KBE Drinks announces launch of new spirits range

KBE Drinks, the premium world beer and cider company, is delighted to announce the launch of a brand-new premium spirits range into the UK grocery and convenience channels. The range includes Makai spiced rum, Blackland whiskey and 5 Walla Chai Liqueur, and is available to retailers now.

It’s spiced rum that has been driving the growth in total rum, and increasingly consumers are looking for more premium brands with different and interesting flavours. Makai is a modern, premium rum brand, inspired by the rich heritage of Polynesia, with an ABV of 40 per cent and an RRP of £30. Makai means “towards the ocean” in Polynesia and this spiced rum brings something fresh and exhilarating to the category, with a blend of pot and column-still rums delivering flavours of rich, dark molasses elevated with a unique blend of Polynesian spices, including Vanilla, Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves and tropical fruits. The distinctive black bottle offers tremendous stand out on-shelf, with a neck label featuring the tag line, “A tropical escape at the pull of a cork”.

Next comes Blackland, which is an American whisky using unique Texas grain as the foundation of its spirits. Traditional methods combine with innovative aging and infusing technology to craft whiskies that are unquestionably classic, and distinctively original. Perhaps most interesting of all is the Texas Pecan Brown Sugar Bourbon, which is a small-batch bourbon perfectly balanced with a gentle but identifiable pecan taste on the front palate, a mouth of just-sweet-enough sugar bourbon as the dominant characteristic, and a smooth finish that leaves you wanting one more sip.

Last but certainly not least, 5 Walla Chai Liqueur is a rum-based chai tea cream liqueur which should appeal to those consumers who already enjoy chai lattes and even chai cocktails, but also encourage new consumers to experience the chai flavour which has been gaining traction in the UK ever since large coffee chains started offering chai lattes in the 1990’s. 5 Walla is made from a recipe of five spices, blending cinnamon, clove, cardamom, ginger, and vanilla to produce a creamy and delicious drink. It comes in a standout bottle which is sprayed matt black with a wooden stopper with cork and featuring an image of a “chai walla”, inspired by famous artwork found on Indian matchboxes.

“We are delighted to bring this unique range of three premium spirit brands to the off-trade channel, which were all introduced into pubs, bars and restaurants last year, and are already listed by large on-trade customers like Incipio Group and Laines Pub Company,” said Shaun Goode, COO at KBE Drinks. “We know that since the start of the pandemic consumers have increasingly enjoyed mixing and making their own cocktails at home and tend to view spirit brands as an affordable luxury which they like to stock on their drinks trolley, cabinet or shelf. All three brands make exciting and versatile cocktail ingredients or can be simply enjoyed neat or with ice, and we hope retailers stock up to help make them a success.”