The monthly round-up of what’s new in low/no, beer, cider, wine, spirits, RTDs and mixers.

SPIRITS & LIQUEURS

Three Wrens Spiced Golden Rum

40% abv

£42

USP: Cheshire-based Three Wrens Distillery has launched what it claims is “the world’s first bison grass rum”. The spiced rum features five botanicals: raw cacao, bison grass, tonka beans, vanilla pods and cinnamon.

St-Rémy Signature brandy

40% abv

£TBC

USP: After launching in Canada in 2020, the brandy will be available in Sainsburys across the UK as of October 2022. It is said to have a “more forceful nutty and buttery expression” than the brand’s other products, and was designed to target a “new era of brandy-drinkers”.

Beefeater Rhubarb & Cranberry gin

37.5% abv

£19.49

USP: Based on the “top trending flavours” among UK consumers, the gin has flavours of “juniper and citrus” alongside “richer notes” of rhubarb and cranberry. Designed to be “visually appealing”, it is a vibrant red colour which holds when mixed with tonic.

Baileys Tiramisu Cocktail

17% abv

£17

USP: Inspired by the Italian dessert, the limited edition liqueur has flavours of chocolate and coffee. Baileys recommends combining the Tiramisu Cocktail with vodka and garnishing with cocoa powder. 

Isle of Barra Distillers Strawberry & Ginger Gin Liqueur

20% abv

£22

USP:  Made on the Isle of Barra using Scottish strawberries, the liqueur comes after the “success” of the brand’s Rhubarb & Heather Gin Liqueur. It has a “subtle spice” combined with berry notes, and can be added to cocktails or sparkling wine. 

BrewDog x Candy Kittens: Raspberry & Guava Vodka

40% abv

£20

USP: The “triple distilled” vodka was produced by BrewDog Distilling Co and Jamie Laing’s sweet company Candy Kittens, following the launch of the Candy Kittens BrewDog Beer earlier this year. It has notes of “tropical fruits and British raspberries”, as well as top notes of strawberry and pear.

Eccentric Spirit Co Cardi Bay Vodka

40% abv

£32

USP: “Inspired by the gorse which grows along the Ceredigion coastline”, Cardi Bay is the first vodka by the Eccentric Spirit Co in Wales. Adding to the brand’s range of gin and dark rum, it was launched at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show.

Rosebank 31 Year Old

48.1% abv

£1,800

USP: Ian Macleod Distillers has launched a 31-year-old bottling drawn from casks that were salvaged before the distillery’s closure in the early 1990s. The release comes as the company gets ready to reopen the Lowland distillery’s doors in early 2023.

Levin Down Goodwood Gin

43.6% abv

£40

USP: Andrew Coggings, entertaining & hospitality managing director of the Goodwood Estate said: “This launch batch is, as much as possible, a natural product of the Goodwood Estate. Our foraged juniper and gorse flower are at the heart of our gin and bring a dimension of characterful flavour.”

RTDS & MIXERS

JJ Whitley’s RTD range

5% abv

£1.99 (330ml can)

USP: JJ Whitley’s range of RTDs includes Vodka Lime & Soda, Blue Raspberry Vodka & Lemonade, London Dry Gin & Tonic and Pink Gin & Lemonade. The Blue Raspberry Vodka and Pink Gin were newly added to the existing range with the aim of bringing “additional flavour diversity” into the fast-growing RTD category.

Cutwater’s RTD range

7-8% abv

£2.99 (25cl can)

USP: California-based Cutwater has launched its range of Cutwater Cocktails in the UK market. The line up includes Rum Mint Mojito, Vodka Mule and Passionfruit Mojito. 

Hard Rock RTD cocktails 

5% abv

£2.25

USP: Available in the UK for the first time, the canned cocktail range features a Piña Colada, Mojito and Passion Fruit Martini. The range is “inspired by the signature drinks at Hard Rock”, with the launch marking the first time that the RTDs have been distributed outside of the US. 

Edinburgh Gin Negroni Spritz and Lemon Spritz

8% abv

£30 (Pack of 12 x 25cl)

USP: Adding to Edinburgh Gin’s RTD range, the canned cocktails have been launched to coincide with the start of summer. The Negroni blends the original Edinburgh Gin London Dry with orange bitters and vermouth, while the Lemon Spritz combines gin with lemon and sparkling white wine. 

WINE

Royal Tokaji Essencia 2009

£900

USP: Royal Tokaji’s Essencia is made from grapes raisined by botrytis. The grapes produce an intense and concentrated juice. The 2009 vintage yielded 1,386, 37.5cl bottles, available on allocation. The sweet, syrup-like liquid contains 581.3 g/l sugar and 11.8 g/l acidity.

