With the line between vodka and gin becoming increasingly blurred, some vodka producers are highlighting terroir and provenance to make their liquid stand out. Phoebe French finds out how they are getting their messages across.
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For a spirit so transparent and straightforward, vodka is surprisingly murky. What can it – or should it – be made from? Can something that is described as ‘a neutral spirit’ have ‘character’? And where do you draw the line between flavoured vodka and gin?
Where producers are making vodka matters. After what was dubbed the ‘vodka war’, in reference to heated discussions over labelling, in 2007 the European Union voted in favour of allowing vodka made from “other agricultural raw materials”, as well as potatoes and cereals, to be called vodka. Brought about when Diageo began marketing Cîroc as a vodka made “exclusively from grapes,” the measure opened up a raft of possibilities for producers willing to experiment.
On the other hand, it was widely condemned by distillers in the so-called ‘vodka belt’, with Poland, Finland and Sweden voting against the measure, and Lithuania abstaining.
Arguing that vodka should only be made from potatoes and grains, Polish MEP Ryszard Czarnecki said at the time: “Would the French like Champagne made from plums, and would the British accept whisky distilled from apricots? That sounds like heresy. So please don't be surprised that we are refusing to recognise vodka made from waste.”
Unlike the US, the EU also has a rather liberal definition of what constitutes ‘neutral’. In the US, vodka must be treated after distillation with “charcoal or other materials as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or colour”.
Flavoured vodka has a separate category. In the EU, vodka must be distilled and/or rectified “so that the organoleptic characteristics of the raw materials used and by-products formed in fermentation are selectively reduced. This process may be followed by re-distillation and/or treatment, including treatment with activated charcoal.”
In January this year, the Canadian government announced that it was proposing a series of changes to the country’s vodka regulations. These included expanding the list of permitted raw materials to include any agricultural material and permitting the use of other materials beyond charcoal to fully or partially remove any distinctive character, aroma or taste from the spirit.”
As such, unflavoured vodka can be broadly categorised into two genres: neutral and characterful.
With negotiations starting in December 2016 and agreed on in November 2018, the EU’s new Spirit Drink Regulations aim to provide added clarity in terms of production and labelling and enhance the production of Geographical Indicators (GIs). “It’s interesting to see the new EU Spirit Drink Regulations that have come into place with the intention of clarifying definition and descriptions for not only vodka and gin, but all 47 spirit categories,” says Henrik Ellström, global brand director at Absolut.
“Vodka producers will have to keep an ear to the ground to see the effectiveness of the guidelines on producers and consumers in the EU, and the global knock-on effect.”
Added clarity
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But are the perceptions surrounding vodka already changing? Ian Stirling, founder of Arbikie in Scotland, believes so. “Vodka has evolved; it’s escaping its ‘bad name’ of being compared to paint stripper and guzzled for the sole reason of getting drunk,” he says. “In recent years consumers have developed an interest in premium vodka, and instead of guzzling they savour; they drink to enjoy the spirit.”
Ultimately, brands will differ in how they look to attract these consumers. Larger brands with big budgets can afford to splash out on marketing and advertising. Strategies vary, from celebrity endorsements such as Channing Tatum’s Born and Bred vodka, and limited-edition packaging to support causes like Pride, to large-scale campaigns like Absolut’s ‘naked advert’ with the tagline ‘the vodka with nothing to hide’. Others opt for a different tack.
Long championed by brands such as Poland’s Vestal and England’s Chase, in 2017, LVMH’s Belvedere put terroir in the limelight with the launch of its two single estate rye vodkas, produced using grain from two farms in Poland. Aside from Belvedere, smaller scale producers, in particular, have been putting the raw materials, and where they’re grown, at the core of their promotional material. Provenance, authenticity and traceability have become watchwords for craft producers championing more ‘characterful’ styles of vodka.
Scottish vodka distiller Ogilvy Spirits, based near Forfar in Angus, is an example of a producer that is taking its consumers back to basics. “We’ve had people coming round for a tour of the distillery look surprised and say ‘oh, so you really do make it here’,” says Caroline Bruce-Jarron, co-founder of Ogilvy Spirits.
Ascribing much importance to the quality of its base materials, Ogilvy trialled various varieties of potato already growing on its farm, such as Maris Piper, King Edward and Cultra. Eventually plumping for Maris Piper, the distiller labels each bottle with the name of the field from which the potatoes were harvested, as well as the year that they were harvested. “We can even tell you on what day and what time they were harvested,” adds Bruce-Jarron. “We’re farmers so we need to know this information. Over the years we’ve found that people have responded well to it, and it really sets us apart that we can go down to that level of detail. I like to say we have food metres rather than food miles.”
Arbikie’s Stirling likewise believes this is important. “Consumers are becoming more focused on the story behind spirit products. This includes the growing process of ingredients used in the vodka they’re drinking, as well as distillation and location. At Arbikie we grow what we distil so the base material we use is very important and the associated taste appreciated by our discerning consumers. Whether potatoes for our Tattie Bogle vodka, or wheat for our Haar, fresh chillies for our Chilli Vodka, or fresh, seasonal strawberries for our Strawberry Vodka – our consumers regularly feed back that they can taste the difference.”
Stephen Russell, co-founder of Copper Rivet, which produces Vela Vodka, shares Stirling’s opinion. “Vela Vodka’s character is defined by our process and the provenance of the Kentish wheat, barley and rye, which is grown exclusively for us within 30 miles of our distillery in Chatham. Consumers seem keen to enjoy vodka that has some character – so rather than being totally flavourless, we find that consumers are able to identify a hint of sweetness, the warmth and creaminess that resides in our vodka.”
Sweet character
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Keith Bonnington, director of Colonsay Beverages, owner of Brochan Vodka, also believes the use of good-quality base ingredients can alter the mouthfeel of the spirit. “We saw a marked change in the mouthfeel of Brochan when we added the oats to a wheat and rye cereal base, and it was the oats that gave us the creamy, sweet character we wanted to achieve.”
Using a combination of raw materials to create your neutral grain spirit can have a similarly significant impact, according to Mathias Tönnesson, CEO of Purity Vodka. “The difference in taste and complexity between a single-ingredient vodka and multi-ingredient one is large. You can compare it to an artist that only uses one colour painting a canvas versus using the full palette of colours,” he says.
Another component that has been central to the marketing of vodka is the number of times it has been distilled and filtered. Is a vodka that has been quadruple distilled then filtered seven times through diamonds really any ‘purer’ as a result, and do consumers actually care?
“Our spirit is effectively distilled 43 times but it’s not something we really talk about too much,” says Russell of Copper Rivet. “By the time we begin talking about the distillation, consumers already understand that our spirit is made from specially grown, locally farmed grain, and have understood the extra lengths we go to in the fermentation and production of our low wines, so I think the number of distillations becomes secondary.”
Jon Tregenna, media manager of Penderyn Distillery, Wales’ largest vodka producer, which owns the Five Vodka brand, believes stating the number of distillations remains important, but adds that the location of the distillery also helps market the product.
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“Five Vodka is distilled five times for maximum purity,” he says, adding that while many vodkas undergo charcoal filtration, Five doesn’t need any further filtration. “Our vodka also uses water from the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales,” he says. “Our location is important to us as it gives us a point of difference and is a pivotal part of our story. We have found that telling the story of Wales – its history, culture and its many famous people – intrigues people around the world, then the taste of our products does the rest.”
Eugenio Litta Modignani, founder of Russian vodka brand Tovaritch!, however, is adamant that while consumers might not be bothered about the number of distillations used to make a vodka, distillers definitely should be.
“Even if the number of distillations and filtrations does not matter to consumers, it should matter to producers. It takes five distillations and many filtrations using various filters to produce a fine, pure vodka,” he says. “Consumers are getting confused by an array of marketing messages stressing the importance of pure water and ingredients. We are striving to shift the focus back to distillation as the key element of the vodka production process.”
