The London Spirits Competition brings you the latest updates on what is happening in the UK spirits industry. Have a look.
20/1/2021
Jason Derulo Partners With Bedlam Vodka
Singer-songwriter Jason Derulo has joined the team at North Carolina-based Graybeard Distillery, becoming a partner of the company to lead the branding of Bedlam Vodka.
Seagram's Blenders Pride Wins Three Internationally Acclaimed Awards
Pernod Ricard India Subsidiary Seagram Distilleries Private Ltd Won The Gold Award At Monde Selection 2020, Gold Medal At The Fifty Best, And Bronze Medal For Blenders Pride At London Spirits Competition 2020.
19/1/2021
Ambleside Distillers gains AU$260,152 investment
Australian gin producer Ambleside Distillers has secured AU$260,152 (US$200,000) in government funding to expand its business.
Craft Gin Maker Nao Spirits and Beverages raises USD 2 million in Series A funding
“It has been heartening to receive a tangible vote of confidence from our new and existing investors who have got behind us in this time which has proven to be challenging for most,” Anand Virmani, cofounder of Nao Spirits and Beverages said in a press statement.
18/1/2021
Brown-Forman: ‘RTD alcohol growth this year has exceeded expectations’
The RTD alcohol category has seen volume growth of 43% globally this year, according to figures from IWSR: all the more impressive when plotted against an 8% decline in global alcohol.
How A Hospitality Minister Would Help The On-trade
With the hospitality industry one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, there are calls for greater support. Isabelle Gray speaks to UK restaurant owners and chefs to find out how a Hospitality Minister would help their businesses.
13/1/2021
2021 London Spirits Competition: Why It Makes Sense To Enter
Winning a medal in an international drinks competition has long been regarded as key to getting into the minds of the most important drinks buyers who might end up listing and stocking your brand.
Devil’s Botany is London’s ‘first’ absinthe distillery
East London-based producer Devil’s Botany has become the city’s ‘first’ absinthe distillery.
Seventeen Distilling Projects Receive Government Green Funding
Seventeen distilling projects in England and Scotland have received the first phase of a £10 million government-backed funding project to help them switch to low carbon fuels.
12/1/2021
UK distillers gain up to £75,000 to go green
The UK government has given up to £75,000 (US$101,200) for sustainability projects by producers including Bruichladdich and the Cornish Geothermal Rum Distillery as part of its £10 million (US$13.5m) green fund.
11/1/2021
Constellation sees wine and spirits grow in Q3
Svedka vodka owner Constellation Brands experienced an improved performance for wine and spirits during the third quarter of its 2021 fiscal year.
8/1/2021
How Spiritrade Is Putting Safety First
With safety and security being essential in the drinks industry, Spiritrade’s solid vetted marketplace aims to combat these issues, says founder Jimmy Metta.
Unicorn Tears Gin rebrands and releases full-strength gins
Unicorn Tears Gin has unveiled a new brand iteration, with a new full-strength gin recipe and bottle design.
7/1/2021
Final call to enter your spirits in 2021 London Spirits Competition
2021 London Spirits Competition: Why it makes sense to raise a toast to this one.
2.7 Million People Have Given Up On Dry January
Only six days into the new year and reports show that 2.7 million people have already given up their attempts at Dry January, according to a snap poll by KAM Media.
6/1/2021
Direct Wines Appoints Ex Brewdog And Diageo Exec As New Ceo
Direct Wines has appointed David Gates, a former Diageo senior exec, who more recently headed up BrewDog’s spirits arm, as its new CEO.
Hard seltzer brand Lilo launches in UK
The Alcoholic Water Company has released Lilo, which is said to have the lowest alcohol and calorie content of any hard seltzer currently available in the UK.
5/1/2021
No.3 Gin: the key to success
Drawing together the perfect balance of juniper, citrus and spice, No.3 Gin makes for the most refreshing G&T, clean, crisp Martini or distinctive Negroni.
Wine, Spirits, And Food: The Books To Buoy You Through Winter
Winter’s back, right on time. While the season of low light and short days doesn’t manifest the same in every state – looking at you Florida and California – those in the north are largely trapped indoors.
4/1/2021
Low and no alcohol beverages to get a boost from dry January
Sales of “no- and low-” alcohol drinks have received a boost from Dry January, and now a record number of Brits plan to partake in the challenge in 2021.
UK to begin using Oxford Covid vaccine as PM strikes hopeful tone
Boris Johnson says he hopes the pace of vaccination can be ramped up to protect tens of millions in months.
31/12/2020
Cocktails To Make at Home This New Year's Eve Stay-In
For New Year’s Traditionalists, there can be only one glass in hand when the clock strikes 12, and that’s a champagne flute.
