Spirits focus: Cachaça

Unless brand owners invest more to improve understanding of cachaça, the category will continue to face an uphill struggle, reports Mark Ludmon

In September, the Brazilian Embassy in London brought together top bartenders as well as exporters and distributors of their country’s national spirit, cachaça, to identify opportunities in the UK. With cocktails whipped up by ex-IPBartenders director Ben Reed, it left everyone in high spirits, predicting growth and new brands for 2010. However, six months on, the outlook is less positive.

Gary Hazell of Distilled Spirits, whose brands include the premium Cabana, is a champion for cachaça but says there is not enough marketing support to overcome the hurdle that the sugar-cane spirit is little understood in the UK. “The category will only grow when consumers understand what it is and understand its complexities, and that has to be through education,” he says. “Brand owners all need to put their hands in their pockets and invest in their brands but there is no one that is considering spending the sort of money that is needed.” He adds that even bartenders do not always understand the difference between standard “industrial” cachaças and premium artisanal products.

However, Fabio Litti, head bartender of Japanese-Brazilian bar-restaurant Sushinho in Chelsea, London, has seen a rise in demand for cachaça over the past few months. “A year ago, a lot of customers would ask me what cachaça was,” he says. “Many of them had heard of it but often thought it was some sort of Brazilian rum. Nowadays people seem to be more in the know. It is fast becoming more and more popular, with more people ordering cocktails with cachaça as the base spirit.” He suggests this owes much to more Britons travelling to Brazil and discovering the spirit themselves.

Only one per cent of Brazil’s cachaça production is exported, mostly to Germany, yet it is the third most consumed spirit in the world. Because of its volumes in Brazil, few producers are prepared to put a lot of money behind such a small export market as the UK, points out Nick Gillett, marketing director of Mangrove, which handles Velho Barreiro. He notes that cachaça has also suffered from the spirit not being common in the US or Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. “A lot of people are going back to heritage drinks and cachaça is not going to feature in any of those cocktails.”

Philippe Mille, European manager for premium cachaça Leblon believes the category will benefit from Brazil hosting the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Comparing it to the earlier days of rum and tequila in the UK, he adds: “It takes time to build a spirit category. We’re working hard to establish a long-term brand.”

Leblon is focusing on education for both the trade and consumers to highlight cachaça’s versatility beyond the Caipirinha. “The more brands we have available, the more awareness the category will have. There’s space for everyone on the market – there are outlets where a premium cachaça fits best and more affordable outlets where a standard industrial cachaça will have its place.”

A new campaign for Leblon is planned for this year, as there also is for Global Brands’ Ypióca. Speciality Brands has focused promotion of artisanal boutique brand Beija-Flor on premium London bars but is planning to go national this year. “To drive this, we believe education is still key to growing the category so we will be offering extensive education programmes to the bars we are working with as well as a number of masterclasses both regionally and in London,” says managing director Chris Seale.

Cellar Trends invested heavily in Sagatiba last year, with street parties and events for consumers, which will continue with parties in the on-trade for the World Cup. Working with brand ambassadors in 18 UK cities, an education programme, supported by kits for licensees, will highlight how Sagatiba can be used in all sorts of drinks including simple serves. “The challenge we face is that consumers aren’t aware of this and it is our job to educate bars and consumers on this versatility,” says marketing assistant Holly Leedham.

Several brands are looking to enter the UK market. September’s embassy event featured Weber Haus, Fazenda Soledade, Seleta and Bossa Nova as well as established brands such as Abelha Organic Cachaça, Boca Loca, Cachaça 51 and Germana. One innovation is Salto, a citrus-flavoured cachaça with bitter orange, lime and grapefruit, developed by drinks industry specialists Mike Spurling and Steve Drawbell. “We wanted something that had all the character of cachaça but was more accessible because of its flavour and its lower 24 per cent ABV,” Spurling explains.

However, Gillett at Mangrove warns that some cachaças are seeking sales at the expense of authenticity. “Cachaça is always going to struggle to break out of the Caipirinha route but if you remove characteristics to make it more versatile for use in other cocktails, you lose that raw green flavour and it becomes like a vodka with just nice packaging and marketing.”

February 2010

Whisky report:
For peat's sake -

New styles are injecting excitement into the Scotch whisky market, reports Mark Ludmon

The recession, higher duty and the inevitable rise of vodka may have had an impact on Scotch whisky sales in the UK but that has not curbed innovation and investment in the category. Derek Scott, head of marketing at Burn Stewart Distillers, notes: “We all face the challenge that blended Scotch is not a huge category, particularly in modern outlets. The onus is on the suppliers to provide something special and to tell a story that provides bar owners and bartenders with a reason to believe in whisky.”

For Burn Stewart, this includes a sampling programme for Black Bottle and focus on the brand’s “unique point of difference” as a blend of seven Islay malts. A new partnership with Wray & Nephew has opened up access to top bars through bartender training and cocktails as well as gaining new listings for its other brand, Bunnahabhain, which is unpeated and therefore less challenging than other Islay single malts.

