Commercial vermouth has existed since the late 1700s. As seemingly with all bitter things, it was originally a health tonic, produced by monks and sold out of apothecaries. Eventually, it spread beyond its humble roots of Turin pharmacies and became adopted by high society. The name reflected its climb in social rank. After the most significant medicinal ingredient in the recipe it was originally named…

In 2023, Oli Dodd looked at the ramifications of the UK’s tax on fortified wines and, while brands are beginning to feel the long-term effects of this, the category’s outlook remains positive with new emerging markets and investment at the high end. “Only last year we started to see the effects because a lot of supermarkets bought stock before the tax hit,” says Symington Family…

The premium tonic water category has been on a consistent rise ever since the arrival of Fever-Tree in the early noughties. Over the subsequent 20 years the brand has seen a huge revenue boost, with sales increasing from £16m in 2012 to £364m in 2023. However, for the first time we’re seeing signs of frailty for tonic. In fiscal year 2024, Fever-Tree reported a 3%…

In late 2019 Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law to dismantle the state-owned monopoly of alcohol production which operated under the name Ukrspyrt. Up until then Ukrspyrt ran more than 70 facilities across Ukraine, but in 2016, Yevhen Chernyak, chief executive of Global Spirits, accused the enterprise of using illegal “shadow alcohol”. Other signs of corruption spilled over in 2017 when a former Ukrspyrt…

Various legends lay claim to the origins of amaretto, including that of an almond-flavoured liqueur being gifted as a love token in the Italian town of Saronno in the 1500s. However, what’s not disputed is the subsequent rooting of the liqueur in Italian history and tradition, becoming one of the classic digestivos.  Domestically, amaretto is typically consumed neat, yet internationally the Amaretto Sour…

Bartenders who lived through the muddling and mint-slapping of the mid-2000s may not want to hear this, but the Mojito is rumoured to be on the verge of a comeback. That said, depending on where you are, it might not have gone anywhere. Either way, there’s little doubt that the fortunes of unaged, light and white rum are inextricably linked with that of cocktails,…

The Vodka Martini on paper is simple – just two ingredients with a choice of garnish. But there are seemingly endless variables which affect flavour, including temperature, dilution, ratio of vermouth and even glassware. But for this piece, the focus is on the heart of the drink, the vodka. In this year’s edition of Drinks International’s Cocktail Report, the Vodka Martini was the highest climber.