Spirits & Cocktails

Health watchdog pushes harder for mandatory alcohol labelling

13-Mar-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

A health watchdog that recently published potentially crippling alcohol labelling recommendations has poo-pooed the trade’s latest nutritional information proposal.

Record-breaking gin sales over festive period

12-Mar-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Volume sales of gin broke records over Christmas last year and the trend is set to continue, according to spirit experts.

Pernod Ricard UK opens the Loft

07-Mar-2018 By Stuart Stone

Wines and spirits company Pernod Ricard UK launched new multipurpose events space, the Loft, on 28 February at a historic site on Quay Street, Manchester, that was formerly a Walkabout bar.

Maxxium UK rebrands and adds three new products to portfolio

07-Mar-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Spirits business Maxxium UK is set to rebrand as Edrington-Beam Suntory and is adding vodka, Tequila and Irish whiskey to its portfolio.

In association with Diageo

Diageo introduces new beers to UK at Publican Awards

06-Mar-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

In a week’s time the pub trade will honour its successes at the largest industry celebration, the Publican Awards, which will feature dozens of brand activations including several introductions from spirit and beer giant Diageo.

Jura launches range of five new whiskies

05-Mar-2018 By James Beeson

Jura Single Malt Whisky is set to undertake the biggest launch in its history with the unveiling of an entirely new range of whiskies for domestic markets around the world.

Edinburgh Gin launches Mother’s Day-inspired fruit liqueur

01-Mar-2018 By James Beeson

Scottish distillery Edinburgh Gin has announced nationwide distribution of its latest fruit gin liqueur, Pomegranate & Rose.

Whisky is no longer on the rocks

01-Mar-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Operators shouldn’t have to shy away from the ‘water of life’ because it can offer opportunities to save money and time while pleasing whisky and non-whisky drinkers alike

Southern Comfort Black launches in the UK

28-Feb-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Southern Comfort has launched its Black variant in the UK, which will be distributed by Hi-Spirits from this month (March).

Beefeater rivals Gordon’s with new pink gin

14-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Spirits company Pernod Ricard has launched a pink gin in the on-trade, rivalling Diageo-owned Gordon’s variant.

British gin outsells beef

13-Feb-2018 By Huw Cross

Britain exports more gin than beef, according to new figures that show overseas sales reached £530m in 2017.

Pack up and leave: could changes to alcohol labelling shut the pub?

12-Feb-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Recent calls for alcohol labelling to follow a similar route to cigarettes has caused concern among operators and brand owners alike, but are things as bad as they appear?

Bartenders to be marked on ‘Instagram-worthy’ cocktails

08-Feb-2018 By James Beeson

Cognac producer Courvoisier has launched its third annual ‘Toast of Paris’ cocktail competition where, for the first time, UK bartenders will be judged on how their cocktails would look on Instagram posts, alongside more traditional criteria.

UK has fourth highest booze prices in Europe

07-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

The average price of alcohol in the UK is 42.7% higher than the EU average – the fourth highest in Europe beaten only by Sweden, Ireland and Finland, according to new research.

Brooklyn Gin offers chance to win all-expenses paid trip to New York

01-Feb-2018 By James Beeson

Hi-Spirits, the UK and Ireland distributor of Brooklyn Gin, is to offer bars the chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to the inaugural Bar Convent Brooklyn trade event in June.

The nation’s favourite gin has been revealed

25-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

The UK’s favourite gin has been revealed, after 25,000 consumers voted on variants from around the world.

LoneWolf Spirits and Global Brands tie-up 'good for all'

25-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

Doug Bairner, managing director of LoneWolf (the distilling arm of Scottish brewery BrewDog), has said the new distribution deal with Global Brands will provide a boost for the spirit's growth.

LoneWolf launches a free gin and tonic vending machine on the streets of London

24-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

Scottish distillery LoneWolf has installed a vending machine in London, giving away free cans of its pre-mixed gin and tonic.

Bacardi buys Tequila maker Patrón in $5.1bn deal

23-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

Alcohol giant Bacardi is to purchase Patrón in an outright deal that values the Tequila maker at around $5.1bn (£3.65bn).

7 alternatives to plastic straws

22-Jan-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

More pubs and their customers are speaking out against the use of plastic straws and seeking alternatives to the environmentally hazardous tubes we’ve, for decades, grown accustomed to drinking from.

Matthew Clark launches new cocktail agenda for 2018

18-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

UK drinks supplier Matthew Clark is to launch a new package to help licensees tap into the growing cocktail market.

Legendary rare whisky sells for nearly £12,000

18-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

A rare 30-year-old bottle of single malt whisky has been bought for a world record £11,900 in an online auction held by Perth-based Whisky Auctioneer.

LoneWolf Spirits partners with Global Brands to expand distribution

17-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

LoneWolf Spirits – the distilling arm of Scottish craft beer company BrewDog – has announced a new partnership with drinks supplier Global Brands, in a move it hopes will boost sales by £40m over the next two years.

