Liquid assets: August 2024

Old J Spiced Coconut Rum

Old J Spiced Rum has launched a coconut flavoured variant in time for summer. Joining the brand’s existing line up of seven Caribbean spiced rums, Old J Coconut comes off the back of a recent social media poll in which the company asked its followers which flavour they’d like to see next in the range next. Topping the poll with 35% of the votes, coconut was the clear favourite, followed by mango at 21%. “It’s a tough market out there and innovation remains key. It’s also vital that brands continue to listen to what consumers – especially their own customers – want from them,” says Nic Ponticakis, spirits category manager for Old J’s parent company LWC Drinks. “As spiced and flavoured rum occasions continue to be key drivers for both the spirits and rum categories, we are delighted to announce this further extension to Old J’s fun and versatile range.”

Devagiri Estate

Devagiri Estate has entered the UK market with a range of ‘farm-to-table’ teas sourced from Sri Lanka. Available in both loose leaf and tea bag varieties, blends include Vanilla, Cinnamon, Cardamom Chai, Earl Grey and Breakfast Tea. Devagiri Estate says it wants to revolutionise the tea industry by demonstrating that it can be fair and sustainable, without altering the end retail price. Devagiri’s farm-to-table model is said to eliminate the financial and environmental costs of middlemen ‘ensuring fairer value distribution and unlocking social mobility for tea-producing communities, empowering them and paving the way for a brighter future’. The company’s products are already being used in JKS Restaurants and Oakman Inns venues. 

ThinK Wine cans 

‘Healthier choice’ prosecco brand ThinK Wine is now available in can format. Offering an alternative to the full-size bottles and glass bottle minis in the existing product range, the 200ml cans are available in regular and rosé. Made with Glera grapes from Italy’s Treviso region, both wines are 11% abv and contain 1g of residual sugar in comparison with up to 11g per can found in other canned prosecco brands. The product is also organic and vegan. “Until now we’ve mainly been available in premium outlets and our existing bottles were designed to reflect that,” says founder Kath Jones. “The cans provide a different offering, which means we can target more edgy venues such as street food markets and live music venues which are after a product that’s not just healthier, but one which looks amazing and stands out.” 

Real Peony Blush

Fermented tea-based drinks specialist Real has made its Peony Blush variant available in 250ml cans. Billed as a refreshing non-alcoholic alternative to sparkling rosé, the drink is described as fresh and light-bodied with summer fruits, a touch of nougat and a soft vanilla-oak finish. “Peony Blush cans not only bring incredible flavour to on-the-go occasions, they bring the chance to get the most out of every moment, with a clear head,” says Real founder David Begg. “We’re marking the start of summer with the arrival of the Peony Blush Cans - now let’s hope the weather will join us.”  

Fielden Whisky

Sustainability-focused whisky brand Fielden has released a limited edition Harvest 2019 Rye Whisky. The company - which takes its name from an Old English word meaning ‘of the field’ - says it is bringing England’s fields back to life with heritage grains grown on regenerative farms, using traditional farming techniques which revitalise the land, without chemical inputs. Harvest 2019 Rye Whisky is the first edition in a new annual series celebrating Fielden’s grain harvest which ‘expresses the distinct and differing characteristics of its heritage grains’. The vintage indicates the year in which the grains were grown and harvested, and so reflects the weather patterns and their influence on the grain in the given year.

Rump@blic

Disaronno International UK has unveiled its first rum range, inspired by the sugar cane route. Its Rump@blic brand is available in a number of expressions under the new Sicilian Legacy and Origins ranges. Rump@blic Sicilian Legacy is a 100% Jamaican blend that is described as reflecting the strong notes of the island of origin and the ‘round palatableness’ of Sicilian marsala. It is a 43% abv blend of aged pot still distilled rum and an aromatic column still rum, rounded by marsala florio cask. In addition are three Origins expressions (main image) - African Rum Identity, Spanish Rum Identity, and Indochina Rum Identity. All bottled at 41.5% abv, the African variant is said to be aromatic with sharp and slightly spicy notes from Ghana and eSwatini; while the Spanish rum is a signature Spanish-style rum with floral hints and an aroma that takes inspiration from Venezuela and Spain. Indochina Rum Identity originates in Thailand and Philippines and is described as being sooth and round with a spicy touch, completed by a long liquorice finish. “Rump@blic has a truly global heritage, with influences from across the world - Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas,” says Peter Dries, regional trade marketing director at Disaronno International UK. “Rump@blic is bringing a fresh approach to the world of rum.”

