Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/658171
www.beveragedynamics.com March/April 2016 • Beverage Dynamics 29 "On-premise is where brands get built. Bartenders infl uence consumers to try new products. More consumers are being ex- posed to gin, primarily in the on-premise, but that translates to the off-premise," says Juli Falkoff, brand director of gins at Pernod Ricard USA. The company's portfolio includes three very different styles of gin. Beefeater is a quintessential London dry; Seagram's has a slightly sweeter profi le with hints of orange peel, cinnamon and lilac (the Seagram's Twisted variants feature fl avors such as pineapple, peach and melon); the unique Plymouth Gin has Protected Geographical Indication status and lists orris root and angelica root among its botanicals. Early this year, Pernod Ricard expanded its gin collection with the acquisition of a majority share in the Monkey 47 brand, a gin produced in the Black For- est of Germany. Monkey 47 is made from unusual botanicals including spruce tips, lingonberries, elderfl owers, sloes and black- berry leaves. "Our relationships with infl uential bartenders are key, as they educate consumers on new ways to enjoy our gin, which helps drive our on-premise sales," says Joanne Birkitt, senior vice pres- ident of global marketing for Bulldog Gin. "This in turn inspires consumers to look for and purchase Bulldog for at home occa- sions and gifting. We are experiencing growth in both channels." The English gin boasts 12 botanicals from eight countries around the world: Chinese dragon-eye, Turkish white poppy seeds, Asian lotus leaves, Italian juniper, Moroccan coriander, German angelica, Spanish lemon, Chinese licorice, Italian orris, Spanish almonds, Asian cassia and French lavender. "In the off-premise there is a lot of shopper inertia, versus low inertia on-premise," surmises Mooney. "On-premise deci- sions are made not by the guest, but by the establishment. The bartender recommends a gin or it's featured on the menu. We need to let the low-inertia, open-minded on-premise channel change the mind of the consumer, so that eventually they start going into the off-premise establishment with a new perspec- tive on gin." DRIVING INTEREST Whether on- or off-premise, the proliferation and promotions of all these new brands and styles are generating a buzz about gin. But other factors are at work as well: gin's culinary connections, the lure of novelty and stories of craft and authenticity. All those herbs and spices that fi nd their way into the still infuser have established a culinary connection with gin. "The new gin drinkers are in their 20s and urban, with a strong foodie interest, and are very much interested in gin's bo- tanicals and recipes," Fowkes says. Brockmans, he adds, is not the traditional London Dry style; botanicals include blueberries, blackberries, licorice, Bulgarian coriander, orris root and cassia bark. "It appeals to those nurtured on vodka or who don't like that heavy juniper fl avor," he says "Pairing food with gin cocktails has become increasingly pop- ular," says Gary Howard, North American brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire. "Chefs understand the versatility of great gins and see them as a base for inspiration to pair with their dishes." Bombay Sapphire's botanical list includes Spanish lemon peel, Moroccan coriander seeds, angelica and orris roots, cubeb ber- ries and grains of paradise. The brand, says Howard, has positioned itself in the culinary world, through partnerships with leading chefs like Tom Colic- chio and offering suggestions of cocktails pairings with dishes from those chefs. "The gin drinker is generally very interested in food as much as they are the drink," he says STORY TIME These days, consumers are very much interested in the process and lore of spirits. A good story, whether conveyed via social media, on the packaging, with retail hand-selling, in advertising or from brand ambassadors, helps sell bottles. "Consumers are interested in small-batch, craft gins that have a real person behind them and unique fl avor profi les," says Dina Clark, director at Terlato Artisan Spirits. The real person, in this case, is founder Mark Dawkins. The story is that he created Langley's No. 8 Gin with a very specifi c ABV (41.2%) and a collection of eight botanicals—all top secret. "There are so many stories associated with all of our gin brands, and Millennials love that aspect," Falkoff says. "Plym- outh has it in spades." Dating back to 1793, Plymouth is pro- duced in the old Black Friars Monastery. Legend has it that the Pilgrims stayed there before their historic voyage to the New