Available in Margarita or Bloody Mary. Simply add your choice of spirit.
For sponsorship opportunities contact Shane T Williams
stwilliams@intermedia.com.au
Welcome to the March issue of National Liquor News.
With summer now behind us, the coming months will be prime for cozying up with a beverage that complements the cooler season. For me personally, that often means dark spirits - either mixed into highballs and other cocktails, or sipped neat.
If you’re like me, or have shoppers like me, this month’s issue will be an especially good one for you, as we’ve covered two key categories in the space. Seamus May has delved into the Cognac and brandy sector (from page 32), seeing how Australia compares to the more traditional regions. Meanwhile, I’ve explored the might of World Whisky Day (from page 42), which continues to grow in importance to be a key occasion for whisky brands, consumers and the off-premise trade (in addition to the booming presence it has in the onpremise and direct to consumer spaces).
Another key occasion coming up is Easter, where food, friends and family take to the fore. From page 24, we got into the spirit of the occasion, bringing together some interesting pairings for the
festivities, that can inspire your customers to try something a little bit different this year. Other not-to-be-missed elements of our March issue include Seamus May’s dive into trending natural flavours in the drinks industry (from page 38), our expert wine tasting panel’s collection of standout Chardonnays (from page 54), and IRI’s analysis of how customer data can reveal the impact of the rising cost of living (from page 30).
This great content is rounded out by the everuseful insights of regular contibutors, including Retail Drinks Australia, DrinkWise, Wine Australia and Strikeforce.
All the best for a great month ahead!
Cheers, Brydie
Brydie Allen, Editor 02 8586 6156 ballen@intermedia.com.au
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There’s a lot to love about the certified organic, vegan and gluten free range of cocktail mixers, captivating consumers and trade alike.
Since launching in Australia just last year, Agalima Premium Cocktail Mixers have already received a warm welcome from the trade, with great support from national retailers and independent banners.
Certified organic, vegan and gluten free, Agalima has convenience at its core without sacrificing flavour. Made from the highest quality fruit and ingredients the world has to offer, Agalima is carefully balanced and batched, turning consumers into bartenders for some of the most in-demand cocktails.
Agalima Margarita is ready to be shaken with anyone’s favourite mainstream or premium tequila, while Agalima Bloody Mary is all set to be stirred with their choice of vodka.
Sally Turki, Brand Manager for Premium Cocktail Mixers at its local distributor, SouthTrade International, explains the art of creating a premium mixer that delivers consistently balanced, delicious cocktails.
“Agalima Margarita Mix is made with nothing but the finest produce and only all-natural sweeteners. The organic limes are handpicked, then single-pressed for that just-squeezed taste. The mix is then sweetened with the rich honey notes of Jalisco blue agave nectar for an all-natural flavour,” Turki said.
“Agalima Bloody Mary is made from hand-picked organic Roma tomatoes and a crafted house-made worcestershire to bring you a mix that is the perfect balance of salty, sweet, smoky and spicy.”
Despite this premium look, feel and recipe, Agalima is also one of the most competitively priced cocktail solutions on the market – a crucial consideration for consumers dealing with the current rising cost of living. One bottle of Agalima, with a RRP of $24.99, can make between eight to 10 cocktails, giving you a more consistent, quality drink in less time, and at a third of the price you would pay at a bar.
To make the same cocktail from scratch would require more ingredients, costing more, and take longer to prepare and perfect. Even then, the quality and consistency would not come close to Agalima. With the current strong demand for agave-led drinks, easy margarita solutions have never been more important.
“The tequila category has been steadily growing for the past two
years, with consumer interest increasing as they are exposed to the world of margaritas in the on-trade again,” Turki said.
“Margarita mix is the top bundle purchase with tequila across key independent banners; clearly showing how many consumers are purchasing at-home drink solutions.”
With the incredible strength of the margarita leading the charge, Agalima is a brand to watch, particularly considering the exciting pipeline of innovation tipped for 2023 and 2024.
Agalima comes from the world’s largest cocktail brand, American Beverage Marketers (ABM). Servicing markets around the world with cocktail mixers including Master of Mixes and Cocktail Essentials since 1991, ABM is an expert in taking the hassle away from cocktail making at home, so consumers can spend more time enjoying their drink than making it. ■
For orders or to request a sample, contact your local SouthTrade International BDE. Follow the QR code for more information.
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Be a part of Australia’s largest Liquor Cooperative, servicing the industry since 1975.
Queenslanders are continuing to embrace their state’s container deposit scheme (CDS), with the six billionth container returned through the Containers for Change’s network of 360 refund points.
The scheme launched in November 2018 offering 10cent refunds on eligible drink containers, with more than 150 million containers refunded in January 2023 alone.
Queensland Environment Minister, Meaghan Scanlon, said: “Statewide our container refund point network has seen more than six billion containers saved from landfill which is proof of the initiative’s huge success.
“Containers for Change has created more than 815 jobs, and we’re grateful to all of those workers who have worked hard through one of the busiest summers of recycling ever in the state.
“Every one of the six billion containers refunded is saved from ending up as litter or landfill, which is an absolutely enormous win, especially for our iconic Queensland environment.”
Natalie Roach, the new CEO of Container Exchange (the not-for-profit that runs the container refund scheme), added: “Containers for Change has put more than $590 million back into the pockets of Queenslanders, with an additional $10 million going to charities and community groups.
“We’ve got one of our biggest years ever ahead of us, as we open our first refund points in the Torres Strait, and continue to expand the network to allow convenient access to the scheme to all Queenslanders.”
In a surprise announcement, WA beverage company Good Drinks Australia (GDA), and VIC brewery Stomping Ground, have jointly decided not to proceed with GDA’s planned purchase.
An ASX announcement from GDA stated that “conditions have changed” since the organisation first revealed its intention to purchase the brewer in August of last year.
John Hoedemaker, GDA Managing Director, stressed that this decision was not a reflection of the strength of Stomping Ground.
“Stomping Ground is a great business and their management team has done an excellent job of creating a relevant Victorian beer business and brand,” he said.
“Unfortunately, recent conditions have challenged GDA’s underlying business case for the acquisition and would require more resources than initially anticipated to create meaningful value for GDA shareholders.”
Stomping Ground’s founder, Steve Jeffares, also commented on the decision, adding: “With softer trading conditions in the last few months, the benefits of joining forces unfortunately became less compelling. We felt it was a smarter option for us both to focus our efforts and resources on consolidating in the markets we know and understand best, our own.
“We’re incredibly proud of our award-winning team, beers, brand and venues, and, along with our committed shareholders, remain excited and energised about our strategic plans for Stomping Ground in Victoria. We wish the Good Drinks team all the best in the years ahead.”
For both parties, the decision appears to be amicable, with Hoedemaker saying: “We know Stomping Ground will continue to be a great craft beer brand and wish the team all the best for the future.”
Responsible Vaping Australia (RVA) has launched as a movement to represent industry and consumers advocating for the responsible regulation of nicotine vaping products.
RVA launched in partnership with retailers, hospitality venues and associations from a number of sectors, and aims to end the black market of nicotine vaping products in Australia, to ensure adult consumers can make responsible purchases. The RVA movement and its supporters are committed to vaping product standards, clear labelling of packaging, the quality of ingredients, youth access prevention, and responsible retailing practices.
Under the current Australian regulations, outlets trusted to sell other regulated legal products are not allowed to sell nicotine vaping products. Consumers must instead go to a doctor for a nicotine prescription to legally purchase such products.
However, research shows that 88 per cent of the more than 1.1 million adult vapers in Australia are not obtaining that prescription, and may be unknowingly participating in a roaring black market trade.
Rory Cotter, General Manager of British American Tobacco Australia, said RVA aims to bring Australia into line with other countries’ regulation (like the UK and New Zealand), and provides a unified voice across multiple industries that supports sensible regulation change.
“Without regulatory reform in Australia, the black market for vaping products will continue to grow at the expense of the lawful retail industry and adult vapers who deserve access to regulated products sold by responsible retailers,” Cotter said.
“By working together to achieve the sensible regulation of vaping products, we will deliver sustainable value for the whole retail industry while implementing industry leading responsible retailing practices.”
XXXX Brewery, and its owner Lion, have signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), which will see the Milton Brewery powered by 100 per cent renewable energy from the Woolooga Solar Farm.
The announcement is a continuation of Lion’s call last year for Australians to ‘Give a XXXX about the environment’. Lion Sustainability Director, Justin Merrell, said this latest move at the brewery was another strong example of Lion’s environmental credentials.
“The 144-year-old XXXX brewery at Milton is one of Brisbane’s most historic landmarks, but this latest evolution to 100 per cent renewable electricity proves this icon of Australian brewing, is still capable of moving with the times,” Merrell said.
“All of our beer produced here – up to 250 million litres annually – is now made using 100 per cent renewable electricity. This agreement will stop around 138,000 tonnes of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere. That’s the equivalent of taking 45,000 cars off the road.”
Deputy Premier Steven Miles welcomed the agreement, saying: “An increasing number of companies want to decarbonise their operations and offer consumers lowemission products, made in Queensland.
“The pipeline of renewable projects in the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan means we will continue to see more and more companies make the transition and lower emissions.
“With the PPA in place, Lion has reached their target of 100 per cent purchased renewable electricity by 2025 in Australia, two years ahead of schedule. And they’re Australia’s first large scale carbon neutral brewer.”
James France has announced his plans to leave Vanguard Luxury Brands, the award-winning premium spirits importer and distributor that he founded in 2008.
Lion bought a stake in Vanguard in 2019 and France said as he approached his 60th birthday, he decided it was the right time to move on.
“I have worked closely with the Vanguard and Lion teams to ensure a smooth transition. With this now complete, I am so happy to see that Vanguard is now standing strongly on its own two feet and ready to enter the next phase of its growth,” France said.
“Everyone at Lion has been incredibly supportive at every turn and I will always be grateful for this.”
Danny Connolly, Vanguard’s General Manager said: “James is fully supportive of the future direction of Vanguard and is confident that the business has a bright future. I know James will be a Vanguard advocate for life and look forward to him remaining a member of the extended Vanguard family. We all thank James for creating this wonderful company and for the fantastic contribution he has made to the Australian spirits industry.”
Looking ahead, France added: “Firstly, I’ll take a few months off just to reset. Maybe even go to one of those places where you go vegan, do yoga and stop drinking. Actually, probably not. But I do know that I’d like to stay in the industry in some capacity because I don’t want to walk away from over 30 years of friendships, experience and fun.”
France’s last official day at Vanguard Luxury Brands will be 11 May 2023.
Endeavour Group has announced that Kate Beattie has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company from 26 June 2023, as current CFO, Shane Gannon steps back from executive roles.
Beattie has held finance leadership roles within Woolworths and Endeavour Group for the past five years, commencing as Finance Director for the Retail Drinks division of Woolworths, prior to becoming Interim CFO of Endeavour Group leading preparations for the demerger, and Deputy CFO following demerger. While with the group, she has also led the BWS retail business as interim Managing Director.
“I am thrilled to be taking on the role of CFO of Endeavour Group, a company that has proven its resilience and potential for growth since its demerger,” Beattie said.
“I would like to thank Shane for his leadership and wise counsel over the last two years, and I look forward to this new challenge.”
Gannon will finish at Endeavour Group in June, concluding a career across multiple industries and public companies, including Mirvac Property Group, LendLease, Goodman Fielder and CSR.
Gannon said: “I feel incredibly fortunate to have spent the past two years at Endeavour Group: a company that has weathered the pandemic well and has a bright future ahead due to the exceptional calibre of its 30,000 people working across its extensive portfolio of stores, hotels, wineries and specialty businesses. I look forward to watching Endeavour go from strength to strength in the months and years ahead.”
BrightSide Executive Search is the only dedicated drinks recruitment specialist nationally and has been a trusted advisor to the industry for well over a decade. Through accessing its wide-reaching network of potential candidates, BrightSide takes the hassle out of recruitment for drinks businesses, advising how they can stay nimble and competitive in a tight market to attract the absolute right person for each role. The latest BrightSide success stories below show the strong abilities of the recruitment agency in partnership with drinks businesses of all sizes, country-wide.
Samantha Isherwood’s extensive wine industry experience is invaluable in her new role as General Manager of TarraWarra Estate.
DMG Fine Wines welcomed Taya McColl as National Sales Manager to drive brand growth and distribution across the portfolio.
