The monthly round-up of what’s new in low/no, beer, cider, wine, spirits, RTDs and mixers.
SPIRITS & LIQUEURS
Monkey Shoulder Fresh Monkey blended spirit
40% abv
£28
USP: Fresh Monkey comprises two grain spirits and one Speyside malt spirit which have been blended unaged to deliver a “fresh” flavour. Made with mixing in mind, it combines “classic malt notes” with tropical flavours, resulting in a “rich and fruity” finish.
Havana Club and Burna Boy limited edition bottle
40% abv
£26.99
USP: Pernod Ricard has released a limited edition Havana Club 7 Years rum bottle as part of a collaboration with music artist Burna Boy. Central to the partnership is the bottle, which will be available exclusively to convenience stores throughout July, before rolling out nationally from August.
Scallywag whisky’s The Chocolate Edition
48% abv
£57.50
USP: Douglas Laing has released a new line extension within the Scallywag range: The Chocolate Edition, 100% sherry cask matured limited edition Speyside malt Scotch whisky. This special release marks the fifth annual chocolate bottling from the Scallywag brand. The launch is limited to 3,600 bottles.
The Balvenie 27 Year Old
48% abv
£1,120
USP: The Balvenie has added a new whisky to its Stories Range. ‘A Rare Discovery from Distant Shores’ is a 27-year-old limited edition. The new expression has spent seven of its 27 years of ageing finishing in ex-Caroni rum casks. The release, which will be available for two years, joins other The Balvenie Stories expressions such as 12 Year Old ‘The Sweet Toast of American Oak’, 19 Year Old ‘The Edge of Burnhead Wood’, and 42 Year Old ‘The Tale of the Dog’.
Shakespeare Distillery’s Citrus Vodka
40% abv
£34 (50cl)
USP: Having distilled gin for the last six years and more recently their own Jester brand of white and spiced British rum, this is the first time the team at Shakespeare has distilled vodka. It is made using fresh oranges and lemons.
MacNair’s rums
46% abv
£44.99 and £49.99, respectively
USP: MacNair’s Exploration Rum Jamaica Unpeated and MacNair’s Exploration Rum Jamaica Peated were created by master blender Billy Walker. To create the new bottlings, Walker brought premium Jamaican rum to Scotland be fully matured in the cool climate at The GlenAllachie Distillery in Speyside.
Twin Fin Cold Brew Coffee Rum Liqueur
25% abv
£28
USP: Southwestern Distillery, the distillers behind Tarquin’s Gin, has launched a new Cold Brew Coffee Rum Liqueur to join Twin Fin, their family of Caribbean rums. Twin Fin Cold Brew Coffee Rum Liqueur is the “combination of locally roasted artisan coffee, blended with the finest Jamaican pot still and light Dominican Republic column-still rums”.
WhistlePig’s PiggyBack 100% Rye
48.28% abv
£45
USP: PiggyBack 100% Rye is aged for six years and the distillery says it is ideal for cocktails. It is being driven into the on trade as a priority, with the main aim to “win over the hearts and bars of some of the UKs leading mixologists” in year one, followed by specialist retailers and independents within year two of launch.
Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery Filey Bay Peated Finish #2 whisky
46% abv
£60
USP: Crafted using barley grown in Yorkshire on the distillery’s farm, the original Filey Bay house whisky is finished in peated casks to create a sweet flavour with a “light twist of smoke”. It is named after the Filey Bay beach in North Yorkshire which is visible from the distillery.
Hawksbill Caribbean Spiced Rum in Mango and Pineapple
38.8% abv
£23
USP: As part of Hawksbill’s “sustainability mission”, the recently relaunched Mango and Pineapple rums were distilled using fruit that would have otherwise been disposed of, while the cork is made from waste material. Both flavours were available for a limited period during Zero Waste Week in September 2021, but will now become part of the brand’s core range.
Patrón en Lalique Serie 3 tequila
40% abv
Approx. £6,266.20
USP: Partnering with Lalique French crystal glass makers, Patrón has created 299 bottles of collectable tequila with a “handmade” decanter that is said to be “an artistic interpretation of the agave plant”. The tequila itself is a blend of 14 different tequilas, each of which have been aged for up to 8 years to create a flavour palette of “spices, dried fruits, sherry wine and intense wood”.
The Oxford Artisan Distillery’s Easy Ryder
50% abv
£55
USP: Easy Ryder is the distillery’s seventh batch of rye whisky. It is made using nine casks chosen by master distiller Francisco Rosa to achieve a “smooth yet intricate ride” through the distillery’s hertigage grains and distilling practices.
