Innehållsförteckning för July/August 2023 från Market Watch

What were the words used to describe Ivan Menezes by the many people who knew and admired him? Kind, caring, brilliant. As CEO of Diageo from 2013 until his recent passing, Ivan guided the company with quiet, superb determination. He was relentlessly focused on winning, and he frequently used that verb when laying out his strategies for Diageo’s future. While he left us at the far-too-young age of 63, Ivan Menezes did win at the game of life, and Diageo benefited enormously from having him. It wasn’t always easy. Before being named Diageo’s chief executive in 2012, Ivan ran Diageo North America for eight years. There was a lot to manage in those days: The merger that formed Diageo in 1998 was followed by the acquisition of key brands from…

It wasn’t planned this way, but the current graduate-level intern community within the Dewar’s distilling division at Bacardi Ltd. is predominantly women. “It wasn’t a tickbox exercise,” says Dewar’s director of blending Stephanie Macleod. “They just gave us the best presentations and the best account of themselves. It’s really exciting to see how our graduates have developed in their time with us.” Macleod says the female majority could change with the next class of interns, of course, but it points to the reality that women are increasingly pursuing a career in distilling, a field that until very recently was overwhelmingly made up of men. While men still account for the vast majority of distillers, women are making their marks. According to Women in Distilling, an organization launched by High Point…

On-Premise News: Cocktails-To-Go Remain In Illinois Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker has signed SB 89 into law, legalizing cocktails-to-go and delivery until August 2028. Before the new law was signed, Illinois was only set to allow cocktails-to-go through next spring. Currently 20 states and Washington, D.C. have permanently legalized cocktails-to-go, with 14 more allowing it temporarily. Off-Premise News: Flaviar Acquires DTC Barcart Flaviar has acquired fellow e-commerce player Barcart for an undisclosed sum. Barcart enables DTC sales from a brand’s own website, allowing brands to access first-party consumer data. The company currently powers first-party e-commerce for more than 300 brands, including portfolios like Edrington Group and Proximo as well as craft brands such as Starward Whisky, Oak & Eden, and Barrell Craft Spirits. Flaviar Inc. also includes Flaviar Club, billed as…

Foley’s Spirits Move….Bill Foley is expanding into the spirits category, announcing a deal to acquire the former Bently distillery in Minden, Nevada for an undisclosed sum. Foley Family Wines plans to produce spirits from local grains at the distillery, selling through both wholesale and DTC channels, with operations to begin immediately. Annual production capacity is currently about six thousand barrels and will be expanded moving forward. The Minden facility includes an American whiskey and white spirits distillery housed in a 100-year-old creamery, as well as an American single malt distillery based in a 100-year-old flour mill. Both buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. The flour mill includes multiple tasting areas and will serve as a guest experience center. Also included in the deal is existing inventory of…

The aromatized fortified wine vermouth is undeniably linked to cocktails, but even so, it hasn’t always been appreciated for the crucial role it plays in many drinks. “Until recently, most bars stocked just one kind of dry vermouth and one kind of sweet vermouth for Martinis and Manhattans, and in general vermouth had a reputation for just not being very tasty,” says Sonya Znati, assistant general manager at Bar Spero in Washington, D.C. “Most Americans’ familiarity with vermouth was the old bottle of not-so-good quality that sat unrefrigerated in their grandparents’ liquor cabinet. But in the past couple of years, professionals and guests are starting to recognize the versatility of vermouth both in cocktails and as a stand-alone beverage. More and more, people are recognizing how much vermouth can change…

When walking into Bar Americano in Brooklyn, New York’s Greenpoint neighborhood, the back bar is striking, not just for its posh style, but for what sits on its shelves. There isn’t the usual array of whiskies, gins, Tequila, and rums; rather, it’s chock full of various red liqueurs, ranging from deep ruby red to strawberry to more blood orange hues. There are some recognizable names—Campari, Aperol, Montenegro—but because Bar Americano is an Italian bitters bar, there are scores more insignia that probably aren’t familiar to the everyday Negroni drinker. But bars like this aren’t such a minority anymore—they’re popping up across the country, showcasing the snowballing enthusiasm for Italian aperitivo culture. Such a love affair with aperitivo culture has propelled bitter liqueur brands forward in a big way. That said,…

In early 2020, just before the world as we knew it changed, Laura Unterberg found herself in a new city looking for a fresh start. After nearly a decade bartending in Virginia and New York, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee. “It’s a beautiful city with an exciting drinks scene, and I was hoping to contribute to that growth,” she says. Unterberg was fortunate to land a job right away as a bar back at The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club. “For decades, bartending has been treated as a journeyman’s trade in which you ‘pay your dues’—so I accepted a position as a bar back even though I had extensive bartending experience, since I knew I wanted to work there,” she explains. “It’s been an incredible privilege to learn the program…

