ROYAL SALUTE REGENT’S BANQUET FESTIVE GIFT PACK

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Brand owner Pernod Ricard/Chivas Brothers

RRP £150, US$130

Markets Global, Global Travel Retail

Contact louisa.oreilly@talkpr.com

Chivas Brothers has unveiled the latest in a series of annual festive gift packs, the Royal Salute Regent’s Banquet Festive Gift Pack.

The packs include a bottle of Royal Salute 21 Year Old (40% abv) and pay homage to the legendary Regent’s Banquet of 1817, a momentous event held in Brighton Pavilion in the UK that boasted more than 120 exotic dishes. The packs are available in global travel retail for a limited time for Christmas.

The limited edition is described as “the ultimate gift for the discerning traveller to share with family and friends this festive season”.

Featuring a laser-cut lid design and interior print in blue and gold, the gift pack was created in partnership with wallpaper designer Angela Groundwater. Chivas says gifting has been at the heart of Royal Salute since it was first created the Coronation of the Queen of England in 1953.

THE MACALLAN CLASSIC CUT

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Brand owner Edrington

RRP US$89 (75cl)

Markets Global

Contact M Booth: themacallan@mbooth.com

Macallan says the hand-picked, sherry-seasoned American and European oak casks provide the greatest contribution to the quality, natural colour, distinctive aromas and flavours of this spirit.

It was bottled under the auspices of the Macallan master whisky maker, Bob Delgarno.

A total of 90,000 bottles will be released globally.

Classic Cut’s flavours comprise: creamy vanilla, sweet ginger and warming oak, and a long finish.

LICOR 43 MADE OF SPAIN ART EDITION

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Brand owner Zamora Company

RRP €17.50, £19.90 (1ltr bottle, the same price as Licor 43 Original)

Markets Initially global travel retail in Dufry stores, then rolling out across international domestic markets in 2018

Contact arturo.illan@zamoracompany.com

Licor 43 Made of Spain Art Edition (31% abv) is said to pay tribute to the creativity and craftsmanship of Spanish artists and the aim is for it to become an iconic annual series to celebrate Spanish art.

This 2018 edition is inspired by Antonio Gaudi’s use of the traditional trencadís mosaic technique to build the landmarks of Catalonian Modernism, such as in Barcelona’s Park Güell.

Licor 43 is positioned as a premium Spanish liqueur produced in Cartagena, from a family recipe of selected Mediterranean citrus fruit and botanicals.

It is distributed in more than 70 countries and one of the fastest international growing premium liqueurs in the world, with more than 700,000 cases sold worldwide in 2016 (IWSR 2016).

ESPRIT DE FIGUES

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Brand owner Think Spirits

RRP £25

Markets UK, Australia, New Zealand

Contact Alia Jamal: alia@ldrlondon.com

Said to be the world’s first true fresh fig liqueur, Esprit de Figues is made in Burgundy using techniques developed at a 150-year-old family distillery.

Esprit de Figues (18% above) is described as a modern liqueur that captures the sweetness of fresh, Mediterranean figs in a bottle.

W SIGNATURE 12

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Brand owner Diageo

RRP KRW 23,660 ( 45cl bottle incl. VAT)

Market Korea

Contact diageo.com

Diageo introduces W Signature 12 (35% abv) in Korea, a new spirit drink made with 12-year-old scotch whisky and flavours. It was said to be made by three master blenders. With this launch, Diageo Korea says it has announced its ambition to become number one in the low-abv (below 40%) segment in Korea. Douglas Murray, one of W Signature 12’s master blenders, described the product as having “triple smoothness”. Akira Sung, a whisky expert who runs Diageo’s professional bartending training programme, World Class Bar Academy, said: “W Signature 12 is rich in smooth and sweet honey aroma and fruit aroma, and its taste is smooth and complex, with a little bit of a bitter cedar flavour. It offers a round texture in the mouth and a smooth finish.” Its bottle design is described as being fit for a casual and lively atmosphere of consuming low abv alcohol. The dark grey colour and the curved design are said to embody the triple smoothness.

