Liquid assets: the latest drinks launches for October

Levin Down Goodwood Gin

Known for its motorsport events, horse racing and vintage festivals, the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex is also trying to make a name for itself in the world of spirits with the launch of Levin Down Goodwood Gin. Named after an ancient hill on the Goodwood Estate, which is a source of wild-grown juniper and gorse flower for the gin, the 43.6% abv spirit has been created in partnership with local craft gin distiller Christopher Beaumont-Hutchings of nearby Chilgrove Spirits. The gin contains 12 botanicals which, alongside juniper and gorse flower, include coriander, sweet orange, summer savory, angelica root, lime, liquorice root, grains of paradise, orris root, bitter orange and mint and is distilled with mineral water naturally chalk-filtered through the South Downs. The result is a spirit that has hints of warm toasted coconut and vanilla alongside zesty citrus and juniper notes. It is priced at £40 for a 70cl bottle and is available to buy online from Goodwood.com.

Cîroc Passion

Premium vodka brand Cîroc is targeting what it describes as  ‘celebratory moments’ with the launch of a tropical fruit flavoured expression. Cîroc Passion has notes of pineapple, mango, citrus and hibiscus and is best served in a cocktail with tropical juice, lemonade and a mint garnish. The 37.5% abv spirit is available in a 70cl bottle priced at £38.

Ferg & Harris

Luxury scotch whisky brand Ferg & Harris has made its UK debut with two exclusive editions, a Speyside 12-year-old and a Linkwood 12-year old. Created by John Ferguson and Alex Harrison, founders of Edinburgh bottling company Young Spirits, the brand’s aim is to pair whiskies with unique wood finishes for distinctive drams and, following the initial launches, further limited runs will be released throughout the year. These include a 26-year-old Clynelish Second Fill PX Finish; a 14-Year-old Old Pulteney Second Fill PX Finish; a 17-Year-old Highland Park Sautern Finish; a 26-Year-old Ledaig Oloroso Finish; a 30-Year-Old Organic Springbank; and a 14-Year-Old Auchentoshan. Ferg & Harris Speyside 12-year-old is priced at £69.99 and the Linkwood 12-year old at £99.95 are available to buy from the Ferg & Harris website www.fergandharris.co.uk.

Gosset Celebris Blanc de Blancs 2012

Champagne Gosset has unveiled its first ever 100% chardonnay vintage wine. Gosset Celebris Blanc de Blancs 2012 is bright gold in colour and is described as having a’ hint of mint on the nose, that develops to fruity aromas of pink grapefruit and frangipane’ and flavours of French classic desserts such as tarte tatin and custard tart with a hint of stem ginger and star anise. The champagne is limited to just 15,000 bottles and is best served with dishes such as rillettes, ceviche, carpaccio or marinated fish, a scallop tartare, oysters or grilled fish à la plancha, according to the champagne house. It is priced a £200 a bottle.

Finest Call and Re’Al

Mixer and syrups brands Finest Call and Re’Al have released six new flavours to their ranges in response to the growth in demand for cocktails. Driven by the increase in occasion-led drinking and the demand for bottomless brunch cocktails, Finest Call has created a new Bloody Mary variant. Re’Al, meanwhile, has launched five new flavours - three purees and two cream variants. The purees are guava, prickly pear, and lychee, designed to give fresh twists on classics such as the martini, margarita, and Asian sun cocktails while its Cream of Hazelnut and Madagascar Vanilla flavours can be used in cocktails such as the espresso martini or in coffee to make a vanilla latte.

Hibiki Blossom Harmony

The House of Suntory has released Hibiki Blossom Harmony, a limited-edition blend featuring whiskies finished in sakura wood casks. Available from 18 October, the whisky is a blend of various malt and grain whiskies from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries and is a celebration of Japan’s sakura blossom season in early spring. Bottled at 43% abv, it is described as having aromas of sakura and olive with acacia honey and French pear on the palate and carries a price tag of £175 per bottle. It will be available at Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange, Amathus, Milroys and Soho Wines.

Glenfiddich Time Re:Imagined

Glenfiddich has unveiled a three-strong super premium range of 30, 40 and 50 year-old whiskies under its Time Re:Imagined collection. The 30 year old (priced at £900) is described as depicting the moment when Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich’s malt master, suspends the whisky’s maturation to bottle it, while the 40 year old (£3,500) is a representation of remnant vatting, a process whereby the remnants of the previous batch are carried over each time, and married with the casks selected for each subsequent release. Capping off the collection is the 50 year old (£35,000), which takes whiskies from three different American oak refill casks, all matured in the same warehouse before being blended and finished in an American oak refill cask for two years. Only 220 decanters of the liquid have been made available.

Exton Park Pinot Meunier Rosé Plot 4

Hampshire-based vineyard Exton Park has created a single varietal sparkling rosé wine that - unusually - champions Pinot Meunier. The grape is best known for supporting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in traditional method wines but wine director Corinne Seely believes the grape is overlooked and is capable of producing a wine that ‘encapsulates the very best of Exton Park’. The wine is billed as a delicate but dry rosé that is pale copper in colour with a balanced floral character with notes of cut flowers, white peach and bright tangerine.

Bandero Café 

Molson Coors is launching a coffee-infused tequila to the UK market to plug the gap left by Patrón XO Cafe, which was discontinued earlier this year. Bandero Café ‘builds on the popularity’ of Bandero Blanco, which launched in 2019. Packaged in a distinctive hip flask-shaped bottle, the drink is described as being smooth yet dry, with notes of fresh roasted coffee, chocolate and vanilla. “We see a great opportunity in the UK to offer consumers a better choice of premium tequilas and both Bandero Café and Blanco are exceptional in their own right,” says Bandero’s creator Jonathan Kendrick. “They are meant to be sipped and savoured, allowing the intricate flavours created by being twice distilled to come through.” 

Stuzzi Per Negroni

Yorkshire-based Italian restaurant group Stuzzi has launched a gin designed specifically for negronis. Available for other restaurants to buy, Stuzzi Per Negroni has been created in partnership with Liquor Studios and uses botanicals designed to complement the famous cocktail, including candied Sicilian orange, bergamot, liquorice root, orris root, lavender and cinnamon. “Our gin lifts the negroni, rather than working against it. A negroni made with Stuzzi Gin isn’t a twist on a classic, it’s turning the volume up,” says Jimbob Phillips, co-founder and director of Stuzzi, which has sites in Harrogate and Leeds. “It almost softens the initial bitter punch, making a dangerously drinkable cocktail with layers of flavour. It’s our best interpretation of the classic. And we think it’s a game changer for negroni lovers.. a bitter, sweet, symphony.” 

NICE kegs

Canned wine business NICE has made its three-strong range of vegan wines available in 20-litre kegs. NICE says having wine on tap enables sites to improve speed of service, save on space, eliminate waste, and offers a smaller carbon footprint than glass. As well as branded fonts for front bars, marketing and activation support options will be available, including stackable branded glassware and carafes, mobile wine on tap bars, and point of sale material. The range comprises NICE Sauvignon Blanc (11.5% abv), NICE Pale Rosé (12%), and NICE Malbec (13.5%). The wines are sourced from Cotes de Gascogne, Languedoc and Argentina respectively.