Amarula Cream unveils new Jabulani bottle

Distell will showcase Amarula's new bottle along with exclusive Scotch whiskies and, for the first time, a wider range of its South African wine portfolio at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes next month.

The bottle, which features sleek new curves and design elements, including the shape of an African elephant etched into the glass, will be available in several , including 5cl, 20cl, 37.5cl, 50cl PET, 75cl and 1-litre for travel retail.

Because of the elephant etching, the brand marketing team named the bottle Jabulani’, which is Zulu for ‘rejoice’. The inspiration for the name stems from the story of a rescued orphan elephant, named Jabulani that was successfully reintroduced into the wild by South African conservationists.

According to Distell’s Amarula global general manager, Dino D’Araujo, the new bottle design celebrates the brand’s most prolific icon, the African elephant, in a more evocative way: “The bottle also reflects our ongoing commitment to Elephant conservation. Since 2002, the Amarula Trust has helped conservationists study elephant behaviour and use the learnings to protect elephants within South Africa’s borders.

“This year, we are extending our support into the rest of Africa thanks to a partnership with Wildlife Direct and its Kenyan CEO, Dr Paula Kahumbu.

“Funding generated from the proceeds of Amarula sales around the world, combined with the expertise and commitment of Paula and her team, will help us continue to protect the continent’s elephants who are such an important part of both Africa’s heritage and Amarula’s story.”

Amarula Cream is made from the exotic Marula fruit that is only found in sub-Equatorial Africa. The fruit grows only from the female Marula trees, which bear fruit just once a year at the height of Africa’s summer. Elephants - Africa’s gentle giants - travel from far to feast on the ripe Marula fruit, attracted by its exotic aroma. The fruit is hand-harvested by the local communities and the inner flesh pulped and distilled to make Marula spirit. The spirit is matured for two years in French oak barrels. It is this aging process that naturally imparts the characteristics of vanilla and caramel into the spirit from the wood. Once aged, the Marula spirit is infused with a rich velvety cream.

Distell will also be bringing malt whiskies to the travel retail show.

Distell will showcase a selection of limited release malt whiskies from its premium malt portfolio, which includes Bunnahabhain, Deanston, Ledaig and Tobermory.

An extremely limited (480 bottles) of Deanston 40 Year Old (RRP £850) will be unveiled along with an unpeated Tobermory 21 Year Old (1995) Manzanilla Finish (RRP GBP £310) and a more robust and smoky Ledaig 19 Year Old Marsala Finish (RRP GBP £125).

All will be available from the end of October or beginning of November 2016.

22 September 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor