Albion set for Aussie launch

Flavoured spirit brand Albion Racing Club has secured its first international distribution deal with Australian importer and distributor Luxe Wine + Spirits.

The first consignment of Albion Racing Club Spiced Malt is set to arrive in Australia in July, with the first bottles on sale from September, 2014.

A.R.C’s Australian launch will focus on premium cocktail bars and select liquor stores, with the on and off trade national roll-out commencing with the Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide markets.

The product is a British hand-crafted malt which is made, bottled and labelled at an artisan distillery in Cambridgeshire. The malt is distilled five times in copper pot stills, steeped in vanilla pods, raisins and Columbian coffee beans, resulting in a liquid that is a full-proof spirit (42% abv) with some of the characteristics of whisky but smoother and slightly sweeter to appeal to non-whisky drinkers.

A.R.C. launched in the UK in March 2014 and is available at Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly and Gerry’s, Old Compton Street plus selected on-trade venues across London.

Albion Racing Club Captain, Justin Wright said: “We only celebrated our UK launch in March, so are thrilled to announce our first international distribution deal within three months of operations.

“We, at Albion Racing Club, are delighted at the prospect of sharing our British Spiced Malt with our Antipodean cousins, and look forward to welcoming kindred spirits from the other side of the globe.”

Greg Kiss, Luxe Wine + Spirits managing director said: “We have always kept an eye on the market and the latest spirits releases worldwide and A.R.C. definitely caught our eye. A.R.C. showed an exciting new angle in the brown spirits category with its philosophy of excitement and adventure.

“After we approached the boys for a sample, we were sold.”