In an era of personalisation, presenting your whole cabin with the same distinctive drink may seem counter-intuitive. But, for quick, instant impact, few offerings set the tone so effectively as a signature drink – bringing with it a warm welcome and your brand style straight to the passengers’ seat.
While water all round may show care for passenger wellbeing, an upgrade to a signature juice or cocktail can help the crew mark the moment when the inevitable pre-boarding hassles are over and the joy of a journey really begins.
Finnair has done this for over a decade with its signature blueberry juice. Chosen to reflect Nordic culture, nearly 10 million litres have been served since the launch. Marika Nieminen, Finnair’s VP Head of Kitchen, says: “Blueberry juice is a distinctive part of our unique onboard offering. Customers are able to enjoy a taste of Finland wherever they are in the world. They now know that with a glass of blueberry juice in their hand, the world is their limit.”
The success inspired the airline to also introduce its first signature cocktail, the Northern Blush – a strikingly vivid cocktail containing lingonberry, gin, and a dash of orange peel, echoing the more widely-known Cosmopolitan.
Tempting tipples
Beverage experts at the international SIP Awards have tasted hundreds of beverage combinations and identify a few fundamentals for success. Its judging panel says: “Nothing says sophistication quite like a signature cocktail. A cocktail is not just alcoholic liquids mixed together, it can be a carrier for the most cherished memories.” They advise: “Take advantage of the full creative control you have over your signature cocktail and make your drink carry a memory. Adding in a relevant backstory means every time you serve this drink, the lovely story goes along with it, elevating the cocktail experience.”
There are a number of steps in the design process, starting with the choice of a base and then combining it with complementary flavours from bitters, liqueurs, syrups, sodas or fruit juices. Key, say connoisseurs, is that ‘opposite flavours are complementary, while adjacent flavours are analogous’, so you get, for example, bitter and sweet together in a Manhattan or sweet and sour in a Daiquiri. The secret is to ensure your signature offering is not too sweet, sour, bitter, or salty.
They also insist there is no need for complete invention adding: “Classics are classics for a reason so there is no shame in building a signature drink based on a solid template – giving a new twist to a familiar favourite so as to make it your own.”
This is something that UK tomato juice specialist Big Tom agrees with. Already working with airlines, its Big Tom Spiced Tomato Juice offers a new twist on the classic onboard favourite with bold and invigorating spice flavours ideal for creating a quick and easy Bloody Mary.
Mix it up
The challenges of mixing a signature drink onboard are clear but increasingly overcome through ready-mixed preparation. Finnair partnered with Danish Mikropolis Cocktails for its cocktail, offered in a pretty can with branded label. Lauri Ahonen, Concept & Category Manager at Finnair Kitchen, says: “An airplane as an environment comes with limited opportunities for preparing cocktails but they are a growing trend and have become a part of the meal service. People are now drinking cocktails with the meal too, so pre-mix choice is important.”
Virgin Atlantic has done the same, partnering with Tom Savano to bring its well-established Clubhouse favourite, the Virgin Redhead, onboard in ready-mixed form. A mix of gin, lemon juice, strawberry and blackberry liqueurs and topped with prosecco, the recipe, already popular on the ground, was tweaked for consumption at altitude.
Tom Savano Founder, James Kerslake, says: “Generally, flavours used for inflight service need to be robust ones, and thicker, more viscous liquids hold flavour profiles better. Top notes will stay but you can lose a bit of depth in the middle, so you want to ensure you have a satisfying aroma, and a lingering mouth-feel.
“I believe drinks have a very special place in any business that welcomes guests because they can be consumed instantly, saturate the guest’s senses with your brand and create a sensory experience to be woven into the guest’s time onboard,” he adds.
He recommends brands really think about their personality and heritage, people and home-base, and then focus on what’s unique – what makes it stand apart from its competitors. For Virgin, it was the cheekiness of the brand, combined with the signature red colour.
He has also worked with Princess Cruises and LNER trains, creating a bespoke Christmas Cosmopolitan which sold out in six weeks in LNER First. The team is currently working on desigining an exclusive ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail for Eurostar.
Kerslake says: “We have always looked for recipes with precise and authentic flavour profiles that instantly remind you of specific beautiful places: Negronis that taste like the Amalfi coast, or Margaritas that taste like Miami Beach. The power of transportation and connecting memory with the senses is a hugely powerful part of well-crafted drinks.”
Thirst quenchers
For some, brand identity and home base may also lead to beers. UK-based electric train operator Lumo partnered with Donzoko Brewing Company to create its very own ‘Train Beer’ – a vegan-friendly, dry-hopped pale ale, served in eco-friendly cans, reflecting Lumo’s environmental efforts. Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines introduced a custom craft beer, Cloud Cruiser, brewed by Seattle-based Fremont Brewing. The co-branded India Pale Ale (IPA) features orange, melon and tropical notes in a retro-inspired can showing the airline’s 737-8 MAX.
Bottega, best known for its sparkling wines, has been championing the pre-mix market in recognition of evolving demand. Through a careful selection of the raw materials and artisan-level processing the aim is to offer easy-to-serve drinks. Its pre-mixes come in small (200/250ml) and large formats (700/750ml) and include a Negroni, a Lemon Spritz and Spritz Pronol.
For the Negroni they combine three of their products: Gin Bacur, Vermouth and Bitters made with chinotto, grapefruit, cedar peels and botanicals. The Lemon Spritz blends sparkling wine with an infusion of lemons and mint for a low alcohol option.
Castello Monte Vibiano works with cocktail specialist Sei Bellissimi to bring easy-serve ideas onboard. The team has remastered six classic Italian cocktails which it believes have been somewhat forgotten. The best known, the Bellini, is already flying with the others ready for boarding being the Rossini, Tintoretto, Puccini, Mimosa and Raspini. Working with professional bar tender, Giancarlo Mancino, they created the Bocktails range of canned cocktails too including a Negroni Sbagliato, Spritz and the Hugo (a summery blend featuring elderflower, mint and lime), with non-alcoholic versions available.
Group brand manager, Claudio Castiglioni, says: “We believe every detail counts when it comes to creating unforgettable experiences. A signature drink is about more than just taste; it’s about crafting an experience that passengers will remember long after their flight.”
Perfect partners
Amy Jullien, Corporate Vice President at Intervine, believes a signature drink can also bring kudos when airlines work with celebrity or award-winning mixologists on recipes that create a buzz. High-quality ingredients are essential so avoid artificial flavours and sweetners, she says, and choose a name and label or presentation that also add value.
On Eva Air, the Evergreen Special signature drink is made from melon liqueur and vodka with soda water or Sprite. It’s topped with a skewer of cherry wrapped in a fresh orange slice for garnish. Using fresh and bright green ingredients and light bubbles, paired with brightly contrasting orange and cherry skewers, EVA’s goal was to create a pleasant and memorable flying experience.
Vice President Carol Lee says: “Our top priorities were flavour and uniqueness but we also had to consider the challenges of the galley and ensure consistent quality every time. We can create a connection between our passengers and local culture through the drink.”