While producers clearly differ about which elements of the distillation process they wish to promote and are important, is there more agreement on what they should focus on in the future?
Responding to trends in the wider drinks category, like the desire for lower ABV and lower-calorie alternatives, appears to be a key priority.
Inspired by the revival of the vodka and soda serve, last summer Diageo-owned Smirnoff launched its Smirnoff Soda Smash campaign, encouraging drinkers to squeeze citrus fruits into their drinks. Likewise Absolut unveiled its Juice Edition last year to tap into the market.
“There is an increasing trend for Vodka Sodas, mainly because it has fewer calories. We’re making those Vodka Sodas as tasty as possible with our new product, Absolut Juice Edition, which is made of 5% real juice and a lower ABV level at 35%. You can enjoy a drink with fewer calories without compromising on flavour,” says Henrik Ellström, global brand director of Absolut.
It’s not just the larger producers. Ogilvy Spirits launched its bottled cocktail mixes in 2016, combining its potato vodka, fresh fruit juices and herbs. Bruce-Jarron says the Perfect Pour range, which contains no added sugar, came about after the company conducted market research. “It’s lower ABV at 20% and is easy to do at home without all the fuss of cocktails,” she says.
More regulation needed
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Ogilvy is one of many distillers calling for better regulation when it comes to categorisation. “We need more regulation between vodkas and gins that are not particularly juniper led,” Bruce-Jarron says. “There are a lot of products in Scotland that are buying in their base spirits then saying they’re Scottish. It takes three weeks to produce our vodka. We are frustrated and feel consumers are being misled. There are distilleries that aren’t actually distilleries, they’re using contract distillers. We’re in a wee bit of a mess. So many brands are popping up and it’s hard to keep control of it all.”
Steven Kersley, head of distillation at BrewDog Distilling, which produces Lone Wolf Vodka, agrees. “Products labelled ‘gin’ are so loosely defined that we’ve ended up with bubblegum- and Turkish delight-flavoured ‘gins’. Realistically, these are flavoured vodkas because juniper doesn’t feature,” he says.
“Authenticity is lacking. Mass-procured neutral grain spirit dressed up in a premium bottle, for me, has no real tangible quality edge on the value brands. The difference in price is a ‘wanker tax’.”
Purity Vodka’s Tönnesson is also among those calling for better definition. “As it is today, the line between a flavoured vodka and a gin has become minimal, and it would be a good idea to review current regulations and make it easier for consumers to understand what the difference is in production and in the final taste,” he says.
Tönnesson also urges producers to improve their carbon footprints. “We need to focus on how we can produce our products more sustainably, how we can minimise the use of plastics, how we can support the production of more organic raw materials and how we can reduce carbon emissions. We all share a responsibility to fight climate change and I hope we as a business can be front-runners to make this happen,” he says.
Absolut’s Ellström agrees: “At Absolut we continue our focus on sustainable production and packaging and believe that transparency is really important,” he says, adding that the brand’s Swedish distillery is one of “the most energy-efficient in the world with CO2-neutral distillation”. At least in this sense, neutral is the way to go.
Cutwater Spirits has a range of seven premium mixers, 14 ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktails and 16 spirits lines which include whiskey, vodka, gin and rum.
The distiller was founded in 2007 by former Ballast Point Brewing executives Yuseff Cherney, Earl Kight and Jim Buechler and initially operated under the name Ballast Point Spirits.
It rebranded to its current name in 2016 and now distributes its products to 34 states, experiencing "double and triple-digit growth" since it was launched.
The company currently operates a 50,000 square foot facility in the Miramar area of San Diego, including a 250-seat tasting room and restaurant.
Commenting on the acquisition, co-founder of Cutwater Spirits Yuseff Cherney, said: “We’re thrilled to have found a partner that understands our vision for Cutwater Spirits and will give us with the tools and resources to grow and thrive. We’re excited to join A-B and work with the team there to bring our spirits and canned cocktails to the world."
In a statement announcing the acquisition, it was stated that the company will be continue to be led by Yuseff Cherney and Earl Kight. Cutwater added that it will "leverage AB InBev's expertise in logistics & distribution, brand-building and packaging to scale the brand even faster." The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Marina Hahn, new business co-founder at AB InBev added: "We’re excited to welcome the Cutwater Spirits team to the Anheuser-Busch family. We have tremendous respect for the brand that Cutwater Spirits has created and cultivated in just a few years and look forward to working with them to expand their premium canned cocktails to consumers across the U.S."
Subject to regulatory approval, Cutwater Spirits will join AB InBev's Beyond Beer portfolio which includes Ritas, Spiked Seltzer, Babe Rose and HiBall.
Cutwater Spirits split with Ballast Point after the later was acquired by Constellation Brands in 2015 for US$1 billion.
Although primarily a beer company, this is not AB InBev's first acquisition in the spirits sector. In April last year, ZX Ventures, the growth and innovation unit of AB InBev, acquired the UK-based Atom Group for an undisclosed sum. Based in Kent, The Atom Group is comprised of online spirits retailer Master of Malt, producer Atom Brands (which includes That Boutique-y Whisky Company and That Boutique-y Gin Company) and distributor Maverick Drinks.
Earlier this month, the brewing giant also snapped up the remaining stake in consumer review site RateBeer that it did not already own.
As reported by the BBC, customs agents seized the vodka from a ship bound for China in the port of Rotterdam on Friday last week, having received an anonymous tip off.
June Sarpong speaks at Spirit Forward LONDON, the first ever S.H.E. Summit in Europe, hosted by Bacardi Ltd and S.H.E. Gobal at Sea Containers (Photo: Wilson/Getty Images for Spirit Forward)[/caption]
It's International Women's Day today, and while many a drinks company or hospitality firm has fallen foul of the #dontpinkmydrink rule, many are also helping to further discussion around gender equality.
This week, Bacardi's hosted the inaugural European S.H.E. Summit, and head of advocacy Shervene Shahbazkhani was one of many high profile panelists at the event.
Meanwhile, Diageo has 
In honour of IWD 2019, we have published a short series of features on women working in and helping to shape the drinks industry today, whether that means being at the heart of the UK's booming beer trade, driving the growing interest in wine in China, or influencing household brands in the world of spirits.
Women’s involvement with beer dates back millennia. Throughout the 9,000-year history of fermented drinks, archaeologists and historians have charted the role of women, both in the production and sale of beer. These days, though groups such as Women on Tap and Ladies that Beer, and initiatives such as International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day actively campaign to celebrate women in beer and safeguard against offensive marketing or sexism in the workplace. Phoebe French has listed the female brewers in the engine room of the UK's beer industry.
Meanwhile, Edith Hancock has detailed
Finally, dbHK editor Natalie Wang takes deep dive into China's wine market, and reveals
In other news....After a hiatus in 2018, Matthew Clark’s on-trade tasting event, Uncovered, returned this week.
Our deputy editor Phoebe French caught up with managing director David Phillips, and director of wine buying, Simon Jerrome, who revealed the changes the company has made to turn its fortunes around since the collapse of parent owner Conviviality.
“The business was hours away from collapse in April, but since then we’re spent a lot of time, energy and effort getting it back on track,” Phillips said.
“It took us five months to get our wine stocks back to normal levels. We also paid off all debts owed, both to our customers and also the crown – this was particularly important for us going forward."
You can read the full story 
Back in Blighty, it was the last week of lager brand Peroni's cocktail bar-cum-immersive fashion exhibition in London's Covent Garden.
The fashion-focused House of Peroni, which closes on Sunday, has eight immersive rooms "delving into the minds of eight creative emerging designers" including Mancunian Hannah Wallace, Teeside's Matthew Duffy, London-based Joel Boyd, and Brightonian Danial Crabtree.
