Drygate Brewing Co claims it has launched “Europe’s first reforestation beer”, and it has pledged to plant 10,000 trees with the proceeds. All proceeds from the new beer – Scorched Earth – will be donated to Offset Earth, a social enterprise which plants trees around the world to help counteract deforestation and climate change. The Glasgow-based brewery joined forces with Offset Earth for the project…

Kokoro Gin has launched a miniature bottle of its Japanese-inspired London Dry Gin. The miniatures will be available to the off-trade, on-trade and wholesalers across the UK via specialist spirits agency, Mangrove. The new 5cl bottles will complement the existing 70cl bottle, which was launched in September 2016, with the first batch selling out within two months. Its core ingredient, sansho berries, are hand-picked and…

Kokoro Gin has agreed an exclusive UK distribution deal with specialist spirits agency Mangrove. The deal will see the Japanese-inspired London Dry Gin marketed to off-trade, wholesalers, independents, supermarkets, on-trade and other retailers through Mangrove’s network. Kokoro was launched in September 2016, with its first batch selling out in two months. Its core ingredients, sansho berries, are hand-picked ad imported to the UK from the…

The world’s most famous wine critic has thrown his weight behind Black Forest craft gin brand Monkey 47.  At a press conference in London this evening Robert Parker, famous for “making or breaking” wine brands by scoring them out of 100, said that if ever a gin deserved 100 points it was Monkey 47. Parker said: “Monkey 47 is the greatest gin I have ever…

Tobacco products can no longer be displayed in large stores from tomorrow (April 6). Smaller shops – under 3,000sq ft – do not have to hide their tobacco products until 2015, and wholesaler Booker has said they could net £1 billion in sales with the advantage over the multiples. Retailers and lobby groups have raised concerns that the display ban, known as “going dark”, will…

Smokers’ lobbying body Forest is to launch a campaign against plain packaging of tobacco – called Hands Off Our Packs. The body has created a website where people opposed to plain packaging can petition the government when it begins a UK-wide public consultation on the issue this spring. Earlier this month an alliance of tobacco control groups launched a campaign called Plain Packs Protect, in…