Liquid assets: the latest drinks launches for March

Pod Pea vodka

Drinks company Ten Locks is launching a brand of vodka made with 100% British peas. The ‘planet positive’ Pod Pea vodka is described as tasting like peas, with sweet, vegetal pea notes and a touch of citrus. It has been developed to play on modern cocktail menus and to be used in classic serves and savoury, umami-led drinks, and will drive a new niche in the vodka category, according to Ten Locks. “Pod is perfectly positioned to recruit consumers from gin, hold the attention of vodka drinkers and attract established cocktail lovers, not only that but Pod Pea Vodka should appeal to the foodie and be a perfect solution for the ever-growing savoury cocktail trend,” says head of commercial Becky Davies. Pod Pea vodka is fermented, distilled and bottled in Manchester.

Bacardi Caribbean Spiced

Bacardi has added its first premium spiced aged product to its portfolio. Caribbean Spiced is made with pineapple, coconut blossom, vanilla, and cinnamon, which are said to combine for a smooth rum with a rounded mouthfeel. Bacardi suggests the spirit be used to create a rum and cola with a twist or for a Caribbean Colada, made with pineapple juice, coconut cream and cinnamon syrup.

Trio of new launches from Hoxton Spirits

Hoxton Spirits has added three new spirits to its range in a bid to provide consumers with the opportunity to enjoy its drinks on any occasion. The new additions (main image) - Hoxton London Spritz, Hoxton Spiced Whisky, and London Dry gin - have been created by founder Gerry Calabrese and are designed to simplify the cocktail process. London Spritz is a real fruit amaro made with orange, morello cherry, blackberry, raspberry, lemon and fennel infused with gin; while the Spiced Whisky is a blend of scotch whiskies with fruits and spices such as raisin, vanilla, orange, cocoa, nutmeg and cinnamon. Hoxton Spirits has also unveiled new packaging across its range.

Luxardo Espresso Liqueur

Bartenders now have a new espresso liqueur at their disposal for the creation of classic coffee cocktails such as an the Espresso Martini and Back Russian. Launching this spring, Luxardo Espresso Liqueur is made in Italy and is produced from a 30-day heated infusion of coffee from Brazil, Colombia and Kenya, predominantly Arabica, with added neutral spirit. The 27% abv liqueur is deep brown in colour with dark chocolate and espresso notes with hints of sweet vanilla on the palate and has no added colouring.

Showerings Triple Vintage cider

A luxury cider created to be served in Michelin-starred restaurants (and beyond) has been launched by Somerset producer Showerings Cider. Showerings Triple Vintage is a dry, gently-carbonated cider that is a blend of the 2021, 2017 and 2018 vintages, which are then slowly fermented for a mature depth and character. Apples (predominantly the Dabinett variety) are grown from a single orchard before being harvested and taken to the Showerings’ cider mill. Once pressed, each batch settles for a minimum of four months, allowing the sharper edges of tannins and acidities to soften to the required mellow fruitfulness. Triple Vintage is naturally golden in colour with bittersweet flavours complemented by notes of hazelnut, cedarwood, red apple and apricot and can be purchased online via the Showerings website for £45 for a case of 12 375ml bottles.

The Kraken Black Cherry and Madagascan Vanilla

Spiced rum brand The Kraken has been given a sweeter - but no less dark - sibling in the form of a cherry and vanilla variant. The Kraken Black Cherry and Madagascan Vanilla Black Spiced Rum is a 40% abv blend of the dark spiced rum and black cherries with ‘an undercurrent’ of vanilla. Owner Proximo Spirits says the 40% spirit is best served with cola over ice, garnished with a lime wedge.