Mikolasch vodka 

Ukrainian vodka brand Mikolasch has returned to the UK market. Founded in 1842, the brand has been ‘brought back to life’ by Switzerland-based premium spirits group ORIGEN X. Created in the fertile soils of the Lviv region in western Ukraine, the brand is notable for its transparent approach with the type of grain used, the field origin or ‘terroir’, the farm and the farmer highlighted on each bottle. Mikolasch relaunches with two vodkas: the Single Farm ‘terroir-driven’ varietal distilled from traceable farmed organic corn; and the ‘character-driven’ Cuvée, a blend distilled from top-grade ‘unique’ grains.  

Ben Lomond non-alcoholic spirit

Ben Lomond Gin has marked first foray into the world of low and no-alcohol expressions with a non-alcoholic botanical spirit. Inspired by the full-strength Ben Lomond Scottish Gin, the 0.5% abv spirit maintains the brand’s citrus and juniper focused flavour profile but is said to have its own unique flavour derived from the natural distillates and extracts used in its creation. The drink is made using locally foraged rowan berries from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, Scottish blackcurrants, juniper, orange peel and red peppercorns, which combine for a drink that is ‘sweet, sour, spicy and aromatic’. Priced a £22, the spirit is available to purchase exclusively from Ben Lomond Gin directly online.

Lonkero

Finnish drinks brand Lonkero has launched its spirit-based ‘long drink’ alternative to beer and cider in the UK. The combination of gin, grapefruit, soda, lime, and a dash of pine and botanicals is available in pint-sized cans and on draught. Translated as ‘long drink’, Lonkero is 5.5% abv and is served over ice on draught. The Finnish ‘long drink’ dates back to the summer Olympic Games held in Finland in 1952, when the host nation decided that alcohol would keep the visitors entertained and the serve was born.

Art of St Andrews 2024 whisky

Independent Scottish distiller Eden Mill has announced the latest release in its Art of St Andrews whisky series. The annual release celebrates the spirit, landscape and flavours of Eden Mill’s coastal hometown with the 2024 release a collaboration with artist Babs Pease. The single malt is matured in a combination of amarone red wine casks from Italy’s Veneto region, along with oloroso and pedro ximénez sherry casks from Jerez in Spain. It is finished in a first-fill amarone cask, which imparts ‘a deep copper colour and heady wine notes’. The resulting flavour profile is cinnamon spice and juicy red fruits on the nose, then the palate sees a transition to dark fruits such as cherry and blackberry - as a result of the amarone casks - with a lingering oak spice.

PALMARÁE Gin

A premium gin made using north African ingredients has been launched into the UK drinks market. PALMARÁE is described as a premier cru golden-coloured gin and is distilled in French copper pots using botanicals from Marrakech, including orange blossom, mandarin, Moroccan mint, medjool dates, and fleur de sel de Marrakech. The 44% abv gin has recently launched in London venues including Hide, Maison Estelle, The Arts Club, Louie, Bacchanalia, 1Hotel, The Roof Gardens, Robuchon Group, Seabird, Gold and Gothic Bar and has been designed to be used in cocktails but is said to be smooth enough to sip over ice. It comes bottled in a 70cl glazed, ceramic vessel and is priced at £65.

Beavertown Lunar Melon

Beavertown has developed a limited-edition beer for the summer months made with a classic summertime fruit. Its Lunar Melon is a watermelon-flavoured pink-coloured hazy IPA made with Citra, Idaho 7, Simcoe, Chinook, and Amarillo hops and has an abv of 4.5%. It is available from Beavertown’s website in single cans (£2) and in cases of 12 and 24, at £23 and £43 respectively.