Lanchester Wines’ Wallflower range

£2.49 (187ml)

USP: The new Wallflower range of Spanish wines is presented in cans. The range comprises “easy drinking” red, white and rosé wines: the red is a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, the white is Airen and Macabeo, while the rosé is a Garnacha Rosado.

Concha y Toro’s Diablo Golden Chardonnay and Crystal Sauvignon Blanc 

£10 each

Golden Chardonnay 2020 from Rapel Valley and Crystal Sauvignon Blanc 2021 from Curico Valley join Diablo Dark Red and Diablo Black Cabernet Sauvignon in the Diablo range. “Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay are consistently among the top 5 grape varieties and the best-loved styles in white wines in this country,” said Javiera Moller, brand manager for Diablo in the UK. “Diablo is all about the quality and bold taste of the wines, they’re not your typical Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, they have the Diablo ‘attitude’.”

Vera Wang Party Prosecco DOC white and rosé 

£26.99

USP: Spearheaded by fashion designer Vera Wang, the Party Prosecco is made in Italy by sparkling wine producer Araldica. With a matt silver finish, the bottles were designed by Wang to have a “bold aesthetic”.

i heart Blush Pinot Grigio

£6

USP: Making the most of “the rising popularity of pale rosés”, the Pinot Grigio has a “delicate blush pink hue” with tasting notes of peach and strawberry. As the summer rosé boom continues, brand owner Freixenet Copestick suggests pairing the wine with Italian dishes. 

Cali Red by Snoop wine

£11

USP: Cali Red is the first wine by US rapper Snoop Dogg, made in partnership with Treasury Wine Estates. The label features a QR code which consumers can scan to access “augmented reality technology” where the voice of Snoop Dogg will respond to questions. An integrated marketing campaign with in-store promotions and digital advertising will support the UK launch. 

Black Tower Club Edition wine range

£9

USP: Designed to fall under the “premium” wine category, the range features a German Riesling and a pale Pinot Noir Rosé in cut-glass bottles. The wines are vegan-friendly and are available exclusively through North South Wines. 

Harvey Nichols Premium Côtes de Provence Rosé 2021

£19.50

USP: Made with a blend of Grenache and Cinsault grapes, the rosé has been produced by the Château Saint-Honoré estate as part of the Harvey Nichols Premium Range. It has notes of “pink grapefruit, orchard blossom, red apple, orange zest and a pinch of sea salt”.

Virgin Wines advent calendars

£79.99-99.99

USP: Virgin Wines has introduced a wreath-inspired design for its 2022 advent calendars. The launch comprises a beer calendar (£79.99), a wine calendar (£89.99) and a gin calendar (£99.99). The wine calendar comprises 24 miniature bottles and one full sized bottle, while the gin calendar contains 5cl bottles. The beer version features “pale ales, IPAs and lagers from around the world”.

BEER & CIDER

Mikkeller x Warner Bros. Syrax Rises beer

5.5% abv

£TBC

USP: Produced as part of a collaboration between Danish brewery Mikkeller and Warner Bros. studios, the American IPA celebrates the release of the ‘House of the Dragon’ TV series. With notes of “candied fruits and citrus”, the beer is said to blur the lines between “classic west coast IPAs and the modern hazy IPAs”. 

Innis & Gunn The Original: PX

7.4% abv

£7 (33cl)

USP: Innis & Gunn has finished ‘The Original’, its single-malt-whisky cask matured beer, in Pedro Ximénez casks. Spending three months in these casks, brought to Scotland from Montilla Moriles in Southern Spain, the resulting beer is described as having an “aroma of caramel and vanilla with hints of fig and jam”.

Thatchers Katy multipacks

7.4% abv

£10 (6 x 50cl)

USP: Chris Milton, off trade sales director at Thatchers, said: “Katy is one of our star performers in the premium bottled cider category. With it being released in a six pack for the first time demonstrates the enduring and ever-growing appeal of this single variety cider.”

Signature Brew’s Summer in the City and Rewind

4.8% and 4.7% respectively

£3.17 and £3 per 33cl can, respectively

USP: Summer in the City is a strawberry, raspberry and watermelon sour, while Rewind is a vegan and gluten free “India Pale lager”. The brewery’s online shop also offers a playlist inspired by each of the beers.  

LOW & NO

Wild Eve Infusions Wild Eve Recipe no 1

£32

USP: The alcohol-free botanical drink comprises flowers, fruits, leaves, and seaweeds picked on the Isle of Harris in Scotland. Created by apothcarist Amanda Saurin, ingredients such as chamomile, oat and ashwagandha are said to promote relaxation.

Pentire & Tonic cans 

£2.90 (330ml)

USP: Available in two flavours, the non-alcoholic RTDs were designed to “offer a healthier and more measured approach to ‘winding down’ moments.” The Adrift flavour has notes of “sea rosemary, rock samphire and sage”, while the “zesty” Seaward flavour is infused with pink grapefruit.