ScotCo's absinthe concept blasted by critics
It's sparked the kind of controversy that Oscar Wilde would have been proud of.
The attempt by Scottish Courage to rekindle the mood of 19th century Paris with the launch of Deco, a 275ml bottle of Kronenbourg that comes complete with a packaged 25ml shot of genuine French absinthe, has been met with a resounding "non, merci" from anti-alcohol campaigners and the conservative press.
Lee Lixenburg of Alcohol Concern said: "It's clearly a product that's designed for people who want to drink as much as they can in the shortest possible amount of time and that obviously raises concerns about binge-drinking."
In its defence, Scottish Courage has cited the lowered ABV of the absinthe, a "mellow" 45 per cent ABV variant of its 70 per cent ancestor, and the relatively high price point of around £5 as deterrents to binge-drinking.
"In terms of alcoholic units there's more in a pint of lager than in Deco," said Andy Neal, Kronenbourg 1664 brand director. "We have worked closely with The Portman Group on this product making sure that the packaging and liquid are consistent with its code of practice.
"We are not in the business of attracting irresponsible drinkers or encouraging irresponsible drinking".
Described by ScotCo as "one of the most daring drinks ever to be launched in the UK", Deco will be initially unleashed into clubs and bars in London and Brighton with a national roll-out planned in the autumn. Ordering a beer and a chaser, normally whisky, has long been a regular occurrence in UK pubs and bars but Scottish Courage, no doubt equally inspired and concerned by the rise of the shots and shooters category and the current slump in beer sales, is the first brewer to combine the two as part of a branded concept.
"There has been a lot of innovation in the drinks category but not a lot in beer as it's been resting on its laurels," said Mr Neal. "There was a great deal of discussion about whether we should put absinthe in the beer but customers were definitely against that."
A history of absinthe
There are few drinks that boast a past as infamous as absinthe. It was a favourite with the artists, poets, thinkers and authors of late 18th and 19th century France and it is well known that Vincent Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway all had a penchant for the "green fairy".
Prior to the First World War absinthe was banned in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy but, contrary to popular belief, never in Britain - principally because it was not drunk widely enough.
As such, the UK has been at the forefront of the drink's renaissance and fuelled by its notorious reputation, absinthe has developed a strong following. Around 3,000 bars stock various brands from either France or the Czech Republic and absinthe has successfully made the transition from the trendy style bar sector to the mainstream pub market, primarily as a shot concept.