Top Liquor Brand Seagram’s Blenders Pride Bags 3 International Awards
Seagram’s Blenders Pride, an Indian whisky by Pernod Richard, has won three of the world’s most prestigious spirits competitions — Gold Award at Monde Selection 2020, Gold Medal at The Fifty Best, and Bronze Medal at London Spirits Competition 2020.
30/12/2020
The best of British from the London Spirits Competition 2020
On this page find out about the best of British spirits from the London Spirits Competition 2020
Amuse-bouches: The Latest Restaurant News Bites
In UK restaurant news: a new app for the hospitality sector launches, the commercial rent moratorium is extended and restaurateurs from the Midlands lobby the government for extra support.
29/12/2020
9 New Woman-Founded Spirits Brands to Get and Gift This New Year
In support of the strong female figures adding a new edge to a thriving industry, vogue has compiled our favourite new woman-owned spirits to get and gift ahead of the New Year.
Hospitality Pineapple and Pepper Gin supports on-trade
English brand Hospitality Gin has bottled a pineapple and pepper-flavoured expression and will donate proceeds from its sale to the UK on-trade.
28/12/2020
Diageo launches Gordon's 0.0%
The newcomer, which is available via Amazon and in store at Tesco, comes in a 70cl format and it is made using the same distilled botanicals as Gordon’s London Dry Gin.
Read more here.
Whisky Auctioneer sales hit £30 million
Online auction platform Whisky Auctioneer witnessed a record year after sales reached almost £30 million (US$40m) in 2020.
23/12/2020
London Spirits Competition 2021 Registrations Are Open
4th Annual London Spirits Competition Registration ends on 20 Feb 2021. Enter your spirits today to get in front of London's leading Trade Buyers.
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No.3 Gin sales soar 27% in 2020
Berry Bros & Rudd experienced double-digit growth worldwide for No.3 London Dry Gin in 2020.
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Women-Made Spirits Make Great Gifts
Though women remain underrepresented in the liquor industry, they continue to make strides – and they also make great spirits, too. Here are seven, women-made spirits that make great gifts:
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22/12/2020
Irish whiskey sales forecast to exceed Scotch in US by 2030
Sales of Irish whiskey in the US are expected to overtake Scotch in the next decade, according to a new report by Drinks Ireland.
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North Hampton family launches gin distillery in Maine
Beefeaters and Bombay gins better make room on the shelf for Jigger & Jones, a new brand made in Maine, via North Hampton.
Read more here.
21/12/2020
Hinch Distillery Strikes Deal With German Distributor
Irish Whiskey brand, Hinch, which launched its £15m distillery and visitor experience this month (November 2020) has ramped up its global exporting activity through a new partnership with German distributor, Schlumberger GMBH & Co KG, based in Meckenheim.
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Hinch Distillery eyes expansion through new distribution deals
Hinch Distillery is ramping up its global exporting activity through new distribution agreements for its Hinch Irish whiskey and Celtic-inspired Ninth Wave gin brands.
Read more here.
18/12/2020
Bardinet unveils new look
Brandy producer Bardinet has revealed refreshed packaging, with an update bottle shape and labels, and a new advertising campaign centred around ‘French passion’.
Read more here.
Johnnie Blonde whisky taps into long drinks
Diageo has unveiled a ‘sweeter’ Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky designed to be mixed in a bid to attract new consumers.
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17/12/2020
Cutwater Spirits Celebrates Over 1,000 Awards
A Milestone for the Most Awarded Canned Cocktails In the US.
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Seadrift Wins Silver Medal at the London Spirits Competition
Thank you to the London Spirits Competition for giving small distillers like us the confidence and belief to keep going. You can’t imagine the difference it has made to our distilleries future and how much we really appreciate it.
Read more here.
16/12/2020
Master of Malt launches own-label spirits
Master of Malt has unveiled its first own-brand collection spanning blended Scotch whisky, London dry gin, rum and vodka.
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Irish Whiskey Guild set up to support producers
A group of Irish whiskey businesses has created a new guild to provide support and advice to independent distillers across the sector.
Read more here.
15/12/2020
Lockdown Leads To The Rise Of The Tiktok Bartender
An increasing number of mixologists are taking to social media app TikTok to share videos on how to make popular cocktails and entertain their viewers while bars remain shuttered.
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V-SINNE Schwarzwald Dry Gin wins GOLD at the London Spirits Competition 2020
Read more here.
14/12/2020
Top Bartenders, Mixologists And Spirits Buyers To Judge The 2021 LSC
The first edition of 2021 London Spirits Competition judges is out which includes some of the best bartenders, mixologists and spirits buyers and tastemakers in business.
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Langs Rum releases two new flavours
Ian Macleod Distillers has expanded its Langs Rum range with the launch of two new expressions: Mango and Ginger, and Pineapple.
Read more here.
