Liquid assets: the latest drinks launches for August

Djuce Core 

Best-known for its limited-edition canned natural wines, Djuce has launched a Core range of wines (pictured above). The range features five wines - a juicy orange wine, a crisp white, a fizzy white, a light-bodied red and a rosé spritz. All of the Core wines are made in Italy, unfiltered, and with minimal levels of sulphites. Visually, the smaller sized cans feature plenty of clean aluminium space alongside five different animal-head characters, designed by Stockholm artist Johan Alenius. Launched last year, Djuce is billed as a sustainable wine brand, sourcing top European organic wines with the help of top sommeliers. 

Debt Collector Moonshine

London-based Doghouse Distillery has released what it says is London’s first ‘bourbon.’ Its Debt Collector Moonshine is a corn-based liquor made in the American Bourbon whiskey style from a mash of majority corn plus barley and rye. It is fermented using a Kentucky Bourbon yeast, copper pot distilled twice and then matured in virgin American oak before diluting to 50% abv for bottling. The first two releases from the range include an unaged moonshine or ‘new make’ spirit and a one-year cask aged moonshine, which the Doghouse says is akin to a baby bourbon. Debt Collector is described as being very different to new make scotch and is recommended as an interesting alternative in rum based cocktails, while the cask aged moonshine is said to offer flavours of caramel sweetness married with vanilla from the oak followed by a hint of toast and spice.  

Château de Berne La Grande Cuvée Rosé 2021

Provence-based wine maker MDCV has launched its Château de Berne La Grande Cuvée Rosé into the UK market for the first time. The 13% ABV wine is being touted as the ideal rosé for red wine drinkers, due to its ‘complex and vibrant flavour profile’. Unusually for a Provençal rosés, 20% of the 2021 vintage has been aged for six months in oak casks. The wine is described as having intense notes of citrus, stone and exotic fruit, plus a hint of spice. “Berne La Grande Cuvée Rosé 2021 captures the essence of Provencé in a bottle. “Every glass tells the story of Château de Berne,” says winemaker Alexis Cornu. “The vintage is a very pleasant surprise and could be described as ‘super Mediterranean’. It is round, generous, pale and nicely aromatic. It is designed to be enjoyed with complex gourmet cuisines.”

Goalong whiskey

Chinese whiskey brand Goalong is now available in the UK for the first time via The Whiskey Exchange. Located in the mountainous Hunan province of south-central China, Goalong distillery has produced the first-ever Chinese whiskies available outside of China, including a blended whiskey and a duo of five-year old single malts – one matured solely in ex-bourbon casks and the other in ex-bourbon and ex-brandy casks. Goalong 5 Year Old Bourbon & Brandy Cask Single Malt Chinese whiskey is a five-year old single malt that is is matured in ex-bourbon and ex-brandy casks and has aromas of jasmine, malt and vanilla on the nose with candied citrus, sandalwood and raisin on the palate. Goalong 5 Year Old Bourbon Cask Single Malt Chinese Whiskey is matured for five years in ex-bourbon casks with the temperature variance of the region accelerating the ageing process and bringing complex aromas of hazelnut and honey on the nose, with cinnamon, toffee on the finish, according to the company. Goalong Blended Chinese Whiskey uses a combination of grains matured in oak barrels and is described as being creamy in texture with aromas of hazelnut, apple and toffee on the nose, and malt, honey and baking spice on the palate. 

Amistà 2022

Billed as lively and spontaneous rosé that’s faithful to the character of Provence, Amistà is produced across a selection of plots at Château Roubine, which is one of the eighteen classified vineyards of the Côtes de Provence. Amistà is a blend of 60% Grenache Noir, 20% Cinsault, 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre resulting in a fresh and complex nose of white-fleshed fruits and flowers giving way to an intense and balanced palate which has a ‘lovely length’. Amistà meaning ‘friendship in Occitan’, is the story of a meeting between wine personalities Ariane de Rothschild and Valerie Rousselle.

