StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
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5 Evan William's Single Barrel Vintage 2001, the brand's high-end annual vin- tage-dated expression; Vintage 2002 will be released in November. today and bottle it tomorrow," he adds. "The high pricing of the few brands of white whiskey I've seen on the market may minimize any dramatic rush of con- sumers to purchase this category. White whiskey (or white dog) could be more of a fad than a trend; only time will tell." "I don't know if white whiskey is the next trend," admits Petry at Woodford. "But it's new and exciting, and there's room for it as a specialized offering." Heaven Hill's specialized white whiskey offering is the Try Box Series. Named for the device that allows distillers to sample raw whiskey as it comes from the still, the series will feature unaged versions of the company's pop- ular whiskeys. The first two "new makes" are white versions of Evan Williams and Rittenhouse Rye. "We saw interest in 'new make' whiskey on the mixologist side for its unique taste profile," says Kass. Try Box is also a good educational tool at retail, to show con- sumers how barrel aging changes the color, aroma and taste profile of whiskey, he adds. The series will eventually include wheat and corn whiskeys. "Try Box allows us to talk about all the prod- ucts we offer, for example, our Bernheim Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey." Buy the Barrel O ne interesting phenomenon that shows the strength of the superpremium category as well as consumer interest in custom bottling is the practice of retailers buying their own barrel of mature whiskey right from the distilleries. Fact is, vol- umes are now high enough to make the concept viable for retailers who want to offer their customers a prod- uct exclusive to their stores. "The biggest off-premise support among a wide range of the normal tactics is around the Single Barrel Barrel Program," comments Mason. "Accounts try samples from several barrels then purchase an entire barrel for their customers. We're finding that has been a tremendously effective way to drive interest and dis- tribution." "Volume-wise, we are now at the point where we are ordering whiskey by the barrel," says Tesauro at Yankee Spirits. The three stores have featured exclusive barrels of Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare and Knob Creek, and 38 actively promoted the fact. "That's significant volume for us." Robinson has also purchased single barrels of bour- bon for Heritage Wine & Liquor. She added the twist of inviting her best customers to taste the samples and help pick the barrel. That's helped sales. Off-Premise Push T o keep the momentum going, producers support their brands with a variety of merchandising and promotional programs both on-premise and off. Evan Williams Black Label continues to benefit from an extensive media campaign that revolves around the theme Some Secrets are Worth Sharing, says Kass. The company will also be on ESPN2 and Great Recently launched Early Times 354 Bourbon reestablishes the brand as a bourbon (not only a Kentucky whiskey). American Country networks, in conjunction with sponsorship promotions with Bassmaster, the elite fishing series. In addition, the brand now has a championship bull-riding compo- nent to its marketing for Evan Williams; not only sponsorship signage on the gates but out- fitting the bull wranglers with logoed gear. The Best Kept Secret Band campaign is being reprised, with a free music download on the bottle, where legal, and a sweepstakes for the chance to catch the band live. "It's aimed at driving awareness par- ticularly among the younger demographic," says Kass. American whiskey brand ambassador Rob Hutchins will also be busy with tastings and seminar for trade and consumers. Yankee Spirits holds regular customer education sessions, often inviting brand ambassadors and distillers to speak. This fall the retailer is hosting its own American whiskey fest, with 50 to 75 different offerings for its customers to taste. Key promotions for Jack Daniel's include seasonal programs around summer grilling, tailgate parties in the fall and Jack Daniel's birthday during September. A new holiday program will include advertising, on and off premise components and digital and PR activation, says Powell. A well-received Jim Beam commercial starring Willem Dafoe is the beginning of a campaign launched around a Bold Choice theme. "Which we hope will build and grow for many years to come," says Mason. Wild Turkey's extensive marketing campaign, called "Give 'Em The Bird" (a tongue-in-cheek way to order), features print, outdoor and digital advertising, as well as an in-your-face social media component intended to StateWays s www.stateways.com s September/October 2011