A new ad campaign for Pernod Ricard UK’s Chivas Regal is targeting the blended Scotch at younger men aged 25 to 34, typically living in major UK cities, says Patrick Venning, head of marketing for whiskies. He adds there is no diktat on how it should be enjoyed – neat, on the rocks or mixed – which is also the approach of First Drinks Brands’ Monkey Shoulder. It has been targeting men aged 24 to 40 through a brand experience at events such as the Big Chill festival this summer, focusing on the triple malt Scotch’s mixability in cocktails.

Bartender education helps venues to improve margins from whisky, explains Bob Dalrymple, senior brand manager for Maxxium UK’s Laphroaig. “Bartenders can use the on-trade environment to encourage trial of higher styles among customers who express an interest in whisky, pointing out that they do not need to invest in a whole bottle to try it. This would result in a higher profit opportunity for the bar while ensuring increased satisfaction for the consumer who will feel like they have discovered something new and added to their drinks repertoire.”

The major brands have tapped into the opportunities for trading up such as The Black Grouse, launched by Maxxium UK last year and boosted by new packaging and sampling. James Pennefather, whisky brand director at Diageo GB, says a redesign of Bell’s Special Reserve this year strengthens the higher style as “a great option for regular customers who are looking for something a little more special and provides an accessible way to trade up to a more premium blend with a brand they can trust”.

Simon van Moppes, commercial director for spirits at Pernod Ricard UK, says that bartenders and brands need to overcome consumers’ nervousness about whisky. “It is one of those areas where there’s a lot of mystique about it. A lot of people find it a bit daunting and don’t know what to order which is where the bartender comes in.” He adds that Chivas Regal is “an easy way into whisky” because of its smoothness.

However, a core of connoisseurs continue to be catered for. Dalrymple admits that Laphroaig is a “challenging” whisky with a rich smoky flavour which has made it the number-one Islay malt. “Laphroaig has a loyal following of whisky drinkers who love the quality and the heritage associated with the brand. They are drinkers who have enjoyed a ‘malt’ journey to one of the most complex, richly flavoured whiskies of all. Laphroaig’s challenging taste profile can be a talking point at the bar which can act as an incentive for customers to try it.”

In May, Ardbeg released Supernova, described as the “peatiest whisky ever produced by the Islay distillery”, which sold out all 3,000 preview bottles in 112 minutes through online sales. The company keeps in touch with connoisseurs through its Ardbeg Committee of loyal customers, who again welcomed the August release of Ardbeg Corryvreckan, an equally complex and powerful whisky.

Scott at Burn Stewart says one of the selling points of many single malts is the small volumes available. “From a marketer’s perspective, it gives us an opportunity to market it as something very precious,” he explains. Last year, Burn Stewart ran out of the limited-edition Tobermory 15 Year Old from its boutique distillery on Mull until a second batch was released in June this year.

While Diageo is best known for its global blended whisky brands J&B and Johnnie Walker, it has 28 single malt distilleries in Scotland. Last month, it released the first batch of six limited-edition malts in its new single-cast collection under the label of The Managers’ Choice. Depending on the size of the cask and the rate of evaporation, the volume of bottles obtained can vary between about 600 and as little as 200. Nick Morgan, spokesperson for Diageo’s Classic Malts Selection, explains: “We have occasionally issued single-cask bottlings of individual single malt whiskies before – for instance for visitors to the annual Islay Festival – and single-cask bottlings of our malts can sometimes be obtained from independent bottlers. But this is a much more ambitious venture – the most extensive collection we’ve ever released of single-cask malt bottlings from 27 of our operational malt distilleries, involving both the well-known and those whose product isn’t widely available.”

Other large drinks groups have been extending their range with limited-edition single malts. Earlier this year, Maxxium UK launched an 18 Year Old for Laphraoig, expecting its appeal to be high among malt connoisseurs and collectors, while in July First Drinks Brands released the first batch of Glenfiddich 50 Year Old, making only 50 of the total 500 bottles available each year.

Last month, Cellar Trends unveiled the first of an annual series of limited-edition single malts from Speyside’s Glen Grant, called Glen Grant Cellar Reserve. It also began distribution of the new Bowmore Tempest, a small-batch release of only 2,000 cases from the Islay distillery.

In July, another Speyside distillery, The Balvenie, released a 17-year-old single malt finished in Madeira casks – the latest in a series of six 17-year-old limited-edition releases after last year’s The Balvenie RumCask. Highland Park, which has defied trends by growing sales by over 80 per cent over the past four years, added to its portfolio last month with an intense 12-year-old cask-strength single malt, Hjärta – meaning “heart” in Old Norse, capturing the historic bond between Scandinavia and the distillery’s Orkney home.

More excitement has been added to the category by Scotch-style whiskies from other parts of the world, such as Wales’s Penderyn single malt and blends from Japan including Nikka and Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hibiki and Hakushu.

This month sees the release of the second bottling of Smokehead Extra Black from Ian Macleod Distillers, building on the success of last October’s first batch. This extension to the Islay single malt brand, launched in 2006, establishes its longevity alongside Smokehead’s positioning for mixing in cocktails, says marketing director Iain Weir. “We are definitely tapping into a younger audience of 25-plus as well as very much looking after those that are just interested in a very good whisky.” Ian Macleod is also targeting high-end bars with its Chieftain’s range of single malts for connoisseurs, most recently extended with a 40-year-old from Campbeltown’s Springbank distillery.

