|
The Climbing Whiskey Wave
New Arrivals Add to Dynamic Category
Like many in the drinks
business, I’m constantly asked, “What’s new, what’s hot?” Most are
curious, and some, well, some just couldn’t stand the thought of being
seen with yesterday’s cocktail. I usually begin my answer by telling
them that it’s vital to differentiate a trend from a fad.
Merriam-Webster’s defines a fad as “a practice or interest followed for
a time with exaggerated zeal.” Trends, on the other hand, have a modest
birth and build steadily, rarely losing their converts.
Opening my answer with this brief distinction points the individual
in a direction to help himself. Most importantly, it often keeps them
from asking me the question a second time.
Fads are almost ridiculous to write about, as by the time of the
printing and reading of the article, the fad may have faded. You can’t
spell “faded” without “fad.”
Besides, trends are always so much more interesting, as they have a
foundation that can’t simply be swept away like a sand castle at high
tide. You can build your business on trends, and in the beverage world,
there is no trend as compelling as whisk(e)y.
Whiskey, by nature, requires patience and foresight. Scotch whisky
must spend a minimum of three years in cask (often much longer), while
straight bourbon must spend two years in barrel (while four years
minimum is most common). In this span of time, a vodka brand can
launch, sputter, die, and re-launch under a new moniker or be retooled
with a range of flavors that would make a Starbucks barista blush.
Whiskey is neither spontaneous nor capricious, and neither are
whiskey consumers. Like the spirit in the cask, cultivating whiskey
drinkers is well worthwhile for nearly every establishment.
Recent History
Simply examine where whisky was, in the marketplace, just two
decades ago. Granted, two decades is an eternity in the bar and
restaurant world, but two decades in the world of whiskey is just a
long summer.
There were a small handful of bourbon labels available, and in
truth, most were not very exciting. Scotch whisky was ruled primarily
by blends, with single-malts being a mystery to most. The Glens
— Glenlivet and Glenfiddich — dominated the backbar with a scant
sighting of other offerings. Small-batch, or single-barrel bourbon was
unknown, and most of the labels that are lauded today did not exist two
decades ago. Neither did many of the single-malts that we see today.
Sure, the distilleries themselves were long-lived and making
whiskey that primarily was destined for blends, but as a single they
existed in the shadows, if at all. Arguably, Diageo’s “Classic Malt”
collection launched the modern interest in single-malt whiskey, and
this wasn’t introduced until 1988. Two decades ago, scant few asked for
a Lagavulin (founded in 1816), and fewer still could pronounce it,
while today this malt is in constant short supply, being sought by
consumers around the globe.
The whiskey trend is built on much more than the introduction of
brands and labels. This occurrence is merely a symptom of whiskey’s
market strength.
At the heart of the trend is quality. Quality is immaterial in the
material world of a fad but is the cornerstone of any worthy trend. The
small-batch bourbons and newly available single-malts were simply
better than the previously available labels. These newcomers keep
getting better while spawning related and complementary brands,
introduced to satisfy the growing legions of whiskey devotees.
Notable New Arrivals
As whiskey’s momentum continues to build with a steady 5 percent
annual increase in single-malt sales and continual growth in premium
American whiskey, the number of labels continues to swell. Many of the
usual suspects have introduced, or will release by year’s end, new
labels and line extensions. Additionally, new players have entered the
ring with some inspiring spirits.
Bowmore, Islay’s oldest distillery, has given a complete facelift
to its product line and trimmed the portfolio and tweaked a few age
statements. The core of the Bowmore portfolio is now: “Legend” (with no
age statement), 12-year, “Darkest” 15-year (the previous Darkest was a
14-year with no age statement on the bottle), 18-year (replacing the
17-year that now will be sold exclusively at duty free shops) and
25-year.
Gone are the “Mariner” and “Dusk” labels that never really caught
on. The entire line is stronger than ever in terms of quality in the
glass and the contemporary package will catch the eye of today’s buyer.
In September, Bowmore released a very limited supply of 16-year “Port
Wood Finish” retailing for about $100 per bottle, while sister brand
Auchentoshan simultaneously released a 16-year, “Bourbon Wood” malt.
Diageo has been busy as usual this year introducing The Singleton
of Glendullan in the United States. This warm and inviting 12-year-old
malt represents the first official bottling of Glendullan in the states
from a distillery built in 1897.
Releasing single-malts previously kept in the dark, destined for
blends, has been a recent strategy by Diageo, which in recent years has
rolled out Caol Ila and Clynelish with great critical success. In
addition to The Singleton, they have introduced Crown Royal XR and
Royal Cask 16, Port Ellen 28-year (a distillery closed in 1983), as
well as re-introducing Johnnie Walker Swing, a premium blended whiskey
with a distinct Sherry cask component.
Heaven Hill Distilleries has announced a new addition to its
already deep Whiskey portfolio with the introduction of Parker’s
Heritage. The new label is named for their longtime master distiller,
Parker Beam. Parker’s Heritage will be a series of four whiskeys,
starting with a 12-year, cask-strength bourbon released this fall,
followed by rye, corn and wheat whiskeys in the coming years. At
present, Heaven Hill is rather tight-lipped about which expression is
next to come.
New to many U.S. markets but first introduced last year is
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. This is a truly unique whiskey, being
single-malt while aged like bourbon in charred, white oak casks.
Presently, it can be found in fewer than a dozen states, but
distribution is growing steadily.
Building for the Future
On the horizon are a handful of new Scotch whisky distilleries.
Diageo is building in Roseisle, Scotland, with an expected opening
in 2009. Kilchoman is the first distillery to be built on Islay in 124
years; while Kilkerran is a new whiskey made in the old Glengyle
distillery by the folks at Springbank. The whiskey has reached the
legal age of 3 years old and is offered in limited quantities at the
distillery only with plans for a wide release on the spirit’s 8th
year. NCB
Sean Ludford is the creator of BeverageExperts.com and a quarterly magazine, The Aperitif, which is delivered electronically. |