Guests will also be able to sip on a selection of Peroni-based cocktails created by long-standing ambassador, Simone Caporale.
Up north, Ogilvy Vodka – Scotland’s first potato vodka distillery - is preparing to open the doors to its new £150K visitor centre on the outskirts of Dundee.
Independently owned and run by husband-and-wife team, Graeme and Caroline Jarron, Ogilvy Vodka has been distilling at the couple’s Angus farm since 2014.
Licensees from across the UK were celebrated at Star Pubs & Bars’ annual Star Awards last night.
Representatives from 90 finalist pubs attended the gala ceremony, which was hosted by comedian Ed Byrne at The Belfry resort in Sutton Coldfield.
Tequila brand Olmeca has crowned the Pineapple Express Tequila shotTail, created by a group of young bartenders from Russia, as the winner of the ‘Colossal Shot Kings’ competition, in the "first ever crowdsourced shot ritual contest in the world."
Held in Cape Town, South Africa, teams of bartenders from different countries were challenged to work together to evolve the iconic Tequila shot ritual Inspired by cocktail culture, shotTails showcase the versatility and approachability of Tequila shots through different flavours and ingredients.
T! RED, the new product, is an infusion of Tovaritch Premium vodka and wild berries. With its 25% ABV, low sugar content and fresh aftertaste, T! Red is designed to be consumed as a shot or as part of a mixed drink.
Last summer, Tovaritch! won a Trophy in the Organic Standard category from International Spirits Challenge 2018.
"For any single vodka to reach 109 awards, it is an impressive achievement," Eugenio Litta Modignani, CEO of Tovaritch, said.
"T! Red new design and branding is the next step towards a more minimalist and premium image of one of our product while keeping the high-quality standard it is known for”
T! RED will be introduced in the UK, Benelux and the Middle East this year. The brand can be found at ProWein in Hall 7, C54.
Dan Aykroyd founded Crystal Head vodka in 2007[/caption]
It was the second case between the two parties, brought against Amber Beverage's KAH Tequila by Globefill, which has produced Crystal Head vodka since 2007.
KAH Tequila was founded by Kim Brandi as part of her then Elements Spirits venture in 2009, and is housed in a skull-shaped ceramic bottle. It was 
KAH Tequila's ceramic skull-shaped bottle[/caption]
Senior district court judge Consuelo B. Marshall of the Central District of California ordered that Elements and its founder, Kim Brandi, pay US$871,536.86 in profits stemming from the infringement.
At the time, Aykroyd’s said: "We are thrilled and relieved to be victorious in this case. We thank the jurors, judge Marshall and our brilliant legal team for all of their time and effort on this case.
"We can now move forward to the next chapter of our business."
However shortly after the ruling, Globefill launched a second lawsuit claiming that it was owed further damages.
While the judge upheld its previous ruling that KAH had infringed upon the rights of Crystal Head vodka, it rejected requests for further damages, and attorney's fees, which the court said "weren't justified".
“The district court properly concluded that Elements’ earnings equaled 8% of gross sales of KAH Tequila (or $871,536.86) based on a 2010 Trademark Assignment and Royalty Agreement (TARA) between Elements and non-party Finos. None of Globefill’s arguments to the contrary is persuasive.”
American citizens who enter Roust's Bring Home the Gold Sweepstakes online could win a 1oz (32g) bar of gold valued at around US$1,300, according to the vodka maker.
Leonid Yangarber, CEO of Roust Americas said that, as far as the brand knows, a giveaway with this high a value "has never before been offered in our industry.”
US consumers can enter the Bring Home the Gold Sweepstakes via their mobile devices. Complete information on entry can be found in-store.
"With our unique Bring Home the Gold Sweepstakes, we are creating great excitement at both the consumer and trade level," Kellyann MacLean, Marketing Director for Roust, said
"With such a valuable prize being offered each week, there will surely be a “Gold rush” among consumers looking for Russian Standard Gold at their local retailers.
"Additionally, the program is complemented with high quality, eye-catching display and point of sale materials created with real gold foil that are sure to beautify any store."
Dutchweek | Zell Am See - Kaprun | 23-26 Januari 2019 | © MarcVerhees Fotografie[/caption]
The vodka brand, co-founded by Maarten Witteveen, is made using 100% natural cannabis terpenes to flavour the vodka, and as such contains none of the psychoactive or medicinal properties of the marijuana plant.
"We started as most ideas flourish I guess, shooting the shit with some mates and coming up with the crazy idea of adding cannabis leaves to vodka, a bit like the botanical distillation of gins without the master distiller involved," explains Witteveen.
"In the end we figured we would use 100% natural cannabis terpenes (flavour). Most cannabis terpenes are artificial as there is very little oil in the plant to extract. We considered the options and 100% natural is by far the best performer infused in top quality, quintuple distilled French grain vodka at 40% ABV."
The cannabis oil used to flavour the spirit is sourced from California, where the team is able to work with cannabis legally, however tests are then carried out independently to ensure that there is no THC (the psychoactive substance in cannabis) present, making it legal in European markets.
As a result Weedka is 100% legal wherever alcohol is legal, adds Witteveen.
Weedka is produced in the Netherlands, with the first batch produced in December, and is now available in both the Netherlands and Germany, with plans to extend its reach to markets including the UK, Belgium, Austria, Spain, Georgia, Lebanon, Central/South America and the Caribbean in the near future.
Next month, the brand will be showcased at the Wine & Spirits Show in London, hosted by the drinks business and The Spirits Business, which will return to the Royal Horseguards Hotel at One Whitehall Place on 12 and 13 April 2019.
"There is a road to travel for Weedka as we are innovating within a pretty calm vodka category," said Witteveen. 
For a spirit so transparent and straightforward, vodka is surprisingly murky. What can it – or should it – be made from? Can something that is described as ‘a neutral spirit’ have ‘character’? And where do you draw the line between flavoured vodka and gin?
Where producers are making vodka matters. After what was dubbed the ‘vodka war’, in reference to heated discussions over labelling, in 2007 the European Union voted in favour of allowing vodka made from “other agricultural raw materials”, as well as potatoes and cereals, to be called vodka. Brought about when Diageo began marketing Cîroc as a vodka made “exclusively from grapes,” the measure opened up a raft of possibilities for producers willing to experiment.
On the other hand, it was widely condemned by distillers in the so-called ‘vodka belt’, with Poland, Finland and Sweden voting against the measure, and Lithuania abstaining.
Arguing that vodka should only be made from potatoes and grains, Polish MEP Ryszard Czarnecki said at the time: “Would the French like Champagne made from plums, and would the British accept whisky distilled from apricots? That sounds like heresy. So please don't be surprised that we are refusing to recognise vodka made from waste.”
Unlike the US, the EU also has a rather liberal definition of what constitutes ‘neutral’. In the US, vodka must be treated after distillation with “charcoal or other materials as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste or colour”.
Flavoured vodka has a separate category. In the EU, vodka must be distilled and/or rectified “so that the organoleptic characteristics of the raw materials used and by-products formed in fermentation are selectively reduced. This process may be followed by re-distillation and/or treatment, including treatment with activated charcoal.”
In January this year, the Canadian government announced that it was proposing a series of changes to the country’s vodka regulations. These included expanding the list of permitted raw materials to include any agricultural material and permitting the use of other materials beyond charcoal to fully or partially remove any distinctive character, aroma or taste from the spirit.”
As such, unflavoured vodka can be broadly categorised into two genres: neutral and characterful.
With negotiations starting in December 2016 and agreed on in November 2018, the EU’s new Spirit Drink Regulations aim to provide added clarity in terms of production and labelling and enhance the production of Geographical Indicators (GIs). “It’s interesting to see the new EU Spirit Drink Regulations that have come into place with the intention of clarifying definition and descriptions for not only vodka and gin, but all 47 spirit categories,” says Henrik Ellström, global brand director at Absolut.
