Fathers are rather fortunate that Demijohn exists in my Fatherly opinion, as the choice for Father's Day presents got somewhat better from about July 2004 onwards when we opened.....

If you are faced with the annual challenge of buying a Father's Day present this year, here are some quick ideas for presents that I personally would like to receive (my Wife take note please!):

• Gooseberry Gin Liqueur 17% - Newly back on tap, this drink makes a cracking Gooseberry G&T!
• Father's Day Box Set - A great idea for a whisky drinker who also appreciates a hand crafted wooden box.
• Daddy's Sauce - Not every Father drinks, but we all eat. Salads will never taste the same again with this 25 YO Balsamic Vinegar.
• Father's Gold - If your Father is a whisky lover, then this smokey Islay Single Malt will certainly appeal.
• Father's Spiced Rum Ration - A velvety smooth, dark Caribbean rum that is every Sailor's treat.
• Somerset Cider Brandy 42% - If your Father is a little cheesy, consider this alternative digestif to Whisky.
• Demijohnnie Gin 50% - My own cup. At 50% abv, this is not for the faint hearted. Disturbingly good straight over ice!

Order over £40 online by Monday 10th June to ensure you receive a free* delivery prior to Father's Day on Sunday 16th June. (*Please note free delivery applies to UK mainland delivery addresses only).

Events News

We are building up to the start of our Summer Show period which kicks off with the BBC Good Food Summer Show between 12-16 June. We will be exhibiting on Stand F502 in Hall 20 of the Birmingham NEC. Read more....

Mark Perkins, formerly Shop Manager of our York Shop, is returning to the Staff of Demijohn and will join me on our stand in this the first show of his new roll as our Events & Marketing Manager. Expect to see Mark at many events around the country, dancing and singing as only he knows how!

A full list of all our events we are planning to attend for the year can now be found on our new dedicated Fairs and Events page. We look forward to seeing you at some or all of them.

A New Recipe or Two

Frances, my lovely Wife, has been busy in the kitchen experimenting with both her own recipe ideas and others that you kindly have sent in. Please keep the ideas coming as you may be rewarded with a £30 Demijohn Gift Voucher for any recipe or cocktail that we decide is good enough to publish. One of Frances's most recent creations is her Rhubarb and Mead Pavlova. Easy to make, perfect for a BBQ pudding and utterly delicious to taste....need I say more? Read our new recipe blog for other inspiring recipe and cocktail ideas.

Please don't forget to place your Father's Day orders before Monday 10th June. Have a wonderful weekend!

            Yours,

                     Angus

At last the sun is shining but crumbs, it has taken its time to come out! The Summer BBC Good Food Show is a spectacular event at which all the nice things in life come under one roof. It combines a rather large Food Festival, with a plethora of Garden and Lifestyle amusements thrown in. 

Go on, give it a Goo!

Because the sun will be out, we will be launching our new Gooseberry Gin Liqueur 17% at the show. It is a delicious Summery drink which can be drunk either over ice or used to make a delightful Gooseberry G & T, a cocktail we have called Evoque. So for those of you who are coming to the show and yet to try it then please come and see us on Stand F502 in Hall 20 of the gigantic Birmingham NEC.

And there is more....

Our new Gooseberry Gin is not the only product we will be bringing along with us. Remembering of course it is Father's Day on Sunday 16 June, we will also have our classic Fatherly drink of Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% and other great favourites such as our marmalady tasting Seville Orange Gin 26%, fresh Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5% and velvety smooth Spiced Rum Liqueur 20%. 

If you are thinking of Summer salads then we will have our Gooseberry Vinegar and Blackcurrant Vinegars on tap for the first time.

If you are yet to book your tickets for the show and are now thinking of coming then vist the BBC Good Food Summer Show website for full details. We look forward to seeing you there!

