DISTILLING
style spirits in this fascinating market. “We’re proud to be part of China’s fabric and contributing to the sustainable growth of its economy and society, by transferring whisky-making expertise to the people, credibility to the region and the spirit of con- viviality to visitors and consumers alike.” Pernod Ricard has appointed Neri & Hu, China-based award-winning archi- tects, notable for their work for the New Shanghai Theatre, the Tsingpu Yangzhou Retreat and Aranya Art Centre. Neri & Hu will design the distillery as a new cultural icon that celebrates the local culture and the brand ’s spirit of innovation - allowing people to discover the beauty of Emeishan through a new lens. In line with Pernod Ricard’s global prin- ciples of its Sustainability & Responsibility Roadmap 2030, the distillery demonstrates deep respect for the heritage of the region and the land, which will be brought to life through a vernacular design approach that prioritises the preservation of local resources and environment while allowing a perfect harmony between the distillery experience and the panoramas of the mountain. The materials used throughout the architecture take their in uence from the native site, with stone walls built from the very boulders extracted from the ground during levelling and rooftiles assembled by a mixture of reclaimed and new tiles in the region to infuse history and local heritage into the design. This will be accented by the materials used in whisky craft, from copper and metal referencing the striking copper distillation pots to wood referencing the aged oak casks. The result is a ne-tuned balance of rustic and re ned, hard and soft, cool and warm, natural and crafted - a representation of the Yin and Yang in the Chinese culture. Guettat says, “The decision to bring the iconic malt whisky from Emeishan Malt Whisky Distillery to the world stage demon-
strates China’s burgeoning passion for the spirit and will showcase Pernod Ricard’s experience in creating and operating twenty of the world’s most prestigious whisky distilleries.” UK gin craze continues as category valued at £3bn The gin boom in the UK shows no signs of slowing, with domestic sales and exports hitting a record £3 billion in the past year. According to The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) UK gin sales are “contin- uing at an even greater pace”. In the year to March 2019, domestic sales amounted to over 76 million bottles worth £2.3 billion. This, combined with exports of £730m in the year to May 2019 (HMRC), puts the value of the entire UK gin category at £3bn. Based on the gures avail- able, the WSTA predicts that domestic sales of UK gin will surpass the 100 million bottle mark within the next year. Total sales of UK-made spirits surpassed £11 billion in the past year, according to the WSTA, with sales of around 400 million bottles. One in ve of these bottles, therefore, was gin. Sales in the on-trade grow 56% compared to last year, with the equivalent of 6 million more bottles sold in the 12 months to March 2019 than the same period in 2018. In the off-trade, sales amounted to almost £1 billion, rising 43% compared to last year. Of the total £730m worth of gin exported, around £350 million worth is sent to the EU. Chief executive of the WSTA, Miles Beale, noted that with 46% of UK gin sent to the EU, it is “imperative that the Government works with the European Union to secure trade that is as seamless in the future as it is now”. Beale, added: “It’s been another phenom- enal 12 months for gin and, despite recent reports suggesting the gin bubble may have burst, our numbers suggest the exact oppo-
site – not only is gin’s popularity here to stay, it’s now worth over £3 billion annually. “Gin’s continued domestic popularity, and the growth in the spirits category overall, has no doubt been helped by the decision to freeze duty on spirits in the last Budget. We need further supportive action from the Government as we approach Budget time once more.” IrishWhiskey360° unveiled - the new brand and home for Irish whiskey tourism
Drinks Ireland / Irish Whiskey Association has unveiled
IrishWhiskey360° - the new brand and home for Irish whiskey tourism.
IrishWhiskey360° celebrates the one shared spirit and many unique characters of the Irish whiskey industry. In phase one, it will focus on spotlighting 17 Irish whiskey distillery visitor centres or brand homes operated by members of Drinks Ireland / Irish Whiskey Association. The IrishWhiskey360° brand, website and social media platforms were launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Michael Creed TD, at an event in The Jameson Experience, Bow Street, Dublin. The Minister was joined at the launch by Mr. David Stapleton, Chairman of Drinks Ireland / Irish Whiskey Association and Mr. Paul Kelly, Chief Executive of Fáilte Ireland. The launch of IrishWhiskey360° has been scheduled to coincide with and support the Taste the Island campaign by Fáilte Ireland. In 2018 there were 923,000 visitors to Irish whiskey distilleries, up 13% compared to 2017 and up 41% compared to 2015. 45% of visitors in 2018 came from North America, 14% from Great Britain, 12% from Ireland, 8% from Germany and 7% from France. Visits to Irish whiskey distillery visitor centres are set to exceed one million this year. Commenting on the launch, William Lavelle, Head of the Irish Whiskey Association in Drinks Ireland said: “IrishWhiskey360° aims to make Ireland the No. 1 destination in the world for whiskey tourism. “Visitors to Irish whiskey distilleries and visitor centres are set to break the one million mark this year for the rst time ever. The Irish Whiskey Tourism Strategy, which we pub- lished in 2016, sets out an ambitious target of 1.7 million visitors by 2025. The fantastic collaborative approach taken by distilleries, visitor centres and state agencies - which is central to IrishWhiskey360° project - will ensure we reach this target.” The launch of IrishWhiskey360° supports the Government’s FoodWise 2025 strategy which calls on industry and state agencies to work collaboratively to develop an Irish whis- key and food pairing trail as a major tourist attraction.
EU grants absinthe protected geographical status
Absinthe has been granted protected geographic status after a 15-year battle launched by producers in the commune of Pontarlier, in eastern France close to the Swiss border. The new geographical indica- tion protects the phrase ‘Absinthe de Pontarlier’ and the traditional methods used to make the spirit in this area. Absinthe used on its own “may continue to be used in labelling and presentations within the territory of the Union provided that the principles and rules applicable in its legal order are complied with”. These rules stipulate that the spirit must be clear, pale-yellow with greenish
hues that louches when water is added, turning to an “ivory-like opalescent shade and a cloudiness that renders it opaque”. True absinthe must include wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), which should also be the dominant aroma. The spirit must also contain at least 20mg of thujone per litre, the active ingredient in wormwood. It was this compound that was wrongly blamed for causing hallucinations and brain dam- age, resulting in the spirit being banned in France in 1915. Such side effects were more likely the result of drinking too much of the high-strength spirit.
18 ● BREWER AND DISTILLER INTERNATIONAL I october 2019
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