Moët Hennessy has appointed David Pearson as executive chairman for recent California acquisition Joseph Phelps Vineyards. Pearson was previously managing director of Napa Valley’s Meadowood Estate, and before that served as CEO of Opus One Winery from 2004-2020. In his new role he’ll oversee all operations and strategic development at Joseph Phelps, which Moët Hennessy acquired last summer for an undisclosed sum. Known especially for its Bordeaux-style blend Insignia, Phelps produces around 60,000 cases annually and owns 500 acres of vines across Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Trinchero Family Estates (TFE) has announced that Dave Derby has been promoted to senior vice president and chief commercial officer, and he will lead the company’s new sales and marketing structure. With TFE since 1997 and previously with E. & J. Gallo, Derby…

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits president Sheldon “Shelly” Stein has retired. A key player in the 2016 creation of Southern Glazer’s via the merger of Southern Wine & Spirits and Glazer’s Distributors, Stein has since served as president of the combined company, which has projected revenue of $25.2 billion this year, according to Market Watch sister publication Impact Newsletter, and an estimated 34% share of the total wholesale market for wine and spirits in the U.S. “Shelly has been a transformative leader at Southern Glazer’s, leading the integration that made it possible for us to become the first truly cross-continental wholesaler,” says Souther Glazer’s CEO Wayne Chaplin. “With his contributions, we established a structure that enables us to deliver the best portfolio of products across North America. We thank him…

Benriach The Forty Speyside-based Scotch whisky distillery Benriach, part of the Brown-Forman portfolio, is introducing peated single malt Benriach The Forty to its U.S. range. The Forty ($4,500 a 750-ml.) was previously available last fall as part of a luxury bespoke NFT on Blockbar, but this marks the first time consumers will be able to purchase physical bottles in stores. The 43.5% abv offering was matured in Bourbon and Port casks, and is available as a limited release to specialty retailers in select U.S. markets. For more information, visit Benriachdistillery.com. Aberfeldy 15-Year-Old Finished in Napa Valley Wine Casks Bacardi has released the latest limited edition for single malt Scotch brand Aberfeldy. The new release ($70 a 750-ml.) is a 15-year-old malt finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels sourced from Napa, California.…

Many of the consumers Heaven Hill Brands listens to these days aren’t even of legal drinking age. The spirits company isn’t connecting with those consumers through their products of course, but they’re hearing the concerns of young individuals on broader topics—most notably sustainability and the environment . “I would say that consumers are increasingly looking for spirits companies to show a clear commitment to sustainable practices,” says Heaven Hill director of environment and sustainability Rachel Nally. “It’s largely driven by younger consumers like Millennials and Gen Z consumers—a lot of them are not even of drinking age. Their desire to make sustainable purchases has been felt less in the spirits industry so far. But regardless, we’re trying to be ahead of those trends.” Heaven Hill isn’t alone. While most major…

HILLBILLY HIGHBALL Ingredients: 1½ ounces Fords London Dry gin;¾ ounce Byrrh Grand Quinquina;½ ounce Cacao nib-washed Campari aperitif1;2 bar spoons Giffard Crème de Fruits de la Passion passion fruit liqueur;¼ ounce beet juice;2 ounces seltzer;Beet leather. Recipe: In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, combine gin, Byrrh, Campari, liqueur, and juice. Shake lightly, add seltzer, then strain into a chilled Collins glass over an ice spear. Garnish with beet leather. MCM OLD FASHIONED Ingredients: 1¼ ounce Weller Special Reserve Bourbon;1¼ ounce Laird’s Straight Apple brandy;⅖ ounce rich simple syrup2;2 dashes Angostura bitters;1 dash Bittermens Orange Cream Citrate;Luxardo Maraschino cherry;Dehydrated orange slice;Orange peel. Recipe: In an ice-filled mixing glass, combine Bourbon, brandy, syrup, bitters, and orange cream citrate. Stir for 15 rotations, then strain into a chilled rocks glass over a large ice…

Always searching for something new, craft brewers are putting more creative spins on barrel-aged beers. Most recently, the segment known for Bourbon barrel-aged unicorns is being reinvigorated with brews aged in a wide array of barrels—including those that once held wine, rye, Scotch, Tequila, and even gin. Founders Brewing Co., for example, recently introduced Daycap Lime, a gose-style ale aged in Tequila barrels. “People love Tequila drinks like Margaritas and Palomas,” explains brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki. “Beers made with those inspirations tend to generate a bit of excitement.” Daycap Lime, with an abv of 5%, is also a refreshing choice during the warm summer months, he adds, noting that the Tequila character lends itself well to the tart, citrusy flavor of a gose. Portland, Oregon’s Gigantic Brewing Co., meanwhile, offers the…