Spirits & Cocktails

More operators sign up to Try January

23-Dec-2014 By Jessica Mason

Try January, the campaign that calls on pubs and bars to reclaim January and challenge people to try new drinks and dishes and make the month more inspiring and experimental, has gathered further momentum with more operators, including Punch Taverns,...

Be At One to launch ‘Try January’ campaign

17-Dec-2014 By Jessica Mason

Be At One, the Piper-backed cocktail chain, is planning a new marketing campaign for the new year called “Try January”.

PMA launches Try January campaign

17-Dec-2014 By Jessica Mason

The Publican’s Morning Advertiser today launches a campaign for pubs and bars to reclaim January and challenge people to try new drinks and dishes and make the month more inspiring and experimental.

Wine bar faces prosecution after liquid nitrogen cocktail almost kills drinker

16-Dec-2014 By Mike Berry

The director and one employee of a bar where a teenage girl was seriously injured after drinking a liquid nitrogen cocktail have been charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

James Bond to return to Martini drinking in next film, Spectre

16-Dec-2014 By Robyn Black

Spectre, the 24th James Bond film, the name of which was revealed last week ahead of its premier in November 2015, has joined forces with luxury vodka Belvedere.

Nicki Minaj to launch MYX Fusions in the UK

01-Dec-2014 By Robyn Black

Pop star Nicki Minaj is to launch her sparkling wine and fruit juice brand, MYX Fusions Moscato, in the UK.

Firefly flavoured spirits range set to shine

20-Nov-2014 By Robyn Black

Pubs and bars looking to tap into the current fad for speakeasies and Prohibition-style drinks are the target for a new range of flavoured spirits from the US.

New 'farm to bottle' craft distillery launches vodka

18-Nov-2014 By Robyn Black

Maris Piper, King Edwards and Cutra potatoes are used to make the vodka from Arbikie, a new Scottish distillery.

Coffee accompaniment biscuits to hit cocktail market

07-Nov-2014 By Robyn Black

Those moreish little biscuits usually served with coffee are finding their way into the cocktail market.

Bauble-shaped glasses to boost spirit sales this Christmas

05-Nov-2014 By Robyn Black

Bauble-shaped drinking vessels and Christmas tree serving trays form part of new winter serve kits from Diageo.

New craft distillery, The Lakes Distillery, uses local botanicals in its first gin

03-Nov-2014 By Robyn Black

A new craft distillery has opened its doors in the Lake District.

Fans' outcry brings back Pimm's Vodka Cup

30-Oct-2014 By Robyn Black

A consumer backlash has ensured the return of Pimm’s No 6 Vodka Cup next summer.

Spirits Summit: Adnams warns of waste issue

29-Oct-2014 By James Evison

An approach to wastage and energy use is a key factor in the production of spirits for breweries looking to diversify into the sector, the head of distilling at Adnams said.

Cocktail flavoured sweets to be rolled out in pubs

28-Oct-2014 By James Wallin

Alcoholic confectionary company Smith & Sinclair is to work with a selection of pubs to offer its new range of cocktail flavoured pastilles.

Spirits Summit: Diageo chief urges pubs to inspire consumers

27-Oct-2014 By Mike Berry

Diageo’s on-trade sales director Ronak Mashru likened the company’s fledging Spirits Revolution initiative to the transformation that has occurred in coffee retailing over the past decade.

Food and drink most popular sector says crowdfunding expert

27-Oct-2014 By Jessica Mason

Food and drink is popular among “armchair investors” because owning a stake in brands that are stocked in bars and restaurants can “sound impressive,” according to Equity crowdfunding site Crowdcube and crowdfunded spirit brand Kamm & Sons.

WSTA chief urges pubs to grasp spirits opportunity

23-Oct-2014 By Mike Berry

Spirits are part of the answer to a vibrant and profitable on-trade, yet many pubs are missing out on their potential, according to Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

Diageo unveils spirits plan to 2020

17-Oct-2014 By Jessica Mason

Diageo has revealed “ambitious plans for this year and the following years” across its spirits portfolio - including a packaging update and shot machine for Smirnoff, an investment and new launch for Baileys, an increase in field sales teams as well as...

ASA says Diageo’s animated parrot ad ‘likely to appeal strongly to children’

15-Oct-2014 By James Wallin

Diageo has been criticised by the Advertising Standards agency for an advert featuring an animated parrot, which was judged to have a strong appeal to children.

Add spirits into the mix

14-Oct-2014 By Mike Berry

There was a time, not too long ago, that the chances of getting a decent cocktail in a pub were about as likely as Nigel Farage buying a round of Czech lagers for bureaucrats at the European Commission.

Irish craft gin Shortcross launched

09-Oct-2014 By Jessica Mason

Shortcross Gin, an Irish small batch gin, is now available to pubs and bars across the UK.

