Sebor Absinth launches flavoured sambuca range

Sebor Absinth, the company that owns the green coloured spirit of the same name, is moving into a burgeoning sambuca category with the launch of three flavoured variants.​

The Antica Sambuca range, consisting of an original sambuca as well as a vanilla and coffee variant, was unveiled at the Pub & Bar show at Olympia, London this week.

Sebor's managing director Jeremy Hill said: "What we have seen is sambuca sales quadruple in the last 18 months and it's clearly a popular player in the shots and shooters category.

"However, no-one has really done flavoured alternatives apart from the black sambucas and we recognised an opportunity there.

"We think that by launching these flavoured sambucas we can do for sambuca what the Absolut flavours did for the vodka category."

The Antica trio will be launched into a sambuca category showing annual growth of around 25 per cent and is set to compete with the likes of Vaccari from Maxxium, Luxardo from Cellar Trends and Opal Nera, a stylish black sambucas, from Inspirit Brands.

Antica sambucas are sourced from Italy, boast an ABV of 38 per cent and are packaged in colour-coded bottles.

Initially, Sebor will be marketing the brand as a shot concept but with concern over irresponsible drinking growing, cocktails and long drinks are also being explored.

"With the way shots are going at the moment, we are looking to produce a sambuca cocktail menu devised by a leading mixologist as Antica is a first-rate sambuca that's very mixable," added Mr Hill.

Having secured the deal to become the UK agent, Sebor is currently in negotiations with a number of wholesalers and retail operators.