Spirits & Cocktails

Put the Ketel on: Diageo Reserve’s vodka Ketel One has launched three lower ABV spirits

Ketel One launches lower ABV spirit range

By Robert Mann

Diageo Reserve’s vodka Ketel One has launched a collection of fruit-infused spirits, in an effort to satisfy health-conscious consumers’ demand for lower-alcohol spirits.

Spirited changes: the choice of spirits available today has come so far from years ago

MA AT 225

A brief history of spirits and the ways we drink them

By Helen Gilbert

It wasn’t such a long time ago in pubs when customers had a choice of one brand when it came to ordering their favourite spirit. How times have changed – now we’re spoilt for choice. Industry experts assess the major changes on the top shelf

Think pink: sales of flavoured and pink gin on the up

Pink gin’s on-trade value rockets

By Nicholas Robinson

Pink gin generated record sales across the UK last year, as punters fill their glasses to the brim with the fruity liquid.

Lifted spirits: drinks giant Diageo revealed that its net sales increased by 5.8% in the second half of 2018

‘Gin boom’ continues to drive growth for Diageo

By Stuart Stone

Spirits maker Diageo, which owns brands Smirnoff, Guinness and Johnnie Walker, has revealed that continued growth in gin sales helped the drinks mogul achieve a 5.8% net sales increase in the second half of 2018.

Alcohol-free: here's how to make a non-alcoholic G&T

In association with Ceder’s

How to make an alcohol-free gin and tonic

By Nicholas Robinson

For those not wanting to compromise on taste, but not yet ready to get back into the saddle of alcohol, a CEDER’S Stinger may be the ideal solution.

Rising up: this year saw 66m more bottles of gin sold in the UK – a 41% increase on the previous year

Gin sales ‘almost double’ in two years

By Nikkie Sutton

Sales of gin in the UK have reached another record-breaking high boosted by this summer’s heatwave, World Cup fever and by Millennials discovering their love for pink and flavoured gins, new research has revealed.

Just the tonic: finding the right mix is key to making a great drink

Finding the right solution to demand for great mixers

By Nicholas Robinson

When you add a tonic or soft drink to a spirit, the majority of the beverage is now the mixer so it makes sense to use the best that is available. It’s been a good year for mixers and there is no end to the innovation taking place.

Alcohol-free spirit: Stryyk launches Not Vodka

Alcohol-free vodka launched by Stryyk

By Nicholas Robinson

Alcohol-free spirit brand Stryyk has added a third variant to its portfolio, which now consists of Not Rum, Not Gin and new addition Not Vodka.

Tops: The biggest-selling brands in the UK on-trade

The Drinks List: Top Brands to Stock 2019

By Nicholas Robinson

With so much conflicting research in the market and varying opinions from analysts, The Morning Advertiser’s Drinks List 2019 reveals exactly what is going on with sales at the bar.

Rear window: what should the back bar look like?

What should the back bar look like?

By Emma Eversham

The back bar is a pub or bar’s shop window, where a well-thought-out display can really add to the bottom line. So what does a licensee need to think about when deciding what to put there?

Raising the bar: the opportunity to change the on-trade team attracted Yorke to the role

Diageo's Yorke focuses on diversity in the trade

By Nicholas Robinson

Despite studying for a law degree, Melissa Yorke decided her career may lie in a different direction. Now at drinks giant Diageo, she has helped change the on-trade team and is vocal on diversity within the industry as a whole.

Budget opportunity: the on-trade is making an appeal to Chancellor Philip Hammond

TAX EQUALITY

Supermarket vodka sold at less than 50p per measure

By Stuart Stone

Research by The Morning Advertiser and figures from CGA Insight detailing average on-trade pricing have revealed that supermarket vodka is being sold at the equivalent of less than 50p per single measure.

Tax freeze: the Wine & Spirit Trade Association is calling on the Government to stop a rise in duty (image credit: puhhha/gettyimages.co.uk)

Tax Equality

Gin costs 514% more in pubs than in supermarkets

By Nikkie Sutton

The average cost of a 25ml measure of ‘standard’ gin costs over 500% more in the on-trade than it is in the off-trade due to significant financial pressures, according to The Morning Advertiser research.

Changing times: could serving drinks in a glass be something of the past?

7 ways not to serve cocktails

By Nikkie Sutton

Drinkers have taken to social media to air their frustration at being served drinks, including cocktails, in vessels other than glasses.

Gin protest: the WSTA voices concern ahead of the Budget

Gin boom to be affected by tax increase

By Robert Mann

Britain’s booming £2bn gin industry shows no signs of slowing down and now gin makers across the country have united to call on the Chancellor to freeze spirit duty.

Rising up: spirits and wine sales have soared by 5% since last year

WSTA: gin and fizz are bolstering British pubs

By Nikkie Sutton

Wine and spirit sales in UK pubs account for more than one third (36%) of the value of alcohol sold, worth almost £6bn to pubs, according to the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).

Can rum topple gin? James Lawrence from English Spirit prsented a potted history on the growth of English rum

Spirits Summit

Can rum compete with gin?

By Stuart Stone

James Lawrence from small batch distillers English Spirit gave The Morning Advertiser’s Spirit Summit the lowdown on the rise of English rum and his thoughts on how rum can compete with gin.

Peak pink? According to David T Smith, the pink gin craze is here to stay

Spirits Summit

The thing about pink gin

By Stuart Stone

Independent spirits writer, consultant and gin specialist David T Smith discusses where pink gin came from, where it is now, and where it's going, at the Spirits Summit (2 October) today.

Taste success: coming up with alternative serves for whisky can help pubs sell more of the spirit, according to experts

Spirits Summit

Whisky drinkers’ image needs to change to help drive category

By Nikkie Sutton

The old-school traditional image of a whisky drinker being an older gentleman with a pipe, sipping on the spirit next to a fire must drastically change in order to boost whisky sales, according to two spirits companies.

Changing experiences: Tom Mallett from Kantar World Panel discussed the evolution of on-trade and off-trade alcohol consumption

Spirits Summit

How are visits to the on-trade changing?

By Stuart Stone

Kantar World Panel consumer insight director Tom Mallett discussed ways in which the on-trade can compete with the £13.29bn off-trade at The Morning Advertiser’s Spirit Summit at The Yard in Shoreditch, London.

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.

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