               Yours,

                  Angus

There’s no more truly summer British fruit than the old gooseberry with its bright green hue and bitter sweet taste. Whether you love or loathe them, liquid deli Demijohn has a whole new take on gooseberries as it launches it 2013 new Gooseberry Gin Liqueur.

As a very original drink Gooseberry Gin Liqueur is best served long with tonic over ice and a slice of lemon – Demijohn has called this summer cocktail Evoque as it certainly evoques a mood of Summer long fun!

Made especially for Demijohn by two retired PE teachers in East Lothian, near Edinburgh, the Gooseberry Gin combines British gooseberries with dry London Gin and sugar. The result is a light green, slightly peppery alcoholic version of heaven.

Angus Ferguson, MD of Demijohn says: “Gooseberries, like many traditional British fruits are having a revival as more allotments and kitchen gardens spring up. They epitomise the British summer, which is exactly what this irresistible summer drink does, but in a delightful, alcoholic form. Launched this summer in anticipation of some sunshine, Demijohn Gooseberry Gin and Tonic provides the perfect summer aperitif or party cocktail.”

Gooseberry Gin Liqueur 17% is priced at £5.10/100ml. It is available from www.demijohn.co.uk or their shops in York, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

- Ends -

Note to Editors:

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added.

Demijohn Shops:

• 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR Tel: 0141 337 3600 32
• Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JW Tel: 0131 225 3265
• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637 487

Normal Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm, Sun – 11.30-5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR. Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

I absolutely love pasta! Well done Italy for inventing such a food. However, you do need to have the odd inspirational thought when creating a pasta dish to ensure you don't get stuck in a "Pasta Bake Rut" or PBR for short.

Messing about at the stove last week I came up with a delightful little dish using fresh British Asparagus which has just come into season (and thanks to the long Winter, I do mean just!).

My pici pasta with asparagus uses our irresistible 25 year old Balsamic Vinegar and our grassy Kabbadates Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It is fabulously quick to make, serves two good eaters and is superbly easy to wash up. Whoever you are making it for will think you are a legend in the kitchen. See how I made it?

Fairs and Events

Having just returned from our action packed adventures at the Dales Food Festival at the start of May, we return next week to Leyburn in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales to support another good cause the ABF The Soldiers' Charity. Their Spring Fair will be held in Tennants Auctioneers on Wed 22 May (5-9pm) and Thurs 23 May (10am to 4pm). It is a tremendous gathering of small, high quality, independent traders selling everything from china and rugs to chorizo and our Spiced Rum! So if you visited us in Leyburn at the food festival and need a quick refill of your Gooseberry Gin Liqueur bottle, for example, we would love to see you!

And finally.....

An apology. I am sorry for any frustrations you may have suffered with the April "Rhubarb" edition of The Demijohn News when trying to open the links within the email. We had a technical hiccup with our new e-newsletter format which is now happily resolved. Thankyou to all those who wrote in kindly to inform us of the problem.

We always like hearing from you, with any stories or recipe ideas that you have. So please keep the emails coming!

      yours,

            Angus

Spring has finally brought some sun and with it a fabulous crop of rhubarb in Inverness, where our delicious Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5% is made. It has also seen the launch of our new website, hooray! Our Rhubarb Vodka is never better than when made with fresh, new rhubarb stems at this time of year. So we urge you to give it a try, right now.

And if you're planning a party over the forthcoming May bank holiday weekend, then I can wholeheartedly recommend a few of our Rhubarb Vodka Cocktails and recipe ideas to impress your guests, see below for details. However, to celebrate the launch of our new website and to let you try out our most recent batch of Rhubarb Vodka we would like to offer you a 10% discount on your first order online. Simply sign up to our Newsletter from our website Homepage.

