LOUISVILLE, Ky. [August 17, 2026] — Heaven Hill Brands is bringing some of its most recognizable spirits to primetime through a partnership with E!’s new mixology competition series, Cocktail Wars, premiering Tuesday, August 18 at 10 p.m. ET with two back-to-back episodes.

Hosted by longtime friends and bandmates Lance Bass and Joey Fatone, alongside expert mixologist Melissa Brooke, the 10-episode series brings together talented mixologists for fast-paced challenges designed to test their creativity, technical skill and showmanship. Three mixologists compete in each episode for a $10,000 prize, creating original cocktails and putting their talents behind the bar to the test.

Throughout the season, viewers can expect to see several brands from the Heaven Hill portfolio in featured episodes, including Deep Eddy Vodka, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, Domaine de Canton and Hpnotiq. The partnership brings the brands into the heart of the competition, providing contestants with distinctive flavors and spirits to inspire their creations while showcasing the versatility of the Heaven Hill portfolio.

The partnership will culminate in the season finale with a feature of Deep Eddy Espresso Vodka, the newest line extension from Deep Eddy Vodka. The new expression combines Deep Eddy’s award-winning Original Vodka with bold espresso flavor, offering an approachable way to enjoy the enduring popularity of coffee-forward cocktails, including the Espresso Martini.

“Cocktail culture is built on creativity, discovery and connection, making Cocktail Wars a natural fit for Heaven Hill and our brands,” said Matt Blevins, Chief Marketing Officer at Heaven Hill Brands. “This partnership gives us an exciting platform to showcase the versatility and personalities of our brands while celebrating the talented professionals who continue to move cocktail culture forward. We’re especially excited to close out the season with Deep Eddy Espresso and introduce audiences to the newest innovation from a brand that has always been about great flavor and making great drinks more approachable.”

AWARD-WINNING HEAVEN HILL EXPERTS STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
‍Heaven Hill’s presence on Cocktail Wars extends beyond the bottle, bringing two of the company’s award-winning cocktail and spirits experts into the spotlight. Elayne Duff, Global Director of Advocacy, and Lynn House, National Spirits Specialist and Portfolio Mixologist, will appear during featured episodes, sharing the deep industry knowledge, creativity and passion for cocktail culture that have earned them recognition throughout the beverage community.

Elayne Duff brings more than two decades of spirits-industry experience to her role leading advocacy for Heaven Hill’s portfolio. A respected educator, mixologist and spirits authority, she was the first Head Mixologist and Luxury Spirits Ambassador for Diageo USA and has appeared as a cocktail expert on Bar Rescue. She has also served as a judge for leading industry competitions, including the New Orleans Spirits Competition.

Lynn House is one of the industry’s most decorated brand educators and mixologists. She was named Best U.S. Brand Ambassador at the 2022 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards and American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year in 2023, among other industry honors. In her role at Heaven Hill, House supports the company’s spirits portfolio through brand and category education, cocktail development and trend expertise, drawing on an accomplished hospitality career that included serving as Chief Mixologist at Chicago’s acclaimed Blackbird restaurant.

Their appearances on Cocktail Wars give viewers the opportunity to meet two of the experts behind Heaven Hill’s cocktail innovation and education efforts while bringing an authentic industry perspective to the featured brands and challenges.

“We’re incredibly proud to have Elayne and Lynn representing Heaven Hill on Cocktail Wars,” added Blevins. “Their expertise is matched by a genuine passion for hospitality and education, and we’re grateful for the time and energy they dedicated to bringing our brands to life on the show.”

Throughout the season, Bass, Fatone and Brooke will also be joined by a rotating lineup of celebrity guest judges, including Lauren Graham, Seth Green, Rachel Maddow, Melissa Gorga, Ramona Singer and Sonja Morgan, Peppermint, Braun Strowman and others.

Cocktail Wars premieres Tuesday, August 18 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on E!, with two back-to-back episodes. Fans can follow the competition, see highlights and catch behind-the-scenes moments throughout the season by following E! Entertainment on Instagram at @eentertainment and across E!’s other social platforms.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and -led spirits company, as well as the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon and the third-largest supplier of Tequila. Heaven Hill has been named a Best Managed Company from 2024-2026 by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes the Heaven Hill Whiskey family of brands, Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Widow Jane, Larceny, Old Fitzgerald, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy Vodka; Admiral Nelson’s Rum; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul and Ocho Tequila; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; and Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”