Innehållsförteckning för April 2019 från Market Watch

In looking at this year’s “Hot Brands” list, I see some remarkable things. Of the 30 spirits brands that made the grade, 12 are whiskies and 11 are Tequilas. Vodka has made a strong showing with four brands—and if were it not for vodka, in fact, the list would nearly be swallowed whole by the industry’s two hottest categories. Vodka still has plenty left in the tank, considering that three brands on the list are million-case players and Tito’s is the biggest Hot Brand of all. Whiskies count four Hot Brands in the million-case club, while Tequila has just one. But look at the growth on those Tequila Hot Brands, and you’ll agree that the situation is changing fast. Whiskies are king, vodka is strong, but Tequila continues to be…

AS PICTURED: 1. Country musician John Rich—with his grandmother, Granny Rich—hosted a party to celebrate the launch of Redneck Riviera Whiskey’s Granny Rich Reserve at Redneck Riviera bar in Nashville on February 15. 2. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith kicked off the second day of the inaugural Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on February 1. 3. Rapper A$AP Ferg toasted the debut of Hennessy X.O’s The Seven Worlds campaign, directed by Ridley Scott, at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in Los Angeles on February 24. 4. Stoli Group international brand ambassador Simone Bodini attended the tenth annual 50 Best Bars event, sponsored by Stoli Elit vodka, at Gustavino’s in New York City on February 13. 5. Stacy Kyle of Rare Drams…

With U.S. drinkers continuing to gravitate toward premium products across the wine and spirits landscape, Impact Databank’s newly released “Hot Brands” list features an intriguing mix of stalwarts and rising growth drivers. A total of 70 brands from across the industry met the Hot Brands criteria with their 2018 performances. Whiskies and Tequilas account for three-quarters of this year’s spirits winners, with giants like Crown Royal, Jim Beam, and Jameson joined by rising brands Woodford Reserve, Milagro, and Casamigos, among others. Likewise, domestic wine shows the ongoing success of volume-driver brands like Black Box and Bota Box, but also includes a number of higher-priced franchises like Meiomi, Decoy by Duckhorn, and Justin. Among imported wines, the sparkling and rosé segments still hold sway, with both France and Italy fielding a…

• Like its Bourbon cousin, Tennessee whiskey must be made from at least 51% corn, distilled to a maximum 80% abv, and aged in new charred oak barrels. Also like Bourbon, Tennessee whiskey must enter the barrel at a maximum of 62.5% abv, and be bottled at a minimum of 40% abv.• Other than its geographical requirement, the key point of differentiation from Bourbon is that Tennessee whiskey must be filtered through maple charcoal before it goes into the barrel—a method called the Lincoln County Process. Only Prichard’s Distillery is exempt from using the Lincoln County Process.• Tennessee whiskey must be distilled and aged in the state of Tennessee, while Bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States.• Not all whiskey from Tennessee qualifies as Tennessee whiskey. Ole Smoky…

THE ORIGINAL MAI TAI By Vic “The Trader” Bergeron Ingredients: 2 ounces Trader Vic’s Royal Amber rum;¾ ounce Hiram Walker Orange Curaçao;½ ounce Trader Vic’s Orgeat Almond syrup;¼ ounce Trader Vic’s Rock Candy syrup;¾ ounce lime juice Lime wedge;Mint sprig;Pineapple cube. Recipe: In a cocktail shaker, combine rum, Curaçao, syrups, and juice. Add crushed ice and shake. Pour contents into a Mai Tai glass. Garnish with lime wedge, mint, and pineapple. STRIP AND GO NAKED By Kevin Beary Ingredients: 1½ ounces Martin Miller’s WestbourneStrength gin;2 ounces Kona Brewing Hanalei Island IPA;1 ounce tangerine juice;¾ ounce lemon juice;¾ ounce 2:1 evaporated cane sugar syrup;½ ounce Boiron passion fruit purée;Pineapple leaves;Orange wheel;Lime wheel. Recipe: In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, juices, syrup, and purée. Add in roughly 10 ice cubes and shake…

It all began with a cucumber Cosmopolitan. Gina Cheservani, founder and owner of retro New York City-style deli, bar, and soda fountain Buffalo & Bergen, was bartending at Penang—a Malaysian restaurant in Washington, D.C.—when she added cucumber chunks to a Cosmo and pushed it across the bar. It was 2002, and cocktails that integrated food were virtually unknown. With that drink, Cheservani launched herself into the beverage alcohol world, where she continues to experiment with cocktails through food, fermentation, and franchising. After leaving Penang in late 2002, Cheservani was hired to help launch a beverage program at 15 Ria restaurant in D.C. She eventually went on to work at Indian restaurant and lounge Rasika, also in D.C., which exposed her to spices that would inspire a slew of new cocktail…