Double Dutch elderflower tonic

Premium tonics and mixers brand Double Dutch has launched an elderflower tonic for the on-trade. The new drink uses Double Dutch’s Indian tonic water as its base, which is then blended with elderflower to create what the drinks company describes as a versatile mixer that is best paired with floral gins, vodka or prosecco and champagne. “We have been observing a market demand for a lighter, more floral tonic,” says Raissa de Haas, co-founder of Double Dutch,. There is increasing interest in natural and botanical-based products, with more health-conscious consumers seeking beverages made with real, high-quality ingredients.”

Britvic Cocktail Mixers

Britvic is expanding its range of mixers and juices with the launch of three new products that tap into the demand for ‘elevated serves that also deliver on great taste’. The Britvic Cocktail Mixers range comprises Mojito, Piña Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri mixers, and will be available from this month exclusively for the hospitality channel. The products are designed to make it easier for venues to offer cocktails, with each drink designed to be partnered with a spirit. “We know that half of bar owners say they don’t offer cocktails in mainstream outlets because they take too long to make, there are too many ingredients to stock or there is a lack of staff skill or knowledge,” says Britvic’s Adam Russell. “Our Cocktail Mixers are designed to make cocktails an easier opportunity to tap into and are the perfect addition to help operators serve cocktails more quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.”

Black Tot Master Blender’s Reserve 2023

Black Tot rum has released the fourth edition of its yearly rum blend Master Blender’s Reserve. The rum is released yearly on the anniversary of Black Tot Day, which falls on 31 July and which commemorates the historic event in 1970 when the British Navy discontinued the daily rum ration, a tradition which had been in place since the early 1800s. The blending method used to create the Master Blender’s Reserve rum is a modern-day adaptation of a lost blending practice, according to the brand, with one third of a blend held back for another year and blended again, creating what is called a ‘perpetual blend’. For the 2023 edition, casks were selected from Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados, Jamaica, with a rum from Grenada that was distilled in 1993 added to bring depth to the blend. These were then married with Black Tot’s perpetual reserve, Master Blender’s Reserve 2022, and some original Navy Rum from 1970. The 54% abv spirit has a price tag of £145. 

Champagne De Saint-Gall

Champagne De Saint Gall has made its UK debut following a deal with importer Daniel Lambert Wines. The brand’s Tradition Premier Cru and Premier Cru Rosé will showcase the Chardonnay-dominant style and complexity the brand is known for. Also available will be the house’s more rarefied Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru, Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru Extra Brut, Blancs de Blancs Grand Cru Vintage and Orpale Vintage. The house is based in Avize on one side of the Chardonnay-focused Côte des Blancs but uses grapes from across the Champagne region. 

Promotion​

Seriously good slush​

Enjoyed by customers nationwide, Atomic Ice is a delicious, frozen slush drink that will have your customer’s taste buds tingling from the very first sip. From convenience stores, and theme parks to bars and clubs, Atomic Ice slush can be enjoyed by all ages.

Available in six flavours including Seriously Good Strawberry, Wicked Watermelon and Lively Lime, there’s an Atomic Ice flavour for everyone. Fancy experimenting? Why not combine two flavours together to create your own unique drink? 

Take your bar or club to the next level with Atomic Ice frozen mocktails and cocktails Looking for a frozen drink with a grown-up edge? Look no further than the Atomic Ice Frozen mocktail range! We understand how important it is to serve exceptional drinks and create unforgettable experiences. That’s why we’ve added a frozen twist to five classic cocktail flavours, including Mojitos, Margheritas, and Passionfruit Martinis. Great on their own or add booze if you like! 

Why should you serve Atomic Ice slush?​

• With over 60 years of combined experience in the frozen beverage industry, Atomic Ice products are not only delicious, but they’re made with quality ingredients too
• Our Atomic Ice recipes are reduced in sugar and fall below sugar tax levels, enabling you to make up to 88% profit per cup
• Our syrups are made with natural flavours and without nasty Azo dyes
• To ensure everyone can enjoy our drinks, our formulas are also suitable for vegetarians, as well as being gluten free.

Visit www.atomicice.co.uk​​ for more information.