COCKTAILS AND SPIRITS: THE NEXT BIG THING
The alcohol business, or any business for that matter, is all about trends. So we asked, what’s the next big trend in the spirits industry? Will people be drinking vodka or rum, margaritas or mojitos, strawberry martinis or Jack and coke in the near future? Since cocktails and mixed drinks are largely responsible for surging spirits sales as of late, we wanted to get an idea of the “next big thing.” This is of course an important issue because as one subscriber put it, “if I knew I would be rich.”
Our exact question was, “what do you predict will be the next big spirits brand/category/cocktail?” Most would argue that vodka has been the most popular spirits category in recent years, and we’ve got the Nielsen/IRI numbers to prove it. But after awhile people will likely tire of the category as consumers so often do. So, what’s next?
By far, rum popped up the most in our crystal ball survey, with premium and super-premium rum mentioned specifically. Actual brands that were named included Tommy Bahama and Tortuga Rums 5 & 12 years old. Here’s what some of you had to say:
“Rums, flavored rums and premium flavored rums. Again, the consumers are looking for fun cocktails that taste good and look good. Rums offer both because they are good tasting and offer appealing drink selections,” said one survey-taker.
“Nothing will impact vodka. Tequila will continue to grow, but I don't believe the rum hype.”
The next largest chunk of people cast a vote for tequila – particularly premium and super-premium tequila, and anything flavored. One reader pointed out, however, that “suppliers think gin and tequila are the next big thing, but we're not seeing significant case increases.”
Next in line was vodka, followed by whiskey, cachaca, gin and cordials. Several people mentioned bourbon specifically.
“Bourbon is already huge but small labels are on their way in and up. Look for large distillers making the equivalent of ‘single vineyard’ small production bourbons.”
“Specialty/artisan whisky.”
“Like all things, consumer tastes are cyclical and I think for that reason gin could become faster moving.”
“Unknown. It looks like there is no limit to the possibilities as long as it is not brown spirits.”
Respondents seemed to think that cachaca specifically holds a lot of promise in the U.S. as it is already huge in Brazil (its origin). Could caipirinhas (a cocktail made with cachaca) be the next mojito?
“Cachaca will finally become mainstream - watch for the strong launch in 2007 from a new brand.”
This leads us into cocktails and cocktail flavors. We’ve heard for some time now that traditional mixers, like strawberry and watermelon, are on their way out – at least for the time being. They will instead be replaced by more exotic mixers such as ginger, ginseng, lychee, passion fruit, caffeine, tarine and anything herbal, according to the respondents. Could this really be the end for sour apple martinis?
“Luxury cocktails are still on an upswing. Gins and brown whiskeys are coming on strong. The neon vodka drinks will fade out and leave the martini crowd sipping without flavors.”
“Softer, more complex spirits to support the making of smaller, alcohol-forward cocktails Savory, food-inspired spirits and cocktails that pair well with small plates.”
“Mojito or cachacas. Something different, something sweet, easy to drink.”
“Flavored manhattans.”
“Vodka and cocktails will continue to grow - pre-mixed just do not do it today and so a better higher alcohol solution needs to be found.”
Our exact question was, “what do you predict will be the next big spirits brand/category/cocktail?” Most would argue that vodka has been the most popular spirits category in recent years, and we’ve got the Nielsen/IRI numbers to prove it. But after awhile people will likely tire of the category as consumers so often do. So, what’s next?
By far, rum popped up the most in our crystal ball survey, with premium and super-premium rum mentioned specifically. Actual brands that were named included Tommy Bahama and Tortuga Rums 5 & 12 years old. Here’s what some of you had to say:
“Rums, flavored rums and premium flavored rums. Again, the consumers are looking for fun cocktails that taste good and look good. Rums offer both because they are good tasting and offer appealing drink selections,” said one survey-taker.
“Nothing will impact vodka. Tequila will continue to grow, but I don't believe the rum hype.”
The next largest chunk of people cast a vote for tequila – particularly premium and super-premium tequila, and anything flavored. One reader pointed out, however, that “suppliers think gin and tequila are the next big thing, but we're not seeing significant case increases.”
Next in line was vodka, followed by whiskey, cachaca, gin and cordials. Several people mentioned bourbon specifically.
“Bourbon is already huge but small labels are on their way in and up. Look for large distillers making the equivalent of ‘single vineyard’ small production bourbons.”
“Specialty/artisan whisky.”
“Like all things, consumer tastes are cyclical and I think for that reason gin could become faster moving.”
“Unknown. It looks like there is no limit to the possibilities as long as it is not brown spirits.”
Respondents seemed to think that cachaca specifically holds a lot of promise in the U.S. as it is already huge in Brazil (its origin). Could caipirinhas (a cocktail made with cachaca) be the next mojito?
“Cachaca will finally become mainstream - watch for the strong launch in 2007 from a new brand.”
This leads us into cocktails and cocktail flavors. We’ve heard for some time now that traditional mixers, like strawberry and watermelon, are on their way out – at least for the time being. They will instead be replaced by more exotic mixers such as ginger, ginseng, lychee, passion fruit, caffeine, tarine and anything herbal, according to the respondents. Could this really be the end for sour apple martinis?
“Luxury cocktails are still on an upswing. Gins and brown whiskeys are coming on strong. The neon vodka drinks will fade out and leave the martini crowd sipping without flavors.”
“Softer, more complex spirits to support the making of smaller, alcohol-forward cocktails Savory, food-inspired spirits and cocktails that pair well with small plates.”
“Mojito or cachacas. Something different, something sweet, easy to drink.”
“Flavored manhattans.”
“Vodka and cocktails will continue to grow - pre-mixed just do not do it today and so a better higher alcohol solution needs to be found.”
posted at 8:55 AM
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