Flavored Whisk(e)y Marketers Focus On Seasonal Rollouts

In the second part of our look at the flavored whiskies category, marketers tell SND that a seasonal focus is playing a bigger role lately in the sector, which is projected to reach a new record at 18.25 million cases this year, according to Impact Databank.

Veronica Mura, global brand vice president for Jim Beam at Beam Suntory, says the company is seeing growth among key flavors, “specifically with Red Stag and Honey versus last year. Holistically, our core Jim Beam portfolio performs better than flavored varieties, but flavors such as Red Stag, Honey, and Apple have bounced back and are showing momentum, catering to more seasonal offerings and occasions.” Jim Beam Honey is up 12% in control states through October, after reaching 340,000 cases in the U.S. last year. Red Stag, meanwhile, is up 4.4% in control markets year-to-date, building on its 2022 U.S. volume of 330,000 cases.

This year Beam Suntory put emphasis on Jim Beam Vanilla for the winter holiday season, Mura says, and she also indicated a shift in focus. Going forward, “We will focus our flavor strategy more on seasonal moments and tailored support for each specific flavor,” she says.

At Heaven Hill, Peach, Apple, and Honey are the “mainstays” within the Evan Williams line, says senior brand manager Molly Vincent, but the brand gives a holiday nod as well. “We see a pickup in sales typically during the holiday season and we expect to see more of the same this year as consumers look for reasons to celebrate,” she says. “It’s a big time for our flavors. For Evan Williams in particular, we have seasonal offerings to leverage those trends. Specifically, we have Eggnog, which is the number-one Bourbon-based eggnog, and our Spiced Apple variety.” Seasonality is also key for the Crown Royal line, with the Diageo brand’s Peach flavor spotlighted during the summer and Salted Caramel available only during the winter months.

In addition to leveraging seasonality, flavored whiskies continue to expand with novel taste profiles aimed at specific drinkers. Pernod Ricard acquired a majority stake in Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey this March, with Jefferies valuing the 575,000-case brand in the $300-$400 million range. Craig Johnson, head of American whiskey at Pernod Ricard USA, notes that peanut butter as a flavor has huge penetration in the United States. “I think 90% of households buy peanut butter, so it is nostalgic,” he says.

Skrewball is likewise targeting seasonal opportunity with its limited-edition Skrewball Peanut Butter Flavored Eggnog ($20). The variant “very much fits in that Skrewball mentality of taking that delicious flavor and introducing it into another category,” Johnson says.

Howler Head ($30), a banana-flavored whiskey owned by Catalyst Spirits, sold a 15% stake to Campari for $15 million last year. Simon Hunt, CEO of Catalyst, says the target consumer is a “21-34-year-old male, very social, active, and frequently adventurous. He also has lots of casual, at-home occasions like watching sports, and particularly watching UFC.” The brand is the official flavored whiskey of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). “Consumers and retailers like flavored whiskey because it’s accessible and it expands the consumption occasion,” Hunt says. “It also brings in new and more diverse consumers into the whiskey category.”—Mary Keefe

Tagged : Beam Suntory, Campari, Crown Royal, Diageo, Evan Williams, Heaven Hill, Howler Head, im Beam, Pernod Ricard, Red Stag, Skrewball

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