Richard Mok is providing rigorous data analysis and category insights in his new role as Category Analyst for LMG.
Piotr Kuzmicki is thriving in his new role as Area Sales Manager Melbourne with Campari Australia.
Australian Beer Co is excited to have Sian Ryan as Marketing & Strategy Manager, driving innovation and brand growth.
Amy Kearney brings a wealth of beer industry experience to her new role as Brand Manager Sapporo and Yebisu at Coopers.
Joval Wine Group is loving having Ravi Vithal as Business Area Manager in Newcastle/Central Coast/Central West.
Benjamin Coleman brings his energy and experience to Proximo Spirits for his role as Area Sales Manager Sydney.
Giant Steps is delighted to have Ellie Roberts as Marketing & DTC Executive to drive growth in the direct to consumer channel.
Chris Wright is loving his transition from FMCG and the non-alcoholic category to liquor retail as BDM SA for LMG.
For more information go to www.brightside.careers or to look for current opportunities check out the BrightSide LinkedIn page: www.linkedin.com/company/bright-side-executive-search
Australia’s Pride celebrations this year were extra special, with Sydney the location for the WorldPride festival. It’s the first time the event has come to the southern hemisphere, bringing thousands of people down under for the festivities, which ran from 17 February to 5 March, and incorporated the usual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. The drinks industry was out in force during the 300+ events on the festival calendar, all designed to recognise, celebrate and support the LGBTQIA+ community.
Delgados Tequila, backed by the team at Superdrop, officially launched its partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), hosting its first initial activation in Australia in February. The launch party, hosted at the iconic Leederville Hotel in Perth, saw 500 guests come together to welcome the weekend of UFC Fight #284, with the chance to meet VIP super star UFC athlete guests such as Charles Oliveira (UFC Former Lightweight Champion), Kai Kara-France (#3 UFC Flyweight Division Athlete) and Carlos Ulberg (UFC Light Heavyweight athlete). Delgados Tequila’s sponsorship was also echoed throughout the weekend with pop up bars and exclusive giveaways for consumers, as the brand was introduced to the world with the global pay per view distribution of UFC.
The latest liquor industry
Brown-Forman’s Part Time Rangers RTD brand took over Manly Wharf Bar to introduce new flavour, Peach Penguin. A portion of the proceeds from this flavour are donated to Little Penguin conservation efforts in WA, with the brand also launching a scholarship to work with conservation efforts on Penguin Island. At the event, temporary penguin tattoos were on offer, while Little Penguin themed trivia was hosted by Environmentalist Laura Wells. This ran into an afterparty hosted with cultural agency, Life Without Andy, which saw live DJ sets from Lucy Lucy and Tori Levett.
Sydney distillery and bar, Hickson House, has celebrated its first birthday with a party and a new release – the Hickson Rd. Wild Rosé Summer Cup. The new product is a collaboration with Australian vermouth brand, Regal Rogue, blending the Hickson Rd. Australian Dry Gin with Regal Rogue organic Wild Rosé vermouth. Guests to the birthday event were able to experience this new product in its specialty serves, alongside other curated cocktails that showcased other products of the Hickson Rd. range.
Campari Australia’s SKYY Vodka celebrated its partnership with worldwide sailing competition SailGP, with a pop-up bar at Watermans Cove, Barangaroo when the contest sailed into town in February. Australian Idol presenter Scott Tweedie hosted a welcome event for the weekend of activity, where SKYY Vodka cocktails were served alongside seafood catering from LANA Dining with chef Alex Wong. The captain of the Australian SailGP team, Tom Slingsby, spoke at the event, explaining how vodka had replaced rum as the sailors’ drink of choice when off-duty.
Hawkesbury Brewing Company has installed 300kw of solar power, and although the brand says that’s enough to run a small town, there’s a lot more to the story than just the sustainability credentials.
“We grabbed a whole bunch of bitcoin miners, submerged them in a liquid solution which they heated as they consumed electricity and used this to heat our brewing water, which we can store in a large tank like a big battery. There’s a big problem though - it creates this waste stream called bitcoins. But we have figured out we can get rid of them: by converting them every 24 hours into AUD. Phew! We didn’t want them piling up,” said Mark Berwick, Managing Director of Hawkesbury Brewing Co.
In this process, heat is created not from coal but from bitcoin mining, powered by solar power. The end result is the Crypto Thirst Pale Ale, a proud partnership between Hawkesbury Brewing Company and Synergy Infrastructure.
“The revival of Australian manufacturing (and probably the world) has happened right here in your backyard. We pulled together two completely unrelated industries, one virtual and one physical. The waste heat from mining is the primary product for our brewery. The primary product of crypto mining is bitcoins and that’s our brewery’s waste product… it’s sustainable, renewable, net zero and mutually beneficial,” Berwick said.
Hawkesbury Brewing Company describes this process as a sustainable solution to cryptocurrency energy requirements, that also delivers a net zero carbon solution to manufacturing. It’s thirsty work, so the Crypto Bitbeer is available now.
Cointreau has unveiled the most momentous redesign of its iconic amber bottle in nearly two centuries, maintaining the recognisable look of the bottle while combining fresh elements celebrating the past, present and future.
The new design is an ode to the heritage of Maison Cointreau, featuring a minimalistic illustration of the historic Maison alongside the spirit’s key ingredient of oranges, embellished with Cointreau’s signature copper foiling. The Maison is also featured in an engraving on the side of the bottle, adding a new textural element to the design.
Meanwhile, the bottle itself has also seen a slight update to its shape to make it easier to pour, while the lid has a new embossed pattern that both enhances the aesthetic and adds extra grip to open the cap.
Finally, the label also now includes an innovative QR code to connect consumers to the ‘Original Margarita Recipe’, as well as many others. The unveiling of the redesign coincides with the 75th anniversary of this original recipe, which combines Cointreau, blanco tequila and lime. Such a milestone shows the longevity of the margarita and Australia’s love of this recipe – Cointreau reports that sales of the standard 700ml case have increased by 40 per cent in the last three years alone.
Different bottle, same liquid - with this pack refresh, the same iconic Cointreau inside the bottle remains unchanged, to continue its reputation as a staple for drinks lovers worldwide. Cointreau is an essential for both the home and professional bartender - for more information contact your local Spirits Platform representative, or head to their website.
De Bortoli has unveiled its latest alternative varietal creation, launching Ti Amo Fiano into the market. Despite the Fiano grape having its heritage in the Italian region of Campania, this expression has been made with grapes grown at the De Bortoli family estate vineyards in Rutherglen and the King Valley in Victoria.
The wine’s production was overseen by Steve Webber, De Bortoli’s Chief Winemaker. ‘Ti Amo’ means ‘I love’ in Italian, which Webber says is fitting, considering the love that went into creating this wine. Fiano grapes were gently pressed then fermented in casks and vats, before the final wine was carefully removed from the lees.
Ti Amo Fiano has a striking label featuring a vineyard scene visible through the bottle. It’s designed to immerse the drinker in the world of wine, and was acknowledged at the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show, winning the trophy for Best Label Artwork. Inside the bottle, tasting notes for Ti Amo Fiano hint at sea spray, pear, citrus, and nuts, alongside a textural mouthfeel.
Ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl, Tribe Breweries announced the comeback of Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) 473ml cans.
Cameron MacFarlane, Commercial Director of Tribe Breweries, said: “Pabst truly is a highly respected heritage beer brand with a strong following in Australia. The 473mL Tall Boy cans are just as iconic as the beer, which is why we’ve decided to bring them back to consumers.”
A famed American beer that helped establish Milwaukee as one of the world’s great brewing hubs, PBR has a nearly 200 year history and first joined the Tribe Breweries portfolio in Australia in 2018. It’s described as a ‘no-nonsense beer’ with crisp flavour, style and iconic heritage.
The original PBR liquid will be imported directly to Australia for the return of the Tall Boy, to provide the most authentic experience. The cans are available for the trade to order through Paramount Liquor, ALM or via Tribe Breweries.
The beer has an ABV of 4.7 per cent, with each 473ml Tall Boy can containing 1.87 standard drinks.
Fever-Tree has embraced the vibes of the European summer with its latest release - the refreshingly light Clementine Orange Tonic Water.
The new product is crafted with clementines sourced from Spain, which balance the soft bitterness of quinine with sweet and juicy notes that embody the Spanish sunshine they grew under. Such a flavour profile is a great accompaniment to London Dry styles of gin.
Fever-Tree Australian Brand Ambassador, Trish Brew, said: “In Australia, half of all the spirits consumed are enjoyed with a mixer, and we always say; ‘if three quarters of your drink is the mixer, then you should mix with the best.’
“We’re so excited to have Clementine Orange Tonic Water available in Australia. It’s refreshingly light and one to for sure keep handy in the fridge for when you’re after a delicious and refreshing twist on the classic G&T.”
Fever-Tree Clementine
Orange
Tonic Water is naturally flavoured, with just 18 calories per 100ml.
Bombay Sapphire has launched the Bombay Citrus Collins, an RTD featuring its London Dry Gin with a Mediterranean lemon infusion and premium soda water. The new canned cocktail is inspired by the classic Tom Collins cocktail and allows consumers to enjoy a bright, vibrant drink in whatever setting.
Bombay Sapphire Brand Ambassador, Corina Retter, told The Shout: “I’m particularly excited about the Bombay Sapphire Citrus Collins, it’s everything you love about a Tom Collins at your fingertips in a ready-to-drink can.
“Complementing the launch of Bombay Citron Pressé, it’s perfect for at-home entertaining or outdoor occasions and is already a crowd pleaser among my friends and family. The Citrus Collins allows gin fans to enjoy the new flavoured gin expression wherever they are.
“It is a bright, vibrant cocktail featuring a blend of 100 per cent natural Mediterranean lemons with the brand’s London Dry Gin, mixed with premium soda water. It is best enjoyed over ice with a squeeze of lemon.”
Bombay Citrus Collins comes in four-packs of 250ml cans, with 5.0 per cent ABV and a RRP of $25.99.
Richard Hamilton Wines has celebrated 130 years of its Centurion Vineyard with a refresh to the packaging of its flagship wine, the Centurion Old Vine Shiraz (2020 vintage release).
The vineyard is one of the oldest surviving vineyards not only in Australia, but the world, planted in 1892 by brothers Walter and Clement Philipson. After changing hands in 1893, it eventually was acquired by Burton Wyndham Hamilton in 1947, and is now managed by the fifth and sixth generations of the industry pioneering Hamilton family – Burton’s son, Dr Richard Hamilton, along with his wide Jette, their son Thomas and daughter Annasofia.
The new label of the Centurion Old Vine Shiraz pays homage to the graceful aging of the distinguished vines, which continue to display vibrancy and ongoing determination, consistently providing quality fruit with great intensity and yield. Stylish embellishments integrate the heritage of the vineyard with subtle cues that reference Roman legion soldiers. Roman numerals showcase the year of the vines planting, while a textured key and foiled text represent the traditional colour of Centurion armour.
The Centurion Vineyard anniversary is just one of many milestones that Richard Hamilton Wines has celebrated this past year. In 2022, it also marked 185 years of Hamilton family winemaking in South Australia, as well as a diamond jubilee (75 years) of McLaren Vale vineyard ownership for the family, and 50 years of Richard Hamilton Wines as a label.
For the past decade gin has had great tonic to mix with, but whisky and rum have been patiently waiting for a premium cola to complement rather than hide their unique flavour profiles. Enter Fever-Tree Distillers Cola.
Independent craft brewery, Deeds Brewing, has herladed a new era, evolving and diversifying under the banner of Deeds Group. Under this new name and remit, Deeds Group is responsible for its own labels and also a range of other brands, including the justlaunched Skyline Seltzer and two new imported brands – Quilmes Cerveza and Jumping Goat liqueurs.
The expansion has been enabled by Deeds Group’s partnership with wholesale marketplace Kaddy, helping drive the group’s sales across key markets in NSW, VIC and the ACT.
Kaddy Co-founder, Rich Coombes, said the relationship is a win-win, noting: “Deeds Group is a very exciting beverage company to be working so closely with. We’ve seen their rapid rise in popularity, and we’re looking forward to being part of their next growth phase.”
The announcement marks an important milestone for Deeds, which has journeyed from backyard brewer to contract maker before finally opening its own state of the art brewery and tap house. And its an expansion that continues to grow too, with the addition of the Pre Game Pale Ale.
