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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 15 FEBRUARY 2015 9 News Maltese getting the taste for premium spirits MARTINA BORG MALTESE drinkers have acquired a taste for more premium brands and fancier cocktails, according to retailers and importers who spoke to MaltaToday who said the trend was to steer clear of cheap vodkas and opt for more expensive and finer spirits. Matthew Marshall, owner of StrEat whisky bar and new restau- rant Electro Lobster Project in Bal- luta, Sliema, said that the trend was towards premium tequilas and gins. "Whereas before tequila was con- sidered something you would only take one shot of and wince, we are now seeing more people beginning to appreciate and enjoy the bever- age," he said. Marshall said his ideas in creat- ing new bars, as Valletta's StrEat whisky bar, always follow in the footsteps of international trends. "Electro Lobster Project boasts a wide variety of gins and tequilas, with around 15 and 20 different kinds respectively, and a wide se- lection of cocktails, which are all prepared from scratch." His inspiration in opening a whisky bar also came from abroad. "People are beginning to under- stand there are very different vari- ations of whiskies," Marshall said, pointing out that whisky is still one of the biggest things in the local al- cohol scene. His views are confirmed by NSO statistics that show that whisky imports during 2012 and 2013 in- creased by 20.18% and 21.68% re- spectively, showing double-digit growth from one year to the other and higher quantities imported than vodka. These views were shared by Tim- my Grech, of Charles Grech & Co. Grech, who said that cocktails were seeing a rise in popularity at the moment and that single malts were particularly strong at present, spe- cifically Japanese whiskies that are currently the trend. Grech and Marshall both point- ed out that these drinks remain popular with a 30-50 age group with greater disposable income. "Beer remains a very popular choice across all age groups, but the most popular spirit with 18 to 30-year-olds remains vodka," Grech insisted. "However, there seems to be a current trend towards super pre- mium brands in all age groups and all alcoholic beverages," he added. The trend that is taking back consumers to whiskies and tequi- las rather than vodka is actually an international one, with vodka sales slowing down substantially in the past two years after years of boom- ing growth. The Wall Street Journal reports that many young drinkers feel that the colourless, odourless spirit has become too mainstream. But the GRTU's president for tourism, hospitality and leisure division Philip Fenech, one-time owner of the BJ's jazz club in Paceville, says tastes are all a mat- ter of context. "Many young people in the club- bing scene still prefer vodka as it is more easily mixed with other fla- vours, but within a different, more sophisticated context, there is a general push for more distinctive drinks," he said. "Many people within the 30-50 age group and those in village bars prefer to drink whisky." Fenech also adds that another possible rea- son for the increase in imports of whisky in Malta is tourism it- self, with the range of whiskies and deluxe whiskies available at Maltese airports being much cheaper than they are inter- nationally. "A lot of tourists fall within a certain age group that ap- preciates whiskies over vodkas, and they would prefer to buy bottles from Maltese airports, where even deluxe brands are cheaper than they are in most other countries." application to sanction these rooms was refused in 2008. The Planning Directorate, which is calling on MEPA to refuse the development, agreed with the Cul- tural Heritage Panel that these rooms should be removed. The Di- rectorate also criticised the design, noting that an open staircase will be seen from across the creek. Boxall told MaltaToday that the council wants to upgrade existing facilities and make the area more attractive for both locals and visi- tors. When asked about the impact of the additional height on the histori- cal landscape Boxall said: "We will surely not create a monstrosity like the new apartments [on the water- front]." Asked about pending illegalities on the site, Boxall replied that the aim is to abide by planning regula- tions and to ensure that all develop- ment is regularised. "We will follow any directives given by MEPA," Boxall said. MEPA will be meeting to decide on this application on 24 February. new floor for regatta club Refined taste buds keep whisky imports dominating white spirits Vodka/Gin Whiskies Wines Beer/Cider Market share between 2005-2014 according to import statistics (Source: NSO)