Weir says Ian Macleod remains upbeat about the UK whisky market despite the challenges. “We are continuing to have a good year this year. We still feel there’s a strong premium market out there, and there are opportunities for trading up. The whisky market is not as strong as it was but I think it will strengthen going forward as we come out of recession.”

Tequila report:
Down with shots -

A growing range of brands, specialist bars and cocktail innovation is helping to change perceptions about tequila, reports Mark Ludmon

Ten years ago, UDV ran an ad campaign for Jose Cuervo Especial around the tagline, “Do not slam”, saying its “smoother, more delicate” tequila could be enjoyed mixed with juices, soda and ginger ale. However, the message that tequila is a sophisticated spirit for sipping or mixing is still struggling to reach consumers. “We have a tough challenge on our hands,” says Gary Hazell, a drinks marketing specialist who heads consultancy Distilled Spirits and looks after super premium tequila Cabo Wabo. “The trade is ahead of consumers and we need to get them in step.”

To change perceptions, bars need to stop serving up shots and low-quality brands, says Stuart Ekins, sales and marketing director of Inspirit Brands which represents Ocho and Partida. “Until the big brands stop promoting over-indulgence and shooting tequila with lime and salt, we will always struggle to change tequila’s image in the UK. The market is heading in the right direction but very slowly.” He says that tequila should be drunk in a stemmed glass and served with chilled water plus maybe a glass of spicy sangrita on the side.

Some brands have turned to consumer events to change perceptions, such as Bacardi’s Cine Cazadores Mexican-themed parties and film screenings where people can enjoy top-quality tequila cocktails. The growing number of bars specialising in tequila is also helping to showcase the amazing range of brands. This month sees the opening of Neon Cactus in Leeds, which promises to change the public’s perceptions of tequila. It will champion the new wave of premium brands, “returning this ‘wine of spirits’ back to its well-deserved throne, away from the trashy down-in-one perception”.

“We will be opening consumers’ eyes to how versatile and fun the tequila range is, showing them the enormous variety of ways that tequila can be drunk,” says manager Dan Andrews. But this does not mean bars must abandon the party spirit, he adds. “There’s no escaping that tequila is surrounded by a tradition of virile camaraderie and affairs of the night, and Neon Cactus will embrace this.”

Mexican restaurant and bar Mestizo in London offers a tasting menu with a selection of tequilas, serving up a blanco, reposado and añejo alongside a red and green sangrita. Manager Christian XXXX says: “Tequila is a personal experience and, just like Scotch or Irish whiskies, the variety is enormous and it is a personal palate that will dictate their choice. We wanted our customers to see the wide variety of tequila available and not just three or four different brands. We explain to customers the difference between the brands and the variety of each tequila – blanco, reposado and añejo.”

He says that good tequila should be sipped and savoured, preferably with sangrita to cleanse the palate, so that people can enjoy the “cuerpo” – the aroma and bouquet. European tequila ambassador and Café Pacifico founder Tomas Estes, who produces the Ocho tequila range in collaboration with the Camarena family, compares tequila to wine in terms of vintages, labelling bottles according to the year of harvest and the location of the agave plants that it was made from. Through Inspirit Brands, it has just introduced Ocho Añejo into the UK – part of the 2007 vintage and made from agave grown in the El Vergel field.

The gold medal winners in the tequila category at this year’s International Spirits Challenge were Sierra Tequila Antiquo, Sierra Milenario 100% Añejo, Sierra Milenario 100% Reposado and Cazadores Reposado. Ian Wisnkiewski, chairman of the white spirits judges, says the winners reflected the high standard of aged tequilas, with judges finding a diverse range of individuality and flavours among the different tequilas. “Aged tequilas are becoming ever more popular and, as well as being enjoyed as an aperitif, are also being savoured after meals alongside the more traditional aged spirits.”

The drive to highlight the diversity of tequila in the UK is being supported by Mexico’s trade promotion agengy, ProMéxico. At this year’s Distil exhibition in London, it brought over tequilas from distilleries such as Galindo, Del Señor, Casa Tradición and Don Nacho.

The founder and master distiller of Casa Tradición, Arturo Lomeli, has developed the ultra-premium tequila Clase Azul which is being introduced into the UK on-trade this month at the Boutique Bar Show in London. Packaged in ceramic bottles, it is part of a growing number of brands that will broaden perceptions about tequila, such as the newly launched super-premium range from Sauza, Tres Generaciones. At Inspirit, Ocho is positioned as premium while Partida is the super premium, available as a blanco, reposado, añejo and now Elegante, which has been aged for more than 36 months in oak barrels.

Herradura Blanco is “the ultimate tequila fix”, according to Andrews at Neon Cactus, who adds that El Jimador Reposado is best for the novice – chased with some refreshing cucumber sangrita. For the intermediate, he suggests Jose Cuervo Familia Reserva. “Sipped on the rocks or straight up in a snifter, this is reminiscent of a fine cognac or bourbon,” he says.

