Market Watch September 2024

There’s been much discussion lately about growth trends for American whiskey, in reaction to last year’s volume slip of 0.5% for Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey. After two decades of growth, could it be that American whiskey’s long magical ride is coming to an end? A couple of factors are in play here. One is that a post-pandemic hangover is still skewing the numbers, as inventories and trends continue to normalize. The second, more important point is this: Bourbon’s super-premium tier continues to thrive. Over the past decade, super-premium American whiskeys have risen more than three-fold, from 3.5 million cases to 11 million cases last year. The last five years alone have seen an increase of 5 million cases. With the exception of Tequila, the Bourbon category is the healthiest in…

Pernod’s Wine Business Now With Accolade…. Pernod Ricard’s sale of its still wine brands in July to Australian Wine Holdco—a consortium of institutional investors that owns Australian wine player Accolade Wines—means that over 10 million 9-liter cases annually have now changed hands. The former Pernod portfolio includes Jacob’s Creek, Orlando, and St Hugo from Australia; Stoneleigh, Brancott Estate, and Church Road from New Zealand; and Campo Viejo, Ysios, Tarsus, and Azpilicueta from Spain. The deal included seven wineries around the world. In the U.S., Pernod’s wine volume slipped to 1.4 million cases last year, according to Impact Databank, down from 1.8 million cases in 2019. Jacob’s Creek has been the largest still wine in the portfolio, down 16% to 271,000 cases last year, followed by Campo Viejo at 217,000 cases.…

Charlie Wagner of Caymus Vineyards and Wagner Family of Wine has acquired a majority stake in Spokane, Washington-based craft spirits player Dry Fly Distilling for an undisclosed sum. The move builds on collaborative projects between Dry Fly and the Wagners over the past ten years, including a whiskey finished in Caymus Special Selection wine barrels that will be released next year. Dry Fly’s spirits are distributed across 35 states and include Bourbon, wheat, and triticale whiskeys, along with gin, vodka, and RTD cocktails, with pricing ranging from $30-$60 a 750-ml. “We’re taking our collaboration to the next level,” said Wagner in a statement. “Assuming a bigger stake in the company speaks to my excitement over Dry Fly’s vision, passion, and expertise, and its ability to make products that truly stand…

San Diego: Roma Norte Brings Mexican Bar Spirit To Cali Cocktail Scene San Diego’s new bar Roma Norte evokes the Mexico City neighborhood of the same name, showcasing Latin spirits and flavors on a 70-plus cocktail list. Inspired by the nightlife of Mexico City’s Roma Norte neighborhood and putting a heavy emphasis on Latin spirits and flavors, the bar Roma Norte debuted in July in San Diego’s Seaport Village. A nightlife destination, Roma Norte was created by the team behind San Diego’s Puesto and Marisi restaurants, led by bar specialists Beau de Bois and Derek Cram. Their new concept highlights upscale spirits in technique-heavy cocktails, utilizing tools like force carbonation, nitro muddling, centrifuge clarification, and lacto-fermentation (cocktails are $16-$24). Signature drinks include the Maduro Highball, made with plantaininfused Novo Fogo…

The Balvenie 14-Year-Old American Bourbon Barrel & 18-Year-Old French Pineau Cask Finish The Balvenie single malt Scotch whisky, part of the William Grant & Sons portfolio, has introduced two new limited-edition single cask expressions in its Stories Range: a 14-year-old American Bourbon Barrel and an 18-year-old French Pineau Cask Finish. The 14-year-old American Bourbon Barrel expression ($115 a 750-ml.) is bottled at 47.8% abv, while the 18-year-old Pineau Cask whisky ($400) is bottled at 47.9% abv. The Scotches are available nationwide. For more information, visit Thebalvenie.com. Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Suntory Global Spirits has launched Laphroaig Elements 2.0, the latest release from the Islay single malt distiller. The whisky ($165 a 700-ml.) is the second release in Laphraoig’s series of whiskies exploring the effects of each step of the whisky making…

Rick Margaritov has dedicated his professional life to the beverage and hospitality industries, collaborating with renowned restaurateurs, winemakers, and brewers. “Early on I gained hands-on expertise in how to create impactful and memorable food and beverage experiences and managed service teams that elevated the expectations of the industry,” he says. “I led the opening of acclaimed Chef Thomas Keller’s Bar Bouchon, and opened and developed service programs for James Beard Award-winning chefs Tom Colicchio, Jonathan Waxman, and Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne.” These experiences led Margaritov to found The Drinkery, a Los Angeles- and Singapore-based distributor of craft beer and artisan wine. Ever the entrepreneur, Margaritov next set his sights on Nashville, Tennessee as the city in which to launch his own sake brewery, Pure Land Sake, with partner and…