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
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/570883
39 StateWays ■ www.stateways.com ■ September/October 2015 SPICED & FLAVORED RUM ing Admiral Nelson's $12 price tag and Blackheart in the $16 range. "Overall, rum is reasonably priced," echoes retailer Guzay. It's the affordability that wards off any pretentiousness on the part of the consumer when they pick up a bottle of spiced or fl avored rum. "Rum is a drink that appeals to everyone and is free of much of the snobbery or exclu- sivity that oftentimes is associated with other spirit categories," notes Kleinman at Diageo. Spiced Rum, he adds, is a recruitment-driving and broadly appealing spirit simi- lar to fl avored whiskey. "Rum is among the most in- viting, unpretentious categories in spirits," confi rms Josh Hayes, brand manager for Sailor Jerry. "The Caribbean and that imagery is one of rum's great- est strengths, and what differentiates it from the other spirits categories," says Mequet at Malibu. "Rum is seen as fun and approachable." Some consumers are transitioning to spiced and fl a- vored rums from other fl avored categories. Rum, say proponents, has the advantage of a strong personality to support those fl avor variations. "It appears the large blocks of consumers that are leaving the fl avored vodka category are shifting to other fl avored spirits where the base spirit is not hidden as it is with vod- ka," surmises David Farmer, president of Fishbowl Spirits, makers of Blue Chair Bay Rum. "Flavored whiskies and fl avored rums seem to be in the perfect place to capture anyone making the transition." PERCOLATING FLAVORS Many of the major players have launched new fl avors or variants this year. There have also been some innova- tions in packaging. New for Bacardi is Bacardi Tangerine Fusion. "Ba- cardi Flavored Rums are always pushing limits and developing new fl avor profi les to meet the changing needs of our consumer," says Arvind Krishnan, vice president and brand managing director for the rum category. This summer, Bacardi Limón is celebrating its 20th anniversary, with the Turn Up Your Summer series, in con- junction with Bacardi Limónade and iHeartRadio. Diageo introduced its newest line of fl avors—Captain Morgan Pineapple, Coconut and Grapefruit. "Obviously con- sumers' palates vary, and our goal is to continue to pro- vide a diversity of options," says Kleinman. This spring, Blue Chair Bay Rum launched two new fl avors–Vanilla Rum and Banana Rum Cream. And in April, Cruzan launched its newest fl avor, Blueberry Lemonade. That is the 15th fl avored rum for the prolifi c producer. Sailor Jerry is sticking to spiced and only spiced. "Unlike most everyone else in the rum category, we've not played the 'fl avor game' by launching fruit fl avors, RTDs and some pretty unconventional fl avors," Hayes says. The company did slim down its package with lighter-weight glass to help reduce its carbon footprint. "Premium variants is an area where we see energy," Hafer says. That's the strategy behind Admiral Nelson's " Spiced rum is an affordable luxury " — Josh Hafner, communications manager at Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc