fervor for obtaining a bottle. No two snowflakes are alike in nature, and Stranahan's Snowflake releases follow suit, each year bringing an entirely new iteration. Owing to the scarcity of the barrels used to compose Snowflake, a limited number of bottles are produced and sold for one day only at the brand's Denver Distillery each December. Fans camp out for days leading up to each year's release to be among the first in line to get a bottle.

Stranahan's Snowflake Redcloud Peak was the second Snowflake developed by Head Blender Justin Aden. It is a truly international affair, with influences spanning Spain, Hungary and the American bourbon heartland. Masterfully married casks originally used in these locales create an extraordinary American single malt with a robust profile, luscious texture and vibrant berry-forward accents. At 94-proof, it offers notes of toffee, candied nectarine and smoked honey on the nose, prune, peach, praline, raspberries and maraschino on the palate with a saccharine and round finish.

The "Best in Class American Single Malt Whiskey" accolade comes on the heels of American single malt's designation as the first official whiskey category to be legally defined and protected by the U.S. government in 52 years.

"To be named Best American Single Malt by some of the most discerning palates in the industry is an extraordinary honor. This recognition affirms not only the work we do at Stranahan's, but also the promise and emerging presence of the American single malt category on the world stage," said Stranahan's Head Blender, Justin Aden. "I've had the privilege of building on Stranahan's singular recipe, perfected over more than 21 years, and exploring its potential through longer maturation and an expanded repertoire of cask finishes. Our Snowflake expressions invite bold exploration in the service of creating unique and wonderfully expressive whiskeys that can challenge the finest single malts from around the world."

Stranahan's Snowflake Redcloud Peak leads a year of remarkable wins for the brand. Recognized at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, it was part of a portfolio sweep, with every Stranahan's core and limited-release whiskey earning Gold or Double Gold medals. This milestone adds to more than 100 awards the brand has collected in 2025 alone, solidifying its leadership in American single malt as the #1 most awarded. Other notable wins this year include:

• Best American Single Malt Whiskey by the Beverage Testing Institute - Stranahan's American Single Malt Whiskey: Mountain Angel 10 Year Old
• Best of Show at the Denver International Spirits Competition - Stranahan's American Single Malt Whiskey: Blue Peak
• 1st Place Best Single Malt 10 Year and Older Whiskey at the International Whiskey Competition - Stranahan's American Single Malt Whiskey: Mountain Angel 10 Year Old
• American Single Malt Whiskey of the Year at the Bartender Spirit Awards - Stranahan's American Single Malt Whiskey: Original
• Best American Single Malt Whiskey at the ADI Competition - Stranahan's American Single Malt Whiskey: Mountain Angel 10 Year Old
• Best Single Malt Whiskey at the 2025 Los Angeles Invitational Wine and Spirits Challenge - Stranahan's American Single Malt Whiskey: Mountain Angel 10 Year Old

Stranahan's is gearing up to launch its next Snowflake Release this year on December 6. Fans can sign up to learn more at https://stranahans.com/events/snowflake.

1 Nielsen Total x AOC + Liquor + Conv, Eq Vol, Nielsen 52 W/E 7.15.24; comparison to other ASM brands
2 Claims based on 2020 – 2024 award results; third-party audit conducted by Avid Marketing Group.

Milan, October 23, 2025 – Five intense days, full of vision, connections and opportunities: the 44th edition of Host Milano concluded on Tuesday 21 October, bringing together professionals, companies and key players from around the world. The event showcased the evolution of hospitality in all its forms through content, training and opportunities for dialogue.

An experience defined by quality and innovation: Host has become not just a showcase for products, but a strategic platform where businesses can strengthen their competitiveness and continue to innovate while preserving their identity and tradition.

Sustainability took centre stage. Host was the first event at Fiera Milano to implement an ESG strategy, integrating environmental sustainability, innovation and inclusion as competitive levers and key elements of its international positioning. This commitment is shared by many exhibitors, who presented eco-friendly products such as beer machines that reuse broken malt during production or designer fitness equipment made from natural and recyclable materials.

Completing the experience, Host 2025 staged 800 events, featuring approximately 3,000 opinion leaders – including academics, experts, masters, chefs and industry figures – who animated the fair with ideas, debates and new visions for the future of hospitality.

Five lively days that captivated both exhibitors and visitors: growth across Europe – Germany (+16%), Denmark (+45%) – and a remarkable surge of visitors from overseas, including Australia (+20%), Brazil (+29%), the United Arab Emirates (+21%) and the United States (+27%) – cemented Host Milano 2025 as an international Horeca platform. Among professional visitors, over 700 were hosted buyers, brought to Milan also thanks to the collaboration of ICE – Italian Trade Agency.

The 2,050 exhibitors chose Host to present new products and innovative solutions, with the aim of strengthening their visibility and consolidating business relationships. There was great satisfaction for the interactions with international professionals and the quality of the contacts established, confirming Host as a strategic and unmissable event for the hospitality sector.

Operators attended Host with the aim of discovering distinctive solutions, innovation and new business opportunities. The feedback was extremely positive: the breadth of the offer, spanning the entire hospitality sector, and the cross-sector integration – increasingly recognised as a strategic trend – were particularly valued as a major added benefit of the event. Solutions to automate complex processes also attracted significant interest, while design and AI-integrated proposals drew considerable attention, particularly at an international level.

