Market Watch January - February 2015

A decade ago, Italian bitters were practically an endangered species in the U.S. market. Their star had fallen, and their brand power and alluring imagery had long since faded. But then came the cocktail renaissance—and today bitter liqueurs are in serious revival mode. This most traditional of all spirits has now become one of the coolest. And even if some of its key brands are still at relatively modest volumes, growth is hitting double-digit rates. Italian bitters generally have been enjoyed neat, as shots or after dinner drinks, but now mixologists are blending them into an array of cocktails. Some of those are classic offerings like the Negroni, but there are plenty of new recipes as well. Foodies are also embracing bitter liqueurs, creating pairing opportunities with a variety of…

Hakkasan Takes Stake In The Light Group....In December, Hakkasan Group acquired a 90-percent stake in Las Vegas–based hospitality company The Light Group (TLG) from Morgans Hotel Group for $36 million. TLG operates 22 food and beverage properties, including venues in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and Dubai. Hakkasan Group operates 12 units of its upscale Chinese concept Hakkasan worldwide, along with the restaurants Yauatcha, HKK, Sake No Hana, Herringbone, Searsucker and Social House, as well as Hakkasan Nightclub and Wet Republic Ultra Pool at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The company is launching Omnia Nightclub in Las Vegas and San Diego this spring. Morgans may opt to acquire a minority interest in TLG for up to 18 months after closing. Belvedere Partners With James Bond….In December, Moët Hennessy–owned vodka brand…

Next Glass App Dubbed the “Pandora for wine and beer,” Next Glass launched in November and received more than 250,000 downloads within its first three weeks. The free application provides beer and wine recommendations based on the user’s previous ratings and taste preferences. Available for iPhone or Android, the app scans the label of any wine or beer bottle via the phone’s camera and predicts how much the user will like it. Suggestions and ratings can also be shared with friends through the app and on social media. For more information, visit Nextglass.co. Sonic Decanter Dionysus Technology Concepts has unveiled the Sonic Decanter, an electronic device that uses sound waves to improve the taste, aroma, mouth feel and finish of any wine in fewer than 20 minutes. The patented process…

Miami Welcomes Caribbean-Themed Rum Lounge Paying tribute to the Prohibition era, when Caribbean ships brought rum to Florida to fuel speakeasies, The Rum Line is a laid-back open-air bar in the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. The venue debuted in November on the terrace of the hotel’s St. Moritz Tower, adjacent to the popular restaurant Lure Fishbar. The Rum Line offers an expansive drinks menu that features cocktails ($12 to $18) like Mojitos, Mai Tais and Daiquiris, as well as punches ($50 to $200) that serve three to four people. Signature drinks include the Devil Is a Lie, mixing Damoiseau VSOP rhum agricole, raspberries, tarragon, lime and a Pernod absinthe rinse, and the Tug Boat, a blend of Mount Gay Black Barrel and J. Wray & Nephew White Overproof rums, St.…

Minneapolis Chef Returns Home With Modern Restaurant Chef Gavin Kaysen unveiled Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood in November. After spending the last several years in Manhattan working for chef Daniel Boulud, Kaysen returns to his hometown with an upscale, modern restaurant. Spoon and Stable highlights local products, offering a seasonal menu with headings like Chilled, Garden, Sea and Land. Entrées ($14 to $34) include cider-glazed chicken, served with fennel sausage, rutabaga, roasted carrots and thyme jus, and dill-cured salmon, plated with roasted beets, horseradish and orange. These dishes join a bar menu of smaller plates like duck meatloaf sliders and octopus a la plancha. Spoon and Stable’s drinks menu emphasizes classic cock-tails, such as the French 75 and Paloma ($13), and boasts a large beer selection with…

Chivas Regal Extra Pernod Ricard USA debuted Chivas Regal’s first permanent new expression since 2007 this winter. Chivas Regal Extra ($44.99 a 750-ml. bottle) has pear and tropical fruit flavors, with notes of vanilla, caramel and spicy cinnamon. The 40-percent alcohol-by-volume (abv) offering is available nationwide. For more information, visit Chivas.com or call Pernod Ricard at 800-488-7539. Yellow Spot Pernod Ricard USA also launched a new Irish whiskey from its Midleton distillery this winter. The 46-percent abv Yellow Spot ($100 a 750-ml. bottle) was aged for 12 years in Spanish Málaga casks and has a rich, spicy flavor. The whiskey is available in limited quanti-ties nationwide. For more information, visit Pernod-ricard-usa.com or call 800-488-7539. DeLeón Platinum and Reposado Tequilas DeLeón Tequila, a joint venture between Diageo North America and Sean…