Number of distilleries still soaring thanks to gin boom

17-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Britain is now host to 315 distilleries, which is more than double the number that were operating across the nation five years ago.

Drinkers’ Voice blasts new research recommending we only drink one unit a day

15-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

Alcohol consumer organisation Drinkers’ Voice has hit back at advice that consumers ought to avoid drinking more than one unit of alcohol per day.

Drinks planning: flavours of the months

12-Jan-2018 By Michelle Perrett

January is traditionally not the easiest month in which to attract punters to the pub, but licensees should view it as an opportunity by finding the right drinks to sell – and the same goes for many other events throughout the upcoming 12 months.

ASA bans Captain Morgan Snapchat filter

03-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

Diageo Great Britain has been banned from producing a Snapchat lens advertising its Captain Morgan rum brand, after the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ruled that the filter could appeal to under-18s.

Experts' 2018 drinks predictions revealed

03-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Mixologists from Sheffield’s Leopold Square area have revealed their top predictions for drinks over the next 12 months.

JDW slashes drinks prices for January

02-Jan-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is having a January sale and reducing prices across its drinks range this month.

Rum sales hot on the heels of gin

02-Jan-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Sales of rum are expected to exceed the £1bn mark for 2017, just behind sales of gin, which totalled £1.2bn in the 12 months to September last year.

Brandy is the UK’s favourite Christmas spirit

21-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The UK’s favourite spirit to drink at Christmas is brandy, according to new research from the University of Warwick.

Bar group launches Ginuary sale to help boost January turnover

21-Dec-2017 By James Beeson

The New World Trading Company (NWTC) is to launch a special deal on gins throughout the month of January in a bid to boost sales.

Gin still the nation’s favourite spirit

18-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Gin continues to soar as the most popular tipple as a recent poll discovered it was still the UK’s favourite spirit.

Diageo celebrates 20-year anniversary

18-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Drinks giant Diageo, which owns brands such as Johnnie Walker Scotch, Smirnoff vodka, Tanqueray gin and Guinness stout, has celebrated its 20th anniversary.

WSTA and Crimestoppers warn of serious health risks from fake booze

18-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Operators needs to be aware of the serious health implications fake alcohol can cause according to charity Crimestoppers and the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

In association with Diageo

3 whisky cocktails for winter

14-Dec-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Whisky is unlike any other spirit. Fact. It is complex, often mysterious, but sadly sometimes viewed in the wrong light by drinkers and even some bartenders as a stuffy, challenging liquid that is unyielding and impossible to use in cocktails.

BrewDog launches new high strength spirits into LoneWolf portfolio

07-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Scottish brewer and bar operator BrewDog has unveiled a small-batch release vodka and a gin to its LoneWolf portfolio.

What’s going on at Campari UK?

04-Dec-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Campari UK is at the centre of a perfect storm, riding the wave of growing demand for premium drinks from British pubgoers.

Coffee and cocktail trends: are you ready for the ‘explosion’?

04-Dec-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Sophistication, social media and theatre are just three big trends set to hit the coffee and cocktail scene in the next 12 months, according to a new report.

In association with Pernod Ricard UK

Make the perfect Porn Star Martini

04-Dec-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

There is nothing quite like a Porn Star Martini. Not only do you combine the freshness of passion fruit and pineapple with the richness of vanilla, wrapped up in a hit of vodka, you also get another drink on the side.

Brugal 1888 launches new design as part of growth strategy

29-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Rum brand Brugal 1888 is set to roll out a new package design as part of a wider growth strategy and is aiming to target a new premium audience.

Celebrity pub owner Heston Blumenthal’s perfect G&T

24-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Heston Blumenthal has revealed how to make the perfect gin and tonic, including when to add the fizzy mixer.

Pernod Ricard ‘disappointed’ ASA complaint was upheld

23-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Drinks company Pernod Ricard was “disappointed” that a complaint made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about a Facebook advert was upheld.

AUTUMN BUDGET 2017

Wine and spirit duty to be frozen in Autumn Budget

22-Nov-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Duty on wine and spirits will be frozen rather than increase in line with inflation as planned, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond has announced at yesterday's (22 November) Autumn Budget.

Turnover of independent craft distillers more than doubles in 5 years

20-Nov-2017 By James Beeson

Surging demand for artisan gin and vodka has led to the turnover of independent craft gin and vodka distillers more than doubling in the past five years, according to new data.

The Drinks List: Top Brands To Stock 2018

20-Nov-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

With the on-trade drinks market moving at an ever-faster pace as operators try to keep pace with increasingly volatile drinkers, knowledge truly is power. Here, The Morning Advertiser brings you the facts behind the stats

Drinkaware: ‘We are not the booze police’

15-Nov-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

It is a busy Friday night in the pub and the punters are out in force enjoying themselves as the drinks flow from behind the bar. Just as things start to get into the swing, a distressed customer storms into the bar and frantically screams: “Everybody...

Morning Advertiser

Useful links