Brand News SCOTLANDS ULTRA PREMIUM VODKA LAUNCHES - BLUR 69

locations including bars, clubs, hotels and pubs across the west of Scotland.

Five employees work for the brand which is expecting substantial growth throughout 2023 from event hosting and additional sponsorships.

Part of drinks group Clyde Whisky Ltd, established by William in 2018, Blur 69 vodka is triple distilled in Scotland combining quality grain and water before a bespoke filtration system purifies it to the highest degree. Working closely with one of the best-known drinks chemical engineering groups, Blur 69’s flavoured vodkas combine natural ingredients to create bursts of flavours.

A Glasgow scaffolding & building contractor has swapped hard hats for bottle caps, launching an ultrapremium vodka and flavoured vodka brand.

Blur 69, already snapped up by MTV as the official MTV Europe Music Awards Green Room sponsor in Düsseldorf in November last year.

OnTrade Scotland is proud to welcome the brand to our Growth Program for 2023 to support and drive new offerings across the industry giving the venues more solutions to be creative and provide the customer with more of an experience.

William Woodburn founded the business in 2021 after he noticed the shortage of labour within the scaffolding industry, driving him to set up a business in a growth sector. Revenue in the Vodka segment amounts to £2.7bn in 2022 in the UK, with the market expected to grow annually by 17.57 per cent.

With a target market of 18–28 year-olds, Blur 69 has secured partnerships with over 40 retail outlets and 20 on-trade

Founder William Woodburn left the army in 2012 to start his own company while undertaking a modern adult apprenticeship as a plumber and gas engineer. By 2021 he managed over 80 people, handling scaffolding and trades contracts for a number of building suppliers.

William said: “I really enjoyed the industry but rising costs alongside labour shortages were becoming increasingly challenging and so the time felt right to try my hand at something completely new.

“Before I set up Clyde Whisky, I knew nothing about the drinks industry but once I’ve made up my mind I want to master something, I won’t quit until I’ve perfected it. Whisky was my first foray into the market but I saw an opportunity to create something different with Blur69.

“People are looking for variety and innovation in flavours which is exactly what we aim to deliver. Pineapple, blue raspberry and watermelon flavoured vodkas are available now, with new expressions coming over the next few months.”

Flavoured vodkas sales in the UK are forecast to have a steady increase over the next few years and a 25 per cent increase by 2025.

The Absent Ear Named One Of The Top 25 Cocktail Bars In The Uk

The unique cocktail bar operates under a veil of secrecy, its mystery location only revealed when guests book, together with the password to gain entry.

And the sense of theatre continues with a frankly dazzling interactive multimedia menu, together with finishing flourishes to the elaborate, stunning drinks themselves at the table.

The Absent Ear is part of the group behind Saint Luke’s and the Winged Ox and iconic dive bar The Amsterdam, and the luxurious, decadent-feeling cocktail lounge has climbed a spot from No26 in last year’s rankings.

Group Operations Manager Alex Riches said: “The Absent Ear is a real passion project for all of us, there’s nothing quite like it in the city or indeed in Scotland. Or anywhere, we hope!

“It’s indulgent, decadent and luxurious but with a gritty edge. We pour our heart and soul into the place and into making the drinks exciting, theatrical and about as far from simple as it’s possible to be.

“This national recognition for what we work so hard on means the world, especially at a time when so many bars and businesses are struggling to keep the lights on, literally.