“Vodka producers will have to keep an ear to the ground to see the effectiveness of the guidelines on producers and consumers in the EU, and the global knock-on effect.”
But are the perceptions surrounding vodka already changing? Ian Stirling, founder of Arbikie in Scotland, believes so. “Vodka has evolved; it’s escaping its ‘bad name’ of being compared to paint stripper and guzzled for the sole reason of getting drunk,” he says. “In recent years consumers have developed an interest in premium vodka, and instead of guzzling they savour; they drink to enjoy the spirit.”
Ultimately, brands will differ in how they look to attract these consumers. Larger brands with big budgets can afford to splash out on marketing and advertising. Strategies vary, from celebrity endorsements such as Channing Tatum’s Born and Bred vodka, and limited-edition packaging to support causes like Pride, to large-scale campaigns like Absolut’s ‘naked advert’ with the tagline ‘the vodka with nothing to hide’. Others opt for a different tack.
Long championed by brands such as Poland’s Vestal and England’s Chase, in 2017, LVMH’s Belvedere put terroir in the limelight with the launch of its two single estate rye vodkas, produced using grain from two farms in Poland. Aside from Belvedere, smaller scale producers, in particular, have been putting the raw materials, and where they’re grown, at the core of their promotional material. Provenance, authenticity and traceability have become watchwords for craft producers championing more ‘characterful’ styles of vodka.
Scottish vodka distiller Ogilvy Spirits, based near Forfar in Angus, is an example of a producer that is taking its consumers back to basics. “We’ve had people coming round for a tour of the distillery look surprised and say ‘oh, so you really do make it here’,” says Caroline Bruce-Jarron, co-founder of Ogilvy Spirits.
Ascribing much importance to the quality of its base materials, Ogilvy trialled various varieties of potato already growing on its farm, such as Maris Piper, King Edward and Cultra. Eventually plumping for Maris Piper, the distiller labels each bottle with the name of the field from which the potatoes were harvested, as well as the year that they were harvested. “We can even tell you on what day and what time they were harvested,” adds Bruce-Jarron. “We’re farmers so we need to know this information. Over the years we’ve found that people have responded well to it, and it really sets us apart that we can go down to that level of detail. I like to say we have food metres rather than food miles.”
Arbikie’s Stirling likewise believes this is important. “Consumers are becoming more focused on the story behind spirit products. This includes the growing process of ingredients used in the vodka they’re drinking, as well as distillation and location. At Arbikie we grow what we distil so the base material we use is very important and the associated taste appreciated by our discerning consumers. Whether potatoes for our Tattie Bogle vodka, or wheat for our Haar, fresh chillies for our Chilli Vodka, or fresh, seasonal strawberries for our Strawberry Vodka – our consumers regularly feed back that they can taste the difference.”
Stephen Russell, co-founder of Copper Rivet, which produces Vela Vodka, shares Stirling’s opinion. “Vela Vodka’s character is defined by our process and the provenance of the Kentish wheat, barley and rye, which is grown exclusively for us within 30 miles of our distillery in Chatham. Consumers seem keen to enjoy vodka that has some character – so rather than being totally flavourless, we find that consumers are able to identify a hint of sweetness, the warmth and creaminess that resides in our vodka.”
Keith Bonnington, director of Colonsay Beverages, owner of Brochan Vodka, also believes the use of good-quality base ingredients can alter the mouthfeel of the spirit. “We saw a marked change in the mouthfeel of Brochan when we added the oats to a wheat and rye cereal base, and it was the oats that gave us the creamy, sweet character we wanted to achieve.”
Using a combination of raw materials to create your neutral grain spirit can have a similarly significant impact, according to Mathias Tönnesson, CEO of Purity Vodka. “The difference in taste and complexity between a single-ingredient vodka and multi-ingredient one is large. You can compare it to an artist that only uses one colour painting a canvas versus using the full palette of colours,” he says.
Another component that has been central to the marketing of vodka is the number of times it has been distilled and filtered. Is a vodka that has been quadruple distilled then filtered seven times through diamonds really any ‘purer’ as a result, and do consumers actually care?
“Our spirit is effectively distilled 43 times but it’s not something we really talk about too much,” says Russell of Copper Rivet. “By the time we begin talking about the distillation, consumers already understand that our spirit is made from specially grown, locally farmed grain, and have understood the extra lengths we go to in the fermentation and production of our low wines, so I think the number of distillations becomes secondary.”
Jon Tregenna, media manager of Penderyn Distillery, Wales’ largest vodka producer, which owns the Five Vodka brand, believes stating the number of distillations remains important, but adds that the location of the distillery also helps market the product.
“Five Vodka is distilled five times for maximum purity,” he says, adding that while many vodkas undergo charcoal filtration, Five doesn’t need any further filtration. “Our vodka also uses water from the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales,” he says. “Our location is important to us as it gives us a point of difference and is a pivotal part of our story. We have found that telling the story of Wales – its history, culture and its many famous people – intrigues people around the world, then the taste of our products does the rest.”
Eugenio Litta Modignani, founder of Russian vodka brand Tovaritch!, however, is adamant that while consumers might not be bothered about the number of distillations used to make a vodka, distillers definitely should be.
“Even if the number of distillations and filtrations does not matter to consumers, it should matter to producers. It takes five distillations and many filtrations using various filters to produce a fine, pure vodka,” he says. “Consumers are getting confused by an array of marketing messages stressing the importance of pure water and ingredients. We are striving to shift the focus back to distillation as the key element of the vodka production process.”
While producers clearly differ about which elements of the distillation process they wish to promote and are important, is there more agreement on what they should focus on in the future?
Responding to trends in the wider drinks category, like the desire for lower ABV and lower-calorie alternatives, appears to be a key priority.
Inspired by the revival of the vodka and soda serve, last summer Diageo-owned Smirnoff launched its Smirnoff Soda Smash campaign, encouraging drinkers to squeeze citrus fruits into their drinks. Likewise Absolut unveiled its Juice Edition last year to tap into the market.
“There is an increasing trend for Vodka Sodas, mainly because it has fewer calories. We’re making those Vodka Sodas as tasty as possible with our new product, Absolut Juice Edition, which is made of 5% real juice and a lower ABV level at 35%. You can enjoy a drink with fewer calories without compromising on flavour,” says Henrik Ellström, global brand director of Absolut.
It’s not just the larger producers. Ogilvy Spirits launched its bottled cocktail mixes in 2016, combining its potato vodka, fresh fruit juices and herbs. Bruce-Jarron says the Perfect Pour range, which contains no added sugar, came about after the company conducted market research. “It’s lower ABV at 20% and is easy to do at home without all the fuss of cocktails,” she says.
More regulation needed
Ogilvy is one of many distillers calling for better regulation when it comes to categorisation. “We need more regulation between vodkas and gins that are not particularly juniper led,” Bruce-Jarron says. “There are a lot of products in Scotland that are buying in their base spirits then saying they’re Scottish. It takes three weeks to produce our vodka. We are frustrated and feel consumers are being misled. There are distilleries that aren’t actually distilleries, they’re using contract distillers. We’re in a wee bit of a mess. So many brands are popping up and it’s hard to keep control of it all.”
Steven Kersley, head of distillation at BrewDog Distilling, which produces Lone Wolf Vodka, agrees. “Products labelled ‘gin’ are so loosely defined that we’ve ended up with bubblegum- and Turkish delight-flavoured ‘gins’. Realistically, these are flavoured vodkas because juniper doesn’t feature,” he says.
“Authenticity is lacking. Mass-procured neutral grain spirit dressed up in a premium bottle, for me, has no real tangible quality edge on the value brands. The difference in price is a ‘wanker tax’.”