Fourpure London Haze and Pacific Pale Ale

Bermondsey-based craft brewery Fourpure has added two limited-edition pale ales to its range. Pacific Pale Ale is a 5.2% abv beer brewed with galaxy hops from Australia blended with citrus flavours of nectarine, lemon and passionfruit to deliver what Fourpure described as a ‘crisp, easy drinking, and tropical’ pale ale. London Haze, meanwhile, is a 5.3% abv pale ale, brewed with tropical hops alongside a rich malt base and low bitterness to deliver a fruity, full-bodied, and refreshing beer. The new beers join the rest of Fourpure’s range that comprises Fourpure Lager, Citrus IPA, Session IPA, Hazy Pale Ale, and an Oatmeal Stout.
 

Staropramen 0.0%

An alcohol-free variant of Czech beer Staropramen is now available in the UK. Two years in the making, the lager is the result of a special new brewing procedure to deliver the malty taste for which the brand is known, while achieving 0.0% alcohol, which is significantly more difficult to brew than 0.5%, according to brand owner Molson Coors. The beer is rolling out nationwide this month in 330ml bottles and joins Molson Coors’ range of zero-alcohol drinks that also includes Cobra Zero, Rekorderlig Alcohol Free, and Doom Bar Zero.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Coffee

A collaboration between mushroom beer specialist Fungtn and Balance Coffee, Lion’s Mane Mushroom Coffee is an adaptogenic mushroom coffee that claims to sharpen mental focus and improve memory. The product - which has notes of milk chocolate, hazelnut and fig - is made with 65% Mexican and 35% Colombian coffee and ‘ultra-high quality’ dual Lion’s Mane extract. Lion’s Mane is nicknamed ‘the smart mushroom’ for its ability to improve brain function by stimulating the production of nerve growth factor in the brain, while strengthening the connection of neurons. 

Sapling vodka and gin pouches 

Sustainable spirits brand Sapling has made its vodka and gin available in refill pouches that reduce carbon emissions by 25%. A tree is planted for every pouch purchased and the pouches can be recycled by sending back to Sapling. Made in the UK, Sapling uses local ingredients to reduce transport emissions. Its base spirits is distilled four times only using British wheat. To make its vodka the base spirit is blended with charcoal filtered, de-ionised water. The high starch content of the wheat leaves a fresh finish and a hint of natural sweetness that makes Sapling Vodka so easy to drink. Its gin - meanwhile - is a ‘climate positive’ London Dry gin distilled using organic Wildfarmed grain. It’s billed as being bold on the juniper, refreshingly zesty, with hints of rosemary for a herbaceous finish.

Mermaid Spiced Rum 

The Isle of Wight Distillery has released a spirit that blends Caribbean rums from Trinidad and the Dominican Republic with local fruits and spices. Mermaid Spiced Rum is the second rum in the distillery’s spirits portfolio and is made from a selected blend of sugar cane and molasses from the Caribbean, which are distilled in column stills and aged between two and five years in oak bourbon whiskey barrels after which they are infused with botanical rock samphire, fresh white cherries, apricots, honey, and black salt from the island’s coastal flood tides. The rum is also gently spiced with local holy grass, cassia and vanilla.

The perfect glass for English sparkling? 

 

Austrian glass manufacturer Riedel has developed ‘the perfect’ glass shape for English wines in partnership with some of the country‘s best-known wine producers. The glass is currently in development following a series of tasting workshops with more than 20 wineries including Ridgeview Wine Estate, Exton Park, Hambledon Vineyard, Gusbourne Estate and Albourne Estate. Panels of winemakers and expert tasters tasted from a shortlist of twelve different Riedel glasses, with a large number of different English Sparkling Wines from each region. All wines were tasted blind, and the process eliminated, in stages, those glasses that failed to show the best expression of the wines - and then focused, in fine detail, on those that revealed the best elements of the wines both on the palate and on the nose. Each of the three workshops were conducted independently, and a unanimous decision was reached across all three panels. The winning glass is the Riesling shape in the recently launched Riedel Veloce range. The glass will now see some adaptations to create the Riedel English Sparking Wine glass, including a nucleation point that will be added to the glass to improve the way in which the glass manages the mousse, and the text ‘English Sparkling Wine’, that will be added to the base before the glass is launched to the market within the next few months.