White Russian or poor man's Bailey's?
Company: Walders
Rsp: £13.49
Market size: £135m
The competition: Baileys
The consumer
I'm quite partial to Baileys so was intrigued by this new flavour. I half expected the vodka and dairy combo to taste like a White Russian but it was disappointingly weak alcohol-wise. I couldn't drink much more than a small glass as it was very sweet. Yet despite the weird name - Walders doesn't sound like a drinks brand - its style and smoothness should help it do well. Three stars (out of five)
Shaun Bowen, garden centre manager, Hampshire
The retailer
This newcomer is certainly noticeable with its stylish, heavyweight bottle, but from seven feet away the crucial product description detail is lost. With no heritage or brand values to identify with - and an rsp of £13.49 - it's priced way above the competitive set. In the taste fight between vodka, vanilla and the non-dairy base, the vodka wins hands down. My female colleagues loved it and said they had no qualms about "having another". But heavyweight above-the-line marketing and careful seeding in the on-trade are essential. Three stars
Steve Howarth, trading controller beer, cider & spirits, Spar UK
The Grocer
I'm not normally a cream liqueur fan but was impressed initially by the attractive custardy colour. The smell of vanilla was distinct as I poured it over ice and I would not have guessed it was dairy-free without the bottle. It was creamy and moreish but nonetheless will have a tough time competing against known brands such as Baileys. Three stars
Chloe Smith, senior reporter
Company: Walders
Rsp: £13.49
Market size: £135m
The competition: Baileys
The consumer
I'm quite partial to Baileys so was intrigued by this new flavour. I half expected the vodka and dairy combo to taste like a White Russian but it was disappointingly weak alcohol-wise. I couldn't drink much more than a small glass as it was very sweet. Yet despite the weird name - Walders doesn't sound like a drinks brand - its style and smoothness should help it do well. Three stars (out of five)
Shaun Bowen, garden centre manager, Hampshire
The retailer
This newcomer is certainly noticeable with its stylish, heavyweight bottle, but from seven feet away the crucial product description detail is lost. With no heritage or brand values to identify with - and an rsp of £13.49 - it's priced way above the competitive set. In the taste fight between vodka, vanilla and the non-dairy base, the vodka wins hands down. My female colleagues loved it and said they had no qualms about "having another". But heavyweight above-the-line marketing and careful seeding in the on-trade are essential. Three stars
Steve Howarth, trading controller beer, cider & spirits, Spar UK
The Grocer
I'm not normally a cream liqueur fan but was impressed initially by the attractive custardy colour. The smell of vanilla was distinct as I poured it over ice and I would not have guessed it was dairy-free without the bottle. It was creamy and moreish but nonetheless will have a tough time competing against known brands such as Baileys. Three stars
Chloe Smith, senior reporter
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