Purity Vodka’s Tönnesson is also among those calling for better definition. “As it is today, the line between a flavoured vodka and a gin has become minimal, and it would be a good idea to review current regulations and make it easier for consumers to understand what the difference is in production and in the final taste,” he says.
Tönnesson also urges producers to improve their carbon footprints. “We need to focus on how we can produce our products more sustainably, how we can minimise the use of plastics, how we can support the production of more organic raw materials and how we can reduce carbon emissions. We all share a responsibility to fight climate change and I hope we as a business can be front-runners to make this happen,” he says.
Absolut’s Ellström agrees: “At Absolut we continue our focus on sustainable production and packaging and believe that transparency is really important,” he says, adding that the brand’s Swedish distillery is one of “the most energy-efficient in the world with CO2-neutral distillation”. At least in this sense, neutral is the way to go.
From left to right: Lizzy Huang, Fergus Moore, Tunny Grattidge of Northeast Wines & Spirits; Cherry Lam of Moet Hennessy Diageo Hong Kong; John Rhodes of Jon Dory Ltd; David Walters of Fine + Rare; and Davan Bryne[/caption]
About a decade ago, vodka, the king of all white spirits, was ruling the cocktail scene, where its neutrality served as a canvas for mixologists’ creativity. In recent years, dismissed by critics as banal and one-dimensional, vodka seems to have retreated into the background. The white spirit's ascendancy was then further sabotaged by mass marketed flavoured vodkas and gaudy packaging that helped with volume but lost it consumers who – as they matured – looked increasingly for sophisticated and well-crafted spirits.
Its waning appeal in comparison to gin and Tequila was felt among mixologists and bar owners in Asia as well. "Vodka lime sodas and vodka shots were very much in vogue about a decade back. While those are still mainstays on the nightclub circuit, with the rise of artisanal cocktail bars, consumers have moved towards gins and whiskies as their standard drink orders,” commented Victoria Chow, owner of Hong Kong's cocktail bar The Woods and one of the judges for the competition.
Changing consumer preference
If consumer preference is partly responsible for a shift from vodka, marketing gimmicks tied with the spirit did not help with vodka’s image either, thinks John Rhodes, owner of Jon Dory Limited, a Hong Kong-based spirits company, .
“The marketeers came up with gimmicks to sell essentially a grain alcohol but with flavours added or in a gimmicky bottle; that was all great for mass consumption but in terms of long-term image it wasn't a good thing... That generation which jumped into the flavoured vodkas have moved on and the new generation of consumers want something a bit more honest and sophisticated," he explained.
Continuing, he said: “The consumer is getting far more educated these days which in turn creates interest which in turn creates demand … for the right product.”
Indeed, the results from our inaugural World Vodka Masters - Asia confirm that bottles that are well crafted, balanced and faithful to their base products without stripping their flavours are what set the best vodkas apart.
Balance
They key for a great vodka, be it distilled from potatoes, wheat, carrots or even grapes, as the judges agree, should have balance and flavour whether used as a mixer or drunk neat.
"Vodka really defines purity and simplicity when speaking in terms of spirits. It is the most neutral (it has always intended to be) and showcases the subtleties of the base ingredient. While Tequila is similar in the sense that it is an expression of its base material, gin is more of an expression of the distiller – who chooses the mix of botanicals to showcase," Chow explained.
More importantly, as the judges observed the ones that truly stand out all have distinctive characteristics to tell where they are from and what they are made of, “a story” as they put it.
One such example was the Master-winning vodka, Masons Yorkshire, from the UK carrying a price tag of HK$360 in the Ultra-Premium Category. Finished at an alcohol strength of 42% abv, the spirit impressed all judges with its intensity of flavour, length of finish and its creamy mouthfeel. Praising the spirit, David Walters, head of Spirits Buying at Fine + Rare, said: “The mouthfeel was medium bodied and creamy. There was weight. Then there was balance, particularly the alcohol which was not marked and did not leave a burn. The finish was long and there was spice and a nutty character.”
Chow agreed, adding it goes down “supremely smoothly”. Another high performer was London-based distillery Bloomsbury's peated vodka in the Smooth category. Distilled from peated barley, the spirit won a gold for its complexity with an extra layer of smokiness.
Another vodka that got the judges raving was an artisanal vodka distilled by New Zealand’s Spiritual Vodka in the Rest of the World category. Humming with energy and life, the vodka can peel back and reveal itself in subtle and complex layers of flavours, earning itself a Master.
Lauding the spirit, Rhodes enthused: “It had a story to tell. By that I mean when nosing the vodka, the flavours you get are different from when it is on the palate as well as producing long finish. The difference between nose and palate is what I am look for in any sipping alcohol and is one of the reasons why whisky, single malts in particular have made good rounds…that is what I mean by a drink having a story. A leaner flavour that goes from nose to palate is not that interesting unless the flavour is something special and the palate enhances what was on the nose.”
Eastern Europe
The stronghold of vodka undoubtedly is still in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia and those parts of the world were well represented in our competition by Sweden, Russia, Finland and Latvia.
Another top vodka from our tasting is Purity Vodka's 'Super 17 Premium' made in Sweden, a wheat-based organic vodka. Impressing the judges with its complexity and balanced mouthfeel, the spirit went on to win a Master across a few categories such as Organic, Micro-distillery and Ultra-Premium. The boutique distillery's Super 34 Premium was also awarded a gold.
In the Premium category, Finland's Koskenkorva Vodka Original distilled from locally sourced barley took home a gold, while in the Standard category it was Latvia’s Moskovkaya Vodaka by Amber Beverage Group that emerged as a favourite among the judges for its clean nose and balanced palate.
Moving east to Russia, a country that has been inextricably linked to vodka, the excellence of its vodka production was well represented in this competition by Tovaritch! Premium Vodka, winning a gold in the Organic, Smooth, Premium and Rye categories.
Of course, nothing excites the judges more than discovering hidden gems from lesser-known regions when their identities are revealed. Malaysia in Southeast Asia took home a gold medal in the Standard category with the Kharaso Vodka Original, a vodka triple distilled from sugarcane. 14 INKAS by Destilería Espíritu Andino and supported by the Innóvate Peru Program of the Ministry of Production emerged from the competition as a pleasant surprise, winning a gold. Bold Vodka from Canada also took home a gold in the Corn category. It is also one of the best value spirits from the tasting, selling at only HK$140 a bottle.
Overall, the judges in the panel agreed that most of the samples shown in the competition are varied and good representations of different styles and expressions.
Judges:
Victoria Chow, Owner of The Woods
Cherry Lam, Senior Sales Executive of Moet Hennessy Hong Kong Ltd
John Rhodes, Owner of Jon Dory Ltd
David Walters, Head of Spirits Buying at Fine + Rare
Tunny Grattidge, Category Manager for Spirits & Liquor at Northeast Wines & Spirits Hong Kong
Massimo Petovello, Bar Manager of Itchu Peru
About the competition:
The World Vodka Masters - Asia was launched by the drinks business Hong Kong this year in a drive to find and reward the finest global vodka brands in the Asian Market. Judged only by style and price, the competition serves as an ideal platform for producers from around the globe to raise brand awareness in Asia. Silver, Gold and Master medals will be awarded in each category.
Judges:
Victoria Chow, owner of The Woods
Cherry Lam, senior sales executive at Moet Hennessy Hong Kong
John Rhodes, owner of Jon Dory
David Walters, head of Spirits Buying at Fine + Rare
Tunny Grattidge, category manager for Spirits & Liquor at Northeast Wines & Spirits Hong Kong
Massimo Petovello, bar manager of Itchu Peru
About the competition:
The World Vodka Masters - Asia was launched by the drinks business Hong Kong this year in a drive to find and reward the finest global vodka brands in the Asian Market. Judged only by style and price, the competition serves as an ideal platform for producers from around the globe to raise brand awareness in Asia. Silver, Gold and Master medals will be awarded in each category.
