Say Aloha to UK's new tropical-flavoured spirit

A new UK spirit is promising to bring a bit of tropical zing and spice to your Covid-19 self-isolation.

Aloha 65 features pineapple, lemon, ginger and Scotch Bonnet chillies along with select herbs and spices in its mash bill. The 27% ABV drink is vegan, uses 100 per cent natural ingredients - and makes a hot sauce out of its leftover mash to minimise waste.

The drink was dreamt up by bar owner and surfer Stephen Thorp in the US in the 1990s. The British ex-pat experimented with various fruit infusions which he named after local surfers, but one, made with local tropical fruits and a chilli kick, proved particularly popular. From this infusion, Aloha 65 was born.  

The drink's packaging is also designed to evoke the seaside surfer spirit with a 1950s-inspired design and vibrant colours. The team behind Aloha 65 say it can be enjoyed as a chilled shot, over ice, as a refreshing long drink or in a cocktail.

The brand is also paying homage to its seaside heritage in a socially conscious way. It has partnered with Pastic Oceans, donating 5 per cent of its profits to the charity to support efforts to clean plastic waste from the world's oceans and beaches. 

Aloha 65 is stocked at on-trade venues in Bristol, Cornwall and Devon, but is beginning to make in-roads away from its South West heartland into London 

31 March 2020 - Bethany Whymark