Drinks company defends 'Knicker Dropper Glory'

A UK drinks company has hit back at claims that a shooter containing one of its signature brands promotes unprotected sex.

A recent report in the Edinburgh Evening News claimed that a shooter called a "Knicker Dropper Glory", which contains the hazelnut liqueur Frangelico, owned by Inspirit Brands, promotes the link between drinking and sexual success.

Alcohol Focus Scotland and the Old Town Association in Edinburgh also weighed in with criticism of the shooter, which is being sold in the Red Vodka Club, a new late-night venue in the city centre.

Insprit Brands' Adam Wyartt, the UK brand manager for Frangelico, said he could not understand why this shooter had been picked out when similar shooters and cocktails existed on the market.

"Mixed drinks such as the Slow Comfortable Screw, Sex on the Beach and the Screaming Orgasm have existed for years, as have numerous shooter-driven outlets in Edinburgh. It seems odd that a drink with a quite obviously fun play on words should create such a furore."

"As a drinks marketing company we, like our peers, promote responsible drinking practices, and our portfolio of brands, through its quality and price point, inherently encourages consuming fewer but better quality drinks," he said.

While the Red Vodka Club's co-owner Scott Conchar was reported to have said that the name of the shooter was "a harmless bit of fun", Jack Law, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, was not so amused.

"While selling a "Knicker Dropper Glory" may seem amusing and harmless fun to some, the law does not permit a drink to be promoted in terms of sexual success," he said.

Rosemary Mann, convenor of the Old Town Association in Edinburgh, a group that seeks to promote the history and architecture of the city, called sales of the drink "deplorable".

Edinburgh council has decided to take no action against the Red Vodka Club, after receiving no complaints from local residents. It is however, continuing to monitor the situation.