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/777147
Imported Whisky 30 Beverage Dynamics • January/February 2017 www.beveragedynamics.com "Our recent success with the award-winning Northern Har- vest Rye has been amazing, but we're equally proud of our suc- cess in flavored whiskey," Ruane says. "We believe consumers want quality whiskey products whatever the type, and the notion that the flavored whiskies are for the inexperienced drinker are incorrect. We've found whiskey drinkers, new or experienced with the category, are enjoying both." Second-largest import Canadian Club, from Beam Suntory, has recently added its own 100-percent rye iteration, and the distiller has found that its Alberta Rye Dark is also participating in the American whiskey-driven rye boom, says Nathalie Phil- lips, Marketing Director, Beam Suntory World Whiskies (Iron- ically, many of the so-called craft rye brands bottled in the U.S. are all Canadian). As rye has grown in importance with the younger American consumer due to the cocktail renaissance, the massive amounts of so-called flavoring rye whiskies (popular Canadian brands commonly are blended, consisting mostly of light corn whiskey with Canadian rye and sometimes Bourbon added) are being bottled and presented as an alternative to the smooth and mel- low style that Canadian whisky is otherwise known for. "Alberta Rye Dark has been a real hit with the bartending community because of the rye Bourbon and sherry components, and they love to use that as a base," Phillips says. To double down on the growth and popularity of rye among American whiskey fans, Beam Suntory is directing salespeople to recommend to retailers that Canadian Club 100% Rye and Alberta Dark be shelved in the rye, rather than Canadian, sec- tions of store. "We've found it is the younger consumer looking for spicier or bolder spirits who is going right to the rye section and the way to reach these younger consumers is to make sure they can find it," Phillips says. "Every store has its own footprint, but we ask our sales people to focus on the rye section - especially the larger stores, or more sophisticated stores in smaller markets." Suggesting retailers create an international rye category meshes with the cocktail strategies driving both these brands. "These newer consumers are coming into the category by differ- ent occasions, selecting what they drink based on who they're with and their mood," she says. LEADING BRANDS OF CANADIAN WHISKY, 2013-2015 (000 9-LITER CASES) 14/15 BRAND SUPPLIER 2013 2014 2015 % CHG Crown Royal FB Diageo 4,296 4,275 4,850 13.5% Canadian Club FB Beam Suntory 1,198 1,210 1,215 0.4% Seagram's V.O. FB Diageo 870 820 714 -12.9% MacNaughton FB Constellation Brands 163 156 151 -3.2% Wiser's Canadian FB Pernod Ricard USA 75 84 85 1.2% Royal Canadian FB Sazerac 80 80 76 -5.0% Crown Royal Reserve FB Diageo 94 70 69 -1.4% Forty Creek FB Campari America 90 63 68 7.9% Total Leading Brands 6,866 6,758 7,228 7.0% Total FB Canadian 7,320 7,225 7,694 6.5% Black Velvet USB Constellation Brands 2,015 2,050 2,025 -1.2% Canadian Mist USB Brown-Forman Beverages 1,537 1,489 1,375 -7.7% Rich & Rare USB Sazerac 835 870 897 3.1% Windsor Supreme USB Beam Suntory 939 896 884 -1.3% Canadian LTD USB Sazerac 700 685 680 -0.7% Canadian Hunter USB Sazerac 395 392 385 -1.8% Lord Calvert USB Luxco 414 370 356 -3.8% Pendleton USB Hood River Distillers 166 191 230 20.4% Total Leading Brands 7,001 6,943 6,832 -1.6% Total USB Canadian 8,355 8,240 8,105 -1.6% Total Canadian Whisky 15,675 15,465 15,799 2.2% FB=Foreign Bottled; USB=U.S. Bottled. Source: The Beverage Information & Insights Group. For more data and analysis, visit www.albevresearch.com.