Describing the new beer, Head Brewer, Richard Hollingworth, said: “We’re a brewery that can make the biggest, wildest, and most extravagant beers while at the same time create a perfect 4.2 per cent smasher at a very approachable price. Citra is one of our favourite hops and we wanted to showcase it in a beer.”
Brown-Forman’s Speyside distillery, Benriach, has released a new expression, with Smoke Season now available nationwide. Although smoky whiskies are not traditionally associated with the Speyside area, Benriach noted that its archives show heavily peated single malts were a preferred style for the palates of the region in the 19th century. Smoke Season therefore revives a tradition from more than 50 years ago. It’s a small batch release that captures one of the distillery’s most timehonoured seasonal production techniques, but with a new recipe finely tuned by Benriach Master Blender, Dr Rachel Barrie.
“With intensely peated spirit batch distilled every year, at Benriach we never stop exploring how the fruit and smoke aromatics intertwine and mature in a range of eclectic oak casks, either amplifying or transforming the perception of peat. Smoke Season is the result of exploring 100 per cent intensely peated malt, batch distilled and matured in first fill bourbon barrels combined with a high proportion of charred and toasted American Virgin oak casks,” Dr Barrie said.
“Crafted exclusively from intensely peated malt distilled in Smoke Season, the spirit is reminiscent of barbecue smoked fruit in a pine forest. American virgin oak and bourbon barrel maturation develop sweet caramel smoke and cinnamon spiced roasted apple, with hints of charred orange peel and hickory, concentrated at the bottling strength of 52.8 per cent ABV.”
Independent Australian producer, Frenchies Brewery, has announced the release of its first ever hard seltzer, the Aperitivo Seltzer.
The new seltzer is inspired by the Australian summer as well as the Italian coastline, leaning on the European roots of Co-founder and Head Brewer, Vincent De Soyres. It features 25 locally sourced natural spices, fruits and botanicals, which combine to create bittersweet citrus flavours. After undergoing a refined brewing process and triple filtration, the end product is described as light, bright and refreshing, at four per cent ABV.
De Soyres said the Aperitivo Seltzer was designed to enjoy in true Aperitivo style (before meals), but its convenient format also allows consumers to enjoy anywhere, anytime.
“Seltzers have become massively popular over the last few years, however we recognised there was a bit of a gap in the market for an all natural, locally produced product, that also offers a completely unique flavour profile to what’s currently out there,” De Soyres said.
“So, leaning on our mix of European and Aussie brewing techniques, and love of these continents in equal measure, we developed the summery, botanical infused Aperitivo Seltzer. It’s the first in this new range, and there will be more unique seltzer products that pair Euro and Australian influences dropping later in the year.”
Limestone Coast winery, Wangolina, has announced its new partnership with Saint Wine, which will enable Wangolina wines to be distributed Australia-wide.
The Wangolina range is described as a unique portrayal of the Limestone Coast, showcasing the cool climate and coastal characteristics the region is known for, via a collection of traditional and alternative varietals. Grapes are sourced from a handful of premium vineyards across the region, with only the best fruit used.
Saint Wine, established by long time friends Adam Partington and Tyson Rowsell, has grown over the past five years to gather a comprehensive team of wine professionals situated in every Australian state. Anita Goode, Owner, Maker and Grower at Wangolina, said the choice to partner with the Saint Wine team came down to the connection between the two companies.
“Partnering with a company whose ethos aligns with ours, are passionate and ultimately can get our wine further across the country was important to me. I got chatting with Adam and knew we’d make a good team,” Goode said.
Partington added: “Our wine ethos is simple; we only represent brands we believe in and people we enjoy working with.”
These spirit-based products are good examples for consumers looking for inspiration on what to serve at Easter occasions this year – they’re great for festive cocktails and mixed drinks to share with family and friends.
The recently revamped ready to drink cocktail jars from Melbourne Martini can transform any dull event into a delightful one with ease. One delicious serve of the perfectly balanced Espresso Martini is just seconds away, with Melbourne Martini expertly blending locally brewed cold drip coffee, vodka, and a hint of chocolate, all ready for you to shake in the one jar.
At 11 per cent ABV, these 110ml jars are a great tipple for night-time Easter occasions. For more information, head to the Melbourne Martini website.
With tasting notes already so aptly surmised in the title, Fossey’s Hot Cross Bun Gin is something to be tried to be believed. Using the simplest of recipes, the distillery has taken nutmeg, cinnamon, and locally produced dried flame seedless grapes and steeped them in its Original Gin Elixir to create Easter in a bottle. With citrus notes being the strong but subtle foundations of this gin, they have lifted the spices to a truly recognisable and genuine flavour that will leave you smiling and wanting more.
Being big believers in enjoying Hot Cross Buns during Easter celebrations, Fossey’s Hot Cross Bun Gin is fabulously seasonal and only made available at Easter time each year.
Discover the margarita’s spicy cousin this Easter! Produced in small batches and double distilled in copper pot stills, Ghost Tequila is a 100 per cent Blue Agave tequila blended with ghost pepper for a perfectly spicy kick. Committed to using only the best quality, sustainably farmed agave, Ghost Tequila maintains a close relationship with local growers from the Jalisco region of Mexico, ensuring ample supply for generations to come.
For a perfectly spicy Ghost margarita, shake 60ml of Ghost Tequila with 30ml of lime juice and 15ml of agave nectar. Serve over ice and garnish with chilli salt. For more information about Ghost Tequila, contact your local Iconic Beverages representative
With a heritage firmly steeped in over 60 years of dairy farming, you can taste the difference in Hellyers Road cream liqueurs, made with some of the world’s freshest cream from the world’s purist landscapes and then blended with the distillery’s famous artisanal single malt whisky. This provides the fresh cream liqueur range with a mouthfeel and flavour that is truly tantalising.
Hellyers Road is proud to celebrate the best of Tasmanian ingredients, and its commitment to sourcing locally and sustainably will see new flavours introduced into the range. 2023 will see the exclusive Tasmanian release of Tasmanian Sea Salted Caramel and then local barista brewed coffee to follow later in the year.
Crafted in Victoria from fresh Aussie rhubarb, RHUBI Mistelle is made by pairing the fermented rhubarb juice with juniper spirit, gentian, grapefruit and mandarin skins. Created by some of the most awarded bartenders in the country, RHUBI contains less additional sugar and alcohol (18 per cent ABV) than the majority of its competitors in the market.
Simply mix 45ml of RHUBI with 150ml soda water for the perfect spritz. Serve over ice and garnish with a slice of your favourite citrus. RHUBI is distributed in Australia by Vanguard Luxury Brands.
Margaret River’s Giniversity was amongst the first to make a hemp gin – it’s made using locally grown organic Australian hemp hearts, select botanicals and a delicate secret smoking process to create this unique gin. Flavours include juniper, toasted sesame, sweet orange and subtle nut, over a tantalising smoky foundation.
We love it with a smoked darker chocolate, or a hazelnut laced chocolate. Try the gin neat then add your favourite tonic and garnish with lemon and bay leaf. Giniversity is distributed by The Spirits Company.
Recent data from Growth Scope revealed consumers have reduced the number of occasions where they drink alcohol.
Recent data from Growth Scope has uncovered some changing consumer habits when it comes to occasions.
Within its Factlet series on LinkedIn, Growth Scope revealed that in 2022 (compared to 2021), Australian consumers reduced the number of occasions where they drink alcohol and were drinking less alcohol per occasion as well.
Mel Anderson, Director of Research and Product at Growth Scope, said it’s important to realise the significance of the impact these stats can have. She noted that of the roughly 18.4M adult population (aged 18+) in Australia, NHS data indicated 79 per cent say they consume alcohol, leading to a pool of about 14.5M people.
“The Growth Scope data shows that the average number of drinking occasions per person has declined by almost five per cent between 2021 and 2022 (Factlet #23). When considering the average number of occasions per year per person and multiplying the decline out across the ~14.5M adult Australian alcohol consumers, this equates to just under 85 million fewer consumption occasions in 2022 than there were in 2021,” Anderson said.
“Taking this a step further, Growth Scope Factlet #22 highlighted that the average number of serves of alcohol consumed per occasion declined from 4.4 serves in 2021 down to 4.1 serves in 2022. Applying this across the number of occasions that occurred in each respective year, this results in a whopping one billion fewer serves of alcohol consumed in 2022 than in 2021!”
This doesn’t mean that all occasion types experienced the same declines, nor did all drinks categories see the same impacts. Anderson said some pockets of occasions have actually experienced growth. Then from a category perspective, beer and red wine were
most impacted, however not all subcategories or varietals were impacted to the same magnitude.
A key thing to note with this data is that is across both the on- and offpremise, considering the market as a whole. But it does indicate why seemingly small changes on a few different metrics can create significant impacts on the industry overall.
Andrew Nowicki, Director at Growth Scope, said the witnessed trends result from a change in consumption occasions post-COVID restrictions. The changing popularity of different types of occasions affects both the volume consumed and the categories consumed – e.g. less mealbased occasions means less red wine.
“Retailers need to keep abreast of changing consumer occasions and their impact on which categories, formats, and pack sizes best target the growing occasions,” Nowicki said.
“This [can] ensure that they have the right product mix in stock and on promotion at the right time. They also need to keep abreast of the shoppers’ willingness to pay for different occasions, so that they can maximise their pricing and revenue management outcomes from trading.”
This is why Growth Scope tracks consumer occasions, the products consumed on those occasions and the consumer and shopper needs relating to them. The platform, operated by Five Growth, aims to “lift the fog in the market” to give suppliers and retailers an understanding of how consumers are behaving, allowing them to target consumption occasions with the right product, at the right time, in the right place and at the right price.
The Growth Scope Factlet series continues each week on LinkedIn, uncovering key quick stats on the habits of shoppers and consumers. ■
More than one million Australian adults vape, but our vaping laws are failing.
On 23 March, the NSW State Election will be held. The current Coalition government led by Premier, the Hon Dominic Perrottet MP, will attempt to win a fourth term in office against NSW Labor, led by Opposition Leader, Chris Minns MP.
has a strong history. Should the Labor party secure office, we are in a great position to continue our important work with the NSW Parliament without missing a beat.
Michael Waters CEO Retail DrinksRetail Drinks has enjoyed a positive and productive relationship with the NSW Government. We particularly thank current Minister for Hospitality and Racing, the Hon Kevin Anderson MP, for engaging with industry in a very open spirit of cooperation to foster a thriving and responsible sector. We were pleased to have Minister Anderson address delegates and officially open the 2022 Retail Drinks Industry Summit, held in Sydney last November.
We also acknowledge the Hon Victor Dominello MP, who is retiring from state politics at this election. Minister Dominello held responsibility for the liquor portfolio for a significant period during the current government’s term and oversaw reforms to the state’s online alcohol sale and delivery sector. Retail Drinks collaborated very closely with Minister Dominello and his team throughout this policy development process. Many of the NSW reforms were modelled on the Retail Drinks Online Alcohol Sale and Delivery Code of Conduct (Online Code) and have also now been adopted in legislation in other Australian states and territories.
Of course, with every election there is a possibility of change. Labor’s spokesperson for the hospitality and racing portfolio is Yasmin Catley, MP for the central coast seat of Swansea, with whom the Retail Drinks team
In terms of the forward advocacy agenda, there is already a lot on. A review of the NSW Government’s online alcohol reforms began in July last year. Retail Drinks, as a trusted advisor, has been proactively engaged in stage one of the review, making a comprehensive submission, and will be similarly involved in stage two to ensure that NSW’s regulatory framework for online alcohol sale and delivery remains robust and fit for purpose.
Meanwhile, this year we will also be conducting the second, two-year review process of our globally recognised Online Code to ensure it continues to effectively lead industry best practice and influence the development of regulation in this space.
Perhaps most significantly, the Department of Hospitality and Racing is amid a major review of liquor licensing reform options. The Department will seek to align liquor licensing and planning approvals and explore a new risk-based licensing model. Retail Drinks has commenced engagement with an initial submission, and we expect next steps to commence soon after the election.