Our Spring Cocktail and Recipe Ideas

Our Rhubarb Bellini Cocktail is certainly a drink to get your guests into shape at the start of a party. Made with Prosseco, this will add more than a little fizz to the proceedings! If you like something with spice, then I can recommend our Carrie MaK Cocktail, which combines our Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur with our handmade Ginger Wine 14.5%. We are, of course, all hoping for a heat wave this weekend, so for those who need something a little more refreshing then our latest recipe, Seville Orange Marmalade Ice Cream, is just the ticket. Made with our fresh tasting Seville Orange Gin 26% and our favourite Seville Orange Marmalade, this is moreishly marmalady (if that is English!).

Earn yourself a £30 Gift Voucher

Have you got a good recipe or cocktail idea that uses one or more of our products? Then we would like to hear from you. We are currently offering a £30 Demijohn Gift Voucher as a reward for any recipes that are used. Interested? Then read more...

We have a new website!

It has taken nearly a year in development, with some pretty late nights endured not only by us but also our our faithful development team at INDEZ. The results, we hope you agree, are an impressive improvement. If you think all the effort has been worth it or if you have any suggestions for further improvements, from simple spelling mistakes to real humdingers, then we definitely would like to know. So please send us a quick email.

Time for a Food Festival

After such a long Winter we all need to get outside. This weekend marks the start of our event year with the wonderful, the marvellous, the epic Dales Festival of Food and Drink (Sat 4 to Mon 6 May 2013). We will have our new Gooseberry Gin Liqueur 17% on tap amongst other products, but we are only a small part of something much larger. Held in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales at Leyburn this really is a first class event run by some amazingly enthusiastic volunteers. From asparagus to mouth watering pork pies, real Wensleydale Cheeses....as you can see I find it hard to concentrate on our stand!

Whatever your plans for the weekend, I hope they are sun filled and fun.

       Yours,

             Angus

Demijohn has gone global with the launch of a £50,000 website to enable its customers to more easily source and buy its delicious artisan drinks, oils and vinegars and to broaden its appeal.

As the world’s first ever liquid deli, Demijohn has pioneered its unique selling technique where customers choose the size and shape of the bottle into which the contents of choice are poured. The new website gives online customers the same ease of use as visiting one of the shops and all that’s missing is being able to taste before buying.

Designed by Glasgow-based Indez, the website is a clear, minimalist shop where customers can see all the products by category and can then choose the size and shape of bottle and add a personalised message all in one single action. Having re-photographed many of the products and added in new gift sets this new Demijohn ‘shop’ is already proving sensational with online sales growing fast since it was launched.

With the ability to be translated into virtually any language, Demijohn can broaden its customer base to the whole world. Many of the Demijohn products are as good in cocktail and food recipes as they are on their own so a whole new Recipes page has been added. This will be continually updated to include the latest recipes that the Demijohn team create. In addition, a blog page has been introduced where all members of the Demijohn team will write seasonal and relevant blogs about the products, where they come from and how they can be used.

Demijohn MD Angus Ferguson said: “Our new website is our fourth shop launch and offers all our customers, far and wide, much easier access and information about the products. With a fresher, cleaner look it has broader appeal and ease of use than the previous site and better explains what we do and how we do it. Despite these challenging times we have seen a steady growth in sales of about 15% year on year. We hope with this website that this should increase to 20-25% growth, allowing us to widen our product range.

“We aim to deliver to the UK within 4-5 working days but with a small, dedicated staff we can often do this quicker. We are a family company where all our staff are knowledgeable and passionate about the products, their provenance and their uses (staff nights are riotous affairs as we always have to sample the latest products!) which we hope the new website conveys.

“With two mail order sites in Glasgow and York we will fulfil orders quickly and efficiently and get them delivered to you or your loved ones, complete with the free personalised message, as quickly as possible.”

Check it out for yourself – www.demijohn.co.uk! 

- Ends -

Note to Editors:

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added.

Demijohn Shops:

• 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR Tel: 0141 337 3600 32
• Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JW Tel: 0131 225 3265
• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637 487

Normal Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm, Sun – 11.30-5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

Don't follow the herd this year when choosing your Easter Eggs, but instead consider our more grown up liquid Easter Egg as a fun alternative!