For mixing, tequila will increasingly be used as an alternative base for classic cocktails, predicts Ekins at Inspirit. He says using Ocho Blanco in a Negroni or Partida Anejo in a Manhattan are “fabulous drinks”. But he concedes that Margaritas will always be in fashion. “Just take care when making it as it can be an awful drink when not made properly.”

To tackle this risk, Diageo GB launched Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix into the on-trade this year. “Bartenders simply need to pour the triple sec and lime flavour mix into a glass tumbler, add the Jose Cuervo Especial and rim the glass with salt for the perfect finish,” explains Emma Sherwood-Smith, senior brand manager for Jose Cuervo.

This summer, Maxxium UK went down the route of a partnership between its tequila brand, Sauza, and Funkin fruit purees. Bars receive cocktail kits containing Funkin products, focusing on a Sauza Passion Fruit Margarita and a Raspberry Sauza Top. “Both bartenders and consumers are increasingly recognising that tequila is a versatile spirit suited to a range of simple mixed drinks,” says Sauza brand manager Nikki Cumming. “This exciting partnership with Funkin will encourage consumers who don’t normally drink tequila to consider it as a refreshing alternative to other white spirits.”

Rum report: Cane and able

Demand for rum continues to grow on the back of new products entering the UK market, reports Mark Ludmon

Since 2002, the Caribbean’s rum producers have been investing in production and promotion of their product thanks to a €70million European grant. In June next year, the money comes to an end but, during this time, the West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers’ Association (WIRSPA) has driven growth in the category. Last year, it introduced a new marque, Authentic Caribbean Rum, into the UK backing it with a marketing campaign involving trade and consumer advertising and bartender training until the end of this year.

In contrast to other spirits, golden rum is showing growth in the on-trade, experiencing year-on-year growth of 9.8 per cent. Havana Club’s golden rums are showing a volume increase in the on-trade of 49 per cent year on year, with the Añejo Especial reporting an increase of 75.7 per cent. “Consumer tastes are shifting and we’re seeing a lot more dark spirit cocktails on leading bar cocktail menus which presents a great opportunity to start stocking up on golden rum,” points out Jo Spencer, head of marketing at Havana Club’s owner, Pernod Ricard UK.

Capitalising on this demand, rums of all styles were introduced at last month’s Rum Fest in London, including Seven Tiki, St Aubin Coffee Rhum, Ron Abuelo, Smatt's, Ron Baluarte, St James Rhum and Mount Gay 1703. One of the more unusual arrivals was Seven Fathoms from the Cayman Islands, which is matured in sealed oak barrels rotated by the motion of waves under the sea.

Rum Fest also saw Ron Barceló introduced to British consumers through brand-building distributor Love Drinks which took it on in July. This rum from the Dominican Republic may not be widely known in the UK but, according to the wine and spirits research group IWSR, it ranks 22nd in its Elite Brands List along with only two other rums, Appleton and Havana Club. It broke the one-million case mark last year and is showing year-on-year growth of nine per cent.

Inspirit Brands premiered El Dorado 8 Year Old at the event, joining Bacardi and Appleton as one of only a handful of brands with blends of that age. Stefanie Holt, UK brand ambassador for El Dorado, explains: “A lot of people were pouring 5 and 3 Year Old but didn’t want to mix 12 and 15 Year Old because they are more of a sipping rum. This allows them to upsell from a pouring rum to make more luxury cocktails without having to use a different brand or use the 12 Year Old which has a different flavour profile.” Inspirit is looking at expanding the UK range further next year by adding its spiced and overproof styles.

September’s Boutique Bar Show saw the UK launch of Emporia Brands’ premium white rum Toz White Gold from St Lucia Distillers. Named after the abbreviation for the troy ounce gold measure, it is both column and pot distilled and then aged in American oak and finished in port barrels to give it complexity.

Back at Rum Fest, Halewood International built on the success of its Lamb’s Navy Rum and more recent Lamb’s Spiced by previewing new Lamb’s White Rum. Initially launching it through the off-trade, Halewood is working with brand ambassador and mixologist Gary Hayward to develop alternative serving ideas beyond the familiar rum and cola and the Mojito.

Pernod Ricard has also been identifying ways that bars can grow rum sales through a broader range of serves. “Cocktail menus are a great way for bars to develop their rum offering – it’s a simple switch to take out a standard white rum and insert a more premium and versatile rum like Havana Club Especial in your Mojito recipe, for instance,” says Jo Spencer.

Maxxium UK’s Mixxit team of trainers has been promoting new cocktail ideas for Brugal and Cruzan. Mixxit UK manager Patsy Christie particularly recommends the DR Flip: Brugal Añejo with Cockburn’s Ruby port, Bols Cassis, vanilla syrup and raw egg, fine-strained into a flute and dusted with grated nutmeg.

Diageo GB has been carrying out “interactive sampling experiences” to drive sales of Morgan’s Spiced, with in-bar games tying in with an ad campaign under the banner of “Modern Adventurer”. Morgan’s Spiced marketing manager Julie Bramham explains: “The brand is in fantastic growth across the trade at the moment and, while it remains very popular in its Scotland heartland, we’re seeing real interest and growth in England and Wales.”