Retail Drinks is proud of the various policy outcomes achieved in NSW benefitting the state’s many liquor retailers, including those with an exclusively online presence. We look forward to continuing our positive relationship with the NSW Government once the final election outcome is determined. ■
AustraliaSince 2005, DrinkWise campaigns have enabled parents to become more conscious about the role they play in displaying responsible behaviours around alcohol. By positioning parents as role models and ‘influencers’ in their children’s lives, the campaigns have held a mirror up to parents’ behaviours, allowing them to make responsible decisions in terms of consumption around kids. The rates of teenage drinking have significantly declined over the past decade, but there is more to be done to continue to reduce harm – which is why DrinkWise developed the ‘It’s okay to say nay’ campaign, with a focus on parental supply.
A campaign was needed because, while government research highlights that most Australian parents (87 per cent) aren’t supplying their underage teenagers with alcohol and most underage teenagers (72.5 per cent) choose not to drink, there was a concerning trend that of those teenagers who are drinking, an increasing proportion are getting it from their parents. Underage teens who said their parents were the main source of alcohol supply has risen from 25.0 per cent in 2010 to 41.6 per cent in 2019. These figures prompted a campaign to highlight the social norms – that most Australian parents and teenagers are doing the right thing –which helps correct misconceptions about underage drinking and provides parents with confidence that setting strong boundaries
around alcohol is the smart decision for the safety of their kids.
DrinkWise commissioned qualitative and quantitative research on the effectiveness of messages in influencing parents to not supply alcohol to their underage teenagers. Through this research, we discovered that parents reported lower intentions to supply alcohol to their children when they saw that most other Australian parents don’t supply alcohol to their underage teenagers. These social norm messages were effective in creating intentions to change and improving how capable parents felt to act on the message.
DrinkWise also worked with renowned adolescent psychologist, Dr Carr-Gregg, to develop tips for talking to your teenager about
alcohol. We know that for some parents, talking to their teenagers about alcohol and setting rules and boundaries to keep them safe can be tricky. The tips (that can be found on the DrinkWise website) are designed to help parents navigate these sometimes daunting but very important conversations. We’re encouraging all parents to start the conversation around alcohol early and have it often, so they can help their underage teenagers make the smart choice and say no to drinking alcohol while underage.
DrinkWise is committed to ongoing education in this space and looks forward to monitoring how the ‘It’s okay to say nay’ campaign influences the attitudes and behaviours of Australian parents. ■
The latest campaign from DrinkWise is helping to correct parents’ misconceptions about underage drinking, writes CEO, Simon Strahan.
Leadership, and importantly, our response to it, means different things to different people. But can leadership skills, knowledge and traits be effectively taught for lifelong benefit?
The billions of dollars invested in leadership development has at times been referred to as ‘the great training robbery’, with little evidence of return on that investment.
Up until a few years ago, I too harboured a healthy cynicism towards leadership development. That was until my involvement with the Future Leaders program.
The Australian grape and wine sector has been supporting a collaborative approach to leadership development since 2006. Future Leaders is for individuals from across the value chain – winemakers, viticulturalists, marketers, exporters, business managers, sommeliers, researchers, retailers and more; some of whom may be competitors in a traditional business sense.
This approach to guiding shared interests and collaboration through a platform of personal and professional leadership development is unique. And it’s not often you will find a sector committed to authentic investment in the wellbeing of its people.
We now have well over 100 alumni, and their reach and impact across the sector cannot be underestimated, driving the sector forward through their leadership actions.
Over the past couple of programs, we’ve surveyed our Future Leaders at the start, at the end and then six months following the program to measure its success. Our 2022 program has only recently concluded, so we don’t have a complete picture yet, but looking back to Future Leaders 2019, the surveys showed a notable shift in the self-perceived capability and capacity to influence or make change within the sector and their
regions, and across high-level key leadership traits such as communication skills, confidence, thinking critically and empathy – all maintained six months following completion.
We asked previous participants to rate their confidence across 16 specific professional and personal leadership traits we focused on during the program. Importantly, improvements were made across all traits, with all those gains still in place six months later when we surveyed them.
All participants indicated Future Leaders provided them with new knowledge or information to help improve their leadership capabilities with the majority in the six-month follow up indicating they had already made changes to their practices.
We also attempted to get a handle on self-worth via individuals quantifying their value to the broader Australian grape and wine sector in monetary terms. This is a useful measure of how we ‘see ourselves’ – and it’s important with respect to leadership because it can influence our choices and decisions. Overall, selfperceived value to the sector increased substantially on completion and maintained close to that level six months following.
Applications for Future Leaders 2023 are now open. While we refine the program each iteration, Future Leaders 2023 will retain its core focus of providing the latest research, skills and sector learnings across leadership education, tailored experiences and exposure to expertise within and beyond the sector.
Future Leader 2022 Briony Hoare said of her experience: “Future Leaders has provided clarity and strength to my leadership skillset. It has been an experience that will define me as a person for the rest of my life. I encourage all considering this program to not hesitate – jump in feet first.” ■
Whatever goods or services your business offers, it’s now the norm for customers to use cashless payments. In addition to traditional credit and debit cards, customers commonly pay via smart devices, or newer cashless options such as UnionPay, AliPay and JCB.
So that you’re not turning customers away, it’s important to be able to receive a wide variety of cashless payments. This may however mean that your business is paying more in transaction fees and other costs. But there are some tips that can help you keep these costs down.
To make sure business customers can accept many forms of cashless payments, Bendigo Bank powered by Tyro offers electronic payment services, including EFTPOS machines.
Through the Tyro Portal or Tyro App you can easily review how your customers are paying and the costs involved. There are different approaches to reducing the costs of EFTPOS transactions for your business.
Every time a customer makes a payment
through an EFTPOS device, the business is charged a transaction fee. The fee amount will vary depending on the card types your customers use.
One method to minimise transaction fees is least-cost routing. This means that eligible contactless debit card transactions get processed through the cheapest network.
Bendigo Bank EFTPOS powered by Tyro customers can access Tyro’s Tap & Save feature. This provides least-cost routing on eligible contactless debit card transactions of under $1000. With Tap & Save, eligible transactions are processed through the lowest-cost network available, potentially lowering your acquiring cost1 This may be able to save you money if you receive a lot of contactless card payments from customers. Tap & Save is easy to set up, with no activation fees.
Some businesses absorb the costs of cashless transactions. But others choose to add an extra surcharge for customers who use this payment method. Surcharging can be a way to recoup these costs to your business. Your decision whether to use a surcharge may depend on different
factors. These could include whether surcharging is common in your industry, and the types of card transactions you most commonly process.
There are regulations covering surcharges and businesses should understand that a breach can result in compliance and enforcement action, including fines. You should do your own research and, if necessary, seek advice. More information can also be found on the ACCC card surcharging website.
Bendigo Bank powered by Tyro offers a range of dynamic surcharging options, allowing you to configure a surcharge rate for different payment methods. The EFTPOS machine will then automatically apply the relevant surcharge rate for many different cards.
Bendigo Bank powered by Tyro allows businesses to easily accept cashless payments, while minimising costs. The machines can integrate with over 330 Point of Sale (POS) or Practice Management Systems, and accounting software such as Xero3
Make an enquiry today, visit bendigobank.com.au/eftpossolutions ■
“It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data,” exclaimed Sherlock Holmes back in Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1887 novel, A Study in Scarlet.
Now, 136 years on, the world’s most famous detective still makes a very strong and salient point. Because in our post-pandemic inflationary world where cost of living has replaced COVID as the most talked about word starting with C, you can no longer guess how people feel and how they’ll shop in the moment. You need to know it intimately. Doing your detective work and investigating your customer data in depth is a gamechanger.
When converged and leveraged effectively, the pandemic’s super rapid acceleration of data, media and
technology advances now provide invaluable insights to best understand the value and the values that different shoppers seek at any given time. The impact? The ability to build and deliver the right customer experience every time, on every platform, no matter the headwinds – an imperative to capture share of basket in the moment as loyalty is tested more than ever before.
Getting intimate with your data puts you well beyond face value with your customers and will help you:
• Manage the social impact of inflation: Deliver and communicate price, value and experience; and differentiate what’s right from profit gain. Be honest and transparent and show customers that you’re going through this with them.
IRI looks into how effectively analysing data in the current market environment could be especially beneficial.
• Invest in the technology reshaping retail: Technology is both testing customer loyalty and reshaping retail through e-commerce, changing customer behaviours, hyper-personalisation, growing supply chain complexities and the digital transformation of the customer experience. For example, artificial intelligence can create more realistic buying experiences, help prevent fraud, facilitate continuous customer segmentation, and manage inventory, logistics and forecasting.
• Tap into your customer’s emotional intelligence: Create ecosystems and services reflective of the external circumstances felt by your customers. Your data is your best tool to combat inflation’s effects while direct-toconsumer strategies allow you to advertise directly via new channels using ad tech, data and analytics to ensure privacy-compliant marketing that resonates in the moment.
• Balance value with experience: The current inflationary environment commands transparency about price and commitment to reward loyalty. Shoppers have different preferences for how their digital orders are filled based on need and occasion. Speed holds the convenience key for many but can come at an experience cost too. For example, one of the biggest gripes in online grocery is freshness. There’s plenty to get right when balancing the price of value with the price of our values.
• Prioritise your purpose and build communities that resonate: Globally, Millennials represent $600 billion and Gen Z around $140 billion in spending power, and they choose brands that embed social and environmental purpose into their business operations. Adopting sustainable change is not only a moral imperative but brings considerable commercial advantage too – research reveals brands that consumers perceive to be more sustainable grew total brand value by 31 per cent in a year in 2022.
Remember, consumers are open to ordering directly from you and sharing their data if it will result in a better shopping experience or reward. But as rising prices test loyalty and prompt switching, elasticity will return, and brands once immune to price sensitivity could see product volumes drop off a cliff. Plan for this likely scenario and be prepared to respond quickly when it occurs. Investigating and analysing your data now delivers a very powerful armour. Learn more in the IRI 2023 Outlook Report: Winning in the new age of customer experience available at www.IRIworldwide.com.au ■
“Be honest and transparent and show customers that you’re going through this with them.”
From Spain, to Italy, to France - where there is grape, there tends to be wine; and where there is wine, there tends to be brandy. And the same is true of Australia, where a surplus of grapes is creating the perfect conditions for a resurgent brandy category to flourish.
Holly Klintworth, Director and Distiller at Bass & Flinders Distillery (and the recently appointed President of the Australian Distillers Association), believes that our distilling and wine industries can work together to solve the problem of wine overproduction, while simultaneously strengthening their relationship.
“Brandy production in Australia back in its heyday originally was harnessed
as a complementary industry to manage excess wine production, and I think on a macro level we may start to see this kind of symbiotic relationship develop between these industries once more,” Klintworth said.
Brendan Carter, Co-founder of Applewood Distillery, strikes a similar chord, adding: “We have an agricultural problem - too many grapes, too much wine. This is borne from a number of bumper-crop years, COVID impacts on large wineries, and international trade disputes resulting in large swathes of the wine industry accumulating more wine than it needs.”
Necessity is the mother of creation, and Carter believes that Australia can follow in the footsteps of Italy by turning crisis into opportunity. Over 70 years ago, a similar situation in Italy gave birth to the grappa industry as we know it today.
It’s for this reason that Applewood, already known for its gin and liqueurs, has plans to include brandy in its offering in the future.
“We’ve already had brandy in cask for six or so years, so we’re not exactly entering it, more so focusing on it more and more. This is largely due to Applewood’s modus operandi: we don’t seek to craft spirits that are commercial realities, but rather focus on
what agricultural impact we could potentially have long-term,” Carter said.
“Distilleries (in our opinion) should be an integral part of the agricultural landscape, fixing agricultural problems.”
Such a move certainly also holds commercial opportunity - worldwide, the brandy category is tipped for moderate growth over the next few years. Market researcher, the IMARC Group, expects the global brandy market will reach USD$33.4bn by 2027, with a CAGR of 5.88 per cent.
And according to Matt Redin, Marketing Manager for Angove Family Winemakers, which produces St. Agnes Brandy, the top of the market is growing even faster.
“[We’re seeing] growth, especially at the premium end of the market with the St Agnes XO range now in double digit growth,” Redin said.
“We’re happy to report we are currently experiencing strong growth in the brandy category, after years of ‘flattish sales’.”
A broad brandy offering Brandy’s global clout means the category has readymade diversity for specialist and independent retailers looking to entice drinkers who seek authentic and premium expressions, including regional appellations and styles.
“We’re happy to report we are currently experiencing strong growth in the brandy category, after years of ‘flattish sales’.”
Matt Redin Marketing Manager Angove Family Winemakers
Georgina Wright, General Manager of spirits distributor, Bibendum Bar, supports this notion.
