Diageo backs mid-strength with 20% abv Gordon’s, Smirnoff and Captain Morgan launches

Diageo has thrown its weight behind the emerging mid-strength spirits category with a trio of new launches from Gordon’s, Smirnoff and Captain Morgan.

Bottles of Gordon’s, Smirnoff and Captain Morgan Mid-Strength will hit 250 Tesco stores from this month (rsp: £15/70cl).

The 20% abv spirit drinks would combine “the familiarity of some of Diageo’s best-known brands with a proposition that reflects the increasingly flexible way consumers approach alcohol”, the London-listed spirits giant said.

They were designed to tap the growth in “earlier, more relaxed get-togethers”, while also a response to moderation trends including “zebra striping” (alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic products) and “coasting” (switching to lower-abv options over the course of an occasion), it added.

“When socialising today, consumers want choice and it’s our job to ensure our brands offer something for every occasion, including different abv options,” said Diageo chief innovation officer Mark Sandys. “Consumers expect great taste and quality from brands they know and love and we’ve worked hard to ensure these new products from Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Gordon’s deliver the same great flavour, just with less alcohol.”

Diageo said it had invested “significant R&D” to produce the new products at a reduced abv. Gordon’s maintained its “signature juniper-forward profile with citrus and botanical notes”, while Captain Morgan delivered “hints of vanilla, brown sugar and caramel with warming spice”, it claimed. Smirnoff, meanwhile, had a “clean, smooth finish with subtle grain and citrus characteristics.”

To help build awareness, the product range features a teal colour across all three bottles.

The colour cue was “designed to give mid-strength its own identity in store” while helping shoppers “recognise and navigate a new space within the spirits aisle”, Diageo said.

One-third of British adults who drink (33%) say they are drinking less alcohol than they were 12 months ago, according to recent YouGov polling data. 

Tapping this trend, retailers have expanded choice across mid-strength and low & no-alcohol. M&S, for example, expanded its mid-strength offer by 25% in May. 

Ocado, meanwhile, has championed moderation by listing dedicated mid-strength brands including Quarter Proof, Small Beer and 6Percent.