Spirits & Cocktails

On the up: Jonny Jones from CGA highlighted the spirits categories that are showing growth

Spirits Summit

Gin is showing no signs of slowing

By Nikkie Sutton

The spirit on everyone’s lips at the moment, gin will continue its growth in the on-trade, according to data experts.

What is it? experts try to define craft

Can we define craft?

By Nicholas Robinson

The word 'craft' is bandied around so often it’s hard to know what is and what is not craft. Harder still is the fact few, the drinks industry in particular, work towards a standard when defining something as craft.

Increase in reports: incidents involving drinks being spiked are rising (image credit: monkeybusinessimages/gettyimages.co.uk)

What can pubs do to prevent drink spiking?

By Nikkie Sutton

Pubs should encourage customers to moderate their drinking and consider specific training for their staff in a bid to reduce the risk of punters getting their drinks spiked, according to an alcohol charity.

The only way is up: gin sales rocket further than ever

Brits chug back record amounts of gin

By Nicholas Robinson

Brits have sloshed back 60m bottles of gin in the past 12 months, worth £1.6bn, according to the latest figures from the Wine & Spirits Trade Association (WSTA).

Join us: Spirits Summit to be held in London on 2 October

Get a full measure of the spirits category

By Nicholas Robinson

Pink gin, whisky, alcohol-free ‘spirits’ and the rise of English rum are just a handful of the topics we’re exploring at this year’s Spirits Summit at the Yard, Shoreditch, in London on 2 October.

Up or down: is vodka still a strong performer in the on-trade?

In association with Diageo

Vodka is the biggest, but what's next?

By Nicholas Robinson

Spirits giant vodka is holding its own in an increasingly busy drinks market that is dominated by ongoing chattering about sister white spirit gin. While vodka has a lot going for it, producers understand there are areas where its performance could be...

On the up: sales of cognac and whisky are pushing up Pernod Ricard's growth

Cognac and whisky grow Pernod Ricard’s sales

By Nikkie Sutton

Spirits supplier Pernod Ricard, owner of Beefeater gin and Absolut vodka, has reported an overall sales increase of 6%, driven by its cognac and whisky brands.

Sky's the limit for spirits: Britain now boasts 315 all-spirits distilleries – more than double the number five years ago

English and Welsh whisky trail launched

By James Beeson

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has launched an English and Welsh whisky trail to celebrate the growth of a sector that lay dormant for more than a century.

In the pink: the new variant is available in Adnams managed sites and in its retail stores as well as online

Adnams jumps on the pink gin bandwagon

By Nikkie Sutton

Suffolk brewer and distiller Adnams has launched a new Copper House Pink Gin today (Friday 24 August) in time for the bank holiday weekend.

Ups and downs: the pros and cons of a spirits-focused bar

Pros and cons of running a spirits-focused bar

By Nicholas Robinson

Spirits and cocktail sales are booming, driven by increasing consumer demand for better experiences, as well as a large proportion of new product development in the segment. But for those businesses focusing on spirits, what are the upsides and downsides...

Mojito magic: a mix of mint, lime, sugar, soda water and rum is the top choice of consumers (image: Ryzhkov/istock/gettyimages.co.uk)

Top 10 cocktails you need to be stocking

By Nikkie Sutton

With the sun continuing to shine, cocktails are just one drink of choice for thirsty customers and The Morning Advertiser has taken a look at the top 10 cocktails to stock

The latest trends in rum

In association with Diageo

The trends behind rum's success

By Nicholas Robinson

Seen by many as the next big thing in spirits, rum comes in many guises and almost all subcategories are seeing growth in volume and value sales

No booze: new range of alcohol-free spirits launched

Alcohol-free ‘gin’ and ‘rum’ launched

By Nicholas Robinson

Funkin cocktails founder Alex Carlton has stepped into the alcohol-free ‘spirits’ category with the launch of Stryyk Not Rum and Not Gin variants.

In the pink: a multitude of spirit brands have launched flavoured gin variants in recent years (image: warrengoldswain)

The rise of pink gin

By Nikkie Sutton

Gin is still one of the nation’s favourite spirits but flavoured versions of ‘mother’s ruin’ are also proving to be popular.