“Bibendum Bar is going to market with different brands offering different styles and drinking experiences, for example Armagnac is a very sexy category right now,” she said.
Meanwhile, for Cognac, Wright highlights that the famed region is fostering producers that challenge preconceived ideas and appeal to a younger audience.
“Chateau Laballe is driven by a young couple Cyril and Julie Laudet, as the eighth generation of the estate, determined to bring in what is considered the best practice in other regions, and is now an organic production that also controls every step of production from vineyard to bottle with no compromise but with deliberate intent to bring a quality range to a broader audience,” Wright said.
With more than 300 years of history, Martell Cognac is also actively trying to access a younger audience through new product development and highlighting the multitude of options for enjoying the category.
“Martell Blue Swift was introduced into the market to recruit new consumers to the Cognac category with an accessible taste profile and broader appeal with dark spirit drinkers,” said Eric Thomson, Global Marketing Director for the brand’s local distributor, Pernod Ricard Winemakers.
“There’s an exciting opportunity for retailers to showcase how Cognac can be enjoyed beyond the traditional image, including in cocktails, with mixers, or over ice.”
Another Cognac brand looking to appeal to a less traditional consumer is Cognac Monnet, distributed locally by Proof Drinks Australia.
“It’s only a matter of time before more brandy producers really start making some noise both locally and internationally too, following in the footsteps of Australian craft whisky and craft gin.”
Holly Klintworth Director and Distiller Bass & Flinders Distillery
In a world that moves too fast and demands too much too soon, we celebrate the patient rewards of time, age, ambition and craft with the release of three inimitable expressions of St Agnes XO.
Our ambition at the St Agnes Distillery is clear. To do one thing brilliantly. To show the world another face of Australian produce excellence. To create a spirit of iconic world standard. To craft a uniquely Australian expression of brandy.
98 Years
5 Generations
5 Master Distillers
3 World Bests
Just one St. Agnes
stagnesdistillery.com.au
The St Agnes Distillery is owned by the Angove family and located in Renmark SA, where they patiently craft Australia’s most highly awarded brandies.
Richard Angove commented: “These are world class brandies made right here in Renmark. We are really excited and humbled by the awards we have received over the past few years. They are a testament to the focus and dedication of the team at the distillery and winery.
“They are huge results for Renmark and the Riverland, the St Agnes Distillery is Australia’s longest continuously running brandy distillery so to be honoured with some many accolades, including being named Best Distiller in Australia in 2021, is something the region can be so proud of.”
Every year since 1925, the St Agnes Distillery and Barrell Halls have been carefully and characterfully handcrafting brandy that is a testament to the rewards of time, age, ambition and craft. The original copper pot stills, handcrafted and installed by H. Jennings of Adelaide in 1910, have been used to craft every drop of St Agnes Brandy giving it a unique signature and style. All St Agnes brandies are matured in small oak barrels until the Master Distiller determines it is ready for blending and bottling.
The St Agnes range is distributed nationally by the team at Vintage House Wine and Spirits.
“We feel the main appeal of Monnet is its style – targeting a younger demographic,” says Drew Doty, Managing Director of Proof Drinks Australia.
“The brand has heritage but does not want to be seen as something an older generation only would drink.”
Doty believes the Cognac category is well-placed to appeal to the Australian way of life, and this is highlighted in Monnet’s range, featuring an expression called Sunshine, designed to be mixed in cocktails.
“We also feel that our slogan ‘sunshine in a glass’ not only speaks to the heritage of the brand, but also the lifestyle we enjoy in Australia. Monnet isn’t just for sipping, it’s for cocktailing and having fun,” he said.
While Cognac is internationally renowned, homegrown brandies from both larger producers and smaller craft distillers are still holding their own against the very finest spirit from around the world.
“I thoroughly believe we deserve to sit side-by-side Cognac and Armagnac as a legitimate, spirituous narrative driven by the uniqueness of our terroir,” Carter says.
“Australian climates and soils are exceptionally unique, and given the agricultural nature of brandy – the results will be equally unique.”
Klintworth offers a similar perspective, and said the only way is up for local brandy.
“Australia has a really special history with brandy… Australian brandy was once compared to the finest of the French Cognacs,” she said.
“It’s only a matter of time before more brandy producers really start making some noise both locally and internationally too, following in the footsteps of Australian craft whisky and craft gin no doubt.”
Redin notes that St Agnes is produced in a very similar manner to many Cognac brands, but also acknowledges the impact of the Australian environment and ingredients.
“The warmer climate is probably the biggest difference and can lead to a greater ‘angels’ share’ during maturation and more vibrant characters in the brandy at a younger age,” he said.
“St Agnes Brandy continues as a proudly 100 per cent Australian (and South Australian) product that is equal to the best in the world, having won best brandy at international competitions no less than three times.”
Cognac remains brandy’s most storied region. Yet there is a strong and ongoing tradition of Australians learning the secrets of brandymaking from the French masters.
“Cognac is regarded as the birthplace of great brandy and it is here that Carl ‘Skipper’ Angove travelled in 1925 to examine the methods used to create this fantastic spirit,” Redin explains.
“Much of what he learnt back then has been passed down through the five St Agnes Master Distillers who have followed in his footsteps.”
Klintworth has traced the same path trod by Skipper Angove, recently making her own pilgrimage to Cognac. National Liquor News asked her what she had learnt, and what trends she had noted.
“Some Cognac houses are actually choosing to produce products that don’t subscribe to the legal definitions of Cognac and so must be called brandy instead,” Klintworth said.
“I think this mindset in Cognac is really exciting because it shows that even some of the biggest houses in the world believe in the ‘brandy’ brand too, and are unleashing their creativity in this space, just as we have the ability to in Australia.
“Working with some of the best producers here in Cognac I’m learning that it’s taken them centuries to adapt their practices, processes and methods in the vineyard, cooperages and distilleries, to suit the wine that comes from their own unique terroir and environment.
“We can learn from them, from their trials and developments over the years, but rather than try and replicate, in Australia we need to have a deep appreciation for and understanding of our own parameters, the environment we are operating in and the soil from which our wine we distil comes from, and learn which of these elements can be harnessed in our favour to produce the very best quality brandy that is uniquely and proudly Australian,” Klintworth concluded. ■
“There’s an exciting opportunity for retailers to showcase how Cognac can be enjoyed beyond the traditional image, including in cocktails, with mixers, or over ice.”
Eric Thomson Global Marketing Director Pernod Ricard Winemakers
The days when the shelves were crowded with luridly coloured, artificially flavoured drinks appear to be over, with trends towards authenticity and ‘better for you’ beverages continuing to shape the drinks market.
There’s now a diverse selection of options available for the discerning, naturally-minded drinker, in a wide variety of flavours. Hard kombuchas, interesting mixers and naturally flavoured seltzers now share shelf space with established products like ginger beer and traditional RTDs.
For Dom Hurley, Co-founder of hard kombucha producer, Ventura Brewing, the expansion of drinks that are employing natural flavours responds directly to consumer demand.
“There has been a significant shift in cultural attitudes towards healthier lifestyles over the last
decade or so, and this growing interest has significantly increased the awareness of the ingredients in the food and beverages,” Hurley said.
A spokesperson for White Claw concurred with Hurley, noting: “As consumers continue to seek out mindful choices, natural flavours will continue to be something they are looking for in products –consumers are moving away from the sticky sweet flavour profile typically found in the RTD category.”
White Claw made a name for itself with a different proposition to many other types of beverages in the RTD space.
“White Claw has a hint of flavour which makes it easy drinking, refreshing and without the overt sweetness that other RTDs and seltzers carry,” the spokesperson continued.
Nick Cogger, founder of Torquay Beverages Co, which is part of Mighty Craft, told National Liquor
Seamus May looks into how the range of natural flavours in drinks has expanded to take the industry by storm.
Stone’s invented the alcoholic ginger beer category over 20 years ago and last year relaunched its Stone’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer, carrying on a tradition of fine ginger drinks with a massive investment in trade and above the line awareness campaign. No beer fridge, bar, esky, day at the beach, or drink after summer sport is complete without it.
The new brew was the result of over 12 months of tinkering and blending by the Stone’s team. The result is a refreshing, zingy infusion with a definite hit of ginger both on the nose and palate, that is moderated by a softening sweetness that consumers have jumped on in record numbers.
Stone’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer is the perfect way to quench the thirst on a hot summer’s day. It is equally at home over the bar by itself as it is with your favourite spicy Asian influenced cuisine.
For the first time Stone’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer has been made available in a 330ml can, to support the ever-present 330ml bottle. Both are packed in a convenient four-pack, contain four per cent ABV and feature a striking, shelf-popping design that calls on the heritage of the brand with a dragon motif from the Stone’s Coat of Arms, used in a modern contemporary way that is sure to appeal to a broad range of consumers.
News that his NoSh Boozy Seltzer brand (which is fermented and then blended with natural fruit flavours) would be focused on intensifying its naturally flavoured taste in the new year.
“NoSh Boozy Seltzer is going well with some huge increases in ranging coming up for us in September. We are looking at rebooting a marketing strategy. For us it’s going to be dialling up the flavour heading into 2023,” he said.
Hurley said that with so much choice coming from natural flavours, there’s a wide and diverse market out there looking for such drinks in-store.
“I think as the craft beer segment gets oversaturated, sessionable alternatives like ‘hard kombucha’ can play a huge role in expanding retailers’ portfolios and catering to a wider audience,” he said.
“We seem to attract everyone from natural wine fans to craft beer drinkers and seltzer sippers, as it ticks a lot of boxes in what people are currently looking for. As more Gen Zs come of age, it will only become more prominent, as they grew up drinking kombucha over soft drinks, so it’s a natural progression for them.”
Perhaps one of the most well known natural flavours in drinks is ginger, with ginger beer continuing to maintain a strong appeal with customers.
Matt Redin, Marketing Manager for Vintage House Wines and Spirits (the distributor of the Stone’s range), outlined the ongoing popularity of the flavour.
“As the original ginger beverage range, Stone’s continues to perform well and Stone’s Original Green Ginger wine continues to grow strongly,” Redin says.
“Last year due to factors outside our control we were forced to change our recipe for Stone’s Ginger Beer. We took this as an opportunity to also give the packaging a full facelift and introduce a canned variant for the first time.
“With a massive investment behind the repack and relaunch the results have exceeded our expectations and have continued strongly over summer.”
Indeed, Redin describes 2022 as “the best ever” for the Stone’s brand.
“Our Stone’s fans have stuck with us and led the charge on helping to grow the Stone’s base – it really does have a cult-like following,” he said.
• “I think Australian natives will continue to blossom in popularity. People seem to be naturally drawn to natives, and the flavour profiles pair extremely well with a variety of drinks and cocktails.” - Dom Hurley, Ventura Brewing.
• “We are seeing the emergence of more functional beverages with natural tangy flavours like grapefruit, together with natural tropical flavours like blood orange and pineapple.” - Maurice Melis, Global Endeavours Australia.
• “Basic flavours of lemon and lime still remain the most popular but we are seeing a trend [towards] more complex flavours and flavour combinations entering the market.” - White Claw spokesperson.
• “On one side, fun and exotic is the key… I think you will see this across twists on all classics from introducing Asian flavours across citrus based cocktails and unexpected twists across more spirit forward drinks and classics. On the other side, 2023 will be all about locally sourced and locally inspired, with drinks focusing on native Australian flavours and locally sourced ingredients.”
- Thurman Wise, CAPI.“This all comes from starting with the freshest base wines and allowing the premium Australian ginger root to steep for an extended period to extract maximum flavour and warmth.”
The influence of natural flavours is being felt in categories beyond just the traditional RTD space, with both premium mixers and prebatched cocktails also feeling the impact.
Maurice Melis, CEO of Global Endeavours Australia, explains how the Batched Premium Cocktails brand has responded.
“Natural flavours enhance the taste of Batched Premium Cocktails and allow consumers to mimic a freshly made cocktail experience in a ready to drink format,” he said.
Melis added that all of the flavours seen in different SKUs of Batched Premium Cocktails seem to be performing equally well, showing that there is strong demand across the board.
Meanwhile, premium mixer brand CAPI has also seen growing demand, and so expanded its range of naturally flavoured beverages by introducing a range of cocktail mixers.
