An Ode to the Cordial
The lime and soda has become somewhat of a code word in pub culture. An inoffensive, morally-neutral option - in comparison to its chaotically sweet cousin the J20 – for many, it’s become the default choice for nights off drinking, pub lunches, or simply when a burst of unambiguous refreshment is required.
The lime and soda is an oasis of a drink. It demands little. In its simplicity of construction, its unfussiness, it offers respite from the anxiety of choice. A flash of clarity amongst a sea of performative mocktails.
And yet, its indifference is also the thorn in its side. As the on-trade level up their offering in the non-alc space, providing drinkers with intriguing, adult alternatives, what might become of this quiet institution? What might its evolution look like?
The cordial - as a liquid, and as a ritual - is begging for a reinvention. Already established in consumers’ minds as a credible drink for when you’re not drinking – there’s an opportunity to build upon these existing behaviours as we reimagine the contours of the category.
Three opportunity areas for those looking to build future propositions within the ‘progressive cordial’ space:
Functional Cordials
The rise of functional drinks within the non-alc space won’t have gone amiss to anyone. From lion’s mane lagers to Adaptogenic aperitifs – the category has become swept up in the world of wellness. This is already bleeding into the cordial space, with a handful of smaller players producing wellbeing-additive options.
Jin Jin
Jin Jin is a naturally fermented enzyme cordial made with a combination of 35 fruits, vegetables, mushrooms and cultures. Borrowing methods and ingredients from East Asian culture (Dragon Fruit, Lotus Root, Chinese Yam) – their cordial is full of mood-boosting live bacteria and amino acids, and boasts a subtly tart, earthy flavour profile.
Culinary Cordials
As flavour literacy has improved (in part driven by increasingly globalised food cultures), drinks producers have become increasingly experimental with the ingredients they’re willing to select (remember when Yuzu was a complete unknown?). Taking a culinary approach to liquid design, an emerging cohort of drinks brands are producing deeply complex cordials fit for food pairing.
Paragon
Founded by award-winning, renegade bartender Alex Kratena, Paragon Cordials are made with rare botanicals, woods, and resins – like Timur Berry, Penja Pepper, Palo Santo, and Labdanum. Using advanced techniques inspired by perfumery, each cordial is designed to express the essence of a single ingredient.
Ferdenand’s Riesling Verjus
Produced by the 200 year old Avadis Distillery, Ferdenand’s Riesling Verjus Cordial is made with grapes sourced from one of Germany’s finest vineyards, and infused with herbs and flowers from the Saar region. With a sweet-tart taste, somewhere in between a thick juice and a vinegar – Verjus can be sipped on the rocks or lengthened with a refreshing mixer.
Nostalgic Cordials
There’s something intrinsically nostalgic about the cordial. In its more juvenile incarnation as ‘squash’ – it brings about early memories of afterschool suppers, sports days, and birthday parties. Using these associations as a lever, an opportunity to build out future propositions that evoke a specific time, place, and scenario that pulls upon drinkers’ childhood heartstrings.
Bristol Syrup Co
Whilst this is a relatively untapped space, Bristol Syrup Company have been exploring some flavour expressions that arguably sit within the realm of nostalgia. Their grapefruit sherbet syrup brings about memories of vintage sweets, with its carefully constructed balance of fizziness and acidity. Beyond childhood memories, there’s a clear opportunity to expand the scope of this nostalgia – looking to different historical periods and cultural contexts to create flavour experiences that feel like a portal into a different time.