Porn star Ron Jeremy hits UK to promote his rum

08-Oct-2014 By Jessica Mason

Porn actor Ron Jeremy will be presenting his super-premium rum brand Ron de Jeremy in Manchester and London as part of his European tour, according to One Eyed Spirits.

7 things to do during London Cocktail Week

06-Oct-2014 By The Publican's Morning Advertiser

London Cocktail Week (6-12 October) is a celebration of London’s cocktail culture and sees 200 of London’s best bars throw open their doors to offer £4 cocktails to wristband wearers for seven days.

Wetherspoon unveils 'crafty' new drinks list

06-Oct-2014 By Robyn Black

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has unveiled a new craft inspired drinks list.

Patrón Spirits to be distributed by Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands

03-Oct-2014 By Jessica Mason

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands [BBFB] is set to distribute Patrón tequilas and liqueurs in the UK from this month.

Absolut goes cherry

01-Oct-2014 By Robyn Black

Cherry is to be the latest flavour to join the Absolut portfolio.

Spirits Summit: Professor Charles Spence tops the bill

30-Sep-2014 By Mike Berry

Renowned experimental psychologist Professor Charles Spence tops the bill at this month's Spirits Summit - the Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s dedicated event for the burgeoning on-trade spirits category.

First new gins for Greenall's in 250 years

29-Sep-2014 By Robyn Black

The first new gins in 250 years are set to join the Greenall’s portfolio.

New Inventive Bar Company reports rising popularity of cocktail master classes

19-Sep-2014 By James Wallin

Demonstrating that the cocktail revolution is well underway, cocktail master classes at the New Inventive Bar Company, are up 16% year-on-year.

How to sell more vodka

18-Sep-2014 By Nigel Huddleston

The vodka category is diverse and rich with liquids screaming premium credentials, but pubs have been slow to adopt some of the more impressive options available, falling back on a fail-safe favourite.

A 2% cut in duty is not 'asking for the world,' says WSTA chief

18-Sep-2014 By Robyn Black

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) is reaching out to pubs and bars to help achieve a 2% cut in duty in the next budget.

Expert advice: How to make a success of whisky

12-Sep-2014 By Jo Bruce

Daryl Haldane, global brand advocate for Highland Park Single Malt Whisky – associate partner of the Budvar Budweiser Top 50 Gastropub Awards 2015 – offers his expert opinion on what it takes to sell whisky successfully in pubs.

Pernod Ricard MD O’Flynn to be new WSTA chairman

11-Sep-2014 By James Wallin

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has elected Pernod Ricard UK managing director Denis O’Flynn as its new chairman.

Iggy Pop joins forces with Sailor Jerry

03-Sep-2014 By Robyn Black

Iggy Pop is to design a range of clothes for the Sailor Jerry clothing line, The Flash Collection.

Pernod Ricard drops Malibu Red and makes changes to Oddka range

02-Sep-2014 By Robyn Black

Malibu Red, the fusion of tequila and coconut rum that launched in 2012, has been dropped in the UK, the Publican’s Morning Advertiser has learnt.

Tails adds three new cocktails to its range as it signs Hi-Spirits deal

29-Aug-2014 By James Wallin

Pre-mixed cocktail range, Tails, has been reformulated and three new cocktails have been added, at the same time as a new deal for UK distribution has been signed with Hi-Spirits.

Whisky producers call on Scots to vote no to independence

28-Aug-2014 By James Wallin

Leading figures in the Scotch whisky industry have added their names to a call for a no vote in the referendum on Scottish independence.

Competition

Win exclusive Jack Daniel's merchandise for your venue worth £1,500

22-Aug-2014 By Mike Berry

How do you celebrate the gift of music? Enter our competition for the chance to win a free bespoke selection of exclusive Jack Daniel's merchandise worth £1,500, and make your venue legendary with #SPIRITOFJACK

Publicans urged to grab Christmas opportunity for spirits in pubs and bars

21-Aug-2014 By Robyn Black

Pernod Ricard is urging licensees to unlock £52m of additional sales this December with a raft of initiatives to boost the spirits category.

Diageo falls foul of the Portman Group code

21-Aug-2014 By Robyn Black

Diageo has fallen foul of the Portman Group code for the marketing of alcoholic drinks, a month after the Advertising Standards Authority found it in breach of its rules for posts on its Captain Morgan Facebook page.

Mr Jack's month-long birthday returns

21-Aug-2014 By Robyn Black

Jack Daniel’s is running its month of birthday celebrations this September, for the 15th year running.

Spirits Summit gets WSTA support

21-Aug-2014 By Mike Berry

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has thrown its support behind the Spirits Summit — the Publican’s Morning Advertiser’s new event for the burgeoning on-trade spirits category.