Last weekend, we welcomed 1,500 members of the trade and London's wine-loving community to our Wine & Spirits Show.
[caption id="attachment_444834" align="aligncenter" width="613"]
(Photo: CMS)[/caption]
This week, the Court of Master Sommeliers Australia has announced the results of its Introductory and Certified Examinations.
Some 37 students secured the title of Introductory Sommelier following the exam, with 15 students named as Certified Sommeliers, according to the CMS’ website.
The 2018 Sydney Riedel Certified Sommelier Dux was awarded to Felix Auzou of Dear Saint Eloise.
[caption id="attachment_444998" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
(Photo: Angelus)[/caption]
In Bordeaux, Château Angelus fired an extremely early starting gun on this year’s en primeur campaign with the release of its 2018 – at a cheaper price than the 2017 too.
The St Emilion grand cru classé ‘A’ released at €252 per bottle ex-négociant, 8.7% lower than the 2017 was. The average price in London will be around £3,060 for a case of 12.
The second wine, Carillon d’Angelus, was also released at €78 p/b.
Creative agency Impero has launched a new, and very jazzy, campaign for Pernod Ricard’s Havana Club rum.
On Tuesday, vodka brand Grey Goose treated bar-goers to after work drinks at The Wigmore Pub on Regent Street, then gave them an impromptu stand-up comedy performance from comedian, writer and actor, Jack Whitehall.
It was all in aid of Grey Goose's new "global brand platform" (marketeer speak for 'new website and brand makeover'), called Live Victoriously.
The new platform, which includes a refreshed website and an advertising partnership with the Guardian, is "an answer to consumers’ demand for more authentic and relatable luxury brands," according to the spirit label.
A series of adverts with taglines such as ‘Live like your phone doesn’t exist,’ Live like you own the place’ and ‘Live Like the world is your stage’, will also air in the coming weeks on Sky, 4OD and Amazon streaming services.
On Wednesday, db spent the morning at London's 67 Pall Mall learning about Sauvignon Blanc, and just how important the grape variety has become in the scientific study of terroir.
Jamie Goode and Rebecca Gibb MW gave us a run-down on the most important facts about Sauvignon Blanc plantings, and how it came to be synonymous with New Zealand's wine industry in just over a quarter of a century.
Next, we were challenged to a blind tasting of New Zealand and Loire expressions, and told to guess which was which.
However, industry veteran Steven Spurrier, sat next to db, revealed said he already knew. "Watch them open the bottles," he said, "you could see which ones had screwcaps."
In Elaborate Drawn-Out Marketing news, Danish brewer Carlsberg has launched a new ad campaign, which admits its flagship lager is “probably not the best beer in the world.”
The announcement comes after Carlsberg recently launched a new Danish pilsner in the UK market. According to a survey of 160 lager drinkers in the UK carried out last December, some 59% of people preferred the taste of the new product to the brewer’s current core beer.
The brewery has recruited actor Mads Mikkelsen to head up its new campaign, extolling the premium qualities of Danish pilsners.
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(Photo: Diageo)[/caption]
In other beer news, Diageo-owned Guinness has joined Carlsberg in scrapping the use of plastic rings on its beer cans.
The Diageo-owned brewery’s multi-can packs will be replaced by cardboard packs, which are sustainably sourced, recyclable and fully biodegradable, according to the parent company.
Diageo will also be removing plastic packaging from multipacks of beer products including Harp and Smithwick’s.
What would you rather fight, one horse-sized sausage dog, or 50 sausage dog-sized horses?
[caption id="attachment_445008" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
"Let's be having you" (Photo: Persie)[/caption]
Why do we ask? Well, 50 sausage dogs from across the country were brought to Persie Distillery (housed in a refurbished stables) to celebrate the launch of Dachshund Gin Liqueur this week.
The stables-turned-distillery in Glenshee, Scotland has teamed up with rescue charity PADS to formulate a family of ‘dog gins’ – with different styles of gin reflecting different breeds.
Persie's latest expression, Dachshund, is a liqueur made using freshly pressed limes with fruit left over from the distillery’s Zesty Citrus Gin. The distillery said that, much like the noble sausage dog, the expression is "the perfect balance of sweet and sharp."
It follows the launch of Labrador Gin and Spaniel Gin in 2018.
For each bottle sold, Persie Distillery donates £1 to PADS, in addition to an annual lump sum.
The vodka producer made the statement after its recent success at this year's Vodka Masters – Asia, hosted by the drinks business Hong Kong. The brand won a Gold in the organic, smooth, premium and rye categories.
It also scored 93 out of a 100 in the Beverage Tasting Institute's International Review of Spirits and won a Gold medal and Best Buy Award. It picked up another Gold from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition where almost 3,000 spirits were judged alongside it.
Commenting on the brand's success, Eugenio Litta Modignani, CEO of Tovaritch! Spirits International, said: “Over the years, the most discerning palates in the industry have repeatedly confirmed the invariably superb quality of our vodka. It is nothing short of amazing, given the highly-competitive nature of the spirits market. And we have every intention to stay on top of our game – and on top of our competition.”
Tovaritch! recently unveiled its new vodka infusion called T! RED, made with vodka and wild berries. With its 25% ABV, low sugar content and fresh aftertaste, T! Red is designed to be consumed as a shot or as part of a mixed drink.
Chase Distillery will invite 1,000 industry guests to the event at the Herefordshire farm where the spirits are made, in recognition of their continued support of the brand.
The festival will host live music, street food, and cocktail bars hosted by Chase and others. Distillery tours and tastings will be held over the two-day event.
The global Chase cup cocktail competition will return, allowing bartenders to compete for an extensive prize in front of a panel of industry experts.
Judges will be looking for cocktails that "showcase true sustainability within the industry, champion home-grown produce and are made from scratch craft". The drink must, according to the requirements, “be original and a personal creation – think seasonal, local and timeless.”
The drink itself must contain minimum 30ml Chase Original Potato Vodka, Chase GB Gin, or Chase Pink Grapefruit Gin, and a maximum of six ingredients (excluding garnish). They can contain homemade ingredients. A story or rationale behind the cocktail inspiration must be included.
The winner will receive a £2,500 cash prize, an ambassadorship trip to Bar Convent Berlin or Bar Convent Brooklyn, the Rock The Farm 2019 trophy and a year’s supply of Chase spirits. Two runners up will also receive a year’s supply of Chase spirits.
Heats for the Chase Cup competition run between March and May. Regional UK Heats will take place in London, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester and international heats will take place across America, Australia, Hong Kong, the UAE, Spain, Italy, Germany and Holland.
To enter, competitors should visit the 
James Chase, head ambassador, said: “We’re extremely proud to create an award-winning product that comes from our humble potato farm. Rock The Farm gives us the opportunity to welcome those who share in our passion to explore Chase Distillery and celebrate with us.”
Chase Distillery was founded back in 2008, and 
The latest addition to the line-up, which is inspired by the snowy Białowieża Forest and named 'white' in Polish, launched in 2010 and has become Poland’s best-selling vodka brand, 
After a major investment, Mermaid Gin from the Isle of Wight, has rebranded, launching a plastic-free, fully recyclable turquoise and aqua bottle, which is sculpted with scales to evoke the mythical creature after which it is named.
The gin’s botanicals include organic lemon zest, grains of paradise and rock samphire foraged from the cliffs on the island. The bottle is decorated with biodegradable paint and has a natural cork with a wooden top and a paper seal.
