Dame Vera Lynn wins trademark battle with gin brand December 17, 2019 Dame Vera Lynn has won a trademark battle over the use of her name by an artisanal gin brand. Halewood International applied to trade mark the Second World War singer’s name in June this year, but the 102-year-old entertainer opposed the attempt on the basis that it could appear that she was endorsing the product. [...]
How whiskey became Kentucky’s multi-billion dollar cottage industry October 30, 2019 Standing in the private dining room of a Louisville hotel, I angle a roasted marrow bone towards my face and pour a shot of Wild Turkey down the emptied channel. It sluices the remaining beef fat into my mouth, adding a rich, silky finish to the oaky caramel of the bourbon. A cheer goes up [...]
Why there’s never been a better time to drink tequila July 23, 2019 Tequila has come to connote summer, fiestas, and the rich culture of Mexico. It’s also incredibly versatile: you can sip it, down it in one, mix it with soda, have it in a margarita, use it to replace the key ingredient in pretty much any traditional cocktail. For those wanting to explore options beyond shots [...]
UK distilleries on the rise as craft spirit craze continues November 12, 2018 The number of distillery businesses in the UK soared 30 per cent in a single year as demand for craft spirits grows, according to figures published today. Distilleries rose in number from 131 in 2016 to 170 in 2017, reflecting an increased appetite for unusual flavours and local spirits produced by boutique distilleries. Accountancy firm [...]
Holiday Homes: Morocco is re-fashioning itself into a hotspot for the international polo crowd with houses to match September 7, 2018 In pride of place on the wall of the Jnan Amar Polo Club in Marrakech is a picture of Sir Richard Branson. Taken in 2014, it shows the grinning Virgin mogul at the first British Polo Day, held at these Moroccan grounds for the first time and contributing a tidy donation to the Eve Foundation, [...]
A further 39 distilleries opened in the UK last year as the taste for gin grows | City A.M. August 6, 2018 Hogarth will be turning in his grave to learn a further 39 distilleries opened up in the UK last year, as the popularity for craft spirits shows little sign of abating. Gin remains a key driver of micro-distillery growth, especially in urban environments, while Scotland has seen a boom in new whiskey makers. Other spirits, [...]
How does craft gin compete against big brands? “Create weird and wacky stuff,” says distiller December 9, 2016 Yesterday, gin stole the show as 2016's most profitable spirit as the sector passed a £1bn sales mark for the first time ever, six months ahead of schedule. Today, craft distiller Tom Warner, co-founder of Warner Edwards, gave City A.M. the low-down on the artisan industry. Warner Edwards was founded just over four years ago by [...]
Brockmans is leading the pack in the UK’s “gin-aissance” August 7, 2016 The UK's "gin-aissance" has gone from strength-to-strength, if the results of the UK's fastest-growing, super-premium gin brand Brockmans are anything to go by. The figures Total revenue at the super-premium gin distiller was up 51 per cent to £2.9m in the year to 31 December, from £1.9m in 2014. UK revenue increased 185 per cent last [...]
London Distillery Company and Royal Botanic Gardens team up to launch Kew Organic Gin June 15, 2016 Artisan gin just got a floral makeover, as The London Distillery Company announced a collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens to create Kew Organic Gin. Developed at the company's London-based distillery, the gin will be crafted using "uniquely harvested seasonal flora" from the gardens and a selection of other organic botanicals from around the world. [...]
Super-premium beer market takes London by storm, while Peroni is the highest-selling super-premium brand May 18, 2016 Super-premium beer brands have risen from obscurity to corner 25 per cent of the London beer market today. Around £1 in every £4 spent on beer in London now goes to a "super-premium" brand, which, according to Miller Brands, is beer that has a clearly defined and understood provenance, authenticity and brand story, and costs £4.15 [...]