Limited-release beers and packages are selling briskly at the two-unit Calandro’s supermarket in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. But it’s no longer just about craft beers, says beer and liquor department manager Taylor Calandro. Limited releases from major domestic brewers and importers are also an attraction. Larger players are now offering new and retro beers for limited times only, along with short-term packaging innovations designed to turn heads in the beer aisle. MillerCoors has reprised the 1990s Zima flavored malt beverage brand for the last two summers, and the response has been positive. Originally launched in 1993, Zima was discontinued in 2008. Although Zima’s relaunches have been focused on the off-premise, on-premise accounts also embraced this ’90s throwback. Budweiser has also been offering limited releases under its Reserve Collection banner for the…

Cabriel Orta and Elad Zvi were working separately as bartenders in Miami when they joined forces in 2009 to create a beverage consulting company called Bar Lab. “When we started, there weren’t any other companies of this kind in Florida,” Zvi says. “Our vision was to focus on bringing better bar programs to the Miami scene.” Their first venture was in 2012 when they debuted the Broken Shaker in the Sydell Group-owned Freehand Miami hotel. Originally intended as a 30-day pop-up concept, the bar was so popular that the Sydell Group gave it a permanent space in the hotel. This was only the young company’s beginning; they soon formed a partnership with the Sydell Group and its Freehand hotel chain. By 2015, Bar Lab had opened a second Broken Shaker…

Roederer Buys Merry Edwards Winery…. The Louis Roederer Champagne house has purchased Russian River Valley Pinot Noir specialist Merry Edwards Winery. The deal includes the brand and its inventory, as well as the winery and tasting room in Sebastopol and 79 acres spread over six vineyards. The sale price wasn’t disclosed. The founders of the winery, Merry Edwards and her husband, Ken Coopersmith, will stay on temporarily during the transition period. Edwards is a Sonoma County wine pioneer and one of California’s first female winemakers. Her 28,000-case brand is known for its structured Pinot Noirs, including notable single-vineyard wines. Edwards also makes a small amount of Chardonnay, as well as a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc. Her wines have made numerous appearances in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year, including…

Crown Royal Peach Diageo has extended its Crown Royal Canadian whisky brand with a new peach-flavored variant. Crown Royal Peach ($25 a 750-ml.) is 35% abv and includes fresh Georgia peach flavors. Crown Royal Peach is available nationwide. For more information, visit Crownroyal.com. Svedka Rosé Vodka Constellation Brands has unveiled a new rosé-flavored extension of Svedka vodka. The 30% abv Svedka Rosé ($17 a 1-liter) contains 5% rosé wine and has dedicated advertising through the brand’s “Bring Your Own Spirit” campaign. Svedka Rosé is available nationwide. For more information, visit Svedka.com. Glenmorangie Allta Moët Hennessy has debuted the latest single malt Scotch whisky in Glenmorangie’s annual Private Edition series. The tenth Private Edition from the Highland distillery, Glenmorangie Allta ($99 a 750-ml.) was created with Saccharomyces diaemath, a species of…

CHANGING LEAVES Ingredients: 1 ounce Catoctin Creek rye;1 ounce fresh beet juice;1 ounce fresh pressed Pink Lady apple juice;¼ ounce fresh ginger juice;½ ounce cinnamon simple syrup1;Taittinger Brut or JCB No. 21Brut Champagne, to top;Apple slice. Recipe: Combine rye, beet juice, fresh pressed Pink Lady apple juice, fresh ginger juice, and cinnamon simple syrup in a cocktail shaker tin. Shake and strain into a tall glass. Add ice and top with Champagne. Garnish with a slice of apple. THE VOW Ingredients: 1 ounce Sipsmith London Dry gin;½ ounce Alvear Fino Sherry;1½ ounces fermented pear juice;½ ounces lemon juice;Taittinger Brut or JCB No. 21Brut Champagne, to top;Edible flower. Recipe: Combine gin, sherry, fermented pear juice, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker tin. Add ice, shake, and double strain into a…

Guarachi Wine Partners has promoted Bill Matthes to vice president of national sales. Matthes was previously vice president of the eastern U.S. region. Before joining Guarachi, Matthes worked at a number of major wine companies, including Constellation Wines U.S., Distinguished Vineyards & Wine Partners, and Delicato Family Vineyards. Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery has appointed Jim Boswell as executive vice president of sales. Boswell will be responsible for all wine sales throughout the U.S. and abroad. Boswell has worked at Ferrari-Carano for ten years, starting as Florida sales manager and eventually transitioning to the southeast regional sales manager. Terlato Wines has appointed industry veteran Michael Cerio as vice president of wine supply and operations, responsible for vineyard and winery management in Washington and California, as well as supply chain planning, production,…

