An Australian drinks group is hoping to shake up British spirits fixtures after storming the market Down Under with its "funky", award-winning line-up.

Aussie Spirits is talking to two multiples over listings for Kinkylux White Rum (rsp: £16.99), Tequila Blu (rsp: £18.99) and Vodka O (rsp: £15.99) Australia's biggest -selling vodka behind Smirnoff Red.

The 70cl range hit selected specialist outlets and Dhamecha cash & carries this summer and is expected to be on supermarket shelves by Christmas.

The Sydney supplier predicted the range's "contemporary bottle designs, affordability and formulation" would help reinvigorate spirits shelves in larger stores.

Aussie Spirits founder Julian Moss claimed the spirits had the lowest level of methanol and chemical impurities of any spirits on the market, giving a smoother taste.

Their quality was reflected in the number of international awards they had won this year, including gold medals for Tequila Blu and Kinkylux at the World Spirits Awards and a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for the tequila, he said.

"Buyers are finding the prices good, the quality exceptional and the bottle designs very funky," said Moss. "The spirits shelf in the UK could do with a good shake-up. It needs new arrivals."

He conceded that the vodka market was a competitive category but insisted he was confident Vodka O would replicate its domestic success in the UK market.

"Australia has all of the same vodkas as you do in the UK but Vodka O still achieves sales of more than 500,000 cases a year, second only to Smirnoff Red," Moss said.

The company plans to launch its Kinkynero Dark Rum, Jinn Dry Gin and Naked Scot Scotch Whisky brands in the UK later this year.

Last week, New Zealand-based VnC Cocktails made its UK debut with a range of prepared cocktails. Moss said there was "absolutely no reason" why Antipodean spirits couldn't match the success of the region's wines in the UK.

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