SF-June-20

specialityfoodmagazine.com 29 shoppers who are missing their usual caffeine fix. Plus, as summer approaches, cold brew and iced coffees are becoming increasingly popular; so much so that start-up Carringtons – led by partners Suzy Wimbourne and Alex Carrington – has launched their products into the market despite current conditions. Described by the brand as “speciality coffee’s answer to iced tea,” it’s a lighter option than others on the market with citrussy notes, a less intensely roasted flavour and a naturally sweet profile. Hard seltzers It’s been a big trend in America for a while, but while a ripple of the trend was spotted towards the end of 2019, the popularity of hard seltzers is well and truly heating up in the UK as we head into summer 2020. There are plenty of small scale options available, including NATRL – a brand which has hurtled onto the UK scene in the midst of lockdown – and DRTY, but larger, established businesses are getting in the action too; Scotland-based beer behemoths BrewDog have invested in the emerging hard seltzer market to launch its own Clean & Press brand. As ever, it’s the independents’ prerogative to seek out the best quality option to delight their customers. Italian-inspired We’ve had a few years of orange- tinted summers thanks to the ubiquitous Aperol spritz, but British drinkers are far from tired of its herbaceous and bitter notes. Fragrant vermouth has been steadily climbing up the ladder thanks to its similarly complex notes, and now the UK can boast its own aperitivo- worthy tipple: Cotswold Distillery’s Amaro Liqueur, a well-balanced blend of the brand’s single malt whisky, vanilla spice and citrus. As 6pm tipples become an integral part of many home workers’ routines, summer 2020 could be the season that aperitivo culture really takes off. COTSWOLDS DISTILLERY WHISKY AMARO A fresh, fruity liqueur with floral notes and a slightly bitter finish. cotswoldsdistillery.com EDINBURGH GIN RASPBERRY GIN FIZZ Raspberry liqueur perfectly mixed with fizzy white wine. edinburghgin.com HUMBLE WARRIOR TURMERIC & MANGO A tropical fizz with notes of mango, orange marmalade and black pepper. the-humble-warrior.com PUNCHY DRINKS PEACH, GINGER & CHAI A non-alcoholic blend of juicy peach, hot ginger and fragrant chai. punchydrinks.com start-up boasting the first short cocktails in cans including Blood Orange Old Fashioned, Manuka Honey Whisky Sour, and a longer Matcha Mojito. Added value is provided through simple serving instructions, “to ensure the cocktails look as good as they taste.” Home-brewed coffee Homebound consumers are experimenting with home-brewed coffee, from the perfect cappuccino to social media-led trends like dalgona coffee (instant coffee frothed into stiff peaks with sugar and hot water, then spooned onto a glass of hot or cold milk) – so it’s only natural that they’ll be looking for quality coffees to help recreate the café-brewed taste at home. Perhaps unsurprisingly sales of coffee machines are up, which needn’t be bad news for the environment; check out purveyors of eco-friendly pods Halo Coffee and Blue Goose for options which will attract environmentally-conscious Flavoured gin liqueurs are a great stepping-stone for consumers looking to get into the gin category. They cater for every taste, style and occasion, offering drinkers a range of ways to enjoy them. Our Edinburgh Gin liqueurs can be enjoyed as traditional mixed serves, in cocktails or served with sparkling wine. With an ABV of just 20%, they also tap into consumer demand for lower ABV drinks. Most importantly, our liqueurs allow drinkers to experiment with flavours – and flavour is something that we take very seriously at Edinburgh Gin. Our pioneering approach to gin- making brought modern flavour to the category for the first time through our range of gin liqueurs – which is why we’re the UK and world number one gin liqueur brand in a market that is worth over £88 million in the UK (sources: IRI and Kantar). Edinburgh Gin always has, and always will, take a sophisticated and considered approach when it comes to flavours, combining our Classic London Dry with premium pairings. We only ever use the finest natural flavours in intriguing combinations, striking a harmony of contrast and balance. Each season sees a different consumer trend, so our diverse range of gin liqueurs allow us to accommodate every eventuality. An example of our carefully selected seasonal offering is our Mulled Gin liqueur. This festive tipple tastes like a Christmas Market in a bottle with its warming balance of cinnamon, clove, orange and nutmeg. Add it to red wine and gently warm in a pan for a subtly spiced and aromatic hot drink, or serve with Cointreau and sparkling wine for a delicious Mulled Gin Bellini. For many, the Rhubarb & Ginger gin liqueur will have been their first exposure to the Edinburgh Gin brand. It’s our classic pairing and a great representation of our approach to flavours; the sweet, fruity notes from the spring-crop rhubarb are perfectly balanced by the warmth and subtle spice of Oriental ginger. Our perfect serve is Rhubarb & Ginger mixed with ginger ale over ice and this was so popular that we started to offer the mix as an RTD back in 2018. Another gin liqueur serve that has been incredibly popular with consumers is our Raspberry Gin Fizz. As a result of this consumer demand and the increased popularity of ready to drink options, we recently introduced the Raspberry Gin Fizz to our RTD range. The sweet and easy to drink cocktail in a can is made by infusing sparkling white wine with our Raspberry gin liqueur and it’s perfect for celebrations wherever you are and whatever the occasion. SPOTLIGHT ON GIN As a trend which shows no sign of waning, we speak to Neil Boyd, UKmanaging director at Edinburgh Gin to share his insights As 6pm tipples become an integral part of many home workers’ routines, summer 2020 could be the season that aperitivo culture really takes off