Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2015 i Market Watch

Something’s wrong with this picture. Amid a generational boom in whiskies, how can it be that so much of the Scotch category, with all its storied traditions and iconic brands, is in the doldrums? Scotch volume was down 1.4 percent in the United States last year, with some of its biggest names showing declines. Single malts continue to do fabulously, of course, rising by 8.2 percent in 2014. But in the much larger blended Scotch segment, volumes have fallen by around a million and a half cases since 2000. While Scotch should be in a better place right now, at least things are heading in the right direction. Confident pricing is now much more the order of the day, accompanied by a torrid pace of innovation. That combination will likely…

• Restaurateur Stephen Starr unveiled his fourth venue in South Florida in August with the opening of The Continental. A sister location to the eponymous restaurant in Philadelphia, the Miami unit features a globally inspired menu, as well as cocktails that highlight boutique spirits and fresh ingredients. • Asian traditions and Macanese culture get the star treatment at Los Angeles’ new restaurant House of Macau. The eatery boasts two cocktail lounges, a raw bar and a large outdoor patio. The menu lists hot and cold small plates, dumplings, pot stickers and larger entrees, as well as Asian cocktails and sake, wine and beer. • Chicago’s DineAmic Group added a more polished version of its popular Siena Tavern in July, debuting Bar Siena in the Windy City’s West Loop neighborhood. The…

Crown Royal Regal Apple Introduced in November 2014, Diageo North America’s Crown Royal Regal Apple depleted 129,000 cases in its first two months. By the end of Diageo’s fiscal year on June 30th, 2015, the offering had shipped over a million cases, with depletions approaching 900,000 cases, according to Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes. Overall expansion of the flavored whisk(e)y category—up 27 percent in volume for the 52 weeks ended August 9th, according to IRI data—also buoyed the expression. Regal Apple contributed to much of the growth in the overall Crown Royal brand, which rose 12 percent to 4.3 million cases for Diageo’s 2014 fiscal year, according to Impact Databank. The 35-percent alcohol-byvolume (abv) variant ($25 a 750-ml. bottle) combines Crown Royal Canadian whiskey with Regal Gala apples and apple flavors,…

Malt-free grain whisky has arrived. Retailers are finding that they not only have to make room for more Scotch whisky labels, but they’ve also got to clear space for an entirely unique Scotch category. Grain whiskies, typically made from wheat or corn, are making their debut. Diageo North America unveiled its Haig Club Single Grain Scotch whisky ($50 a 750-ml. bottle) last year with the endorsements of soccer star David Beckham and television entrepreneur Simon Fuller. This month, the company is launching two more all-grain whiskies: the Port Dundas 12-year-old and 18-year-old, with final prices yet to be determined as of press time. “We’re going back to the roots of Scotch whisky,” says Brian Cox, Scotch whisky marketing director at Diageo North America. He explains that in the 19th century,…

Fifteen years ago, Grand Rapids, Michigan–based Founders Brewing Co. was on the brink of bankruptcy. At the time, cofounders Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers did some soul searching and realized that attaining their dream of successfully running a craft brewery would require taking a big chance while remaining true to their original vision. That refocusing and dedication has paid off, and Founders has re-emerged to become one of the largest and fastest-growing craft breweries in the country. Engbers concedes that when Founders first started selling beer in 1997, its brews were “fairly mainstream and unremarkable.” Stevens recalls the company’s initial goals. “We wanted to make some of the world’s greatest beers—labels that excited us and differentiated us,” he says. “But for the first few years, we weren’t doing that.” So…

In September, Penfolds wines were poured at official Emmy Awards parties, and each Primetime Emmy winner received a bottle of 2012 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz in a commemorative wooden box. This partnership is just one of several efforts Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is making to support the iconic Australian brand in the U.S. marketplace. Noting the recent “Numbers Can Be Extraordinary” advertising campaign, as well as the Best Dressed Somm contest, extensive ambassador training and distributor outreach, TWE North America president Sandra LeDrew says the push on Penfolds is far from over. “This month’s release of the new vintage is again being accompanied by our Penfolds Collection launch dinners, where we meet with high-end restaurateurs, retailers and sommeliers,” she explains. “Chief winemaker Peter Gago is also leading a tasting…

When customers at Boston’s Grill 23 & Bar steak house relish the moment of picking a Cabernet Sauvignon to complement their dry-aged cut, they’re benefiting from the results of Brahm Callahan’s decade-plus experience in fine wine and education. The 31-year-old Callahan, who serves as beverage director of Grill 23 operator Himmel Hospitality Group, passed the certified sommelier exam from the Court of Master Sommeliers at the age of 24. At the time, he managed the wine program at the now-closed Excelsior restaurant after starting his career with Shelburne Falls Wine Merchant in Western Massachusetts. “I was pretty young and baby-faced,” he recalls. “Customers weren’t taking me seriously, so I took the introductory and certified exams. If a customer pushed back, I would mention I was a certified sommelier.” Callahan joined…

Total Wine Names Kevin Peters CEO.... Potomac, Maryland–based retail chain Total Wine & More has appointed Kevin Peters as the company’s first-ever CEO, effective January 1st, 2016. Peters joined the Total Wine board in 2011 and was most recently CEO of Fleet Pride, the largest independent distributor of heavyduty truck and retailer parts in the United States. Prior to that position, he served as president of North America for Office Depot. He will report directly to the board and remain a board member while serving as CEO. David Trone, who co-owns Total Wine with his brother Robert, projects that the retail chain will have 130 stores across 18 states and sales over $2 billion by year-end. Starbucks Plans Evening Program Expansion.... Starbucks has announced plans to aggressively expand its “Evenings”…