“We wanted to create a unique range of cocktail mixers that delivered all natural, classic cocktails with a unique twist. Something that is not just expected flavours but something inspired by top bars and travels from around the world,” explains Thurman Wise, CAPI Director of Product Innovation.
“Bartenders have been steering away from overly sweet and confectionery drinks in their bars for the last few years and as a result we are seeing this trend really land with consumers.”
Wise also outlined how retailers can lean upon the ‘at-home bartender’ phenomenon to connect with would-be buyers and secure bundle purchases.
“My favourite way to tell this narrative is that the experts have put in all the work so they don’t have to,” he said.
“We have juiced the limes, charred the pineapple and masterfully concocted the perfect cocktails. All they need to do is grab a CAPI cocktail mixer, a premium spirit of their choice, add ice, give it a shake, and they can enjoy a sophisticated bar cocktail without having to spend an arm and a leg or an hour making it.” ■
A fresh adventure awaits. Loaded with delicious ginger goodness for maximum flavour impact.
#stonesgingerland
World Whisky Day is coming up in May, and is an opportunity to bring energy and excitement in-store to encourage consumer exploration of the incredible and diverse category.
By Brydie Allen.
Every year for more than a decade, whisk(e)y lovers across the world have been coming together on the third Saturday of May, World Whisky Day (WWD), to appreciate everything that the spirit offers.
No matter the origin, style, price point or flavour profile, all whiskies can play a role in the festivities of WWD. The wide reaching plethora of whisky on the market, combined with the continually growing local interest in WWD, means the day is one of significant opportunity for the Australian liquor industry. While this opportunity was once focused mainly in the onpremise and direct to consumer spaces, in recent years it’s become clear that retail also has a solid role to play.
While looking ahead to this year’s WWD, it’s interesting to also think about the current state of the whisky market in Australia.
David Ligoff, Director of Alchemist Events which hosts The Whisky Show in Australia each year, said now is an “exciting time to be a whisky drinker” in Australia.
“The whisky industry has changed dramatically over the past three years. There are so many more local whisky brands now in the market, as well as other Scottish and New World whiskies being seen here for the first time,” he said.
For an indication of how these new whiskies may be impacting consumers’ choices, a good place to turn is Casa de Vinos, a Melbourne retailer that specialises in high end and rare whiskies.
Heading up the store is Jose Dymenstein, who said: “Our customers typically spend an average of $250 per checkout, and the top selling products in this price range are Scotch whisky and Japanese whisky, with Australian whisky coming in third in terms of popularity.”
But an expanding market is not only championing attractive whiskies for these upmarket connoisseurs. According to Andrew Milne, Brand Manager at SouthTrade International, the market is still also finding ways to connect with new consumers and grow
the appeal of whisky (and whiskey) overall.
“New and interesting flavours in whiskey like peanut butter, cinnamon and honey are capturing a younger audience and introducing them to the north American whiskey category as a gateway to bourbon,” he said.
“If we look at the evolution of flavours in the US whiskey category, I think we’re likely to see the category grow locally with flavour innovation that appeals to Australian consumers. This will mean more fun brands that don’t take themselves too seriously, celebrate the shot occasion and provide interesting twists to traditional cocktails.”
A key element to note for the current market is that consumers aren’t just choosing one type of whisky to enjoy. Janine Riedel, Senior Marketing Manager at Manly Spirits, noted that shoppers enjoy exploring, leading to some great recent successes for the brand’s award-winning Coastal Stone whisky collection.
“People are not loyal to only one brand, or buy styles or regions exclusively. Consumers are more often loyal to a small repertoire of brands and they perceive brands to be similar and interchangeable,” Riedel said.
Ryan Buckle, Sales & Marketing Director at Top Shelf International, has witnessed this thirst for exploration come to the fore with the local whisky category and its growing appeal. This is especially evident with new innovation in the category, such as what the company does with NED Whisky, which saw the brand receive Gold at the recent World Whiskies Awards.
“We’re seeing a growing interest in Australian whiskies, particularly as the spectrum of flavour, availability and accessibility grows. We’re still defining what Australian whisky is and can be and I think that’s a very exciting time for the consumer – the questions at tastings are getting deeper,” Buckle said.
While all of this seems to point to a very positive current whisky market that is seeing great outcomes all around, there is some caution in the air with the current economic climate.
Ligoff said: “The feedback we are seeing is
This year’s WORLD WHISKY DAY is on 20 May.
“WWD gives the industry a chance to celebrate and tell the depth of whisky’s story. It also gives us a chance to preach beyond the converted, so to speak, and bring new people into the category.”
Ryan Buckle Sales & Marketing Manager Top Shelf International
WWD is about everyone’s enjoyment and celebration of the whisky category – it’s not just for the connoisseurs who sip their spirit neat.
Brew revealed some of the key ways that consumers are enjoying mixed whisky drinks in the lead up to WWD, all of which are possible with Fever-Tree.
“Highballs are an increasingly popular way to enjoy whisky over the warmer months. Ginger Ale is particularly delicious as it contains gingerols and shogaols - these gingery compounds harmonise with the flavours in the whisky. Additionally, the bubbles enhance the aroma of the whisky for a more enjoyable drinking experience,” she said.
that customers are having to forsake some favourite brands, simply as they are now too expensive for them, and explore more affordable options.”
The premiumisation trend, which sees people ‘drink less but better’, is still influential though, according to William Grant & Sons’ Kristie Asciak.
“We do know that alcohol is a resilient category against declining consumer confidence and that the trend to buy less but better aligns with tightening belts somewhat. Just how much less and how much better is the real question,” she said.
Obviously there is a lot to love about a day dedicated to the celebration of one of the world’s most appreciated spirits.
A spokesperson for Constellation Brands summarised the essence of the event that helps make it so special, and said: “WWD is a celebration of the growth of the whisk(e)y category, and all the different global origins and brands. It is continuing to build the profile of the global whisky industry in Australia, and increasing awareness, which leads to the category and brands’ growth.”
Milne said that while the whisk(e)y segment as a whole features some of Australia’s top spirit categories on a yearround basis (e.g. Scotch and American whiskey), WWD is great as it “creates noise around the category and helps Australians
celebrate the great selection of whiskies that are available across the country.”
Buckle said this noise is especially helpful to the Australian whisky segment – as it is still a small part of the global spirit pie, any occasion that can help raise awareness for it is valuable.
“WWD gives the industry a chance to celebrate and tell the depth of whisky’s story. It also gives us a chance to preach beyond the converted, so to speak, and bring new people into the category,” Buckle continued.
An educational approach like this is appreciated by Ligoff, as it assists the longevity of the whisky market by keeping things fresh for drinkers.
“Whisky hardly needs a reason to be consumed, but WWD has become an integral part of the industry over the years. It has allowed both on- and off-premise venues to continue the conversation around whisky, and create innovative ways to engage with consumers,” he said.
When consumers are interested and engaged in a category, they are empowered to explore it more, including with new styles of serve. Trish Brew, Australian Brand Ambassador for Fever-Tree, sees WWD as an opportunity to not only help consumers celebrate new whiskies, but also discover new ways to drink and appreciate it.
“These drinking occasions can help consumers to expand their palates and discover new flavours that they may not have encountered before,” Brew said.
“These drinking occasions can help consumers to expand their palates and discover new flavours that they may not have encountered before.”
Trish Brew Australian Brand Ambassador Fever-Tree
“By trying a variety of different drinks, consumers can learn about their personal preferences and develop a better understanding of how different ingredients work together to create a balanced and enjoyable drink. After all, you don’t know until you try!”
How the industry will be celebrating this WWD
WWD 2023 is set to be another big one in Australia as the occasion continues to gather steam locally.
One highlight to look forward to is The Whisky Show, run by Alchemist Events and The Whisky List. It’s held around the country, but the Sydney show falls exactly on WWD itself. This year’s event will be in a new larger venue, with a record number of exhibitors, and will also connect with Sydney Whisky Week – an initiative by The Whisky List and Man of Many which sees several whisky bars partner with the event and brands to offer unique exciting events.
Melbourne will also be a hub of activity, with Dymenstein claiming that it is “probably the best city in Australia for whisky fans.” Casa de Vinos joins iconic whisky bars in the city running events and promotions around WWD.
On a brand front, there’s a lot of activity coming and a lot still yet to be revealed, that will hero heritage, craft and innovation. For example, at SouthTrade International, Buffalo Trace will be proudly supporting WWD with events and supporting comms, including a chance to taste some of the rarest whiskies of the distillery.
Milne added: “Across the rest of our portfolio, it’s an opportunity to highlight flavour innovation in
whiskey with brands like Sheep Dog and Fireball, and bring new customers into the category that might not have been interested in traditional whiskies.”
Meanwhile, Buckle said Top Shelf International will: “have tasting events, offer drink and cocktail specials at partner bars around the country and offer specials through our e-commerce. But the day is as much about education as it is selling.”
Finally, William Grant & Sons will be going a step further and celebrating for a whole month. This harks back to the home of many of the company’s brands, Scotland, where the government has dubbed May as ‘Whisky Month.’
“We are using [this month] as a platform to get more people drinking whisky as well as drinking it more often, by providing consumers with education and inspiration across the category and the William Grants portfolio – Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Ailsa Bay, Aerstone and Grants,” said Asciak.
“This includes content that supports both the bar and at-home drinking moments - so think: ‘how to mix cocktails, how to pair foods’.”
From a Glenfiddich perspective in particular, Asciak noted a lot of activity around WWD, including the third year of the brand’s partnership with Australian Fashion Week, which will give over 25,000 consumers the chance to enjoy the brand.
“More broadly, we’re stepping up our advertising presence for Glenfiddich over this period with a 200 per cent increase in investment, which ultimately means more people will see and hear about the brand on their way to the liquor store,” Asciak said.
“For the Australian industry, we should be talking up our place on the world stage. Our products are definitely world class and deserve to generate excitement.”
Janine Riedel Senior Marketing Manager Manly Spirits
“Lastly, we will be specifically supporting our new Glenfiddich expression, Glenfiddich 14 Bourbon Cask Finish, which represents a great opportunity to tempt exploration and event trade up from Glenfiddich 12 to drive bigger spend from retailers’ shoppers.”
From just the above examples alone, it’s not hard to see there’s a lot happening in the industry around WWD this year. National Liquor News asked the people in this story for tips on how you can bring this same energy in-store.
Ligoff’s main advice was to think of ways to entice consumers to actually come into the store in the first place, and make it a destination for the occasion.
“Retailers need to give consumers a reason to come into a store, after almost three years of shopping online. Events, tastings, visiting brand representatives and introducing new releases are all important,” Ligoff said.
Once consumers are in-store, Milne said a lot of elements should work together to highlight the category and occasion.
“In-store sampling or tastings, increased shelf-space or floor displays highlighting new or unusual styles of whiskies really helps push people out of their comfort zones from their regular purchases,” he said.
One thing to highlight could be the stories behind different brands. The spokesperson for Constellation Brands noted: “The origin of whisky
brands is interesting to consumers. We will be looking to tell the High West story and to stand out by bringing elements of Utah to Australia.”
Stores can easily tap into these types of things by leaning on their suppliers.
As Asciak said: “Capitalise on the activity put into market by your suppliers. Focus your store displays and recommendation on brands that are already advertising and promoting so your shoppers are already aware of the brand’s benefits when they walk into your store.”
Buckle said whatever options you do activate, they should come with the right energy.
“Whisky is a social drink, made for sharing, so whatever your set-up is, keep that front and centre. Whether its in-store tastings or other activations, keep community at the core. Whisky is no longer a stuffy, old-world drink and by bringing new energy and vibrancy to the category we’re bringing new consumers in as well,” Buckle explained.
A final piece of advice comes from Brew, who suggested not limiting your ideas to just the whisky itself.
She said: “Many consumers don’t know what spirit pairs best with which mixer, so by focusing on more than just the spirit on occasions like World Whisky Day, retailers can provide a more complete customer experience - offer pairing options, create unique and memorable experiences, and provide opportunities for learning. This can not only help to build customer loyalty but also encourage larger purchases!” ■
While there is quite literally a world of whisky to play with this WWD, Australian whisky has the potential to be a homegrown hero for the occasion.
“With the challenges of global logistics, increased shipping costs and uncertainty around delivery times, there is now a fantastic opportunity for local whisky producers to increase market penetration,” said Ligoff.
Buckle said the reputation of innovation within the local distilling industry is building, and is worth exploring on WWD.
