Market Watch November 2015

As many of our Mixology features have attested, long-forgotten cocktails have returned to center stage. But very often, these traditional recipes are getting a modern twist, and liqueurs are at the center of that trend—mixing, matching and replacing traditional spirits to develop modern concoctions. These new takes on the classics are creating flavor experiences for the next generation. Read all about the latest cocktail trends for liqueurs in this issue’s Mixology feature on page 82. Speaking of flavors, our Canadian whisky feature on page 48 delves into the smashing success of Crown Royal Regal Apple, which launched only a year ago and has already hit the million-case mark. While serving as a worthy cocktail ingredient, Regal Apple is also getting a lot of shot business, particularly in the 21-to-29 age…

Bacardi Rum Unveils $25 Million Campaign.... Bacardi, the U.S. market’s leading rum brand, is looking to reignite growth with a new advertising push featuring the tag-line “Nothing in the Way.” The campaign—which made its U.S. debut in October—is said to represent the brand’s largest-ever promotional spend, estimated in the range of $25 million. Targeted primarily toward legal-drinking-age millennial consumers aged 25 and younger, the initiative includes television and digital spots and aims to reestablish Bacardi’s presence within what the company calls the “party occasion.” The ads are slated to expand globally next year. The new advertising campaign comes as Bacardi rum cedes ground in the United States, slipping from more than 8 million nine-liter cases in 2010 to 7.3 million cases last year, according to Impact Databank. Suntory Eyes IPO,…

Gin: The Manual Dave Broom, author of “Whisky: The Manual,” has written a new book about gin. Published in October, “Gin: The Manual” highlights 120 brands, dividing them into five flavor camps—juniper, citric, spicy, floral and uncategorized—and breaking them down by region, with sections for British, American, Continental & Rest of the World, and Other Gins. The 224-page, full-color hardcover ($19.99) also includes a history of the juniper-based spirit, information on how it’s made and the various botanicals that are used, tasting tips, and cocktail recipes. For more information, visit Octopusbooks.co.uk. Cuban Cocktails Ravi DeRossi, the cofounder of New York City’s renowned lounge Death & Co. and the owner of Cuban rum bar Cienfuegos, has contributed to a book that covers the history of Cuba’s cocktail culture. Cowritten with fellow…

California Golf Resort Launches Upscale Wine Lounge The Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, California, unveiled a new wine lounge called Stave Wine Cellar in August. The on-premise wine bar and retail shop—operated by Pebble Beach Resorts—offers more than 30 wines by the glass and some 250 bottled selections. The venue carries several Monterey County wines, including labels by Bernardus Winery, Albatross Ridge and Wrath Wines, along with an extensive variety of wines from Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Mendocino County, Santa Barbara County and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Spain, France, Germany, Italy and Argentina are also represented. Stave Wine Cellar uses the Coravin system to pour both lesserknown brands and higher-priced prestige labels by Caymus, Screaming Eagle and Opus One. Wines by the glass range from $4 to $95…

• The travel-themed bar Mr. Jones opened in September in Manhattan’s Trump SoHo hotel. Inspired by a 1960s-era bon vivant, the venue has a globe-trotting menu that includes specialty cocktails and savory small plates, highlighting ingredients from around the world. The space also features photography of iconic 1960s celebrities. • A bi-level ode to sports, The Prospect opened in September in Washington, D.C. The bar offers an extensive menu of ciders poured on draft and incorporated into cocktails. Beer is also available, along with internationally inspired stadium fare. In addition, the venue boasts 40 televisions. • Barcito brings Argentina to Los Angeles, celebrating its home country’s culture with drinks and food. The Downtown venue serves Argentine wine and cocktails, as well as sangria and beer. These offerings are joined by…

Rock ’N’ Roll–Themed Japanese Tavern Debuts In Boston Located in the music-inspired The Verb Hotel in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood, Hojoko is a relaxed Japanese tavern with an impressive beverage selection. The venue opened in August, boasting an upbeat interior with graffiti and video games, Godzilla memorabilia, and large screens showing sumo wrestling matches and anime. The food menu represents several categories, including sushi, robata, ramen and teppanyaki. Operated by celebrated chef Tim Cushman and his wife, Nancy, the eatery serves everything from a spicy tuna roll to robata-grilled chicken thigh to crispy fried calf brains (sushi rolls start at $5; larger entrées are $7 to $28). The beverage program highlights nearly 20 sakes by the glass ($6 to $18) and several by the bottle ($100 to $188), along with Japanese…