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
6 Beverage Dynamics • January/February 2017 www.beveragedynamics.com ON THE Web INTERVIEW: WYOMING WHISKEY COO DAVID DEFAZIO 4 ALCOHOL TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2017 What will be hot in alcohol in 2017? Associate editor Kyle Swartz attended the annual DIS- CUS holiday event in NYC, which showcases future trends: 1) "BLENDED" WHISKEY WILL NO LONGER BE A PEJORATIVE Some customers turn noses up at blended whiskey. This derives from Scotch, where single-malt expressions are traditionally thought superior to blended versions. But the current craft movement is educating consum- ers to the contrary. "Blended" no longer has to mean "lower quality." For instance: High West Distillery. This U.S. spirits-producer mixes up unique whis- key blends with bourbon, rye and even Scotch. Their Campfi re whiskey, poured at the DISCIS event, is a combination of all three styles: a balance of sweet, spicy and smoky. It's unlikely that consumers would drink Campfi re and think the whiskey worse for being a blend. Rather, consumers today care much more about quality, fl avor and uniqueness. "People want something that's different and the only way to achieve that at this point is through blending," explained Jack Shute, High West Director of Sales, East Region, at the DISCUS event. "The whis- key connoisseur understands that blending is the new trend. As for the average con- sumer, they're getting there." The 2016 DISCUS holiday party in NYC showcased future trends. AMERICAN SINGLE MALT IS AN INTRIGUING NEW WHISKEY CATEGORY In this web feature, Associate Editor Kyle Swartz looked at the emerging new whis- key category American Single Malt: For consumers, the appeal of American Single Malt is variety. U.S. distillers working outside the parameters of foreign single malts have created fl avors unlike much else on the market. Consumers today want what's new to them. Here's a whole category of unique spirits they've likely not yet tried. And besides, "bourbon is already so well made in America, and there's so much of it, that distilleries don't really need to make another," argues Jason Parker, founder of Copperworks Distilling Company. "What's not boring is to make a malt whiskey." In the wide world of single-malt whisky, distillers typically use one or two types of malts. This despite there being a wide range of malt fl avors and terroir possibilities. So is the way of tradition. American Single Malt is the exception. But breaking from Scotch traditions is not meant as an insult. "We don't want to fl ip Scotch on its head and poke fun of it, but express who we are and where we come from," says Matt Hofmann, Master Distiller of Westland Distillery, which produces only single malts. While this permits experimentation, it also poses a problem. "American Single Malt doesn't have a defi nition," Hofmann says. "The phrase doesn't mean anything on the label." So a growing number of producers are working to correct that. Twenty-four distilleries (including Westland) are members of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission (ASMWC). According to its mission statement, the ASMWC wants to "establish, promote and protect the category." American single malt is an emerging new category. As Wyoming Whiskey launched its newest expres- sion, a rye/bourbon/malted barley blend called Outryder, Associate Editor Kyle Swartz interviewed co-founder and COO David DeFazio: Beverage Dynamics: Wyoming Whiskey loves to experiment. Anything coming up you can tell us about? David DeFazio: We've got a sherry cask-fi nished bourbon that just received TTB approval. That will be released in limited quantity around the end of 2016. It'll start in Wyoming as a trial, and then trickle out into other mar- kets. We're calling it 'Double Cask'. It'll also be bottled at 100 proof because we want it to be looked at as a cock- tail whiskey. And in February or March of next year, keep an eye out, since we might do another barrel-strength release. Our fi rst barrel strength just got a 95 rating in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2016. FOR THE FULL STORIES, VISIT WWW.BEVERAGEDYNAMICS.COM.