The monthly round-up of what’s new in low/no, beer, cider, wine, spirits, RTDs and mixers.
SPIRITS
Dunnet Bay Mapmakers spiced rum
£35
USP: Dunnet Bay Distillers is launching its first-ever rum. It combines Dunnet’s house rum, Carribbean rum, Loch Calder water and local botanicals, resulting in notes of banana, toffee and salted caramel with a “light peppery spice”. Martin Murray, co-founder of Dunnet Bay, said: “Our Mapmaker’s rum has been more than three years in the making, with many experiments with local and traditional botanicals to create the perfect recipe…The result is a beautifully smooth Spiced Rum with a delicious oceanic, umami profile.”
Black Bottle Captain’s Cask
46.3% abv
£29
USP: Captain’s Cask is a blended whisky finished in rum casks to add “tropical notes” of pineapple and coconut alongside Black Bottle’s signature smoky finish. The whisky is the fifth expression in Black Bottle’s Alchemy Series.
GlenAllachie 21YO Cask Strength Batch 4
51.1% abv
£306
USP: GlenAllachie has launched the fourth edition of its 21-year-old single malt, with 2,000 bottles available. The whisky has been matured in vintage Pedro Ximénez Sherry puncheons from Jerez, Spain, and is said to have notes of clementine, dark cherries and Medjool dates.
El Galipote Pink and El Galipote Spiced
37.5% and 35% abv respectively
£22 each
USP: Described as rums made for mixing, two El Galipote variants will now be available in the UK via Asda. El Galipote Pink is a blend of Caribbean white rum and strawberry flavours while El Galipote Spiced is a classic spiced rum.
Holyrood Distillery Arrival whisky
46.1% abv
£67
USP: After its opening in 2019, Edinburgh-based Holyrood Distillery has launched its first-ever whisky, adding to its existing spirits range which includes the producer’s Arrows Gin and Elizabeth Yard Rum. Rob Carpenter, founder of Holyrood Distillery, said the whisky’s name, Arrival, was “inspired by Holyrood Distillery’s iconic location in the former Innocent Railway terminal”, adding: “This name not only gives a nod to Edinburgh’s pioneering past but also invokes a sense of achievement in the release – we made it!”
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series Sherry Edition
46.8% – 55.3% abv
£30,000
USP: The Dalmore Distillery’s latest edition to its Cask Curation Series is a collection of three whiskies, crafted in collaboration with González Byass. The whiskies are The 26 Year Old, finished in González Byass 2002 Vintage, The 28 Year Old, finished in a González Byass 30 Year Old Matusalem Sherry Cask, and the The 43 Year Old, finished in González Byass 30 Year Old Apostoles Sherry Cask.
The English Sherry Cask
46% abv
£60
USP: Norfolk-based spirits producer, The English Distillery, has released its first sherry matured single malt whisky. Andrew Nelstrop, distillery chairman, says: “After a mere 17 years of distilling, we finally have just enough stock to add a Sherry cask matured single malt to our core range…this is a momentous step for the distillery and a big milestone”.
Wolfcraig Distillers 14-Year-Old Deluxe Blend Triple Sherry Cask
46.1% abv
£80
Whisky experts Richard Paterson and Ian MacMillan have released their latest collaboration, Wolfcraig Distillers’ 14-Year-Old Deluxe – a blended Scotch whisky. The whisky has been finished in three types of sherry cask: Amontillado, Oloroso and Muscatel casks, all picked by Paterson from Bodega San Andreas in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
Aberfeldy 25 Year Old – 125th Anniversary Edition
46% abv
£500
USP: Highland single malt Aberfeldy has bottled a limited edition 25-year-old expression in an exclusive collector’s pack to mark 125 years of the distillery. The whisky has been finished in Oloroso sherry casks.
The Macallan Harmony Collection Amber Meadow and Green Meadow
44.2% and 40.2% abv, respectively
£160
USP: The Macallan has announced a collaboration with Stella and Mary McCartney for the creation of the third edition of The Harmony Collection. The presentation boxes and bottle labels have been made using “discarded meadow cuttings” and the packaging of each release features photography of The Macallan Estate, captured by Mary McCartney.
Glenfiddich Archive 1973
41.8% abv
£33,500
USP: Glenfiddich Archive Collection 1973 American Oak cask is exclusively available to the UK, with only 83 bottles. Until the end of October 2023, the whisky will be available for purchase exclusively from Berry Bros & Rudd. From November onwards, Archive Collection 1973 cask will be available in additional selected luxury retailers.
WINE
The Hidden Sea Spritz Rosé and Spritz Pinot Grigio
£3.50 per can
USP: The Hidden Sea is tapping into the RTD category with its latest canned wine launches, Spritz Rosé and Spritz Pinot Grigio, which join the brand’s existing wine range: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rosé, Shiraz and Red Blend. At 5% abv, brand owners are also looking to appeal to consumers who are moderating their drinking.
Moët & Chandon Collection Impériale Création No. 1
£206
USP: Launched to commemorate Moët & Chandon’s 280th anniversary, Impériale Création No. 1 is a blend of seven vintages. Beginning with the release of No.1, a new cuvée will be added to the collection every two years.
Gusbourne Fifty One Degrees North
£195
USP: English wine producer Gusbourne is releasing the 2016 vintage of its Fifty One Degrees North wine – a blend of two-thirds Chardonnay and one-third Pinot Noir from Gusbourne’s Kent and West Sussex vineyards. Speaking of the launch, chief vineyard manager, Jon Pollard, said: “England is recognised now as having a climate ideal for sparkling wine grapes, and I believe that Fifty One Degrees North is the ultimate expression of what we are now able to achieve in this country.”
Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No 4
£1,055 per bottle
USP: Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No 4 is a blend of the 2013, 2014 and 2015 vintages. Limited to 7,328 bottles, the Armand de Brignac Champagne will be available exclusively from Harrods in the special edition La Collection set, featuring Champagne Armand de Brignac’s six cuvées, in a lacquered gift box, priced £6,400. Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No 4 will then be paired with the Armand de Brignac Brut Gold in a twin pack, priced £1,385, from November 2023. The Champagne will be sold as single bottles from next year.
BEER
Nothing Beer
5.1% abv
£20 (pack of 6)
USP: Created by London-based consumer tech brand Nothing, the limited-edition beer was brewed in collaboration with Freetime Beer Co in Wales after being announced in April as an “anti-April Fools”. Ryan Latham, global director for brands & creative at Nothing, said: “We’re a brand that brings people together so making a beer felt like a natural progression for us.”
Old Golden Hen cans
4.1% abv
£5.50 4x50cl cans
USP: Greene King’s Old Golden Hen is launching in 50cl cans this autumn, following a refresh of the brand last year. Through its research, Greene King said it found a growing interest in can format for traditional golden ale that is “outperforming both total beer and total ale can format”.
LOW & NO ALCOHOL
Most Wanted Wines Sauvignon Blanc Fizz cans
<0.5% abv
£2
USP: Launched in time for Sober October, Most Wanted Wines Sauvignon Blanc Fizz is made using de-alcoholised wine from South Africa. A 20cl can contains 28 calories.