Power of three: Tiny Rebel takes a big step into the gin world

Craft brewer Tiny Rebel launches three gins

By Nicholas Robinson

The Welsh craft beer brewer has taken its first steps into the gin world with the launch of three new gins, created to complement its existing beer range.

On the up: sales of spirits are rising faster than any other drink segment

Beer, wine and spirits sales soar to £9.8bn

By Nikkie Sutton

Total value of beer, wine and spirits in pubs has risen by 1.8% to £9.8bn - with premium spirits accounting for £934m - in the year to 24 February this year, according to a new report.

Recipe for success: three ideas for the perfect gin and tonic

In association with Fever-Tree

Three G&T serves you won’t be able to resist

By Nicholas Robinson

The humble gin and tonic; what can go wrong and what more can be done to such a simple drink? The answer to both questions is, actually, quite a lot.

Herbaceous accompaniments: keep your gin garnishes fresh

In association with Fever-Tree

How to grow a gin garnish garden

By Nicholas Robinson

Whether you’re growing them on the bar for staff to garnish drinks with or in your pub garden for consumers to pick and choose for themselves, a G&T garnish garden is a quirky way to create a bit of atmosphere and theatre.

Tasty tipple: rum is predicted to be the next big trend in spirits, according to experts

Top drinks trends from Imbibe 2018

By Nikkie Sutton

A continuing demand for gin, dark and fruity beers, and sparkling wines are three trends that operators need to look out for, according to four drinks producers at this year’s Imbibe Live show.

Dismissive: González called the mocktail menu the equivalent of “the kids menu in a restaurant”.

How to cater for people who aren’t drinking

By James Beeson

The on-trade needs to do more to “disentangle the notion that there needs to be a not-sober experience in every bar”, according to renowned bartender and self-care advocate Giuseppe González.

Whisky is on the up

In association with Diageo

Unravel the complexities of whisky

By Nicholas Robinson

The complexity of whisky as a category means there is a product or style for every customer, a situation made clear in new sales data that shows pockets of significant growth, as well as areas of real sales potential.

Industry threat: any plans to raise duty could impact alcohol sales

Booze sales could be damaged with duty freeze cut

By Nicholas Robinson

Scrapping the alcohol duty freeze put in place last year by Government is “counter-productive”, and will increase pressure on cash-strapped consumers, the Wine & Spirit Trade Association has warned (WSTA).

Endless combinations: most plants can be used in a gin mix so it offers creativity (image credit: DrPASk/CuCuRemus/iStock/Thinkstock.co.uk)

What is the future of gin?

By Nikkie Sutton

The gin bubble has been afloat for a while now and while some experts say it’s time to burst will come, others state that gin is here to stay.

Cheers: whisky can be young and fun

In association with Hi-Spirits

How can we increase whisky sales?

By Nicholas Robinson

Dark, moody and complex are three words few would deny succinctly describe the whisky category. However, though seemingly innocuous, such an ‘inoffensive’ handful of words is actually detrimental to whisky’s ability to step up its performance.

A garden of Eden: inside the Duke of Cambridge, Surrey

In association with Fever-Tree

In the gin garden of Surrey’s Duke of Cambridge

By Nicholas Robinson

Close to the scenic Surrey Hills, with a cricket green and golf course nearby, the Duke of Cambridge attracts a wide range of clientele. As operations manager Paul Griffiths explains, many enjoy a G&T in the large suntrap garden, which features a...

How much? Government raking in record amounts on alcohol duty

Government making a mint from your booze sales

By Nicholas Robinson

The Treasury is continuing to make a mint from UK booze sales, despite a freeze on alcohol duty in November, showing the sector can remain fruitful without another hike.

Tricky situation: the nation's smaller craft gin distillers could face testing times, according to the WSTA

A hard Brexit 'could wipe gin out'

By Nikkie Sutton

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has warned the UK could be faced with a gin drought if a no-deal Brexit comes to pass.

Prestigious list: drinks experts and bartenders from across England, Scotland and Wales attended the announcement of the Top 50 Cocktail Bars list

In pictures: seen at Top 50 Cocktail Bars

By Nikkie Sutton

Bartenders and drinks experts from across the nation came together for the reveal of the Top 50 Cocktail Bars list earlier this week (Monday, 4 June).

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