What's your speciality?
Ben McFarland tests some of the leading speciality spirit brands on the market and suggests that it might be time to dust off those bottles.Speciality spirits are the most enigmatic members of the drinks world. They may well be an ever-present fixture in pubs and bars, most often wedged on the back-bar between the dusty golf trophy and the jar of pickled onions, but are speciality spirits ever drunk? Living under the shadow of white spirit supremacy ever since their mid-1980s heyday, the sector is under performing and is currently declining five per cent year on year with few brands succeeding in bucking the trend.Consumers seem unsure of how to order them, while those on the other side of the bar are unaware that you don't have to be an award-winning mixologist to make a great tasting and profit-wielding drink.There is an obvious education job that needs to be done with the on-trade and many brands are anxious to shed the "parent's drinks cabinet" image. In an attempt to change perceptions of the category, thePublican.com has asked brand owners to suggest some simple mixer combinations, a few interesting facts to entertain/bore pub-goers with and a few free samples so, in the name of research, we can have a few drinks and er... give a balanced and impartial verdict.The sheer number of speciality spirits is such that an exhaustive catalogue would be unfeasible, so a selection of brands, some familiar and some lesser known, have been chosen.
Drink | |
What is it, where is it from and what's its ABV? | A speciality spirit made from Caribbean white rum blended with coconut. 21 per cent |
Ingredients | White rum blended with coconut and sugar made from a mix of fine-molasses, pure spring water and yeast |
Who drinks it and when? | Young people, 18 to 24-year-olds, having a laugh, apparently |
How, and with what, should it be drunk? | The perfect serve for Malibu is one-quarter spirit to three-quarters mixer, preferably cranberry juice, in a highball glass with plenty of ice. Other mixers include cola, lemonade or pineapple juice |
Any mystery, legend or fascinating stories we should know about? | Malibu has been unable to recreate the heady days of the 1980s, but it's the second fastest growing global brand and has annual bottle sales in the region of 28.8 million |
What The Publican panel said/scored out of 50 | Malibu and cranberry: "It would go great on ice cream", "Not as bad as you'd think", "Ideal on a summer holiday", "Tastes like Hawaiian Tropic sun cream." 45/50 (Gold) |
Drink | |
What is it, where is it from and what's its ABV? | A Scottish whisky liqueur from Leith in Edinburgh. 35 per cent |
Ingredients | An ancient whisky recipe, combined with almonds from Brazil, oranges from Seville and a secret combination of herbs and spices from exotic places such as Tobago and Bombay |
Who drinks it and when? | Whether lad or lady, Glayva can be drunk both before and during dinner and is popular as an after dinner liqueur with coffee |
How, and with what, should it be drunk? | Over ice, so that all 26 of its nuances can be fully appreciated |
Any mystery, legend or fascinating stories we should know about? | The name Glayva means "very good" in Gaelic. The liqueur was so named because this was the response when a friend of Ronald Morrison, the creator of the drink, first tried the new liqueur |
What The Publican panel said/scored out of 50 | On ice: "Smells like medicine", "I can't taste all 26 nuances", "If McDonald's did a whisky this would be it". 12/50 |
Drink | |
What is it, where is it from and what's its ABV? | Passion fruit-based liqueur with a stunning coral colour. 20 per cent |
Ingredients | 20 per cent ABV alcohol, exotic fruit and plant essences |
Who drinks it and when? | Young, fun-loving clubbers who drink it to cool down on the dance floor of course! |
How, and with what, should it be drunk? | With orange juice or grapefruit juice on ice |
Any mystery, legend or fascinating stories we should know about? | Not really. It's only been around for five years |
What The Publican panel said/scored out of 50 | Passoá and orange: "An alcoholic Um Bongo", "Nice in a punch", "Very sickly". 31/50 |
Drink | |
What is it, where is it from and what's its ABV? | Classic orange liqueur and triple sec. 40 per cent |
Ingredients | It's made from the peel of sweet and bitter oranges, oh, and pure alcohol |
Who drinks it and when? | The PR claims Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, but there must be others |
How, and with what, should it be drunk? | Always on ice. Neat with a wedge of lime, with tonic water and a wedge of lime or with lemonade and a slice of orange |
Any mystery, legend or fascinating stories we should know about? | Cointreau commissioned one of the first cinema commercials in 1898 from an operator working for the Lumiére Brothers, inventors of cinema film just three years earlier |
What The Publican panel said/scored out of 50 | Cointreau and tonic: "Very zesty and refreshing", "Like Terry's Chocolate Orange", "Too sour". 40/50 (Joint silver) |
Drink | |
What is it, where is it from and what's its ABV? | It's a yellow coloured Italian liqueur, 35 per cent ABV, packaged in a distinctive tall bottle. 35 per cent |
Ingredients | 25 different herbs, plants, flowers, roots and seeds including star anise, lavender and a flourish of ginger |
Who drinks it and when? | Cool cutting edge drinkers according to the PR notes, but they would say that wouldn't they? |
How, and with what, should it be drunk? | Most famously as the Harvey Wallbanger with vodka and orange juice. Also with simple mixers, cranberry or just orange juice on ice as a long drink. Shooters, with Baileys, are also popular |
