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: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/446939
30 Beverage Dynamics • January/February 2015 www.beveragedynamics.com Irish Spirits cocktail, the Irish Boxer, which leverages the growing cider cate- gory. Kilbeggan grew 43% in dollar value and 40% in volume, ac- cording to Beam Suntory. "We carry every label we can because Irish whiskey is growing in Texas like it is in the rest of the country," notes Jim Detmore, Li- quor Buyer at Spec's Wine, Spirits, Finer Foods, a Houston-based retailer with over 150 locations. About 70% of that business is currently from Jameson. However, Detmore thinks that with the proliferation of new expressions, especially the pot still whiskeys, it will win over more single malt drinkers. "As Scotch prices continue to skyrocket, some consumers will switch over to Irish whiskey," he predicts. BROADENING IRISH APPEAL Some observers believe that the Irish category is widening its range of expressions and variants to suit more palates and fi t more drinking occasions. Consumers delve into the category via straight-forward, easy-drinking whiskeys then geek out on the more sophisticated of- ferings. And mixologists and home bartenders are shaking up the spirit in more cocktails. "Irish whiskey is sweet and smooth, with easy drinkability that invites the adventurous to explore the category," says Pfen- ning at Tullamore Dew. "And the complexity of a brown spirit keeps them intrigued." The brand's marketing focus remains on its biggest segment—men in the 21-30 age range. "However, a lot of women becoming interested in brown spirits and Irish in particular," Pfenning says. "At Julio's Liquors, we are seeing two different customers. The fi rst consumer is buying Jameson, but doesn't know much about Irish," Fisher says. "Then there is the consumer who knows whiskey, who is searching out the other expressions. The Bushmills, John Lane, Redbreast, Green Spot, and Tryconnell. They're real fans of whiskey." Beam Suntory's portfolio is diverse with a number of Irish brands and many options to appeal to consumers, Melamed points out. The range includes the single malt Tryconnell, the peated Connermara with smokiness similar to Scotch, and single-grain Greenore, with a corn fl avor profi le that may appeal to Bourbon drinkers. As for 2 Gingers, "we call it the 'Converter,'" Melamed says, because it converts newcomers to the Irish whiskey category. "It's also genderless, because both men and women drink it," she adds, "and because you can drink it year round, we call it 'sea- son-less.'" Marketing efforts are built around a core drink strat- egy, with the Big Ginger and the Skinny Ginger cocktails, which consumers at sampling programs fi nd more approachable than straight whiskey. "Redbreast, Powers, Midleton are Green Spot are single pot still whiskeys, which is exploding and is positioning itself long term with the premiumization of the Irish whiskey category," explains Bajaria at Pernod Ricard. Consumers may start with Jameson, then trade up or trade over to other whiskeys in the portfolio. "Redbreast has gained a cult following. You will see more innovation in this area from us. Whiskeys like that lend expertise to the category and appeal to the discerning whiskey drinker." OTHER AVENUES TO TRY Some consumers are led to the Irish category by the novel or the sweet. Poitin, an un-aged spirit (a white whiskey if you will), has been notorious as Irish moonshine for centuries and now a few, more refi ned examples are breaching our shores. Flavored expressions, a blazing fi reball in the overall whiskey category especially among young legal-age drinkers, has only a few adherents in Irish—so far. "Poitin is a novelty, but it received a much better than expected turnout when I featured it on a Whiskey Wednesday," marvels Fisher at Julio's Liquors. "Most people don't know what it is." Part of the success of that promotion, which featured Glendalough Poitin, was that the brand rep not only showed how sippable the white whiskey was, but offered easy-to-make cocktails. At Peco's Liquors, Mulvihill is hesitant to take a chance on poitin because sales of domestic white whiskeys weren't as strong as antic- ipated. "White whiskey is a departure from what most drinkers like about whiskey - the color, caramel, vanilla and spice notes you get from wood," he says. Bushmills was one of the pioneers in Irish fl avored whiskeys with the release of Bushmills Irish Honey in 2012. Now Pernod Ricard 2 Gingers Greenore Single Grain Teeling Single Malt Connemara Single Malt The Tyrconnell Single Malt