The Glenturret Core Collection 2022
From 42% abv
USP: The first five whiskies in the 2022 collection are made up of Triple Wood, the 7 Years Old Peat Smoked, which makes its debut this year, 10 Years Old Peat Smoked, 12 Years Old and a 15 Years Old. They are joined by “two genuinely scarce” single malts, a 25 Years Old and 30 Years Old.
Lyme Bay Winery’s Jack Ratt Lugger Golden Rum
40% abv
£47
USP: Jack Ratt Lugger is a blend of four rums – from Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Panama. All are aged for eight years separately before being blended together in ex-Bourbon casks, where they marry together for around six months.
Stoli Group’s Tulchan Gin
45% abv
£36.99
USP: Taking its name from Tulchan Estate in Scotland, the small batch gin is distilled in Speyside. Created on the Estate, it is “inspired by its natural surroundings with botanicals including sloe berries, elderflower and blackberry leaves which are found on Tulchan Estate”. The gin also features asparagus, which is said to give it “a bitter edge and long finish”.
Distell’s Amarula African Gin
43% abv
£28
USP: Amarula African Gin is made from marula fruit spirit, indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa. The gin features “juniper notes, aromatic orange blossom, subtle spicy grains of paradise and the unmistakable sweet and tart flavours of marula”. The gin will launch on Amazon in mid-August, and Distell said it expects it to roll out to the on- and off-trade.
The GlenAllachie Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Present Edition 16-year-old Mizunara Virgin Oak Cask Finish
48% abv
£280
USP: This is the penultimate bottling in The Past, Present & Future Series. The 16-year-old whisky’s maturation started in Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso Sherry wood before being transferred into Mizunara virgin oak casks, with a medium level of toasting and charring.
Coastal Haar gin
USP: The gin features nine botanicals and is “infused with elements of sea buckthorn and sugar kelp which have been locally and sustainably foraged with help from Jayson Byles of East Neuk Seaweed”. Coastal Haar is the fourth release in the Cottage Series, which tells the story of the people, the landscape and botanicals sourced in Fife where parent brand Darnley’s Gin is made.
RTDS & MIXERS
Elsha rum cocktail blend
8% abv
£8 (20cl)
USP: Bringing together rum and RTDs, the pre-mixed cocktail features a blend of white rums sourced from the Caribbean and Africa. It has notes of fruit and spice with melon undertones and a hint of ginger.
Double Dutch Pink Grapefruit soda
£23 (Pack of 24)
USP: Launched to coincide with National Tequila Day (July 24), the “zesty” grapefruit and lime infused soda was designed for Paloma cocktails, but can also be served on its own.
Edwards 1902 Rhubarb Vodka Spritz and Lime & Ginger Spritz
5% abv
£30 (12 x 25cl)
USP: Made with English King Edward potato vodka, the RTDs were launched with summer in mind as “as consumers seek convenient, easy drinking products”. The Rhubarb vodka was initially launched in Spring using produce grown in the Yorkshire rhubarb triangle.
The Pickle House x Edmunds Bloody Mary
7% abv
£29.95 ( 6 x 20cl)
USP: The Pickle House Spiced Tomato Mix and Sapling Vodka have been combined by Edmunds Cocktails to create a ready-to-drink Bloody Mary. The original Tomato Mix is produced and “hand-bottled” on The Pickle House farm in Suffolk.
Fever-Tree’s Italian Blood Orange Soda and Mexican Lime Soda cans
£3.50 (6x15cl cans)
USP: Saskia Meyer, marketing director, Fever-Tree, said: “Italian Blood Orange and Zesty Mexican Lime are two of our most popular soda flavours all year round and we hope fans of these flavours will be fans of the cans. We recommend mixing with vodka for a delicious low-calorie spritz or simply enjoy on their own, over ice.” The cans have launched in Sainsbury’s.
BEER & CIDER
Anspach & Hobday Sea Salt & Lime Gose
3.5% abv
£3.25 (44cl)
USP: Brewed with Essex-based salt producer, Maldon Salt, to celebrate its 140th anniversary, the Gose is infused with lime zest and is said to be “fruity and refreshing”. The addition of Maldon’s salt adds “a balancing salinity” to enhance the citrus flavours.