• Pegu Club alumnus Kenta Goto unveiled the Japanese-inspired Bar Goto in late July on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The intimate space serves updated takes on classic cocktails that feature Japanese ingredients like yuzu, shiso and miso. These drinks are joined by sake, wine and beer, as well as Japanese small plates. • Modeled after a recording studio, Soundcheck opened in August in Washington, D.C., and features a roster of live artists and DJs playing electronic dance music, Latin dance and hip-hop. The space was designed to evoke popular clubs in Athens, Greece, during the 1980s and ’90s, highlighting bottle service and a full bar. • Chicago’s cultural and dining destination Thalia Hall debuted Tack Room in July. Located in the former carriage house portion of the space, the cocktail…

AS PICTURED: 1. Artist Ryan McGinness signed specialedition bottles of Hennessy V.S. Cognac, which he designed, at the Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection store on Market Street in Philadelphia on August 27th. 2. Tennis player Novak Djokovic hosted a cooking class to celebrate the U.S. launch of the Jacob’s Creek wine “Made By” film series on August 27th at Astor Center in New York City 3. Country music artist Lee Brice performed at a concert sponsored by Jägermeister liqueur at the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel in Worley, Idaho, on September 16th. 4. Model Coco Rocha toasted New York Fashion Week’s opening night with Cîroc vodka cocktails on September 9th at Christie’s in New York City. 5. Rapper E-40 entertained thousands of fans during Budweiser’s Made in America…

Gavin Hattersley was named CEO of MillerCoors in September. Hattersley had been serving as interim CEO since Tom Long retired on June 30th. He continues to serve as the chief financial officer of Molson Coors until a replacement for that position is found. Beam Suntory created a general manager position to handle its U.S. marketing, appointing Greg Hughes to oversee three vice presidents leading the company’s Bourbon, world whisk(e)y and innovation, and mixables portfolios. Hughes most recently served as vice president of marketing at The Kraft Heinz Co. Domaine Select Wine & Spirits (DSWS) appointed Evis Savvides to the roles of executive vice president, chief financial officer and COO. He joins DSWS from consulting group SFG and previously served as COO for Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. New Belgium Brewing…

American Wine Boston-based author Tom Acitelli has written a new book tracing the history and evolution of wine in the United States. Published in September, “American Wine: A Coming-of-Age Story” chronicles the industry’s rise, from the 1960s when just 400 U.S. wineries existed to the current era with over 8,000 wineries in operation. The 352-page hardcover ($29.95) provides an in-depth look at the U.S. wine business, with chapters titled “Pink Chablis Vs. Premier Cru,” “The Birth of the Wine Bar,” and “Garage Revolutionaries and Virtual Giants.” For more information, visit Chicagoreviewpress.com. Drinking The Devil’s Acre Renowned bartender and cocktail educator Duggan McDonnell has penned a book that pays homage to San Francisco’s beverage culture. Referencing a block of saloons in the city’s famed 19th century–era Barbary Coast, “Drinking the Devil’s…

Captain Morgan Cannon Blast Diageo North America is extending its Captain Morgan rum brand this fall. Cannon Blast ($15.99 a 750-ml. bottle) blends rum with flavors of Caribbean citrus and chipotle and jalapeno peppers. The 35-percent alcohol-by-volume (abv) spirit, which comes in a cannonball-shaped bottle that glows under black light, is available nationwide. For more information, visit Captainmorgan.com or call Diageo at 203-229-2100. Johnnie Walker Rye Cask Finish Diageo North America is introducing a new Johnnie Walker expression as the inaugural release in its Select Casks series this month. Johnnie Walker Rye Cask Finish ($45 a 750-ml. bottle) is a 10-year-old blended Scotch whisky that was aged in first-fill American oak casks and finished in ex–rye whiskey barrels, resulting in vanilla notes and a spicy finish. The 46-percent abv spirit…

As the owner of the two Half Time stores in New York, Alan Daniels manages what he claims to be the world’s largest beer selection, and it has him thirsty for more. The retailer, who operates the business with his son, Jason Daniels, launched the first 9,000-square-foot location in Poughkeepsie in 2002 and stocked 600 beers. Since then, Half Time’s offerings have surged to around 5,000 beers and hundreds of ciders, with a second, 20,000-square-foot unit in Mamaroneck, located in New York’s affluent Westchester County. More store openings are slated for the state’s Hudson Valley region over the next three years. With its high, warehouse-style ceilings and wide aisles organized by region, Half Time has a user-friendly atmosphere. Big-name beer brands are organized on pallets at one end of the…

On-Premise News Yum! Brands Introduces Taco Bell Cantina Concept Yum! Brands–owned chain Taco Bell has unveiled the new “urban concept” Taco Bell Cantina. The concept’s stores will sell alcohol and feature a tapas-style menu, as well as do away with the drive-thru, provide digitized ordering and mirror local architecture. The first two Taco Bell Cantinas opened in San Francisco and Chicago in September. The San Francisco restaurant is expected to offer beer and wine only, while the Chicago location serves beer, wine, sangria and frozen drinks. Taco Bell plans to build or remodel 600 stores a year and is evaluating opportunities to expand the Cantina concept. Chicago Sommelier To Open Wine Bar Chicago sommelier Tom Powers, former host of the Discovery Channel’s “Bar Hunters” show, plans to open a wine…