As consumers look to celebrate the father figure in their lives, the drinks industry is stepping up to stock home bars and create occasions. Drinks Retailing rounds up a few top tips and tipples
OCCASIONS
From barbecues to brunches, buffets and banquets, Father’s Day is a good excuse for a get together, and retailers can make the most of the opportunity with some simple suggestions and pairings such as basic food and drink matches, larger formats, cocktail ingredients kits or flight suggestions for home tastings.
Sandford Orchards is promoting both its Devon Red mini keg and glass set (£23) and its cider and snack pack, Pub in a Box (£22) for the occasion. You could even create the occasion yourself.
If you’re a hybrid retailer, think about a tasting, pairing or fun event. Or, if you’re pals with other local businesses, team up to create something special.
Loki Wine’s Knowle location, for example, has partnered with local street food business Hangry Street, with chefs creating a fine-dining take on their offer. A £95 ticket gets a four-course lunch, glass of fizz and three pairs of wines for food matching, including one classic region or grape – think Bordeaux or Malbec – and then an alternative, Japan or natural wine, say.
SPECIAL RELEASES
Whyte & Mackay is launching a second edition of its Scottish Oak Fettercairn 18 Years Old single malt in time for Father’s Day. Bottled at 46.8% abv, the whisky is finished in 100% Scottish oak sourced from the Highlands.
Gregg Glass, master whisky maker, explains: “Our first release of Fettercairn 18 Years Old single malt was the culmination of an approach to whisky making I had developed across a number of years and reflected the dedication not just of myself, but of our partners ‘from forest to field to Fettercairn’, who each played a role in rekindling the skills required to harvest Scottish oak.” RRP: £200.
Adnams has released the Distiller’s Choice Collection in time for June 18. The pack contains different types of casks on a single whisky distillation from the Adnams Copper House Distillery: Single Malt Oloroso Sherry Cask, Single Malt Port Cask and Single Malt Bourbon Cask. Each bottle is 20cl and the pack is priced £90.
COCKTAILS
Simple twists on classics are a good way to encourage cocktail creativity at home. Try this take on an Old Fashioned, which uses rum instead of whiskey.
Ingredients
- 6cl cacao-infused Don Papa rum
- 1cl simple syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Method
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir for 10 seconds to chill down the cocktail. Strain into a rocks glass with one large ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist and serve.
Cacao infusion
Combine 70cl Don Papa rum with 10g of cacao nibs in a saucepan. Cover and allow to infuse for 12 hours. Double-strain to remove any bits, and re-bottle.