Great for a party!

Our beautiful spherical 500ml Strauss bottle filled with our delicious Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur 17% could make your Easter a great time for a party! Hand made with rich, dark chocolate, real Devonshire cream, zest of orange and an Apple Brandy base. This liqueur will be difficult to resist.

Not for Chocolate? Then get zesty...

If you are not a chocolate fan then simply go Orange! Our Seville Orange Gin 26% has a marmalady twang. Not only is it delicious with dark chocolate, it might give you the feeling that spring is in the air! So, whether your party is with family or friends this Easter, consider ordering your alternative Easter Egg from Demijohn to spice it up a bit. Eating in to save money has never been so much fun!

Related topics

• A Chocolate Orange with a Difference
• A Ball of Marmalady Gin

We wil be exhibiting at our first event of the year, the fantastic Leyburn Food & Drink Festival again between Sat 4th and Mon 6th May 2013. For those who have never witnessed this tremendous event I urge you to come.

Imagine this.... 

A large field, set amongst the rolling green hills of the beautiful North Yorkshire Dales. In that field are placed a few white tents, some merry go rounds for the children and a band stand. In those tents however are some of the finest food and drink exhibitors Britain has to offer. In the evening after a hard days sampling, chatting and selling, we retire to one of the many country pubs for a few ales and supper. Only in the Dales do locals talk about religion and politics on first meeting in the pub. They get away with it because they are "reet" friendly.

Just brilliant....

We wait all year for this event to happen, to see the thousands that come out of the hills for it, as it is so much fun. Who would have thought that it all started out of tragedy? The event was founded at the end of the last foot and mouth outbreak in an attempt to restart a flagging local economy, just brilliant. I hope we will see you there!

Deciding on a suitable present for your Mother on Mothering Sunday on 10th March is never going to be easy. Choosing something unique will be sure to surprise and hopefully delight. Your answer may lie with our beautiful new Oil & Vinegar Carousel. Choose this if your Mother is likely to enjoy a bowl of fresh green salad leaves simply dressed with our delicious Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil and either our handmade Scottish Raspberry or our fabulous new Gooseberry fruit vinegars. What is good for the digestion is surely positive food for the soul as we patiently await the arrival of Spring! However, if your Mother would be more likely to enjoy something a little stronger, then consider our Morello Fizz Cocktail using a jar of our Morello Cherries in Apple Eau de Vie 20%.

Whatever you decide, forget her day at your peril and good luck making your choice! If you are quick, we are still offering a 10% discount on any Demijohn bottle refills until the end of February 2013 (i.e Thursday this week!). Simply request your refill discount from a member of Staff in store. If you haven't got a bottle to refill or are too far away don't panic! We are currently offering free delivery for orders of £40 or more to all UK Mainland addresses, so place your order online now. Terms may apply.

Also in this letter:

• The Demijohn News: Tasting Evenings Galore! .... read below
• How creative are you?: We still need your recipe ideas.... read below
• Stay in Touch and Win a Prize!: Simply Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter to hear the details first

Demijohn News - February 2013

Our News: Development of our new website continues at full speed and thankfully is nearing its completion. Those who have kindly signed up to help us test it will be getting the call up shortly, so stand by your beds! However, we have also been busy with running many tasting events, both within our shops and without. For groups of friends and work colleagues, for corporate entertainment and just good fun. At the start of the Month at one such evening I had the fortune to talk to about 40 of the knowledgeable members of the Institute for Wine and Spirits in Scotland (IWSS) about our products. Held in a private room at the Royal Scots Club and starting with a few warm up cocktails and delicious breads from Bakery Andante in Morningside in Edinburgh to taste our oils and vinegars, the evening was tremendous fun and in danger of never ending. This is always a good sign! If you are interested in organising your own event and would like more information about what we can offer for groups of two or more persons, then please look at our Tasting Events web page initially and then contact us to discuss a booking.

