The annual unveiling of the Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottle has become a bit of an event for Woodford fanatics and bourbon trinket collectors alike. This year’s edition is adorned with a painting courtesy of Oregon-based visual artist Eric Bowman and will be shipping to select stores around the nation later this spring at a price tag of $43.99. A quick survey of Woodford Reserve bottles past will help you gear up for Derby day in May. [Woodford Reserve]

The folks at AnheuserBusch/InBev are having what we in the real world like to call “a very bad week.” It’s not enough that class action suits are accusing the company of watering down products, or that the Department of Justice is investigating potential monopoly violations. Today, ABIB announced to investors even more bad news: overall beer consumption is down in the United States, and for the first time ever more people are drinking Budweiser outside of the United States than in it.  But all is not lost: ABIB managed to stabilize this loss by raising prices, leading to a rise in revenue. [Los Angeles Times]

In other product news, Mount Gay Rum has announced the arrival of its latest expression, Black Barrel, which will be shipping in April at a price tag of $29.99. This particular offering contains a higher proportion of double distillates than its siblings, and is the only bottle in the Mount Gay line finished in charred oak bourbon barrels.  It is also the first bottle in the series to adorn the brand’s new packaging. [Mount Gay Rum]

The winners of the 2012 Beverage Tasting Institute competition for most innovative packaging have been announced. Samuel Adams won the “Best Bottle” competition for its 2012 edition of Utopias, and Meier’s Wine Cellar’s Sinful Sangria walked away with the “Best Bottle” award for wine. Click here for a complete list of winners. [PR Newswire]

And finally today, noted freelance photographer/spirits writer Fred Minnick was recently granted access to shoot photos of the abandoned Old Taylor Distillery, and the results are simultaneously heartbreaking and gorgeous. Definitely worth a click through for any fans of bourbon history, or simply beautiful work with a camera. [Fred Minnick]

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