Dan Murphy’s is scrambling to restock Dubonnet,a French liqueur and crucial ingredient in the Queen’s favourite cocktail.

Dan Murphy’s is scrambling to restock Dubonnet,a French liqueur and crucial ingredient in the Queen’s favourite cocktail.Credit:Flavio Branceleone/SMH

“It’s certainly an acquired taste. It’s predominantly a fortified liqueur with spices,so it’s quite niche,quite popular in Europe – obviously very popular with the Queen,” Endeavour Group director of buying and merchandise Tim Carroll said.

The $13 billion beverages group is stocking up on the liqueur after several Dan Murphy’s and BWS stores ran out over the weekend.

Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite cocktail:Dubbonet and gin.

Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite cocktail:Dubbonet and gin.Credit:Dan Murphy’s

“In less than half[a week] we sold almost double that of Christmas,clearly showing a significant uplift from what we normally sell,and that was people clearly googling and recognising what is the Queen’s favourite drink and making it themselves,” Carroll said.

The aperitif is back in stock at most stores,but Endeavour expects demand for Dubonnet to remain higher than usual in the lead-up to the national day of mourning next week to honour the Queen,who died on September 8.

“I know that we’ll have more requests this weekend and equally into next week over the course of her funeral,perhaps.”

Across the country,Dan Murphy’s outlet in Sydney’s Double Bay notched up the highest total sales for the liqueur and was still sold out on Tuesday evening.

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The demographic that primarily enjoys Dubonnet is “baby boomers,older and more affluent customers”,Carroll said. “It’s actually a very classy cocktail.”

The French-based aperitif was so beloved by the Queen (as well as the Queen Mother) that it was granted a Royal Warrant in November last year,which stripped British supermarket Waitrose’s shelves bare.

An image of the official crest and the words “By Appointment to HM the Queen” were printed on bottle labels from 2022 onwards. A Royal Warrant is granted to recognise people or companies that regularly supply goods to the British royal family.

The popularity of Dubonnet,owned by French beverages giant Pernod Ricard,has had something of a small resurgence over the past few years,thanks to the pandemic.

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“The growth is partly due to lockdown,but we believe it is more to do with consumers looking for a lower-alcohol drink,” Pernod Ricard director Simon de Beauregard said in November.

“It is 14 per cent[alcohol by volume] compared with about 40 per cent in gin and vodka,and it has also become fashionable with the young to use in Negroni cocktails.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hasannounced a public holiday on September 22 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

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