“There’s absolutely a lot of progressive distillers around the world, but I think there’s a real interest in the innovation the domestic industry is pushing ahead with, unbound by the laws that other countries may have,” he said.
Riedel said this is the key to Australian whisky’s edge, asking: “How do we compete with brands that have been there for 100 of years and longer? It’s all about education and shifting consumers’ mindsets from what they think they know… towards today’s new ways of whisky making.
“For the Australian industry we should be talking up our place on the world stage. Our products are definitely world class and deserve to generate excitement.”
Get consumers excited for World Whisk(e)y Day in-store with interesting lineups like this.
High West is Utah’s first distillery since 1870, founded in 2006 by David Perkins and his wife, Jane. David, a former biochemist, was inspired to open his own distillery after seeing the parallels between the fermentation and distilling process and his own work in biochemistry. Relocating to Park City, Utah, because of David’s love of the Old West and Utah’s little-known whiskey history, High West has grown to be an internationallyrecognised, award winning brand. American Prairie Bourbon is 46 per cent ABV and not chill filtered. Light caramel and sweet vanilla leads to a well balanced rich and earthy palate of candy corn and honey nougat, captured in a hand-blown glass bottle with a wooden-topped cork stopper. Contact Craft Revolution for more info: info@craftrevolution.com.au
Blending peanut butter with whiskey? We thought the idea sounded a little nutty too, but some of life’s greatest pleasures do indeed come about by surprise! A deliciously smooth peanut butter whiskey to satisfy peanut butter lovers and whiskey fans alike. Produced in the USA, this flavoured whiskey is bursting with natural peanut butter flavours, notes of vanilla and caramel popcorn with warm whiskey undertones. Trust us, it’s the mutt’s nuts. Sheep Dog is best enjoyed as a straight, chilled shot but the cocktail possibilities and twists on a bunch of old classics are endless. Why not raise the woof and switch up your next espresso martini with a shot of this tasty puppy? Distributed by SouthTrade.
Following the successful launch of Manly Spirits’ first limited release, The Element Series, the distillery’s signature single malt whisky Coastal Stone Nor’easter is a luxurious, contemporary whisky for Australian whisky aficionados and newcomers alike to enjoy. An exceptional whisky full of rich dark fruits and five spice, with a long, elegant finish influenced by the Sydney coast. Premium quality packaging has been maintained with a designer gift box and bespoke glass with a real sandstone stopper. Manly Spirits Co. kicked off 2023 on a high note, representing Australia on a global stage and dominating the competition with its Coastal Stone Shiraz Cask awarded Best in Category and Gold for ‘Australian Small Batch Single Malt’ at the worldrenowned World Whiskies Awards. The win underpins the exceptional quality and success of its Coastal Stone Whisky range.
Matured wholly in air-dried, hand-selected ex-bourbon casks, the ‘unashamedly excellent’ Old Pulteney 12 Year Old is the definitive expression in the Old Pulteney family, traditionally crafted using techniques that other distillers have long abandoned. With traditional warehouses exposed to the invigorating sea air blowing in off the North Sea, Old Pulteney captures the taste of the sea in every drop of its liquid gold. From subtle coastal chords to more defined salty notes, the flavours say much about the role and influence of the brand’s home. The distinctly salty flavours of the Caithness coast and the influence of fine American oak, make this award winning 12 Year Old stand out as a definitive expression. This sparkling golf whisky is smooth and firm bodied. A subtle wisp of sea spray and sweet honey open to warm salted caramel and a burst of soft citrus, steadily followed by a faintly salty long-lasting finish. Distributed by SouthTradeInternational.
Fever-Tree makes the world’s finest mixers to pair with the highest quality spirit. If three-quarters of your favourite drink is the mixer, then shouldn’t the mixer matter? With the launch of Fever-Tree, Cofounders Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow reignited a long-neglected sector of the drinks business and started a mixer revolution. In the year of the brand’s 20th birthday, Fever-Tree continues to innovate using the finest ingredients sourced from around the world to create a suite of premium mixers with flavour and provenance, that complement the profiles of the spirits they are mixed with. For World Whisky Day in particular, consumers can’t go past Fever-Tree’s colas and ginger ales. Recently released Fever-Tree Distillers Cola is just one example, made from 11 carefully chosen and blended ingredients that lead to rich, rounded and balanced citrus notes upfront and complex spice to finish. When added to whisky, the end result is a sophisticated mixed drink for the serious drinker. Distributed by SouthTrade International.
With over 135 years of history and heritage behind it, Grant’s is the third largest Scotch whisky brand by volume in Australia, and the third largest Scotch whisky brand globally, making it an iconic and instantly recognisable name in the world of whisky. The brand is known for the tagline – ‘Two barrels make it good, the third makes it Grants’ – pointing to its maturation in three different kinds of wood. This gives the liquid an unique robust, smooth and rich yet mellow taste, so it tastes great in a dram by itself, or with complementary mixers like cola. Grant’s Whisky is competitively priced and an ideal entry point for new whisky consumers to explore the category this World Whisky Day. Distributed by William Grant & Sons.
Buffalo Trace Bourbon is a highly acclaimed whiskey known for its exceptional quality and unique flavour profile. This award-winning bourbon is produced in small batches at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky, using a high-quality mash bill and aged for at least eight years. The resulting bourbon has a deep amber colour and a complex flavour profile, featuring notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak, with a subtle spiciness and a smooth, mellow finish. It’s a versatile whiskey that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail, and is highly sought after by whiskey enthusiasts around the world. Distributed by SouthTrade International.
After Australian lagers stole headlines towards the end of last year, Beer and Brewer felt it was high time to see just what the bottom fermenting landscape looks like at the start of a new year. Within the seasonal lager focus, there’s plenty of high quality variety that shows the category’s recent revival should no doubt continue apace right across the country.
What’s our Seasonal Focus? Lagers
Jono Outred, WA
Based in Margaret River, Jono is a beer writer that predominantly covers the South West of WA. He’s been involved in the state’s beer industry in various capacities since 2011.
David Ward, ACT
Head of sales for BentSpoke Brewing Co and with over 10 years’ experience working in the craft beer industry, David is constantly on the lookout for new beers to try and trends to watch.
Tina Panoutsos, VIC
One of Australia’s leading beer judges, Tina is a beer sensory expert with over 30 years’ experience in the brewing industry in roles across technical and commercial functions.
Tiffany Waldron, VIC
A Certified Cicerone®, National Beer Brands Manager for Beer Fans and Pink Boots Australia
President, Tiffany is focused on making changes in the world of beer through education and furthering beer culture beyond standard boundaries.
Tom Pigott, NSW
The bar manager at Sydney’s Batch Brewing who used to run Uncle Hops in Newtown, Tom is also one of the hosts of the Pixels & Pints podcast.
Scott Hargrave, NSW/QLD
Scott is Balter Brewing’s multiaward winning head brewer and a regular on some of Australia’s and the world’s most prestigious judging panels including the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup.
Josh Quantrill, NSW
Josh is a Certified Cicerone® currently working at 4 Pines Brewing who has extensive experience in the beer industry in the UK and Australia.
Ian Kingham, NSW
That Beer Bloke, Ian’s decorated beer career has included judging at Australia’s best competitions while he’s currently the Sydney Royal’s Chair of Judges.
Michael Capaldo, NSW
National sales rep at Hop Products Australia, Michael is a qualified and experienced brewer and an accomplished beer judge (GABS, World Beer Cup, Indies, AIBA etc).
Jamie Webb-Smith, NSW
Previously a brewer at The Australian Brewery, Jamie is currently head brewer at Yulli’s Brews in Sydney. He’s a home brewer turned pro, who completed the NSW TAFE microbrewing course.
Benji Bowman, NSW
With six years of industry experience in Australian craft beer and cider, Benji is now the state sales manager at Local Drinks Collective, working to increase the footprint and awareness of independent liquor in Australia.
Jake Brandish, WA
Beer & Brewer’s HomeBrewer Editor, Jake has a post-grad Dip in Brewing, is a BJCP judge, has brewed commercially and is an all round beer geek.
Adam Carswell, VIC
Based in Bendigo, Adam’s been the proprietor of the awardwinning Cambrian Hotel for almost a decade. He’s a passionate advocate of independent beer and traditional pub culture.
Mark Dowell, ACT
A beer broker for BentSpoke with a background in liquor retail, Mark is always trying new beers while appreciating the classics that bought us here.
Craig Butcher, SA
Based in the Barossa Valley, Craig has 20-plus years’ experience in the liquor industry including winery cellarhand, tastings and sales, newbie homebrewer and beermad bottleshop guy.
Liam Pereira, NSW
Liam is the group venue manager for Sydney’s Batch Brewing Co. A Certified Cicerone® and BJCP judge, he was previously general manager of Sydney Beer Week.
Evan Belogiannis, NSW
Evan has been brewing beer at Frenchies Bistro & Brewery for over two years. He’s on a neverending quest to find and brew the crispiest, tastiest lagers.
Vincent de Soyres, NSW
As co-owner and head brewer at Frenchies Bistro & Brewery, Vince develops award winning brews that extend beyond the limits of traditional beer categories and styles.
Joe Cook, SA
Founder of Beer Fans, Joe is a Certified Cicerone® beer server and beverage entrepreneur who lives with Coeliac Disease, giving him a unique perspective on the world of gluten free beers.
ABV: 4.7%
Style: Japanese Lager
Is there anything better than crushing a Japanese lager at your favourite Japanese restaurant? It just works, right? Onskiis also works, and works incredibly well. Looking super clean and clear in the glass, the head retention wasn’t great, but it’s well carbonated and crispy as all get out. The yuzu adds some sweetness and a touch of citric acid to really up its refreshment. So drinkable and so glad for the 440ml can!
Food: Tempura anything onedropbrewingco.com.au
ABV: 4.5%
Style: Japanese Lager
Such a lovely beer, it’s pale and clear in appearance with a substantial head from the get-go. Brewed using local barley as well as rice, with the latter keeping flavours and aromas mild yet delivering a light and very clean tasting beer. Very, very refreshing so if this style is up your alley, you’ll keep coming back for more of this one.
Food: Steamed gyoza headsofnoosabrewery. com.au
ABV: 3.5%
Style: Hazy Mid Strength Lager
Lighter styled for flavour, with modified alcohol strength and haziness for visual effect, the soft white head and cloudy body present well and suggest pale ale and flavour to the eyes. The palate has some nice maltiness and light hoppiness matching the aromatic grassiness. The finish offers some lingering malt character and is medium dry.
Food: Carbonara littlecreatures.com.au
Lager #3
ABV: 4.6%
Style: Helles Lager
Pale gold with mild haze and moderate off-white foam, there’s light lemony citrus aromas with a tad of fruity esters and low hay-like malt. Slight citrus flavours lead before mild fruity esters and lightly resinous hops lurk in. Mouthfeel is full but precise and evolves into slightly elevated bittering for a Helles but sets up a snappy as a snare drum crisp, balanced finish.
Food: Pork scratchings mollyrosebrewing.com
ABV: 5.0% Style: Kellerbier
Clear and pale straw with slight haze and moderate off-white head, light cracker and grainy malt aromas emerge with faint yeasty ester and the slightest floral hop note. Soft yeast and gentle sweet esters interplay well with grassy and grainy malt notes as light floral hops add charm. Mouthfeel is initially soft but firms up as residual yeast character adds to the bitterness.
Food: Spicy bratwurst slowlanebrewing.com.au
Birra Cazino
ABV: 4.5%
Style: Italian Lager
With an unbelievably soft body and a crisp, almost mineral-like profile, this is Italy in a beer. With a firm malty backbone, there is a good level of fruitiness that comes from later hop additions. A nice amount of bitterness really helps make it extremely well balanced and refreshing, but allows the increased hop profile to really shine through.
Food: Antipasto aetherbrewing.com.au
Lager
ABV: 4.5%
Style: Lager
As a pleasingly well made, all day, everyday beer, this fits the brief brilliantly. Deep straw, with moderate haze and fine-beaded off-white foam, light sweet melon and floral aromas mingle with a touch of berry esters and light cut hay. A touch of melon and faint lemony citrus sit alongside light grass and hay-like malt flavours while mouthfeel is soft, full with even tempered bittering.