Alnwick Rum, a blend of rums from Jamaica and Guyana, is also starting to extend distribution outside of its Northumberland heartland. It was produced in Alnwick between 1910 and the 1980s and later revived by Ian Linsley in 2003. He says that, after building distribution through WaverleyTBS in the north-east for the past three years, it is appearing behind the bar at venues farther afield thanks to internet orders.

For the past year, Pernod Ricard has been pumping marketing spend into its coconut rum Malibu under the banner of “Get Your Island On”. The product was created in the 1980s because of the popularity of Piña Coladas, but some bartenders in the premium bar sector are reluctant to use what they view as a mass-market brand – in 2008/2009, it sold 3.4 million cases in more than 150 countries.

J Wray & Nephew has announced that it is putting more “weighty” support behind building Koko Kanu in the on-trade, describing it as “the only full-strength coconut rum available in the UK” – at 37.5 per cent ABV in contrast to Malibu’s 24 per cent. Marketing manager Mariam Ridley says the Jamaican rum is suitable for cocktails and straight serves. “Piña Coladas and all things coconut are rapidly increasing in appeal,” she says.

One of the newest rums to enter the UK market is best known as “Thai whiskey”. Lion Drinks has been appointed exclusive UK distributor of SangSom, which accounts for 70 per cent of rum sales in Thailand. The brand is being launched through events in the student market with “Full Moon parties”, served either in cocktails or a SangSom bucket where a group share the rum and a mixer in a small bucket with ice and a straw for each person.

But for most brands, growth has come from emphasising Caribbean heritage as well as the revival in tiki culture. Global Brands this year marked the 130^th birthday of Myers’s by tapping into this and the brand’s associations with punch-style drinks, including Planter’s Punch. “The great thing about Planter’s Punch is that the recipe can be tweaked to suit the aspirations and capabilities of any licensee,” says trade marketing executive Helen Tungland. “Punches are an easy-to-build and exotic alternative serve that deliver a point of difference in the eyes of the consumer. Served in a jug they can also represent greater value for money.”

Global Brands has also created a tiki glassware collection to deliver more of a rum experience in the on-trade. Tungland adds: “The tiki renaissance is gathering pace and the limited-edition tiki mugs offer bars a ‘wow’ factor service that can’t be replicated at home and offer consumers a fun drinking experience in these recessional times.”

November 2009

Premium vodka report: A matter of taste

Mark Ludmon reports on the shift towards finding flavour in premium vodkas

For decades, the public has been fed the conventional message that unflavoured vodka is tasteless and odourless. But last month, Diageo, the owner of Smirnoff and Ketel One, introduced a new approach to tasting vodka as a training tool in the on-trade. Inspired by the diamond industry’s “4Cs” of cut, colour, clarity and carats, it is using the “4Fs” of fragrance, flavour, feel and finish. “We try to educate the consumer that it is a bit of a myth that vodka is odourless and tasteless,” says Justin Smyth, European brand ambassador for Ketel One, positioned as ultra-premium alongside premium Smirnoff Black. “We try to work with drinks that showcase the flavour of the products so that they can appreciate its characteristics.”

The misconception about vodka being tasteless dates back to the 1950s, explains Jacob Briars, brand ambassador for vodka 42 Below and “vodka professor” for its global trade training programme. “This is how vodka was sold to consumers who knew nothing about what was an old and venerable category, so vodka was ‘dumbed down’, and it’s been an albatross around the neck of the spirit ever since.”

“Certainly vodka has less inherent flavour than a whisky or a gin where the flavouring is effectively added later through ageing or botanicals, but you only have to taste a few vodkas side by side to see what the eastern Europeans have known all along: that vodka is a spirit with its own special characteristics. Some are hot, some peppery, some softly sweet, and some rich and oily, and all shades in between.”

A new book by drinks writer Stuart Walton, called Vodka Classified, provides tasting notes on over 80 vodkas, explaining how to taste the spirit and highlighting the impact of different ingredients, from wheat and rye to potato. “You’re bound to be surprised by the nuances and complexities it can offer and you’ll also be appreciating it in the way the drink’s progenitors intended.”

Sipping vodka may be popular in eastern Europe, Russia and Scandinavia, but few people drink it this way in the UK. However, the team behind Swedish super-premium vodka DQ want the “soft and velvety texture” of their spirit to be enjoyed not just in cocktails. “We would like our customers to drink it straight with ice,” says co-founder and marketing director Renate Mjelde.

Marblehead Brand Development handles Polish vodkas such as premium potato vodka Luksusowa and rye vodka Siwucha. “The industry [in the UK] has developed along the lines that we are all about purity but this is at odds with cultures where vodka has been manufactured for centuries,” says business development director Dave Steward. “In the home of vodka, it is more about character. The art of distilling is not about removing the character but knowing when to stop the process to give balance of character to the vodka.”

Despite its prosaic main ingredient, vodka made from potatoes is perceived as a luxury product in Poland. In the UK, one of the most exciting brands is Chase, described cunningly as the “world’s only English potato vodka”. Made in Herefordshire using the same potatoes that go into Tyrrell’s crisps, it has notes of mashed potato and butter, leading onto a slightly smoked almond finish, with a hint of black pepper. The William Chase Distillery has now extended the range by adding Naked Chase, the first vodka made from organic cider apples.

