SPIRITS
In brief
l Pernod Ricard UK has restarted
distribution of Malibu after a fault led
to suspension of supplies. The company
said there was no threat to health in an
issue affecting the coconut flavour of
some stocks. It said it did not expect
to recall supplies already in the
retail trade.
l Berry Bros & Rudd has secured the
last few remaining cases of Glenrothes
1985 Vintage single malt. The whisky
has a 70cl bottle price of £115 with
10cl bottles at £13.50.
l Bushmills is offering two people the
chance to work alongside its master
distiller at the distillery in Northern
Ireland for two weeks. And master
distiller Colum Egan bring himself and
some of the distillery’s equipment,
people and whiskey to the winners’
home country for a party in their honour.
The competition can be entered through
the brand’s Facebook page and is
supported by POS.
l There is heavy speculation that
Diageo could make a US$2 billion bid
for tequila brand Jose Cuervo. It is also
reported to be lining up a £500 million
bid for the Polish-based spirits producer
Stock. Diageo already has UK
distribution rights to Jose Cuervo.
l Halewood International has entered
the flavoured sambuca market with its
Di Cassini range. Liquorice, Spiced
Apple and Raspberry & Strawberry
have been added to the original Di
Cassini product to create a four-strong
range. All the sambucas have an rrp of
£13.99 and a 38% abv.
l Ian Macleod Distillers has teamed
up with music and events venue the
SECC in Glasgow. The deal will include
sampling, online ads and promotions for
Glengoyne Highland Single Malt and
Smokehead Islay Single Malt and is
anticipated to reach 1.3 million visitors
the SECC receives every year. Smoke­
head has also signed a promotional deal
with Smokeheads, a novel by Scottish
author Doug Johnstone. The book is set
on Islay, where the whisky is made. The
deal includes online competitions to win
copies of the book and discount codes
for 10% off a bottle price for readers.
26 l off licence news l 1 april 2011
OLN Spirits News p26.indd 1
El Toro launches Spanish rum
Premium gin boasts fresh botanicals mix
Dutch spirits producer Toorank is
launching a premium gin through its UK
arm.
Sloane’s is named after Sir Hans
Sloane, an 18th century botanist and
royal physician, and is being produced by
distilling each of its botanicals together
and then marrying the results.
Fresh botanicals, as opposed to dried
Whisky named after
Arran distiller’s dog
A limited edition of 6,000 bottles of a
new whisky called the Westie have been
released by Isle of Arran Distillers.
The single malt has been drawn from
22 ex-sherry hogsheads containing
whisky from the 1998 distillation.
It is part of the distillery’s Icons of
Arran series and is named in honour of
master distiller James MacTaggart’s
West Highland terrier, Ruaraidh. Other
Icons whiskies were named the Peacock
and the Rowan Tree.
Ruaraidh features on the bottle label
and gift tube of the whisky, which will
have a UK rrp of £39.99.
Luxardo spices up its flavoured sambuca
Luxardo sambuca has extended its range
available in the UK with the addition of
Chilli & Spices flavour.
The UK is the first market for the new
flavour and is the eighth in the Luxardo
range to be distributed by agent Cellar
Nigel Huddleston
A Rioja wine importer is branching out
into the spirits market with a range of
rums from Gran Canaria.
London-based El Toro Distributors is
importing six rums from Arehucas.
They include white and golden entry-
level rums Carta Blanca and Carta Oro,
with rrps of £16.50.
A seven Year Old rum is at £21.50,
while a honey rum called Guanche is
based on the seven Year Old and has a
suggested price of £18.50. There is also
a 12 Year Old Special Reserve at £28.99
and the top-of-the-range Captain Kidd, a
20 Year Old, at £162.
El Toro sales director Sumeet Gulati
said: “We feel we can compete in all parts
of the markets with the pouring rums
ingredients, are being used.
Chris Lake, director of sales at
Toorank UK, said: “Gin started
off in Holland so the Dutch know
even more about it than we do in Britain.
“Using fresh botanicals means you’ve
got a much fresher starting point – it’s
a real labour of love for our master
distiller.”
Trends. It has an abv of 38% and an
off-trade rrp of £16.99 for a 70cl bottle.
Distribution has been secured with a
number of major cash and carry groups.
Group marketing manager Patrick
O’Reilly said: “Flavoured sambuca has
been a major contributor to the increasing
popularity and wider
appeal of sambuca
among a younger
generation of consumers.”
for the high street, the mid-range rums
for multiple specialists and the premium
rums in prestige retailers. The distillery
has 127 years of history and a royal
warrant from the empress of Austria in
the 19th century and a long history of
service to the Spanish royal household.
“The town of Arucas, where the
distillery is based, is also where
Christopher Columbus made his first
sugar cane cuttings that he took to the
Caribbean, so it’s wrapped up in the
history of rum and the sugar industry.
“All that adds up to authenticity,
class and quality which gives us a point
of difference in the market. We’ll also
be opening up a market for European
rum – people are familiar with Caribbean
or South American rum but this is
something different.”
The gin will be aiming at top-end
retailers in the off-trade, with a target
retail price in the range of £22-25.
Love Drinks adds to
Barceló rum choice
Love Drinks has added Gran Platinum to
the Barceló range of Dominican rums it
imports to the UK.
The spirit is a blend of rums aged in
Bourbon barrels for an average of six
years.
The aged rum is then filtered through
charcoal to give it a lighter colour
and remove some of the stronger
aromas. 
It has an abv of 37.5% and an rrp
of £23.50 and is being listed by Harvey
Nichols and thedrinkshop.com.
Love Drinks already imports Barceló’s
Imperial and Gran Añejo products
and distributes a portfolio including
Hayman’s gin, Gosling’s rum and
Jefferson’s Bourbon.
29/03/2011 16:56