For Release:      May 19, 2004

Images:             See bottom of release

BARDSTOWN, Ky. - Whaler's Original Rum is releasing summer 2004 marketing materials to attract consumers who wish to "March to the beat of a different Rum."  The award-winning brand will offer retail and on-premise POS, an online sweepstakes, summer on-pack and website enhancements during the top-selling months for the Rum category.

"We've positioned the Whaler's brand to leverage its fun and carefree attitude," said Reid Massie, marketing manager for Whaler's Rum from Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc.  "In doing so, we have developed a line of materials that capture that attitude and communicate it with bright colors and eye-catching graphics."

To kick off the summer, Whaler's will partner with InStyle.com for the "Renew You! Style Makeover Sweepstakes."  For the second consecutive year, the rum has worked with InStyle to raise awareness of the brand during the hot summer rum months and get consumers calling for Whaler's in retail stores nationwide. The "Renew You! Style Makeover Sweepstakes" will run from May 1 through July 31, 2004 nationwide and is targeted to the young, female rum consumer who is looking for something new and fun.  The sweepstakes grand prize will let the winner "renew you" with an all expenses paid trip for two to Los Angeles for a complete style makeover.  Second and third place prizes will also be awarded.  To support the sweepstakes, banner ads will rotate through the InStyle web site.  Plus, InStyle will send four e-mail blasts to qualified e-mail subscribers promoting the contest and encouraging entries.  The sweepstakes will be hosted at www.whalersrum.com/sweepstakes.

Summer on-packs for the brand, where legal, will include a shot glass fashioned in the style of a tiki idol.  The value-added tiki shot glasses will come shrink-wrapped to the neck of each Whaler's flavor variety as an added promotion to celebrate the summer cocktail and shooter season.

The Whaler's website (www.whalersrum.com) will have added features, including a Rum food recipe section and an events calendar.  The calendar will enable consumers to keep abreast of local and celebrity events sponsored by Whaler's Rum.

Whaler's Rum also has dynamic array of display materials to support the rapidly-growing brand.  A variety materials, designed to create mass floor stackings or more modest displays, are now available, including exotic case cards, shelf talkers and floor bins.  The brand also offers a 3 case permanent plastic rack with header card, a multi-case dimensional "Orca" stacker display, a round pole topper with an inflatable Orca, and a logoed Orca ceiling dangler.  All are designed to be flexible enough to accommodate any flavor variety, and all use the highly-recognizable, bright and colorful Whaler's tropical island graphics.

The brand has over a dozen on-premise specialty items including t-shirts, banners, cups, hats and buttons.  Each item is great for wait staff wearables, giveaways or premium items - many of which are emblazoned with the call to action "Grab some tail."

For 2004, Whaler's was awarded an Adams Growth Brand Award.  Adams honored Whaler's Rum in the "Rising Star" category.  The "Rising Star" category award is given by Adams Beverage Media to brands less than five years of age exhibiting growth over the past few years.

The Whaler's Rum flavor line-up includes the popular Vanille, "Killer" Coconut, Big Island Banana, Pineapple Paradise, Great White, Spiced and Rare Reserve Dark bottlings.  All come in a distinctive and attention-getting full color wrapped bottle, with bright island-themed graphics unique to each, in 50ml, 750 ml, 1.0 liter and 1.75 liter sizes, and are bottled at 48°-80° (24%-40% alcohol/volume). 

Founded in 1934, Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. is the nation's largest independent, family-owned marketer and producer of distilled spirits products. Aging in its facilities is the second largest holding of Kentucky whiskey in the world. Heaven Hill's diversified portfolio includes: Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; the full line of The Christian Brothers Brandies; Hpnotiq Liqueur; Whaler's Rum; Burnett's Gin and Vodka; Dubonnet Aperitif; Scotch Whiskies; Irish Whiskeys; Canadian Whiskies; vodka; gins; rums; tequilas; cognacs; liqueurs; cordials; and dessert wines. For more information on Heaven Hill, visit their website at www.heaven-hill.com. 

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