While many vodkas owe much to marketing and bottle design, brands such as Sobieski have focused more on what is inside the bottles, says Helen Tungland, trade marketing executive for premium spirits at Global Brands. “As UK consumers become increasingly educated and interested in factors such as country of origin, production processes and base ingredients used to create vodka, I think there is a real opportunity.”

Ingredients are essential to some of the newer vodkas. Babicka is the world’s first wormwood vodka, with a delicate wormwood flavour that makes it versatile for mixing as well as for Martinis.

The first Fairtrade-certified vodka, Fair, has just been launched in the UK, and the brand’s spokesman, Jean-François Daniel says its appeal will come from not just its ethical sourcing but also the quality of the quinoa grain from Bolivia, the column still production and the use of local water from the Cognac region. “We want concrete action in the middle of this huge marketing fiasco of ‘bling bling’ vodka brands,” Jean-François says.

The producers of new Karlsson’s Gold Vodka stress its use of Swedish golden potatoes and the resulting flavour, comparing it to the provenance of Calvados or Armagnac. The virtues of Akvinta vodka from Croatia include a light lemon citrus nose and a smooth finish, with a hint of pepper that means it enhances mixed drinks, according to its UK brand director John Jeffrey. Made with organic Italian wheat and spring water from the hills of Dalmatia, it has an “appealing and distinctive taste”, he says.

The recession has not dampened consumers’ interest in premium vodkas but the taste and quality have become more important, points out Jeremy Hill, chairman of distributor Hi-Spirits which handles Dutch vodka Effen. “Consumers are still spending but they are more discerning. The aspirational and lifestyle connotations of ordering a premium brand are still there, but they delivery is crucial. “Whether it’s sold with a mixer or as the base of a cocktail or long drink, the vodka has to deliver.”

Jacob Briars, the vodka professor at 42 Below, says that awareness of vodka’s characteristics is growing on the back of a rediscovery of cocktail heritage and a “second golden age of mixology”. “A lot of what has been driving that is a move to drinking less but drinking better. What this means is that spirits that have been carefully made rely less on additives such as sugars or other flavourings and need less ‘masking’ in a cocktail.

“Admittedly, if you’re drinking a vodka and Red Bull or a Long Island Iced Tea, you’re unlikely to notice the difference, but those drinkers are less likely to trade up anyway. But if you’re taking the time to craft cocktails with fresh juices, hand-made gomme and proper ice, then your base spirit should be of a quality that reflects that. Better spirits have fewer rough edges and contribute to a more balanced cocktail.”

December 2009

Non-alcoholic cocktails: Like a virgin

Whether you call them mocktails or virgin cocktails, standards should be just as high even if alcohol is not part of the mix, reports Mark Ludmon

Next year, the Dubai-based Shaza Hotels group is opening the first of a new concept in luxury hotels in Saudi Arabia. Although they are earmarked for Muslim countries such as Morocco where most people do not drink, the hotels’ bars will rival any in the world when it comes to cocktails with the only difference being they will not contain alcohol. Robbie Bargh, managing director of consultancy Gorgeous Group, which is working with Shaza on the concept, says it is wrong to think that virgin cocktails require less skill than alcoholic ones. “We have created a series of very special drinks for them. It’s about flavour, taste, texture and perfume but very much in the tradition of the Middle East. Although they are not alcoholic, we would not be comfortable giving them to children because they will be too expensive.”

Bars are increasingly adding non-alcoholic cocktails to their menus, which are likely to be particularly appealing to customers after the excesses of Christmas and New Year. The Roof Gardens in Kensington, London, offers a range of virgin cocktails using fresh fruits, juices and puréed berries. Bars manager Andy Crofts says: “These were introduced to provide our guests with an alcohol-free alternative to a mixed drink while still being able to enjoy the freshness and quality that our alcoholic range is famous for. The non-alcoholic cocktails are an obvious ‘designated driver’ favourite but are also a popular choice for guests who want to regulate their alcohol consumption by having a non-alcoholic ‘spacer’ but fancy something a little more exciting than just a fizzy drink.” His personal favourite is the Passion Brew, a blend of fresh passion fruit, guava and lime juices with a dash of orange bitters.

The non-alcoholic cocktails at Alma de Cuba in Liverpool appeal to a broad age range, says its bar operations director, Alex Hannah. “For instance, a lot of the families who come along to the Sunday Service Gospel Brunch tend to order them as they are refreshing, elegantly presented and a bit classier than your typical soft drink.” But he says they are not just limited to customers who do not drink alcohol. “Our health-conscious customers in particular tend to order them because they contain real fruit, not just fruit from a carton.” He agrees that virgin cocktails involve planning and creativity. “Most virgin cocktails originate from an alcoholic cocktail so require lots of attention to detail as they need to contain all the delicious flavours without the added alcohol.”

Restaurateur Hamza Bodhaniya decided not have a drinks licence for Mogo in Solihull but to focus instead on mixed fruit juices and smoothies. Most of the ingredients come from East Africa, tying in with the venue’s theme. “The original inspiration was the restaurants in East Africa where they serve fresh juice from the fruit that is so abundant there. We try to use exotic fruit that you wouldn’t have in your fruit bowl at home such as papaya and star fruit and to introduce new flavours that are out there like passion fruit.”