Co-op x Toast Ale Hazy Pale Ale
4% abv
£7 (4 x 33cl)
USP: The Hazy Pale Ale is brewed with surplus bread from Co-op’s bakery suppliers in an effort to reduce waste. The beer has tasting notes of “mango, orange, lychee and floral notes”, while the haziness comes from only part-filtering the ale in the final stages of production.
Napton Cidery x Purity Brewing Co. Pure Cider
4.6% abv
£2 (330ml)
USP: Pure Cider was created as part of a collaboration between the two South Warwickshire drinks producers using apples grown in the Herefordshire region. It is “lightly golden in colour with fruity aromas and a refreshing taste”.
Sandford Orchards’ Wilde Cherry Cider
4% abv
£2.70
USP: Barny Butterfield, chief cidermaker at Sandford Orchards said: “We wanted to expand our range of fruit flavoured ciders and we were looking for an English fruit to complement our English cider apples. I was reading up about the history of cider and came across a mention of Mazzard cherries being added to cider in the sixteenth century. Inspired by this, we created our own version.”
Vocation’s barrel-aged beers
11.5% abv and 12.9% abv
£6.75 each
USP: Vocation has launched two special-release barrel-aged beers in collaboration with Scotland-based rare whisky company Lady of the Glen. Vocation Brewery X Lady of the Glen BA Smoked Imperial Stout (11.5% abv) is aged in Aberlour and Caol Ila casks. Vocation Brewery X Lady of the Glen BA Imperial Stout (12.9% abv) was first aged in ex-Bourbon casks before being transferred to Laphroaig casks for 11 months.
Innis & Gunn Kriek
5.1% abv
£5
USP: The beer has been cask matured with the addition of fresh and puréed cherries in second-fill malt whisky casks. “Kriek was created after Innis & Gunn’s master brewer, Dougal Gunn Sharp, had a moment of inspiration when trying cherries from a farm shop, near their Perthshire Brewery,” the company said.
WINE
Laithwaites W/O Sicilia DOC 2021 and Organic Nero d’Avola Rosato
£11.99
USP: Laithwaites wine has added the white and rosé W/O range that uses 100% recycled glass for its bottles. The new white is made from Lucido grapes with “subtle apricot, peach and citrus flavours”, while the rosé features Nero d’Avola grapes. It has tasting notes of “vivid white peach and elderberry”.
Rebel CBD-infused wine range
£4.50 (wine) and £3.50 (spritzers)
USP: Said to be the UK’s “only CBD infused wine”, every 200ml can contains 10mg of CBD to “promote relaxation”. The range features Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and a rosé, plus two spritzers, all of which are vegan friendly.
Hattingley Valley Rosé 2019
£38
USP: As rosé continues to be the wine of choice for summer, the Hampshire-based winery made its sparkling rosé from a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Part of the blend was fermented in Burgundy barrels, adding a “slight earthy texture” to the wine.
Los Cardos Private Collection by Doña Paula and Malbado
From £10
North South Wines is launching two new wine ranges into the UK off-trade, as part of a new partnership with Doña Paula and Santa Rita Estates Argentina. Los Cardos Private Collection by Doña Paula and Malbado from Santa Rita Estates Argentina aim to capitalise on the growing popularity of Argentinian wines. Los Cardos Private Collection by Doña Paula comprises a single vineyard, unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec from Luján De Cuyo, along with a Sauvignon Blanc, and unoaked Chardonnay both sourced from the Uco Valley. Meanwhile, Malbado Malbec has just launched in Asda with an RRP of £14.
Aker English Rosé Aperitif
17% abv
£25
USP: Made in collaboration with English wine producer Chapel Down and Capreolus Distillery, the aperitif was designed for a “longer, lighter drink experience” with 0.9 units per serve. It is the first launch from Aker, as it plans to release more products “in the coming months”.
LOW & NO
Wednesday’s Domaine Piquant and Sanguine alcohol-free wine
£12.49
USP: Piquant and Sanguine are made using dealcoholized wines from the La Mancha region of Spain, which are then blended with “natural flavours” to create “aroma and complexity”. Piquant, made from Airen Blanco grapes, is described as a “pale lemon” in colour while the Tempranillo-based Sanguine is a “lighter red”. The labels were designed by London-based illustrator Alec Doherty.
Beavertown’s Astro-Nought
0.5% abv
£2 (33cl)
USP: Beavertown has launched its first alcohol-free lager. Astro-Nought will join Beavertown’s collection of no/low alcoholic beers, including Lazer Crush, the alcohol-free IPA with a 0.3% abv and Nanobot, a low calorie IPA with a 2.8% abv.
