Spirits & Cocktails

The list: Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2019 list revealed

Northern bars represent in Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2019 list

By Top 50 Cocktail Bars

A bar in the former steel producing town of Middlesbrough on Teesside has planted itself firmly among some of the UK’s best in the 2019 Top 50 Cocktail Bars list, proving the trend for high quality cocktails has well and truly travelled beyond the country’s...

In the pink: Mermaid Gin is launching a new pink variant to meet consumer demand

Mermaid Gin debuts pink variant

By Robert Mann

Just three months after the successful relaunch of Mermaid Gin, Isle of Wight Distillery has introduced its first ever pink gin.

Perfectionism: customers will begin to justify premium price tags if you get your perfect serve right

What makes a perfect serve?

By Robert Mann

Getting your range of drinks is, of course, crucial but making sure you serve them correctly and with elegance will help maintain and even grow custom.

On the up: the spritz continues to grow in popularity

Sponsored by Fentimans

The rise and rise of the spritz

By Adam Bloodworth

The spritz drink is right on-trend and something consumers already love but there’s more to it than the familiar Aperol Spritz and operators now have a glut of recipes and inspiration to draw on should they want to create memorable beverages this summer

In the mix: (l-r) People’s Champion Scott Addison, Southern Showdown winner Adam Day and Global Southern Showdown 2018 winner Lee Jones

Southern Comfort crowns best mixologists

By Robert Mann

Two triumphant bartenders were cheered to victory last night – becoming winners of Southern Comfort’s Southern Showdown cocktail competition.

Home-grown homage: Macallan Estate has been made to honour the distillery’s Speyside location

The Macallan unveils exclusive new whisky

By Robert Mann

The Macallan has unveiled its latest release, a new single malt containing rare spirit distilled with barley grown at the Easter Elchies estate, the home of its distillery.

Imbibe Live 2019: what's on at the show?

In association with Imbibe

What’s on at Imbibe Live 2019?

By Nicholas Robinson

Celebrating its 10th year, Imbibe Live is back at the London Olympia with a raft of expert speakers, along with new products and exhibitors, as The Morning Advertiser reveals in this guide to the show.

Perfect tonic: Boë Gin directors Andrew Richardson (left) and Carlo Valente

Flavoured gin boom boosts Boë sales by £7.4m

By Stuart Stone

Stirling-based Boë Gin has revealed a near eightfold sales increase for the 12 months to February 2019 against a backdrop of a flourishing flavoured spirit category.

Winning combination: Warner’s gin-inspired garden won silver guilt

‘It’s graft gin, not craft’ says Warner’s gin founder

By Nicholas Robinson

Warner’s gin founder Tom Warner has dubbed his seven-year-old brand as “graft” gin rather than “craft” in defiance of what he called misleading marketing by large gin producers that make inferior products.

Pole position: Polish vodka brand Żubrówka is set to launch its Biała variant in the UK

Leading Polish vodka variant to launch in the UK

By Robert Mann

Żubrówka, which is claimed to be the best-selling premium vodka brands in Poland and one of the fastest-growing vodka labels in Europe, has revealed plans to launch its Biała expression in the UK.

In the pink: winemaker Echo Falls has launched Pink Gin Summer Berries variant

Echo Falls makes pink gin venture

By Emily Hawkins

Wine brand Echo Falls has become the latest to tread the flavoured gin category path by announcing a Summer Berries Pink Gin variant.

What low and no alcohol drinks to stock

The Ultimate Guide to Low and No Alcohol

Low and no: what to stock

By Phil Mellows

The range of low and no-alcohol beverages is a category ripe for picking – it’s up to you to choose the best available.

Sell: how to sell low and no alcohol drinks

The Ultimate Guide to Low and No Alcohol

Low and no: how to sell

By Phil Mellows

Taking the lead in offering great drinks as shown throughout this supplement is a fantastic start – but now you and your team needs to market them correctly.

Cocktails: alcohol-free cocktails

The Ultimate Guide to Low and No Alcohol

The latest trends in alcohol-free cocktails

By Michelle Perrett

Whether it’s a Mojito or a Sex on the Beach, customers love a cocktail. But the move towards drinking less alcohol, combined with people wanting a healthier lifestyle, has led to a revolution for the alcohol sector.

That's the: spirits with low or no alcohol are rising in demand

The Ultimate Guide to Low and No Alcohol - in association with Diageo

Alcohol-free spirits are on the rise – here’s why

By Rob Brown

As many newcomers venture to the alcohol-free spirit and ready-to-drink market, Diageo’s Seedlip is just one brand that is taking the world by storm.

A guide: an intro to the world of low and no alcohol

The Ultimate Guide to Low and No Alcohol - in association with Club Soda

The boom of alcohol-free is a sticking trend

By Nicholas Robinson

The fever for low and no-alcohol drinks is picking up pace – and fast. There’s plenty to choose from and plenty of advantages in serving those not needing alcohol

Three is the magic number: Fever-Tree is launching three ready-to-drink bottled gin and tonics this summer

Fever-Tree launches trio to RTD market

By Robert Mann

Fast-growing mixer brand Fever-Tree has taken its tonic expertise into the alcohol market as it launches three ready-to-drink (RTD) bottled gin and tonics.

Moving in-house: after almost 18 months under Global Brands, on-trade sales of LoneWolf will return to BrewDog

BrewDog takes reins for LoneWolf on-trade sales

By Stuart Stone

Independent Scottish brewer and pub operator BrewDog has revealed that all sales of its spirits brand LoneWolf across all channels will be managed in-house as of 1 July.

Evolving category: RTDs are worth almost £200m to the UK on-trade

What trends are defining the £185m RTD category?

By Stuart Stone

According to figures from CGA, the total value of ready-to-drink (RTD) sales in the UK last year was £472m – £185m of which was spent in the on-trade. But is the category all neon liquids and lairy labels?

Tickled pink: Kopparberg Premium Gin is being launched at 700 Greene King pubs

Kopparberg launches pink gin

By Nikkie Sutton

Swedish cider brand Kopparberg has jumped on the pink gin bandwagon and unveiled its strawberry and lime flavour Premium Gin, which is bottled at 37.5% ABV.

On the up: rum sales in the on-trade are increasing

Rum sales now worth £1bn

By Nikkie Sutton

Sales of rum are continuing to rise with almost 35m bottles sold worth more than £1bn in 2018, according to new figures.

Get a thirst on: a new podcast called MA Drinks features one-to-one interviews with people at the top of the drinks trade

MA Drinks podcast – in association with Diageo

How have drinking habits changed in 10 years?

By Nicholas Robinson

The future of alcohol consumption has never been more in focus, with habits changing on an almost daily basis driven by lifestyle choices that, in turn, determine innovation. But what’s next for alcohol?

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