RRP: £45
Contact: Enotria & Coe, customerservices@enotriacoe.com
A blend of 70% Corvina and 30% Rondinella, Tenuta Sant’Antonio’s Valpolicella Nanfrè 2017 is a vibrant, fresh fruit-forward red that has notes of cherry and raspberry. The vines, aged between 10 and 15 years and planted at a density of 4,000-8,000 vines per hectare, were grown 200 metres above sea level on clay-based soils.
Aged for four to six months in stainless steel, the producer believes it pairs well with spaghetti with salted sardines, tagliatelle with chicken livers and pike in sauce. All grapes were harvested by hand and the wine was bottled at 12.5% ABV.
RRP: 
US-based Brooklyn Brewery is launching its alcohol-free beer in the UK this month. Available in 355ml bottles, the 0.4% ABV beer has been brewed in a way that naturally limits the amount of alcohol created. According to the producer, the hoppy lager has aromas of pine with bready sweetness and a bitter finish. With inclusivity important to the Brooklyn Brewery brand, the new lager “means that everyone should be able to enjoy a well-brewed beer, regardless of alcohol content”.
The lager is dry-hopped using Citra and Amarillo hops and pairs well with salads, grilled chicken and goat’s cheese.
RRP: £1.30.
Contact: Carlsberg UK, +44 (0)845 782 0820
Rioja wine brand Campo Viejo has used street artists and childhood friends Alby Guillaume, aka Remed, and Louis Lambert, who goes by the alias 3TTMan, together with members of the public, to create the label for its latest Reserva Art Series wine. Now in its sixth year, the series takes the form of a limited-edition bottle released each year.
In 2019, the bottle features wine from the 2014 vintage, which, according to the producer, has aromas of cherries, plums and blackberries with flavours of cloves, vanilla and coconut, as well as soft tannins on the palate.
RRP: £12.95.
Contact: Pernod Ricard, General.PRUK@pernod-ricard.com
Champagne Gosset has unveiled the latest vintage of its Grand Millésime. Made from 67% Chardonnay grown in the Côte des Blancs, Villers-Marmery, Ambonnay and Cumières, and 33% Pinot Noir, the producer describes the wine as “supremely crisp and expressive with aromas of pear and peach and flavours of damson plum and grapefruit”.
The Champagne has a dosage of 8g/l and pairs well with firm-fleshed white fish.
RRP: £72.
Contact: Champagne Gosset, nathalie.dufour@champagne-gosset.com
Chile’s Santa Rita has launched its canned rosé, called Rita Rosé, into the European market. Available in 250ml cans, the wine has a slight spritz and is made from a blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah and Garnacha sourced from the Aconcagua Valley. Targeting the UK on-trade market specifically, the producer said that the canned wine category has experienced “significant growth in the past year”, while also providing a vessel that is light and easy to recycle.
Viña Santa Rita was named ‘Ethical Company of the Year’ at The Drinks Business Green Awards 2015 for its commitment to the protecting the environment.
RRP: £2.70.
Contact: Matthew Clark, +44 (0)344 822 3910
Terroir driven Cognac brand Frapin has launched a 15-year-old Cognac crafted by cellar master Patrice Piveteau. The new release is a cask strength XO Cognac made from grapes grown in Frapin’s own 240-hectare Grande Champagne estate.
Frapin 15-Year-Old blends eaux-de-vies aged in both humid and dry cellars, with the former lending “roundness and richness”, while the latter gives “finesse and elegance”. The Cognac has aromas of vanilla and black tea, and flavours of dried fruit, toast and spice. The entire 240-hectare Frapin estate lies in Grande Champagne.
At this year's Cognac Masters, hosted by db's sister publication, The Spirits Business, Frapin's VSOP Cognac picked up a Gold medal while its Château Fontpinot XO and Frapin Millésime 1990 were awarded the highest honour of 'Master'. After re-tasting all of the Master medal winning Cognacs, the judges awarded the Millésime 1990 'Taste Master', the top award of the day.
RRP: £110.
Contact: Louis Latour Agencies, Rebecca.Fraser@louislatour.co.uk
The brainchild of Pepe Raventós of the family-owned Spanish wine estate Raventós i Blanc, Can Sumoi is a range of natural and biodynamic wines made from local grape varieties in the Penedès DO. The vineyards are located 600 metres above sea level on an estate which has been farmed since 1645.
Only the second vintage released, the 2016 wines, consisting of five expressions made with varieties including Parellada and Xarel-lo, are all un-filtered and made without sulphites.
RRP: $18.
Contact: Raventós, susana.portabella@raventos.com
Surrey-based Greyfriars Vineyard has released its second wine as part of its Prestige Cuvée range. The Blancs de Noirs NV, made from 60% Pinot Noir from 2015 and 40% Pinot Meunier from 2014, is a limited release of just 3,800 bottles.
The grapes were hand picked, whole bunch pressed and tank fermented before undergoing malolactic fermentation. The wine has had over three years on its lees and has a dosage of 2g/l. Greyfriars’ vines were first planted in 1989 and the producer now has 63,000 together with a new winery housed in a 3,500 square foot chalk cave.
RRP: £30.
Contact: Greyfriars Vineyard, info@greyfriarsvineyard.co.uk
Russian vodka brand Tovaritch has launched a new 1.75 litre bottle with a fine neck, a cork cap with Tovaritch transparent foil and improved lithography printing. The brand’s grain vodka is produced and bottled in Russia by Geneva-based Tovaritch Spirits International and is distilled five times and filtered through a combination of birch charcoal and silver.
Eugenio Litta Modignani, CEO of Tovaritch! Spirits International, hopes the new packaging will help the company target clubs and the global travel retail sector. The brand won gold at this year’s Vodka Masters – Asia in the organic, smooth, premium and rye categories.
RRP: £29.
Contact: Tovaritch!, eugenio@tovaritch.com
Commenting on the news, Eugenio Litta Modignani, CEO of Tovaritch! Spirits International SA, said: "Barrakuda in the Emirates, represents the Elite of the spirits retailers. To have our brand available to such location is a big achievement and partnership for the company. This partnership signals our brand's ever-growing international recognition as a top quality vodka."
Tovaritch! has also reported record sales in Canada following its partnership with trade body Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ). The vodka is also now available in Brussels airport duty-free in both terminals.
Earlier this month the brand partnered with Save The Children to take part in its centenary fundraising gala, with a total of £1.6 million raised to help the charity.
Modignani added:
The system aims to "revolutionise cocktail culture," according to Grey Goose, giving consumers instant gratification on their espresso martini needs, while also "putting Grey Goose at the forefront of innovation in the drinks sector."
The draught system is designed to use a non-carbonated or charged liquid held in key kegs, eliminating the need for the pre-charging of gases such as CO2 or nitrogen within them.
It can also chill the liquid on demand so that staff no longer need to pre-chill kegs for up to 48 hours before used.
"One of the major challenges was to bring ambient temperature liquid (above 20 degrees) down to sub-zero temperatures using an on-demand system - allowing drinks be served instantly - rather than the necessity to pre-chill the liquid held in kegs for a period of 24–48 hours," said European programming director Marc Plumridge, acknowledging that instant chilling is "a general requirement of other systems available on the market today."
"The new, innovative draught tap system has been designed with this versatility in mind, allowing bars to cater for a wide assortment of drinks now and into the future.” Lee Applbaum, Global Chief Marketing Officer for Grey goose, said.
"The cutting edge technology used delivers spectacular cocktails, dispensed at speed, all housed within a transparent casing - allowing individuals to have a full view of the technology at work."
It marks a new innovation in the fast-growing draught cocktail market, which drinks giant William Grant & Sons noted will continue to expand in its 
Hill House Capital bought the Scottish spirits producer, which also makes Glen Scotia and Loch Lomond whisky labels, after a five-year project to expand its international business.
Loch Lomond, founded in 1843m was owned by the Bulloch family until it was acquired by PE firm Exponent in 2014.
