He was determined to purchase the trade mark and market the drink himself. Four decades on, he’s managed it, transforming its look and taste for ‘a more discerning consumer’.
Sir James, who worked in senior roles with Buchanan’s whisky and Martini and Rossi, and more recently stepped down as a shareholder and chairman of Speyside Distillers, said: “Back in 1928, my great grandfather Sir James Roberts bought the Haworth village parsonage and gifted it to the Brontë Society. Today, that building is the Brontë Parsonage Museum and this is something our family is immensely proud of. I still hold the key to the parsonage’s front door.”
While the original Brontë Liqueur was honey-based and presented in a ceramic jug, the new drink has blackberry and sloe and a hint of jasmine.
Sir James and Brontë Liqueur Co Ltd plan to market the drink to a younger audience as a mixer for cocktails, and have already devised a series of recipes, including the Brontë Royale, made from the liqueur topped up with Champagne.
The Yorkshire company plans to sell directly to upmarket bars and restaurants, as well as specialist independent retailers. Contacts with importers in overseas markets have already been made in Scandinavia, Russia, Spain, Japan, UAE, Canada and the US.
Available in the UK at around £27 per 70cl bottle.
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