Water and wine box
Essentia has launched a Water + Wine box: a side-by-side combination of Essentia water and house wine – ‘making it easier than ever to stay hydrated while drinking wine’.
The box contains 2 liters of Essentia alkaline water and the equivalent of eight bottles of house wine (four red and four white).
The instant water and wine station is designed for kitchen tables or party tables – ‘just pop out the retractable spouts and enjoy’.
The water and wine case launched as a limited edition this month for $45.99 and is available while supplies last.
Rum-based chai cream liqueur
Beer, cider and spirits company KBE Drinks has launched 5 Walla: a rum-based cream tea liqueur in the UK.
The 17% ABV (RRP £21) drink is made from a unique five-spice recipe: the blend of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and vanilla ‘to transport your taste buds to India’. The striking black bottle pays tribute to India’s rich cultural heritage through iconic images of a chai walla, inspired by the famous artwork found on traditional Indian matchboxes.
The UK Liqueur category has seen double-digit growth over the past few years, largely due to the growing popularity of people making their own cocktails at home. Cream liqueurs in particular have proved popular and now account for a significant proportion of the total 44 million bottles of liqueur sold each year. They are usually enjoyed on their own over ice, or as an exciting and versatile addition to cocktails.
Canned coffee cocktails
Atlanta-based Tip Top Proper Cocktails has launched a new, RTD 100ml canned cocktail: the Espresso Martini.
The drink is made in collaboration with coffee pioneers Counter Culture and is made using vodka, vanilla and espresso from Counter Culture’s Big Trouble coffee blend.
Individual Espresso Martini cans are available in retail stores and bars in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Texas this month, as well as online for shipping in 41 states.
RTD organic tea
Saint James Tea has expanded its line of organic RTD teas with Blood Orange & Hibiscus Organic Black Tea.
The tea is the US company’s first foray outside its green tea stronghold; while also being the company’s first zero-calorie drink.
Blood Orange & Hibiscus Organic Black Tea joins Saint James Tea’s existing four green tea flavors, Original Green Tea, Passion Fruit & Peach, Blueberry & Raspberry, and Pineapple & Mango.
A family brand, Saint James Tea was created by AriZona Iced Tea co-founder John M. Ferolito and named in honor of Father James Haggerty – an inspirational figure in Ferolito’s early career.
GROWS, ,Liqueurs are launched in the UK,
Australian brand ØKAR is bringing ØKAR Island Bitter and ØKAR Coffee Mocha liqueurs to the UK through a partnership with Ten Locks.
Created on the land of the Peramangk people, who are the traditional owners of the Adelaide Hills, the liqueurs incorporate Australia’s unique native botany and culture. B-Corp ØKAR uses local Australian ingredients to create demand for plants grown in the country’s harsh climates, works with independent local farmers to give back to the community, reduces logistics emissions and has invested in solar energy to offset its footprint of carbon.
ØKAR Island Bitter uses some of the rarest and most ancient ingredients on earth, all native to the coastal rainforests of Australia, to create a juicy, vibrant and bitter taste. Described as ‘bitter in the back and a party in the front’, it’s an Australian twist on traditional Italian Amari and presents the opportunity to create next-level Negronis at a time when the service is being embraced by on-premises and at-home consumers.
ØKAR Mocha ‘captures Australia’s cafe culture by blending an eclectic mix of Mexican, Brazilian and Papuan coffees with local Wattleseed, Cocoa, Coconut and Davidson Plum seeds’. The liqueur can be used in an Espresso Martini or enjoyed neat over ice.
ØKAR Island Bitter (24% Abv – 700ml) and Coffee Mocha (20% Abv – 700ml) are available in the UK in the trade and specialist retailers.
The new ‘hitchhiking’ rum on UK shores ,
Hitchhiker, a small batch botanical rum developed and produced by two hospitality strategists/designers, James Van Tromp & Nathan Aylott, has launched in the UK.
The British brand debuts three premium rums: each depicting their own unique journey on the British coast. The individual SKUs are a blend of five year old rums sourced from Guyana & Trinidad & Tobago.
The three expressions are:
- Sicilian pine (ABV 40%): ‘Gentle and gently blended with a meticulous selection of Mediterranean herbs and British coastal botanicals. Starting with fresh citrus notes, developing distinctive herbal nuances and finishing with saffron and black pepper, the result is a fresh, lively and completely unique botanical rum.’,
- Breton Sea Salt (ABV 40%): ‘Blended and gently blended with a meticulous selection of stone fruits, mild spices and British coastal botanicals. A rich and sumptuous rum that balances stone fruit and mild warming spice, evoking notes of apricot and almond combined with hints of honeysuckle flowers, all contrasted with tang and a touch of Breton sea salt.’,
- Azorean orange blossom (ABV 40%): ‘Blended and gently blended with a meticulous selection of Azores fruits and British coastal botanicals., A smooth and easy-drinking rum that delivers big notes of orange with roasted chocolate combined with pineapple and cassia to create a smooth and decadent drink.’,
The complex flavors within the bottles, which have been created under the guidance and expertise of Circumstance Distillery, have been deliberately curated to capture the chain of ports, shores and coastlines that the rum discovers along its route from the Caribbean, with each journey adding the specific maritime note, ‘hitchhiker’ (Sicilian pine, Breton sea salt or Azorean orange blossom), before the ‘beach’ on the British coast.
Co-founder Nathan Aylott said: “Hitchhiker is all about bringing quality liquids along with the completely carefree nature of the ride. The rum travel destination is linked together with the British coastal botanicals we use; a nod to the brand’s provenance and a celebration of Great British horticulture.”,
Swedish coffee is launched in the UK
Swedish coffee brand Löfbergs is launching in the UK.
As part of its commitment to sustainable coffee, Löfbergs buys coffee directly from the countries where it is grown, uses only 100% certified sustainable coffee, and uses fossil-free fuels to roast the coffee and climate-friendly packaging, among other initiatives .
“By bringing Sweden’s number one coffee brand to the UK, we are excited to show a taste of Swedish heritage to the British people.” said Wilson Clarke, MD of Löfberg in the UK. “Löfbers is a company that cares not only for people but for the planet and, as such, we are on track to be 100% circular by 2030.!
“We’ve worked to perfect the taste of our products since we started more than a hundred years ago, so consumers can expect coffee that does more than just satisfy their caffeine cravings.”!
Available from Tesco and Ocado, the range includes Organic Dark Roast, Organic Medium and Single Origin Brazil in 450g packs of ground coffee, as well as whole bean options.