Food: Slow roast pork thegrifter.com.au
ABV: 4.7%
Style: Lager
Pale straw with a light haze and fine, dense foam that’s fluffy and persistent, light Summery floral notes lead aroma with a smidge of tropical fruit and delicate yeasty ester atop a hint of cracker and grassy resin. Soft and mild malt tones and light yeast character flavours weave across the palate while mouthfeel is generous and rounded and bittering mild but effective.
Food: Park picnic stompingground.beer
ABV: 4.0%
Style: Kolsch
A Royal Sydney Gold medal winner from 2021, this is as clean and fresh as a Kolsch gets. Light in colour with a white head and medium carbonation, lovely malt aromas with hints of light grassiness lead to a palate that is soft and light with good balance, excellent malt sweetness and a clean drying finish.
Food: Spicy bratwurst thecraftandco.com.au
ABV: 6.9%
Style: Hazy IPA
Mid-gold with a deep haze, this experimental IPA is built on a predominantly spelt grain base which provides an ultra-smooth texture – like an oat cream without the fatty weight of lactose. Recent superstar hop NZH-102, along with Nelson Sauvin, prove to be a typically lively tropical fruit combo but there’s also an unexpected herbaceous character. Fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable.
Food: Paella onedropbrewingco.com.au
In the first tasting of 2023, our expert panel tried a wide range of Chardonnay styles to find their standout wines across three price brackets.
➤ Andy Milne, Brand Manager, SouthTrade International
➤ Andy Young, Associate Publisher, The Shout and Bars and Clubs
➤ Brydie Allen, Editor, National Liquor News
➤ Deb Jackson, Former Editor, National Liquor News
➤ Emma Fogarty, Brand Manager, SouthTrade International
➤ Geoff Bollom, Wine Specialist, Porter’s –Balmain East and Glebe
➤ Jonathan Leeming, Brand Manager, Taylors Wines
➤ Seamus May, Journalist, Food and Beverage Media
➤ Tishena Young, National Account Executive, Constellation Brands
95-100 Classic: an exceptional wine
90-94 Outstanding: a wine of remarkable character
85-89 Very good: a wine with impressive qualities
Heggies
Vineyard Reserve
Chardonnay
Region: Eden Valley
VIN: 2018 LUC: $30.75
Distributed by: Samuel Smith & Son
“A well balanced display of Chardonnay characteristics –oaky on the nose with a fresh, citrus palate and medium finish. Really enjoyable.”
– Emma Fogarty
Innocent Bystander Chardonnay
Region: Yarra Valley
VIN: 2021 LUC: $15.91
Distributed by: Brown Family Wine Group
“Complex and unusual flavours with nice structure. On the palate, subtle toasty notes from gentle oak treatment complement pastry and brioche flavours from lees work.” – Jonathan Leeming
Taylors Promised Land Chardonnay
Region: South Australia
VIN: 2022 LUC: $11.01
Distributed by: Taylors
“Delicate nose of florals and stone fruit. On the palate, this has a lovely peach, lime rind and apricot note. Really well balanced into the finish.” –
Andy MilneBrokenwood Indigo Vineyard
Chardonnay
Region: Beechworth
VIN: 2021 LUC: $47.71
Distributed by: Samuel Smith & Son
“Tropical, zesty, citrus first, with toasted nuts following and then the minerality building on the palate fed by citrus acidity. Oaky notes, with flint flavours bringing some length to the elegant wine.”
– Andy YoungLongview Macclesfield
Chardonnay
Region: Adelaide Hills
VIN: 2021 LUC: $26.90
Distributed by: Pure Wine Co
“Light, fresh and mineral. Notes of orange blossom on the palate. Rounded finish.”
– Emma Fogarty
Hentyfarm Chardonnay
Region: Henty, Victoria
VIN: 2021 LUC: $24.73
Distributed by: Single Vineyard Sellers
“An interesting wine. Nose is oaky, but the palate is crisp and fresh with well balanced acid and melon and stone fruit notes.” – Brydie Allen
Pooles Rock Single Barrel Chardonnay
Region: Hunter Valley
VIN: 2019 LUC: $41.93
Distributed by: Agnew Wines
“Good fruit forward style, with tropical fruits, honey and vanilla on the front palate. Tight mineral finish. Beautiful.”
– Geoff Bollom“I thought the sub $15 category showed really well – some incredible wines here showing great value.”
Andy Milne Brand Manager SouthTrade International
Kumeu River Rays Road Chardonnay
Region: Kumeu, NZ
VIN: 2021 LUC: $34.83
Distributed by: Déjà Vu Wine Co.
“A great drop for any day of the week, sure to be a crowd pleaser. Nice bright acidity with a smooth finish.” – Tishena Young
Pooley Wines Cooinda
Vale Vineyard
Chardonnay
Region: Tasmania
VIN: 2021 LUC: $48.38
Distributed by: Pooley Wines
“Subtle and well-integrated. Lemon sherbet, tangerine citrus, nashi pear and pastry make up the nose, while on the palate there are subtle oak flavours expressing themselves enticingly.”
– Jonathan Leeming➤ “Risotto – creamy textures pair well with the oaky characteristics and acidic cut through that is unique to Chardonnay.”
– Emma Fogarty
➤ “Paella is a good choice.”
– Tishena Young
➤ “I love a crisp acidic Chardonnay with some Cacio e Pepe. For the richer and oakier Chardonnay, you can’t beat a good pork chop.”
– Andy Milne
➤ “In winter, I would choose roast chicken.”
– Geoff Bollom
Region: South Australia
VIN: 2021 LUC: $18.81
Distributed by: Samuel Smith & Son
“Elegant and poised. This is full of flavour hidden throughout. Lemon balm, hay, vanilla, peach and blossom all peek out from behind the curtain and the finish just keeps going.”
– Andy MilneRegion: Adelaide Hills and Clare Valley
VIN: 2022 LUC: $18.81
Distributed by: Taylors
“A nice example of Chardonnay that isn’t overpowered by oak or acid. The nose is buttered toast and the palate has a creamy texture. Easy drinking.”
– Emma FogartyRegion: Great Southern
VIN: 2022 LUC: $16.66
Distributed by: Tirage Wines, Domaine Wine Shippers
Region: Great Southern
VIN: 2022 LUC: $17.04
Distributed by: Off The Vine (WA), The Wine Tradition (QLD), Young & Rashleigh (NSW/ACT), Aus Craft Wine (SA), Alepat Taylor (VIC), Thomas Chin Pty Ltd (NT), DWS Tasmania
“Lemon and pineapple on the palate with a rounded, lingering finish.” – Emma Fogarty
Region: Margaret River
VIN: 2022 LUC: $18.06
Distributed by: Off The Vine (WA), Young & Rashleigh (NSW/ACT)
➤ Margan Chardonnay 2022, Hunter Valley, LUC $14.56 (Déjà Vu. Wine Co)
➤ Cockfighters Ghost Chardonnay 2019, Hunter Valley, LUC $14.87 (Agnew Wines)
➤ John Gehrig Chardonnay 2019, King Valley, LUC $21.50 (John Gehrig Wines)
➤ Giesen Clayvin Chardonnay 2017, Marlborough NZ, LUC $29.67 (Oatley Fine Wine)
“A lemony, stone fruit toastiness on the nose that makes the palate excited for what is to follow. Some oaky complexity builds in the palate and brings a long finish to the wine.” – Andy
Young“Unusual nose with some jasmine, elderflower, orange blossom and pepper. On the palate there is beeswax, a touch of chamomile, lemon peel and some vanilla. Not your average Chardonnay, but I quite like it.” – Andy
MilneRegion: Adelaide Hills
VIN: 2021 LUC: $20.86
Distributed by: Déjà Vu Wine Co.
“There’s a nice flintyness in the nose alongside the melon and citrus. The lemon curd on the palate is nicely held together with oak and acid and it all combines well on the creamy finish.” – Andy Young
Region: Tasmania
VIN: 2019 LUC: $22.25
Distributed by: Fogarty Wine Group
“Full bodied with a long finish. Bananas, honey, crisp pears.
Great to see a Chardy with a few years still being crisp and vibrant.” – Geoff Bollom
Heggies Vineyard
Cloudline
Chardonnay
Region: Eden Valley
VIN: 2022 LUC: $14.51
Distributed by: Samuel Smith & Son
“Quite perfumed nose. On the palate, underneath tangerine citrus and green fruit flavours, there are toasted almond and hazelnut characteristics.”
– Jonathan LeemingCherry Tree Hill
Chardonnay
Region: Yarra Valley
VIN: 2019 LUC: $13.98
Distributed by: Cherry Tree Hill
“Lovely texture to this wine. Touch of vanilla cream, peach and lemon balm. Lovely integration of oak here.”
– Andy MilneLabel Chardonnay
Region: Great Southern
VIN: 2022 LUC: $13.33
Distributed by: Ferngrove Wines
“An elegant, medium-bodied, dry Chardonnay with peach and flint characteristics, this is a very approachable and very drinkable wine.” – Andy Milne
Chardonnay
Region: Yarra Valley
VIN: 2021 LUC: $14.94
Distributed by: Déjà Vu Wine Co.
“Lemon, lime and citrus, green apple and jasmine blossom, underpinned by subtle pastry flavours and toasted nuts.”
– Jonathan LeemingChardonnay
Region: Australia
VIN: 2022 LUC: $5.00
Distributed by: Calabria Family Wine Group
“Really pleasant, easy drinking Chardonnay. Fresh peach and pear keep it light with a hint of cream to add weight to the finish.” – Andy
Milne
Finca Las Moras Organico
Chardonnay
Region: Argentina
VIN: 2020 LUC: $12.90
Distributed by:
Déjà Vu Wine Co.
“Beautiful, waxy, citrus bomb. Bursting with lemon peel and lime. Acidity is big on the finish but well balanced.”
– Andy Milne
“One good trend I noticed was the distinct lack of big, deep golden coloured oak bombs.”
“I was surprised by the diversity of flavours and aromas amongst these wines. They were all extremely different and mostly very interesting.”
Geoff Bollom Wine Specialist Porter’s – Balmain East and Glebe
Jonathan Leeming Brand ManagerTaylors
Wines
Alcohol excise is once again a hot topic in our industry with the latest increase kicking in on 1 February 2023.
The price of a 425ml schooner of beer at your favourite pub will now cost somewhere between $8 and $12 depending on the location, venue type and brand of choice.
Assuming a schooner of mainstream beer is $8 and equivalise this to a 24-can slab of mainstream beer, the value equation for drinkers really kicks in.
While price is not the main driver of drinking onpremise, it certainly becomes a bigger factor in times of inflationary pressure on household budgets, as we are experiencing in the early part of 2023.
Economists predict that these pressures will remain with us for the foreseeable future.
Conversations with colleagues and friends have uncovered that while we all enjoy the social interaction and entertainment on offer at the local pub, price is becoming a factor in whether to cop the contentious increase in alcohol prices or invite a few friends around and have a drink at home.
Accepting the average price of a 24-can slab of mainstream beer is $50, which works out to $2.36 per 475ml compared to the $8 price tag on a 425ml schooner, this merits consideration for some patrons with limited discretionary spending capacity.
So, what does that mean for brands in the short term? Historically, pubs and clubs have been ‘launch pads’
for new brands entering the market, with patrons able to purchase and sample new beverage options at a comparatively low cost compared to buying a four-pack, six-pack or larger pack size at their local bottle shop.
If patrons choose to go less frequently to their local on-premise venue, it reduces the opportunity for brands to engage with and promote their wares to drinkers, suggesting that we may see a shift towards more promotional activity in the off-premise.
While this has obvious implications for venue cash flows, this may also mean an uptick in volume for off-premise retailers.
Independent bottle shops came out on top from a recent Strikeforce snap poll which asked: “Over the last four weeks, what trade channels were you unable to purchase a favourite brand because it was out of stock?”
While respondents identified out of stocks being experienced at major and independent supermarkets, pharmacies and major liquor retailers, independent bottle shops did not rate a mention.
While there is no expectation that patrons will abandon pubs en masse in favour of drinking at home, it would be prudent for off-premise retailers to review their inventory levels, ordering frequency and space allocation, particularly for mainstream and value brands, if they have already experienced or anticipate increased demand as we head further into 2023. ■
“While price is not the main driver of drinking on-premise, it certainly becomes a bigger factor in times of inflationary pressure on household budgets.”
Stephen Wilson
Category & Insights Manager StrikeforceAs inflation impacts budgets, Stephen Wilson of Strikeforce discusses whether drinkers will move more to at home occasions than those at venues.