DRAGON JUICE INGREDIENTS: 2 ounces Plymouth gin;1 ounce Chinola passion fruit liqueur;2 ounces dragon fruit juice;½ ounce lavender syrup1;Dash Scrappy’s Cardamom bitters;Blood orange wheel;Rosemary sprig. RECIPE: In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, liqueur, juice, syrup, and bitters. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Garnish with a blood orange wheel and rosemary sprig. POM & AGAVE INGREDIENTS: 1½ ounces Ilegal mezcal;2 ounces fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice;1 ounce lemon juice;1 ounce harissa agave syrup2;Splash sumac soda3;Lime wheel. RECIPE: In a cocktail shaker, combine mezcal, juices, and agave. Fill with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with sumac soda and garnish with a lime wheel. 1Bring ½ cup lavender buds and 1 cup water to a boil. Add 1 cup sugar, let dissolve, then…

Michter’s With a new distillery that opened earlier this year and a growing brand targeted firmly at the high end, Michter’s is carving out a more substantial slice of the American whiskey market. The company opened its Fort Nelson Distillery and tourism center on Louisville’s Whiskey Row on January 31. The new site joins the existing Shively, Kentucky distillery. Michter’s president Joseph Magliocco says that he’s connected the Fort Nelson Distillery with the brand’s heritage by acquiring the pot still and cypress wood fermenter system from the former Michter’s distillery in Pennsylvania. The new facility features public tours and a bar that offers both classic and original cocktails. Meanwhile, Michter’s continues to burnish its reputation with a string of limited releases. Recent launches include 10-year-old rye ($160 a 750-ml.), 20-year-old…

Tennessee whiskey’s odd regulatory history is something that’s often overlooked. By the end of the 19th century, there were hundreds of registered distilleries across the state. But in 1909, the state’s Prohibition law banned all production, and Tennessee remained dry until the law was lifted in 1933. Jack Daniel’s Distillery reopened in 1938, and George Dickel returned to production in 1958, but Tennessee’s distilling industry remained so tightly regulated that those were the only two facilities operating in the entire state, with only three counties (Lincoln, Moore, and Coffee) allowing production. Prichard’s opened in the mid-1990s, raising the state’s distillery total to three. It wasn’t until 2009 that Tennessee moved to lift the restrictions on production, relaxing the laws to legalize distilling in a further 41 counties. Since then, Tennessee’s…

In 1933—at the end of Prohibition and in the midst of the Great Depression—America was thirsty for an escape. Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, a former bootlegger, answered the country’s call by opening a Polynesian-themed tiki bar in Hollywood called Don’s Beachcomber. The establishment eventually became Don The Beachcomber, and inspired Gantt to legally change his name to Donn Beach. Right around the same time, several hundred miles north, Victor J. Bergeron, known as “The Trader,” opened Hinky Dinks—later renamed Trader Vic’s—in Oakland, California. Both bars featured rum-based tropical cocktails and festive decor, and each became an instant success, with Don The Beachcomber blossoming into a nationwide chain and Trader Vic’s venturing to Europe and beyond. By the 1980s, the tiki craze that these two bars sparked had largely faded, which…

Few companies have impacted New York City’s dining culture like Union Square Hospitality Group. Operational for more than three decades and boasting over 20 units, founder and CEO Danny Meyer’s restaurant empire remains just as relevant today as it was in the late 1980s, when he launched his first venue. The drinks business is a key part of that: Union Square Hospitality Group puts beverage innovation at the forefront, boasting expansive wine programs, creative cocktail lists, and varied craft beer menus, making many of the restaurants destinations for drinks as well as food. In a highly competitive market like Manhattan, the company is not afraid to take risks and evolve with the times, boldly eschewing conventional on-premise rules or flat out rewriting them. Also notable is the company’s commitment to…

As a food item, avocados have been trendy for years. But behind the bar, they’re only just finding a home. The Mexican fruit has benefited from growing acceptance in new and different food applications, and that experimentation is now making its way to the bar as mixologists play with muddled and puréed avocado in a range of cocktails. Such classic drinks as Margaritas, Gimlets, and Daiquiris all receive a boost from avocado, and adventurous bartenders are creating new concoctions that incorporate the fruit. James Nelson, beverage director for BLT Steak in Washington, D.C., has used avocado in a few of the restaurant’s drinks. The Have Your Toast and Eat It Too ($16) is his cocktail riff on the popular avocado toast brunch dish. He makes the drink by muddling avocado,…

On-Premise News Tennessee Distillers Guild To Open Two Airport Venues The Tennessee Distillers Guild is launching two new whiskey-focused venues at Nashville International Airport, starting with a restaurant slated to open in December 2019. The restaurant, Three Casks, is designed in partnership with Minneapolis-based firm Aero Service Group and will feature Tennessee whiskey cocktails alongside a menu inspired by Nashville’s culinary scene. In addition, the Guild has teamed up with Las Vegas-based Marshall Retail Group to open the Trailhead, a new retail shop stocked exclusively with Tennessee’s native spirits. The store is set to open in 2023, once construction on Nashville International Airport’s new Concourse T is completed. Fourth Craft Bar Opens In Florida The Craft Bar, the northern Florida gastropub owned by retailers Chan Cox and Robert Montgomery, has…