Cocktail Quality, Brand Awareness and Variety Continue to Be Important

Ever-increasing openness to an unprecedented variety of spirits and cocktail creations looks to continue in 2007 as more consumers than ever join the rising cocktail culture.
    “I believe that we are in the midst of a trend that has been going on for 15 or better years,” says spirits expert and founder of spiritexperts.com Sean Ludford. “That trend is quality.”
    “Rum, which has been on a slow but steady climb, will likely explode, with the big boys launching and inventing additional labels. Vodka, while still king, is slowing as new labels are coming out each hour as opposed to each quarter hour.”
    Mike Ginley, president of Next Level Marketing, has observed similar movements. “I see consumers reporting that they are drinking more rum, vodka and tequila than they did a year ago,” Ginley says. “Looking ahead, it appears that flavored vodka growth will cool off a bit, and there will be a return to regular vodka. Another category that looks to be making a return is the gin category driven by the premium and ultra-premium brands.”
    The newest members of the legal-drinking-age segment in 2007 largely will be drawn to flavor, says Dave Commer, president of Commer Beverage Consulting. “The focus on flavor development will be more about being true to the fruit flavors, with less candied and artificial tastes,” he says.
    “The salad days of cocktails will continue and evolve as the 20-somethings grow and mature to the point that they can no longer consider Red Bull and Vodka to be a cocktail,” Ludford says.

Room at the Bar
    As the Mojito has shown us all, the national cocktail party always has room for an exciting surprise guest, and the attitude of today’s consumer is “the more, the merrier.” And more base spirits themselves are getting invitations.
    “As far as new challenging flavors I am confident that Latin trends such as Peruvian Pisco-unaged Grape Brandy, or Cachaça and Caribbean rums (along with Mexican tequila and mezcal) are going to gain appreciation among consumers,” says Francesco Lafranconi director of mixology for Southern Wine & Spirits of America, the country's largest wine and spirits distributor with operations currently in 26 states. “Palates are evolving and going to slowly but positively shift from neutral vodkas to more complex spirits.”
    “Take a look at gin consumption for instance; it shows a very minimum growth, but gin cocktails are coming back, with recipes like the Negroni (Gin, Campari and wweet vermouth) and the White Lady (gin, Cointreau, fresh lemon juice and egg white) to more sophisticated mint-cucumber-flavored, gin-based cocktails.”

From the Bar, With Love
    “I truly believe that within the next 2-3 years getting a well crafted, hand-shaken drink by a smiley face behind the bar will become a much more common encounter,” Lafranconi says. “The craft of the cocktail is resurging and along with it new talented mixologists full of passion and product knowledge. Their efforts will not go unnoticed, but will develop more cocktail-educated customers who will leave the bar filled with great liquid memories.”        NCB