Haig Club, the Diageo whisky brand part-owned by David Beckham, has launched a new Mediterranean Orange spirit in a bid to lure “non-whisky drinkers”.
Haig Club Orange (35% abv) had “signature scotch whisky notes” though it is technically a spirit drink rather than a whisky. It was “an accessible option for novice whisky drinkers as well as connoisseurs”, said the brand.
It offered “a distinctive blend of fresh and juicy marmalade orange flavours, infused with orange blossom extract”, it added.
The launch marked “an exciting step forwards for dark spirits”, said Diageo whisky marketing director Violeta Andreeva. “We see this as a huge opportunity to recruit a new generation of drinkers as more and more consumers are choosing flavours and sweeter drinks.”
Diageo is recommending it be paired with lemonade over ice and served with a slice of lemon.
It will roll into Waitrose from 12 April, followed by Asda, Morrisons and Tesco from 19 April (rsp: £25/70cl).
Orange flavoured drinks have played well for Diageo in the past. Its Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla gin quickly became a bestseller the year it launched, adding over £12m in 2019 [Nielsen 52 w/e 10 August 2019]. However 2020 saw its value fall by 11.6% amid the pandemic [Nielsen 52 w/e 5 September 2020].
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