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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make liqueur. The words "liqueur" and "cordial" are essentially synonymous. Liqueurs and cordials are made by blending or redistilling spirits with the extracted essence of fruits, flowers, plants or some other typically organic item. A sweetener is added to the flavored spirit, an amount equalBarenjager Honey Liqueur ing not less than 2.5% recently added Bärenjäger by weight of the finHoney & Tea and ished liqueur. Bärenjäger Honey & Pear Many so-called proprito its brand portfolio. etary liqueurs protect their age-old recipes and keep their ingredients secret, a technique, no doubt, used to increase the intrigue surrounding the product. Indeed, many of these famous liqueurs, such as Cointreau, Drambuie, Grand Marnier, etc., feature superpremium pricing and it is often a combination of their distinct flavors and their unique histories that help spur extra sales. Still, the category is driven by its popular brands (ie, Kahlua, Baileys, Jagermeister, etc.) and the ongoing introduction of brands (Crave) and flavor extensions. A few of the more successful newer brands include RumChata and Barenjager Honey Liqueur, which just released Bärenjäger Honey & Tea and Bärenjäger Honey & Pear. The best piece of advice is to find out how the customer wants to use the liqueur. Those preferring to sip a liqueur after dinner will naturally gravitate to the classic proprietary brands. The cocktail renaissance, however, has been built on the back of liqueurs, making it more likely that consumers are purchasing liqueurs for drink-making purposes. One sales key is to determine if the client prefers a dry gin—such as Beefeater—or one that is softer and slightly sweet like Tanqueray. An innovation being well received by enthusiasts is gins distilled using fresh rather than dried botanicals. Tanqueray Ten is a popular example. It features a lush, succulent bouquet and marvelous- The ultra-premium ly flavorful palate. Beefeater Burrough's In recent years, sev- Reserve Gin has just eral new brands of gin been introduced into the U.S. with a lighter juniper footprint have seen success in the marketplace. The superpremium-priced Hendrick's, imported from Scotland, was one of the first, and has since been followed by a bevy of so-called "American-style" gins, which likewise focus on flavors other than juniper. Among several are Uncle Val's Botanical Gin, Nolet's Dry Gin and Junipero. Just released at select locations across the U.S. is Beefeater Burrough's Reserve, a hand-crafted, ultra-premium gin, created as a limited production, small batch offering by Master Distiller Desmond Payne. Burrough's Reserve uses the original Beefeater recipe and is distilled in the original copper Still Number 12 of Beefeater founder James Burrough. It is finished in rare oak barrels that have been hand selected by Payne. Burrough's Reserve comes in an embossed glass bottle and displays its batch and bottle number on the label. It has a sugSW gested retail price of $70 for a 750 ml bottle. Upselling High-End Gins I t's far too easy to perceive gins as simple and straightforward propositions. Their crystal clarity, featherweight bodies, and ethereal bouquets are not often considered elegant or complex, which is an unfortunate misconception. Americans are rediscovering the simple elegance and wonderful complexity of Britain's most famous export. More than any other clear spirit, premium gins are highly individualistic, made from recipes that endow them with well-developed characters and highly defined personalities. They have breeding and lineage measured in centuries. StateWays I www.stateways.com I November/December 2013 Contact Cheryl Naughton at 678-292-6054 cnaughton@specialtyim.com 27