Info for this newsletter has been culled from a number of sources. Wherever applicable we will include an acknowledgement / link to the source material. We intend to give you this update at a monthly interval.

In a long awaited move, the Delhi government has permitted the sale of foreign liquor in Delhi liquor retail shops. Johnnie Black for 2500, Chivas for 2600 and Absolut @ 1200 (a price which should send the black market reeling) - what more could you ask for - buy liquor without breaking the law.

Mcdowell is beleived to be in talks with a bottling firm in Pakistan to launch Black Dog there. They'll be catering to 3% of the population as that's the number of people in Pakistan who are allowed to drink (wink-wink, nudge-nudge).
 

A series of high profile events across India marked the launch of the first luxury vodka in the Indian market - Belvedere. Belvedere is expected to be priced in retail shops in the mid 2000's. Try the Gold Martini, an interesting combination of Belvedere, Moet & Chandon, and Grand Marnier.
 

Better known for the Intercontinental Park Royal hotel and the soon to be opened Shangri-la, the Eros group have picked up Mauritius based Continental Breweries and plan to serve the Mauritius, South African and Indian markets.
 

UDV India has introduced a new cylindrical composite case packing for Black and White. The revamped design is a reinforcement of the “Unbelong” platform that UDV India is using to create a distinctive niche for its Black&White brand.
 

After his company's annual general meeting, Mr. Mallya said that they were planning to enter the liquor retail business by next year and that they were also exploring possibilities to enter the country liquor business by creating brands through franchisee route.
 

Absolut Martini nights at select outlets across the country - Bed lounge, Delhi on 25th November, Black and White Unbelong nights featured a famed Israeli illusionist performing across the country, the Australian Trade Commission organised a tasting of wines from South Australia across the country, Johnnie Walker under the banner of their Red Revelation events brought to town DJ Revin from Buddha Bar, Paree, Chivas Regal under their Chivas Life events sponsored the India-Argentina polo match, Ballantines has a golf tournament around the corner, both Smirnoff and Bacardi have their high energy events - the Smirnoff Experience and the Bacardi Blast underway across the country, the Teacher's Achievement awards are also around the corner - as you can see there's a lot going on in the local market!
 

Indage will start selling wine under a new label - Vino in PET bottles, tetra packs and bags in a box from next month. Pricing is expected to be between Rs. 100-150 for a 1 litre tetra pack.
 

Absolut has opened the first of its new Absolut ICEBARS in Milan at a hotel called Town House 12. The entire interior - walls, bar, artwork, even the glasses, have been sculpted out of ice from the Torne River in Sweden and freighted to Milan. The unique qualities and purity of the water in Torne River makes the ice transparent. The ABSOLUT ICEBARS are a collaboration between Absolut and Icehotel (a hotel in northern Sweden built from scratch each autumn using newly formed ice from the Torne River - remember Tomorrow Never Dies?).
 

Budweiser has been named the "official international beer sponsor" for the 2008 Olympic games to be held in Beijing, China. This is Anheuser-Busch's first sponsorship of a Summer Olympic Games held outside the United States.
 

Distilled using Nordic berries, Smirnoff Norsk is pale blue. The vodka is best drunk neat and over ice. Gordon's has launched a new Distiller's Cut gin - strong lemongrass and ginger taste. Smirnoff has a new TVC in the UK called Diamond, which focuses on the words "Ten times filtered", which is an integral part of the Smirnoff vodka production process.

Moet Hennessy, which along with Pernod Ricard was the front runner to acquire Glenmorangie is believed to have pipped Pernod to the post with a winning bid rumoured to be in the region of ~ 300 million pounds. Well, looks like a change of hands in India as Brown Forman handing over Glenm... to M-H! M-H has already launched Belvedere in India (see above) and Glenmorangie will fill out their luxury spirits and wines portfolio brilliantly.

Anheuser-Busch is to launch Bacardi Silver Low Carb Green Apple, a low-carb and calorie spirit-branded flavored malt beverage. The drink complements its other Bacardi Silver drink flavors, which include Bacardi Silver, Bacardi Silver O3, Bacardi Silver Raz, Bacardi Silver Limon, and Bacardi Silver Low Carb Black Cherry, Anheuser-Busch and Bacardi U.S.A. Is this a below the belt attack at the Apple Martini ?

Seems to be the season for mergers and acquisitions in the liquor industry with Constellation Brands believed to be paying in the region of $1.3 billion for Robert Mondavi. Since merging with BRL Hardy in 2003, Constellation has overtaken E&J Gallo as the world's largest wine company. Those in India might recognise Constellation by the fact that it owns Corona beer!

Diageo has been awarded the Distiller of the Year title by the International Spirits Challenge (ISC). This is the third time that Diageo has won the award, which is organised by Wine & Spirit International magazine. Diageo’s Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition 1979 from Islay, was the only single malt whisky to win an ISC Trophy, the competition’s highest award.

 

The money is being put behind Clos du Bois, with a fun tag line - "all the French you need to know"! Considering that Clos du Bois comes from Sonoma County, California this gives the French one more reason to hate the Yanks!

We've heard of the Pirelli calendar and closer home the Kingfisher calendar, but in France the wine makers from the Cote de Bourg are releasing a calendar featuring both male and female winemakers aged from 30 to 60 in various poses and states of undress.

Read about Sidney Frank, the man behind Grey Goose in this Businessweek article -

Peru has a port, a valley and a river named Pisco, and feel they have the right to use Pisco, but so does Chile! Under Peruvian "denomination of origin" rules, liquor can be labeled "pisco" in Peru only if it is produced in five arid regions extending south from Lima to the Chilean border and made from eight approved types of grapes. One day India will do the same for Feni (maybe after Pakistan starts making liquor called Feni!)

Hpnotiq is a icy, aqua marine blend of premium triple distilled vodka, French Cognac and natural tropical fruit juices. Hpnotiq is well on its way to hitting the 1 million case barrier in the US, having grown volumes to 700,000 cases in its second year on the market. It's made by Heaven Hill Distilleries Inc, US.

Smirnoff Tastemaker Session - F-Bar, Bangalore, 28th November, Tantra, Kolkata, 5th December, Starters and More, Mumbai, 5th December - http://www.tulleeho.com/tastemaker Tulleeho Wine Experience - Illusions, Acres Club, Mumbai, 4th December http://tulleeho.com/winexp/mumbai.htm  

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During prohibition, WC Fields was asked why, if he didn't have a drinking problem, did he buy 300 cases of gin before it started. He replied : "I didn't think it would last that long."

Tulleeho is a marketing and technology services provider for the alcoholic beverage and related sectors. To know more about what we do read our  About Us

Tull-ee-ho! : A combination of the old hunting cry Tally Ho! and the colloquial Hindi word "tullee" (used both as verb and noun, and signifying a state of inebriation).

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