11/12/2020
Uk Tariff Approach Welcomed By Drinks Trade
The UK is breaking with the EU and has vowed to lift levies resulting from a 16-year dispute over aviation subsidies, and it is hoped this will encourage the removal of US tariffs on wine, Scotch whisky and liqueurs.
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A distinction in London for the Quai Distillery
The SuperSonic gin from the Quai Distillery was awarded at the London Spirits Competition (LSC) 2020. It won the silver medal in the “Gin” category.
Read more here.
10/12/2020
Halewood opens £1m Peaky Blinder distillery
UK-based Halewood Artisanal Spirits has opened a new £1 million distillery (US$1.3m) for its Peaky Blinder brand in Birmingham on the same site as Sadler’s brewery.
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Three awards from the London Spirits Competition for Czech drinks
Read more here.
9/12/2020
Teremana Tequila to hit 300,000 cases in the first year
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has revealed his Teremana Tequila brand is on track to sell 300,000 cases in its first year.
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Brogan's Way and Green Ant Gin Win Silver at London Spirits Competition
Congratulations to Brogan’s Way and Green Ant Gin who have won silver at the London Spirits Competition 2020 awards.
Read more here.
8/12/2020
Sales of spirits in Spain soars 27.5% in the last 12 months
Sales of whisky, vodka, rum and gin have risen by 27.5 per cent in the last 12 months, closely followed by beer, which has increased by 23.8 per cent.
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Crossip makes debut with the launch of three non-alcoholic spirits
Low & no startup Crossip has debuted with a trio of non-alcoholic spirits.
Read more here.
7/12/2020
Retailers to carry more Tequila and hard seltzers in 2021
Tequila and hard seltzers are expected to gain more shelf space in the US over the next year, according to a survey of independent retailers by alcohol e-commerce platform Drizly.
Read more here.
M&S Christmas alcoholic drink so popular it's been slapped with buying limit
Its festive gin is proving so popular it is selling out in stores and customers face restrictions on how many they are allowed to buy.
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Inspired Peter set to launch new whiskey
While the Lottery millionaire has never tasted the spirit, he is inspired by the history of Irish whiskey in Belfast, his home city, and has invested in one distillery and now has a major role in a second.
Read more here.
Keepr's Spirits And Dodd's Gin Shine Bright At London Spirits Competition
Keepr’s British Sloe & Honey Gin, Honey Spiced Rum and Dodd’s Gin all received Silver Medals while Bronze Awards were given to Keepr’s British Raspberry & Honey Gin and Keepr’s Classic London Dry Gin with British Honey.
Read more here.
4/12/2020
Stock Spirits full-year sales up 9.1%
Drinks group Stock Spirits saw full-year revenue increase by 9.1%, boosted by vodka sales in Poland.
Read more here.
Top whisky subscription services
For whisky fans looking to expand their knowledge and try new bottlings, there’s nothing better than joining a tasting club. We round up some of the best subscription services delivering top-quality drams to your door.
Read more here.
UK bars, cinemas may require proof of COVID-19 vaccination to visit
NadhimZahawi, the U.K.’s vaccine minister, said on Monday that bars, cinemas and sports venues may compel people to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination before entering.
Read more here.
Four Asturian drinks triumph at the London Spirits Competition
Four drinks with the Asturian denomination of origin have triumphed in the prestigious London Spirits Competition, whose third edition was held on July 6.
Read more here.
3/12/2020
Amathus to expand retail and e-commerce operations
UK specialist drinks importer, distributor and retailer Amathus is targeting new growth with the addition of two new retail stores in London and a new ecommerce website this month.
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The UK's Most Popular Alcoholic Beverages
Check out the most popular beverage choices across 15 major cities in the UK.
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2/12/2020
Covid Pfizer vaccine approved for use next week in the UK
The UK has become the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for widespread use. British regulator, the MHRA, says the jab, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19 illness, is safe for rollout next week.
Read more here.
Covid crisis has ‘strengthened’ us says Pernod CEO
Alexandre Ricard, the chairman and chief executive of Pernod Ricard, believes the French group was able to achieve better-than-predicted results since the coronavirus pandemic struck in the spring because of the group’s “agility, resilience and determination.”
Read more here.
Bushmills creates Causeway Collection
Irish whiskey brand Bushmills has released a new range of single malts, including a 19-year-old expression matured in a rare Burgundy feuillette cask. The new Causeway Collection is a series of 10 cask-finished single malt whiskies. The range is inspired by the Giant’s Causeway, a large formation of hexagonal rocks in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Read more here.
U.K. Based Distillery Releases ‘World’s Strongest Gin’
Anno Spirits, a distillery out of Kent, England, has released the world’s strongest gin, coming in at a hair-raising 95% ABV. This surpasses the former winner of the title, (Scotland’s Twin River Distiller)—a mere 77% ABV.
Read more here.