DRINKS specialist Sir James Aykroyd has revived Bronte Liqueur, a tipple he first discovered 40 years ago during a business trip to Paraguay, South America.

Sir James, who lives in North Yorkshire and has strong family connections to the Bronte Parsonage Museum, in Haworth, was determined to purchase the trade mark and market the drink himself.

Now, four decades on, he has managed it – transforming both its look and its taste for the current market.

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 Bronte Society.

“Today, that building is the Bronte 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 Bronte Liqueur was honey-based and presented in a ceramic jug, the new-tasting drink has a blackberry and sloe flavour, with a hint of jasmine.

Sir James and Bronte 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 Bronte Royale, made from the liqueur topped up with champagne and a Bronte Mule – a mix of Bronte Liqueur, fresh lime and ginger beer served over ice.

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.

A percentage of all sales of Bronte Liqueur will be donated to the Bronte Society. Bronte Liqueur retails in the UK for around £27 per 70cl bottle.