It is understood that Hill House Capital paid between $500 million and $550 million to purchase the distillery, reports 
Chinese baijiu brands now occupy the top four spots on the list of the world's most valuable spirit brands, according to Brand Finance.
Moutai has retaken its crown, with a 43% increase in brand value to hit a cool US$30.5 billion. A further three baijiu brands occupy the next spaces, including Wuliangye (up 10% in value US$16.0 billion) and Yanghe (up 16% to US$9.1 billion). Diageo's Johnnie Walker has been pushed down to fifth position, with Luzhou Laojiao (up 40% to US$5.4 billion) taking the fourth spot, leading to a Chinese top four.
Brand Finance uses the Royalty Relief method to calculate the values of the brands in its league tables – an approach that is compliant with the industry standards set in ISO 10668.
The company calculates the likely future revenues that are attributable to a brand by calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, to arrive at a ‘brand value’ – a net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
Commenting on the results, David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, said: "Chinese baijiu brands are stealing the show, accounting for 54% of the total brand value in our rankings this year. These brands have had to be nimble in adapting to the shift from an expansion market to a competitive market, following China’s recent economic and political changes.
"How they respond and embrace these changes will determine future brand value growth opportunities."
Top performers outside of the top 10 include French vodka brand Cîroc, owned by Diageo, which recorded a113% increase in brand value to US$941million. Don Julio Tequila, also owned by Diageo, likewise performed well and was rated the world's strongest spirits brand by Brand Finance, which looked at marketing investment and stake equity and their impact on business performance.
Bacardi's Patrón was the highest new entrant in the top 50 ranking, coming in 14th place with a brand value of US$2.2 billion.
South Korea’s soju brand, Chamisul, was also once of the highest risers, increasing by 94% in brand value to hit US$649 million.
For a full breakdown of the top 10, please scroll through.
Origin: China
Spirit type: Baijiu
2019 brand value: $2,703m
Brand value change: +10.3%
2018 brand value: $2,451m
2018 position: 9
Owner: Anhui Gujing Distillery
Origin: Russia
Spirit type: Vodka
2019 brand value: $3,497m
Brand value change: +8.1%
2018 brand value: $3,235
2018 position: 8
Owner: Diageo
Origin: Cuba
Spirit type: Rum
2019 brand value: $3,657m
Brand value change: +53.8%
2018 brand value: $2,378m
2018 position: 10
Origin: France
Spirit type: Cognac
2019 brand value: $3,869m
Brand value change: +17.0%
2018 brand value: $3,306m
2018 position: 7
Owners: LVMH (66%), Diageo (34%)
Origin: United States
Spirit type: Bourbon
2019 brand value: $4,335
Brand value change: +23.3%
2018 brand value: $3,517
2018 position: 6
Owner: Brown-Forman
Origin: UK
Spirit type: Whisky
2019 brand value: $4,644m
Brand value change: +8.1%
2018 brand value: $4,297
2018 position: 4
Owner: Diageo
Origin: China
Spirit: Baijiu
2019 brand value: $5,371m
Brand value change: +40.4%
2018 brand value: $3,825
2018 position: 5
Origin: China
Spirit: Baijiu
2019 brand value: $9,060m
Brand value change: +16.2%
2018 brand value: $7,795m
2018 position: 3
Origin: China
Spirit: Baijiu
2019 brand value: $16,038m
Brand value change: +9.6%
2018 brand value: $14,635m
2018 position: 2
Owner: Wuliangye Yibin Company
Origin: China
Spirit: Baijiu
2019 brand value: $30,470m
Brand value change: +43.4%
2018 brand value: $21,243m
2018 position: 1
Owner: Kweichow Moutai Company
Yesterday members of trade union GMB and Scottish Unite rejected Diageo’s improved pay offer of 2.8%, for its 1,500 Diageo members, arguing that this would see its members worse off than in real terms.
Around 94% of members rejected Diageo’s previous pay offer of 2.5%, GMB said as they pushed the spirits giant for a payrise above the Retail Price Index rate (which is currently 3.1%).
Following the meeting, the two unions will ballot members on whether to strike, with the ballot running from next Monday, July 29 to Friday, August 16.
Should workers vote in favour of strike action, a walkout at dozens of Diageo’s bottling and maturation sites and distilleries in Scotland, including Cameron Bridge, the largest grain distillery in Europe, its bottling hall at Leven and Shieldhall, the world's largest whisky packaging site, could disrupt operations across Diageo’s brands.
GMB Scotland Organiser Keir Greenaway said if anyone could afford to reward their employees with a wage rise that beat the rising cost of living, it was Diageo, who tod
(Photo: Atopia/Youtube)[/caption]
William Grant & Sons launched its first ultra-low alcohol spirit, bottled at 0.5% ABV, 
Drinks giant Pernod Ricard also unveiled its own non-alcoholic spirit this month; Celtic Soul, which is a blend of "carefully distilled dark spirits", a year after it brought 
ISH Spirits, a new brand based in Denmark, were announced as part of 
Seedlip Grove 42 (PRNewsfoto/Seedlip)[/caption]
Seedlip has been around for a few years now, but thanks to the insight of Diageo-funded accelerator Distill Ventures and founder Ben Branson's boundless enthusiasm, the brand continues to be a trend-setter in the burgeoning non-alcoholic drinks category.
The range, which now comprises three flavours – the original Seedlip Spice 94, Seedlip Garden 108 and the latest addition, citrussy Seedlip Grove 42 – started in restaurants in London, but is now sold in the US, Australia and Hong Kong, as well as in major UK supermarkets, including Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s.
Seedlip recently unveiled the “world’s first” non-alcoholic aperitif range, 
Strykk, created by the founder of Funkin Cocktails, Alex Carlton, recently received backing from the same company that produces Irn Bru.
Working in partnership with Tom Soden — owner of Nine Lives, The Gunmakers and The Lion & Lamb — Carlton has secured a number of on-trade listings for Strykk including with Caravan Group, Bounce, Puttshack and Clos Maggiore, as well as with The Ministry Creative Workspace; a new members’ club and co-working space launched by The Ministry of Sound’s parent company last year.
At the start of July Proof Drinks launched no fewer than 13 different spirits and liqueurs in a new range called Lyre's, claiming to be the world's "most comprehensive" line of non-alcoholic drinks.
The range took three years to develop, and incorporates 6,000 extracts, essences and distillates.
Another new entrant to the non-alcoholic spirit category this year is Caleño, created by Ellie Webb, which is a "tropical infusion of juniper, citrus and spice botanicals, steam distilled in stainless steel drums."
Webb said she was "frustrated by the lack of adventurous non-alcoholic options on nights out", and flew to Colombia to find inspiration for the ABV-free spirit.
Not all the new products in this category are ultra-low ABV or alcohol-free.
Portobello Road Distillery in London has made a gin-spired lower alcohol spirit, bottled at 4.2% ABV, which it claims has the same flavour and mouthfeel as a full-strength gin.
Glaswegian whisky distiller Whyte & Mackay has brought a new take on the amber elixr to market.
Called Whyte & Mackay Light, the new product is a “spirit drink” bottled at 21.5% ABV, which the company said will allow it to benefit from the growing number of consumers who prefer to spend their money on lower strength serves.
South London company Spirit of Bermondsey has created a botanically infused lower alcohol spirit called Trinity25.
At 25% ABV, it is one of the hardier spirits in this general category on the market right now, made from 100% English grain spirit, and cold infused with Juniper and a ‘trinity’ of spices including cardamon, coriander seed and black pepper.
Spirit of Bermondsey founder Nick Johnson said his new product "fills a clear gap in the market for a lower alcohol spirit which will appeal to those who want to enjoy a few drinks, but also watch their alcohol intake.”