Amazon makes own-brand spirits debut with Tovess Gin

Drink represents online retailer's latest push to take slice of UK grocery industry

Amazon has launched its first premium spirits brand in the UK.

The debut drink, named Tovess Gin, is the first of multiple spirits that the online retailer plans to bring to market.

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians, the dry gin is described as a “well-balanced gin created using a sophisticated blend of botanical ingredients”.

The “fruity and fresh” gin is 41.5 per cent ABV and is infused with individually distilled lime and grapefruit peels, resulting in a “smooth Mediterranean taste.”

According to Amazon, the spirit is made in a distillery located on the outskirts of the Birmingham using copper pot stills which among some of the oldest in the country.

The online retailer adds that its new drinks brand is “dedicated to curating expertly distilled spirits from around the world...crafted to the highest quality standards”.

Shoppers who purchase the gin, which retails at £24.99, will be required to provide proof of age upon delivery.

The spirit is also eligible for one-day delivery to Amazon Prime members.

“More products will be added over the course of time,” Amazon said.

The launch comes as the UK’s gin industry is enjoying huge growth that shows no sign of slowing.

Earlier this year, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) stated that sales of so-called “Mother’s Ruin” have seen a “staggering boost”, breaking £2bn and almost doubling in the space of two years, between 2016 and 2018.

The report also revealed that there are now hundreds of different gin brands to choose from and a total of 361 distilleries making spirits in the UK, with 54 opening in 2018 alone – more than one every week.

(Amazon)

WSTA chief executive Miles Beale said at the time: “The truly staggering rise in gin sales shows that British gin is gaining more and more fans by the day.”

In recent years, there has also been a rise in alternative flavours of the boozy drink, including pink gin, marshmallow gin, parma violet gin and even one that changes colour.