Spirits, mixers and more for 2024

Spirits, mixers and more for 2024

Out with the old, in with the new. The new year always brings about a desire to have a good old clear out. But when it comes to your range, well, that’s a job that’s never fully done. Because your customers can be a bit fickle when it comes to what they opt to drink.

Best of British

From aquavit to rum, you name it, there’s now a British producer making it. In fact, there’s been a big trend over recent years for drinks to be made outside of their traditional home countries, with the rise of whiskies made everywhere from Taiwan to Australia and Sweden, and agave spirits (made the same way as tequila) now made everywhere from California to Germany.

But, we’re seeing more and more global spirits styles being made right here. Again, look to the recent rise of English and Welsh whiskies, and the massive boom in rums aged, and bottled, right here.

Brandy

Brandy is the latest spirit style to make it to our shores. Burnt Faith, based in London’s Walthamstow, claims to be the first to distil the spirit in London for 200 years. Described as the UK’s first dedicated brandy house, it opened earlier this year.

Distilled from four different grapes (Trebbiano, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscat Blanc), it’s described as having full-on fruit, with orange and strawberry notes on the nose, and caramel, buttery crumpets and marmalade to sip, and cherry cola and milk chocolate to finish. The simplest way to serve it is with a mix of ginger ale and cloudy apple juice. Yum.

Rum

We move now to the Isle of Man, and the Fynoderee Distillery. Following the trend for aging barrels in unusual places, Fynoderee is currently aging a batch of its rum in the island’s Tower of Refuge. The castle-like structure, out at sea in Douglas Bay, was built as a shelter for mariners who had their vessels wrecked on the rocks. Refuge Manx Rum will be a limited-edition organic spirit launching in 2024 to mark the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Gin is not dead, long live gin

Gin sales are slowing down. OK, when we say slowing, we do mean, in some cases, slumping. For example, retail magazine

The Grocer reported that Gordon’s lost £72.8m in value sales in the past year to June. Sales have fallen by 20.5 per cent.

Yet, gin continues to be one of the biggest sellers, accounting for 17 per cent of total spirits. So it’s not to be slept on. Drinkers may be being dazzled by the new, but that’s meant that gin brands have had to up their game and come up with innovative new ways of keeping punters’ attention. And there’s more to come.

Brockman’s Agave Cut is a prime example, merging as it does with trending tequila. A gin and agave blend, it sees the brand’s gin “cut” with agave and a hint of pink grapefruit.

“Gin is one of the largest spirits categories and has been – by far – the most dynamic one in terms of innovation for many years,” says Eric Sampers, global marketing director of Brockmans.

“Clearly, the novelty effect that has driven interest in the category is now over, and it is more difficult to truly innovate. [Agave Cut] is a crossover between two of the most interesting categories in the industry and shows that we can still push boundaries in spirits and create original and interesting propositions. By bringing products like these to market, we believe we can keep the interest in the gin category going on for quite a while.”

The experts’ view: picks for 2024

Natural wines

“We’ve seen a huge growth in the low–intervention/natural wine category across the on-trade. Customers are increasingly wanting to drink less, but of a better product rather than opting for cheap plonk. In 2024 I see this growing with more and more pubs running a more sophisticated wine programme to target a younger drinker.”

– Thom Bradley, Co-Founder, New Theory Wines

Non-beer on the bar

“Expect to see more non-beer options appear on taps as consumers (especially craft beer drinkers) experiment with new styles of drinks served in familiar formats in search of more exciting, bigger flavours.”

– Alex Beausire, Co-Founder, These Days aperitifs

Irish Whiskey

“The global surge in popularity of Irish Whiskey is showing no signs of slowing down and the range of available brands is becoming more diverse in the UK market, the second biggest market for Irish whiskey in the world. A number of years ago one might have found only the market leaders in most bars.

“A greater depth and breadth of products are becoming available.

Regionality and a sense of place is becoming much more apparent. We’d suggest they explore peated Irish whiskeys – Micil Irish Whiskey – Inverin Edition. It even has a peated chestnut cask finish which would not be permitted in the Scotch Whisky category.”

– Pádraic Ó Griallais, Co-Founder and Director, Micil Distillery

Tequilaaaaaa

Speaking of tequila, we really couldn’t leave this one out. Interest and consumption are on the up. From the emergence of a new style, Cristalinos, over the past few years (which sees an aged tequila filtered clear, giving it fruitier notes), to agave spirits now appearing from producers across the world, there’s a lot happening.

Make sure you’ve got the variety and range to keep pace with customer demand. “We can expect consumers to be looking for more choice and to be more adventurous in their drinks choices in 2024,” says Jennifer Runciman, head of category development, ontrade, at Diageo GB. “Tequila can not only be savoured neat but can form the base of many delicious and high-quality cocktails such as a Margarita or Paloma.

“Within our portfolio we offer Don Julio and Casamigos, a small batch, ultra-premium tequila made from the finest hand-selected 100 per cent Blue Weber agaves.

Cool for cats: cream liqueurs

No longer just for Christmas, or cheeky boozy coffees in winter weather, cream liqueurs have been given a facelift by an increasing number of brands who are clearly hoping to woo younger customers. Just look at the rule-breaking packaging glow-up above if you’re in any doubt. And it’s working.

Brands such as Dead Man’s Fingers have now launched multiple products, starting with a Raspberry Rum Cream Liqueur in January 2022, followed by a Strawberry, and a Mango Tequila Cream Liqueur, and launched this August, Black Cherry and Blue Raspberry flavours with a tequila base.

Other brands include vegan-friendly plant-based brand Panther Milk, in vanilla,strawberry, mint, and coffee flavours, and brand new launch Limoncello di Capri Cream. Made by Molinari and distributed by Mangrove, and containing zesty Sorrento lemons, it’s hoping to extend the season for cream liqueurs into the summer. Check out recipes from each brand, for longer cocktails, not just shots.

Mix up your mixers

We’ve witnessed the trend for premium mixers, something which has added a value trade-up option to pubs. But 2024 is all about new and unusual flavours. Stocking something as simple as a different flavoured tonic or soda can help you quickly deliver very simple but very effective new cocktails, just by adding one product.

“Whilst core favourites like gin and Schweppes Indian Tonic Water are integral to licensed outlets, 54 per cent of consumers want to try something new when they’re at a pub or bar,” says Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).

“Creating interesting, more premium serves using flavoured spirits or mixers, like Schweppes Elderflower Slimline tonic or our

“Creating interesting, more premium serves using flavoured spirits or mixers, like Schweppes Elderflower Slimline tonic or our

flavoured sodas range, which includes Melon Watermelon and Peach Coconut variants, can appeal to those on the lookout for something different. Think simple things like inspiring consumers with diverse menus and displays on bars to grab their attention.”

Beer experimentation

There’s no denying the craft and cask beer industry has been having a super-tough time since the pandemic. We’ve reported on these pages before about how many outlets have reduced the number of taps and handpulls they have. But guess what? When sales are down and drinkers’ attention spans are drifting, brewers tend to get a bit radical, pumping out new styles.

We like to look across the pond for some inspiration of what may make it our way.

Some of the most interesting we’ve seen emerge include rose beers (a hybrid fermented with grapes), pastry beers (particularly sweetened stouts, some brewed with cakes and pastries, or their ingredients) and hop water (a non-alcoholic sparkling water, flavoured with bold hops, and inspired by IPAs). Watch this space.