GREENALL’S SLOE GIN

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Brand owner Quintessential Brands

RRP £18, €20 (70cl), US$25

Markets Global

Contact Off trade: info@essential-drinks.com

UK On trade: information@marblehead.uk.com

Greenall’s Sloe Gin (26% abv) is Greenall’s London Dry Gin macerated with hand-picked sloe berries, mixed in Cheshire, UK, at what is claimed to be the world’s oldest gin distiller.

Master distiller Joanne Moore oversaw the selection of the sloe berries.

CRAFTER’S AROMATIC FLOWER GIN

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Brand owner Liviko

RRP n/a

Markets Nordics

Contact Anna-Kai Tõrs, Liviko export marketing manager, +372 545 40 400, Anna-Kai.Tors@liviko.ee, craftersgin.com

After launching the first premium London dry-style gin from Estonia, Crafter’s, at the end of 2015, Liviko has introduced copper distilled Crafter’s Aromatic Flower Gin.

The new gin was produced in the end of September in a small batch of 2,000 bottles and was first shown at TFWA Cannes last October.

It has been made using 12 botanicals. The ingredients are inspired by the Nordic nature with a twist of Mediterranean. The main aromatic botanicals are rosehip, rose petals, meadowsweet, chamomile and elderflower.

BELSAZAR RIESLING

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Brand owner Belsazar (founded by Sebastian Brack and Maximillian Wagner)

RRP £29.99, €24.90

Markets Europe

Contact Axiom Brands, info@axiombrands.com

Belsazar Riesling (16%) is described as a fragrant and fruity vermouth, celebrating the classic Riesling grape and pineapple, made in collaboration with renowned winery Dr Loosen. With only 4,000 bottles created, it was made at the Alfred Schladerer distillery, Baden-Wurttemberg, in Germany’s Black Forest. The Riesling is said to be blended with a secret selection of macerates made with botanicals, including dried Azores pineapple, and the

Schladerer fruit brandies. It’s then aged for months in stone casks to enhance and preserve the complex flavours.

Belsazar is said to be redefining the way vermouth is enjoyed in the UK. Belsazar said it works with established and award- winning wineries to ensure a redefined taste, which is completely different to ‘classic’ or traditional vermouth. The Riesling variety celebrates the classic floral and fruity flavours of the grape, and results in harmony between the tropical flavour and tart finish. The vermouth can be drunk on it’s own, topped with tonics or mixed in cocktails.

JEFFERSON’S GRAND SELECTION PINCHON BARON/JEFFERSON’S GRAND SELECTION CHATEAU SUDUIRAUT

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Brand owner Castle Brands of New York

RRP US$149.99 (75cl, both expressions)

Market US

Contact Castle Brands, +646 356 0200, jeffersonsbourbon.com

Both Jefferson’s Grand Selection expressions (90 proof, 45% abv) are said to have been inspired by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the US.

He was the first ambassador to France and while there fell in love with the wines of Bordeaux. Two of his favourites were Chateau Suduiraut and Chateau Pinchon Baron.

FOUR ROSES 2017 SMALL BATCH BOURBON

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Brand owner Four Roses

RRP €145, £130, $172

Markets Global

Contact Spirit Cartel: spiritcartel.com

Four Roses is claimed to be the only bourbon distillery that can combine five proprietary yeast strains with two separate mash bills to produce 10 distinct bourbon recipes.

This small batch limited edition features three of those bourbons (a 13 and 15-year-old from the distillery’s ‘Oesk’ recipe, plus a 12-year-old from its ‘Oesv’ recipe) and marks the first limited-edition small batch in the brand’s history to feature only its low rye mash bill (20% rye).

Made by master distiller Brent Elliot, just 3,000 hand-numbered bottles will be available across Europe.

Bottled at barrel strength (53.9% abv), the bourbon is said to be remarkably balanced. Warm aromas of allspice and vanilla bean mingle with rich apricot and stewed fruits.

This year’s Limited Edition follows the success of Four Roses’ Small Batch being listed in all UK Marks & Spencer stores.

Elliott said: “In blind samplings this one always stood out – there’s a remarkable synergy among the three batches.”