Where to find Beefeater Light lower-alcohol spirit

The company behind gin brand Beefeater has launched a lower-alcohol version of its classic London dry spirit.

Beefeater Light is made with the same nine botanicals that go into the original London Dry Gin – but with only half the alcohol, at 20% ABV. It has launched alongside a bottle redesign for the brand.

Drinks giant Pernod Ricard released the product alongside a ‘light’ version of its whisky brand Ballantine’s. They represent a bid by Pernod Ricard’s Scotch whisky arm Chivas Brothers and its Gin Hub to claim a corner of the no and low-alcohol drinks market.

The appetite for ‘no and low’ alternatives has skyrocketed over the past couple of years, with big-name gin brands including Gordon’s launching lower-alcohol versions of their drinks.

Beefeater Light and Ballantine’s Light will launch in Spain in January, one of Europe’s biggest markets for no and low-alcohol drinks (according to research, at least 50 per cent of bars and restaurants in the country have no or lower-alcohol options on their menus).

Jean-Christophe Coutures, chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers, said: “Our teams have been working hard to create spirit drinks that accommodate mindful drinking without compromising on flavour, and to bring Scotch and gin fans a new way to enjoy the Ballantine’s and Beefeater experience.

“In line with Pernod Ricard’s 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap, ‘Good Times from a Good Place’, we are continuing to challenge ourselves and push the boundaries in developing innovative expressions that reflect the changing lifestyles of our consumers.”