Market Watch, Summer 2020

SUMMER 2020 MARKETW ATCHMAG COM MARKET WATCH 79 PHOTOS BY TOP JOHN PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY BOTTOM ADRIAN VAN DER LEE sage wild fennel herbal roots and other elements that recall the great outdoors Kentucky based Copper Kings known for its brandy production is a unique player in the gin space We have a no neutral spirits base we dont chill filter and we innovate consistently and coherently within the gin universe says founder Joe Heron Copper Kings gin offerings encompass The History Of Lovers The Moons Of Juniper The Ninth A Symphony In Orange and American Dry gin all 35 a 750 ml as well as gin bitters that retail at 10 Last year Copper Kings depleted more than 5000 cases of its gins F E W Spirits in Illinois has three gins in the U S market Breakfast gin American gin and Barrel gin all 35 a 750 ml with the first being the standout Breakfast gin is a true distilled gin all hand crafted and made from real ingredients says F E W founder Paul Hletko Its herbal its light its approachable and perfect for drinking any time of day Mixology Star The on premise has always been a supportive home for gin Bartenders love gin because each has a different flavor you can have a more herbal gin a drier gin a smoother gin says F E W s Hletko Its a fantastic tool for bartenders and it can be a fantastic way to bring a reticent consumer into the gin category as a whole Most bargoers request mainstream brands when they order gin drinks Indeed Commons Clubs Abraham says that Hendricks Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray remain the venues best selling gins but that craft offerings are finally finding a foothold My current craft obsessions are Gray Whale gin Osco Sea gin Zephyr gin and Nikka Coffey gin Abraham says While the classic Gin Tonic still reigns supreme mixologists are increasingly turning to more creative concoctions At The Gin Room in St Louis founder and owner Natasha Bahrami sees consumers abandoning sweet gin drinks for more savory ones Distinguished drinkers are learning more about savory gins she explains These are gins that arent only relying on sweet botanicals and citrus but using olives tomatoes peppers ginger and savory botanicals like seaweed One of Bahramis savory gin based cocktails is the Tomato Of My Eye 14 mixing Moletto Italian Tomato Distilled gin with Barbadillo Manzanilla Sherry and pickled onion and caper And Stephen Caronna staff mixologist at Mediterranean gin brand Gin Mare created the herbaceous Attack Of The Killer Tomato Gimlet 13 mixing Gin Mare with house made tomato cordial lime juice and Bitter Truth olive bitters Aided By Trends Top gin brands will continue leading the charge at retail for the foreseeable future retailers say At Georges Liquors in Arkansas general manager Tyler Jackson cites Seagrams Bombay Sapphire Beefeater and Tanqueray as the stores leading gins But Jackson also sees more customers gravitating toward craft offerings like Aviations flagship and Old Tom gins both 27 a 750 ml Sipsmith 33 and Roku 23 People are starting to understand botanicals and the differences between gins he says At Scarsdale New York based Zachys meanwhile director of retail operations Ian Dorin points to Barr Hill 40 Greenhook Ginsmiths 37 and Wölffer 52 as popular craft options Gin was up nearly 20 last year at Zachys and Dorin attributes that success to influence from the on premise Bars are offering more gin based cocktails and encouraging people to try different gins Dorin explains Customers learn about gin there and then they come pick up a bottle here Also bolstering gin sales at the retail level are trends like RTD cocktails and alternative packaging New York City based Greenhook Ginsmiths for example offers canned Gin Tonics 22 a 4 pack of 200 ml cans as do Southern Tier Distilling Co 15 a 4 pack of 12 ounce cans and Cutwater Eye catching packaging plays a role for gin brands like Hendricks stills right and Drumshanbo bottling line below whose distinct blue bottle stands out on the shelf