How creative are you? We still need your recipes! A big thankyou to those who have already sent in their recipes for consideration so far, we will be coming back to you with our verdicts shortly. However, we are still looking for more of your creative talents to assist us in developing new food & drink recipes ideas for our products. We are offering a £30 gift voucher as a reward for sharing your recipes that use Demijohn products with us. Simply email the recipe to me and if we decide to publish it we will reward you with a £30 gift voucher to spend with us in any way you choose. You will be credited with the recipe, if you wish, and may even become famous.... well it's possible! So come on, let's get those creative genes brewing and stewing and send us your recipe ideas when they do!

Next Month in The Demijohn News.... Our new website goes live ..... Please don't forget Mother's Day or to claim your 10% discount on your Demijohn bottle refills, all you need to do is ask when you return!

 Yours,

     Angus

Angus Ferguson

Managing Director

We are fortunate in Scotland to have a very good excuse for a party in January and blow away the blues of a harsh winter, to celebrate the birth of Scottish poet Robert Burns, born on 25 January 1796.

If you are to host or attend a Burns Night Supper our latest collection of Single Malt Whisky, unique Demijohn Finest Blended Scotch Whisky 40% and Brammle Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% will be all you need for your dinner table.

For the centre of your table, we would suggest either our Single Malt Whisky Selection or our Highland and Island Malt Stack. We also have a couple of cocktail recipes which might help make your evening a memorable one.

Try our Tam O Shanter cocktail, which uses both our Demijohn Finest Blended Scotch Whisky 40% andBramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% to provide a very drinkable fruity whisky punch. 

For a more traditional dessert cocktail, try our twist on the classic Atholl Brose cocktail. Whatever you decide to do, good luck in planning your evening and may "Freedom an' whisky gang thegither!

Save 10% on Bottle refills

To make matters more pleasant still, we are offering a 10% discount on any Demijohn bottle refills until the end of February 2013.

Simply request your refill discount from a member of Staff in store. If you haven't got a bottle to refill or are too far away don't panic!

We are currently offering free delivery for orders of £40 or more to all UK Mainland addresses, so place your order online now. Terms may apply. 

Demijohn News -  January 2013

I hope you have also had a good start to the new year? Thankyou for all your support and custom during 2012, it led to another successful year at Demijohn and we are enormously grateful to you for it.

Our success is both down to the valiant efforts of our Staff on a daily basis and often your patience while we try to deliver what we have promised. Despite some of the highest volumes of online trade we have ever seen, where we processed up to 120 orders per day, we once again succeeded in ensuring that all pre-Christmas orders were delivered on time. 2013 however, is set to be an even busier and more exciting year than 2012 as we look forward to the launch of our new website next month.

In order to make sure it works correctly we will need some willing volunteers to help test it prior to going live. We have a few names already in the bag but do need more.

So if you would like to be one of the first to try and place some test orders with our new website, please send a quick email to me at info@demijohn.co.uk and we will add you to the growing list.

Depending on your contributions you may be rewarded!

How creative are you?

A big thankyou to those who have already sent in their recipes for consideration, we will be coming back to you with our verdicts shortly.

However, we are still looking for more of your creative talents to assist us in developing new food & drink recipes ideas for our products.

We are offering a £30 gift voucher as a reward for sharing your recipes that use Demijohn products with us. Simplyemail the recipe to me and if we decide to publish it we will reward you with a £30 gift voucher to spend with us in any way you choose.

You will be credited with the recipe, if you wish, and may even become famous.... well it's possible! So come on, let's get those creative genes brewing and stewing and send us your recipe ideas when they do!

Next Month...Romance is in the air ...

Please don't forget to claim your 10% discount on your Demijohn bottle refills, all you need to do is ask when you return! Best wishes for the year ahead,

Angus Ferguson

Managing Director