Host confirms itself as a global hospitality platform, extending beyond Italy: from 15 to 17 December, the event will take place in Riyadh with Host Arabia, born from the collaboration between Fiera Milano and Semark, while a partnership with NAFEM will bring Host in the United States starting from 2027. These international contexts consolidate Host’s global expansion strategy, creating new connections between markets, bridges between cultures, and business opportunities worldwide.

The 45th edition of Host Milano will be held at Fiera Milano from 22 to 26 October 2027.

Follow the event online and on social media:

host.fieramilano.it
@HostMilano

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Nov. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson have approved the release of Michter's 20 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Shipments of this rare whiskey to bars, restaurants, and stores will begin December 1st. This release comes three months after Michter's was named The World's Most Admired Whiskey for an unprecedented third time. In August, Drinks International published the 2025 list of the World's Most Admired Whiskies. The rankings are determined by an international academy consisting of 100 independent global drinks buyers, journalists, bartenders and whisky experts, and it includes legendary distillers from Scotland, Japan, Ireland, and beyond.

"By law bourbon must be aged in a brand new barrel, which imparts flavor, color and oak character more quickly than a used barrel. To age a whiskey that will taste wonderful after two decades in a first-use barrel is an extremely difficult endeavor that requires a skillful balance of art and science. I believe that people will appreciate the thoughtful and conscientious work of our production team when they taste this exceptional whiskey," commented Michter's President Joseph J. Magliocco.

Barrel management and precisely controlled warehouse conditions are critical to the quality of aged whiskey. Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson oversees both of these important areas for Michter's. Wilson observed, "Details matter when it comes to aging bourbon gracefully. Michter's 20 Year Bourbon is an exemplary representation of how oak can be used to deepen vanilla, toffee, chocolate, spice, fruit, and confectionery notes that enhance complexity in bourbon. We hope that everyone who gets the opportunity to taste this product is able to experience the beloved attributes of a beautiful, timeless bourbon crafted through intentional aging."

The proof of this 2025 release is 114.2 (57.1% ABV), and the suggested U.S. retail price is $1,200 for a 750ml bottle.

"Our production team takes great pride in offering such a special whiskey. A lot of time and effort goes into maturing these barrels so that they are extraordinary for this release," said Master Distiller Dan McKee.

Beyond its main distillery in the Shively section of Louisville, Michter's operations extend to two other sites in Kentucky. In Springfield, Michter's is farming estate grown grain on its 205-acre property, while in downtown Louisville, Michter's has its second distillery in the historic Fort Nelson Building. Situated in a prime location on West Main Street opposite Louisville Slugger and on the same block as the Frazier Museum, Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery features the legendary pot still system from Michter's Pennsylvania. It also has educational tours with whiskey tastings and The Bar at Fort Nelson, which features classic cocktails curated by spirits and cocktail historian David Wondrich.

Michter's has a rich and long legacy of offering traditional American whiskeys of uncompromising quality. With each of its limited production offerings aged to its peak maturity, Michter's highly acclaimed portfolio includes bourbon, rye, sour mash whiskey, and American whiskey. For more information about Michter's, please visit and follow us on , , and .

Toronto, Nov. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Despite expectations of a difficult year, the foodservice industry outperformed early forecasts, thanks to strong domestic tourism and the GST/HST holiday at the start of the year, according to Restaurants Canada’s Q3 Quarterly Report. Commercial foodservice revenue was up 6.9% in the first seven months of 2025, but after adjusting for inflation, Restaurants Canada expects real commercial foodservice sales to grow by 2.1% in 2025 and decline by 0.7% in 2026.

Quarterly Report at a glance:

• Commercial foodservice sales are expected to grow by 5.4% in 2025 before adjusting for inflation, outperforming the previous quarter’s forecast (of 2.7% to 3.7% growth).
• Canada’s restaurant industry continues to prove it is a job powerhouse, adding 23,600 jobs in the first nine months of 2025, more than the 21,200 jobs created across the broader private sector.
• 74% of Canadians say they are cutting discretionary spending because of cost-of-living increases, with eating out (56%) and take-out or delivery (50%) being the most common types of expenses they are cutting.
• Foodservice businesses continue to face significant operating cost increases that challenge their profitability. Over the past two years, insurance costs have increased 14%, food costs 13% and labour costs 11%.
• Commercial foodservice sales are projected to decelerate to 1.6% growth in Q2 2026. Growth is expected to gradually recover thereafter, plateauing at an average of 3.6% in 2027, indicating a return to more sustainable, pre-pandemic trends.
• While technology could help foodservice businesses improve productivity and streamline operations, many remain cautious. The top barriers to adoption are high upfront costs (51%), uncertainty about return on investment (43%), and concerns about long-term stability in the business environment (35%).
• Operators are looking for tools that demonstrate immediate value by helping reduce costs, strengthen operations, or simplify decision-making without placing additional strain on cash flow.

“There is reason for cautious optimism in the foodservice industry after some very challenging years, but we have to keep the ongoing inflationary pressures in perspective,” said Kelly Higginson, President and CEO of Restaurants Canada. “Operating costs continue to rise while consumers are pulling back on discretionary spending, conditions which make investment in technology and growth plans risky. The federal government needs to deliver on its promise to improve affordability for Canadians in its budget tomorrow.”

Restaurants Canada is urging the federal government to permanently exempt all food, including restaurant meals, from GST/HST, to reduce the cost of living for Canadians and support growth in the foodservice industry. To sign Restaurants Canada’s petition calling on government to exempt all food from sales tax, visit .