The exotic juices in Rubicon’s range are already popular with bartenders for alcoholic cocktails but they are also promoted for alcohol-free mixed drinks. Rubicon has developed recipes such as a Wild Lychee Zinger that mixes its lychee, guanabana and passion fruit juices with mint leaves, lime wedges and ginger ale.

The development of Luscombe Drinks’ range of soft drinks was driven by the lack of sophisticated non-alcoholic options for adults in bars and pubs, says its managing director Gabriel David. He says products such as Sicilian Lemon, Elderflower Bubbly and Hot Ginger Beer work well mixed with other juices and fruit or berries chopped or crushed. At the same time, its portfolio includes the likes of Wild Blueberry Crush which, with its mix of blueberries, cranberries, agave syrup and Damascan rose water, amounts to a non-alcoholic cocktail. “It means that people feel like they have had a proper drink if they are not drinking,” David notes.

Last month, Fentimans launched a “soft cocktail menu” featuring recipes such as a Victorian Jigger, combining its products Victorian Lemonade and Mandarin & Seville Orange Jigger, as well as the Festive Dandelion, mixing apple juice, Fentimans Dandelion & Burdock, lime and honey. “We have had an excellent response to our soft cocktails as I think customers appreciate having as much care and imagination taken over their soft drinks as is traditionally focused on alcohol alternatives,” says Fentimans managing director and master brewer Eldon Robson.

December 2009

Spirits and liqueurs: Ones to watch in 2010

A look ahead at the spirits and liqueurs destined for greater things in 2010

Cachaça

Cachaça is the most popular alcoholic drink in Brazil, where up to 1.2 billion litres are produced a year. Only 11.5million litres are being exported, but 2010 will see more of the sugar cane spirit consumed in the UK, predicts Gary Hazell of Distilled Spirits, whose brands include cachaça Cabana. Growth will come from new brands entering the market, with up to 12 expected in the UK this year, he says. “The key for us is to start to educate the trade about the different styles in the category but an important part is to educate consumers about it too.”

The impetus has come from an event at the Brazilian Embassy in London in September, where brand owners, distributors and bartenders examined the opportunities to drive sales. Cachaça’s growth means that London’s annual Rum Fest in October is now being talked about as the Rum & Cane Spirit Festival. Hazell believes it is only “early days” for the spirit in the UK, with potential for it to be used in many cocktails beyond just a Caipirinha, such as being inserted into classic cocktail recipes.

The impetus has come from an event at the Brazilian Embassy in London in September, where brand owners, distributors and bartenders examined the opportunities to drive sales. Cachaça’s growth has prompted London’s annual Rum Fest in October to be rechristened the Rum & Cane Spirit Festival. Hazel believes it is only “early days” for the spirit in the UK, with potential for it to be used in many cocktails beyond just a Caipirinha, such as being inserted into classic cocktail recipes.

Pisco

Another South American spirit that is set for a major push in 2010 is pisco, made from grapes and best known for the Pisco Sour. While debate continues over whether Peru or Chile are the home of pisco, it is the ProChile trade team that launched a programme of education and promotion at the end of last year at an event at Casa (formerly La Casa del Habano) in Soho, London. Mixologist Glen Hooper, who fell in love with pisco while living in Chile, believes it works well in all kinds of mixed drinks from punches to a simple Piscola with cola. “Pisco is very distinctive from any other spirit in the market. The last time pisco had the strongest legs here was around 2001 but over time it has been left behind and people have forgotten about it. There are very good types of pisco from both Peru and Chile and our role as bartenders is to find the good ones.”

Jeremy Hill, chairman of distributor Hi-Spirits, says they are starting to see more interest in their Chilean pisco Gran Control de Guarda, with marketing support planned for 2010, while Mangrove has been offering training and support for its Chilean pisco, Aba, including masterclasses with brand owner Alejandro Aguirre. Nick Gillett, head of marketing at Mangrove, says: “It’s a versatile spirit which much of the trade is learning about for the first time. I expect it will become an integral part of the better cocktail lists alongside cachaça and tequila.”

Arrack

Another spirit set to make a comeback this year is arrack, which is little known in the UK despite its appearance in Jerry Thomas’s iconic 1887 Bartender’s Guide where it is prescribed for various punches. His recipes refer to Batavia Arrack from Indonesia, but the category has been reignited by the UK launch of Ceylon Arrack from Sri Lanka, made from the sap of the coconut flower and aged in Halmilla wood. Popularly known as “toddy”, it is being used in new cocktails at London bars Quo Vadis and China Tang at the Dorchester.

Arrack is not be confused with aniseed-flavoured spirits such as middle eastern arack or Turkish rake. Anise-based sambuca is pushing outside of its traditional market of shots to establish itself as a premium liqueur in the UK. Cellar Trends’ seven-strong range of Luxardo sambucas has been heavily marketed to the on-trade for long drinks, cocktails and layered cocktail shots after a bottle redesign. “Developing cocktails and whole new sambuca sections on cocktail lists has proved very successful,” says marketing manager Catherine Rigby.

Brands to watch in 2010

Four Roses bourbon was relaunched in the UK at the end of last year by Inspirit Brands. Its worldwide expression Yellow Label as well as the Small Batch and the Single Barrel have been embraced by bartenders for mixing, and Inspirit Brands is masterminding promotional events in bars this year plus promoting a signature serve in a branded jam jar.

Innovation in the vodka category comes from Naked Chase, the first vodka made from organic cider apples. The spirit, which is pure and not apple flavoured, comes from the same producers as Chase potato vodka.

Bartenders are also seizing upon the first triple sec liqueur sweetened with Mexican agave syrup, which has been created by Simon Difford of Diffords Guide, Bruno Giffard of Giffard Sirops & Liqueurs and Nick Gillett of Mangrove. Agave syrup requires less to achieve the same level of sweetness and works particularly well in a Margarita which, along with tequila, will continue to be an essential for any good bar in 2010.

The pisco event took place at Casa, 100 Wardour Street, Soho, London W1F 0TN. Tel: 020 7314 4001 www.floridita.co.uk/cigars/

January 1, 2010

Low profile: Low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks

Mark Ludmon finds that the market for low-alcohol and alcohol-free beers, ciders, RTDs and wine is small but growing

In December, Chancellor Alistair Darling ignored calls for a cut in beer duty in his Pre-Budget Report which, according to the British Beer & Pub Association, leaves the on-trade with an average rise of 6p a pint after VAT went back to 17.5 per cent. Darling also gave no indication that the Treasury was any closer to adopting a sliding scale of duty based on strength which would be in line with Ireland where duty is lower on beers with an ABV of 2.8 per cent or less.

Without a duty cut, there is little appetite for beers, ciders and wines with low or no alcohol in the UK. Writer Ben McFarland admits that none of the 1,000 beers profiled in his new book, World’s Best Beers, are low in alcohol. In his weighty tome, he recommends three full-strength beers from Cerveza Alhambra but leaves out its alcohol-free Alhambra Sin (with less than 0.8 per cent ABV) which also happens to be the only low-alcohol beer on the extensive list of leading on-trade supplier Pierhead Purchasing.

“Non-alcoholic beers have never really taken off in the same way as they have in Germany where they are very popular,” Ben says. “It comes down to the traditional drinking culture in the UK. Overall, the quality hasn’t been very good. When drink-driving laws were tightened up, people have turned more towards soft drinks. Also, there have been very few brands that have had money put behind them.” If pushed, Ben says he would choose Bitburger Drive or Erdinger alcohol-free wheat beer.

According to Mintel figures for 2008, Diageo’s Kaliber was market leader, followed by Beck’s Alcohol Free, Clausthaler, Cobra Zero and Bavaria Alcohol Free. The mid-strength Carling C2 has been powering up after its 2006 launch, followed by Carlsberg Mid-Strength, while Diageo has trialled mid-strength Guinness in Ireland.

Last year, controversial Scottish brewer BrewDog followed up its 18.2 per cent Tokyo beer – banned by The Portman Group in December – with Nanny State, a 1.1 per cent mild imperial ale. BrewDog founder James Watt says it contains more hops per barrel than any other beer ever brewed in the UK, “giving it as much body and mouthy feel as possible, ensuring that low strength does not translate into reduced flavour”. The first batch sold out after September’s launch with more due to become available later this month.

There are few low-alcohol options in the cider market, where the most high-profile brand is Kopparberg Alcohol Free Cider at no more than 0.05 per cent ABV, which was launched in the off-trade in 2007 in response to demand primarily from Tesco and Asda. “As alcohol-free ciders are very popular in our home country of Sweden, this was something we were easily able to facilitate,” explains brand manager Meriam Alnaman. “However, we have to admit that the success of this variant took us somewhat by surprise and resulted in our making it available to the on-trade early in 2008. It has a taste that is very similar to that of our regular 4.5 per cent alcohol variant so it gives the consumers in bars and pubs a credible alternative but without having to compromise on taste.”

In the RTD category, there has been a trend towards drinks lower in calories and alcohol, with Global Brands launching a 1.2 per cent variant of its VK Vodka Kick. “There is really very little choice for people not wanting to drink alcohol, or those who just want to drink a small amount,” says Global Brands chairman Steve Perez. “Consumers are now more conscious than ever when it comes to calories and units of alcohol, and so we wanted to give them an alternative to the standard RTDs that are currently on the market.”

The number-one brand in the low-alcohol wine sector is the alcohol-free Eisberg from Germany followed by Sutter Home Fre from the US. Eisberg’s brand manager Jason Keeble says: “We have seen double-digit growth for the last two years, which has been driven by consumer demand. As quality increases, consumers are buying into the low-alcohol sector.” He believes this is also in response to more consumer awareness about units and the effects of alcohol on health.

“We expect awareness of this category will definitely grow as political and media agendas continue to focus on alcohol-related issues, which will ultimately lead to new consumers becoming more open to trial and uptake,” Keeble adds. “With producers trying to counteract rising ABVs, the category will grow.”

January 1, 2010