A Case for Vodka It’S Hard to Call a Spirit ‘Neutral’ When There’S So Much Diversity Within Its Category
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A CASE FOR VODKA IT’S HARD TO CALL A SPIRIT ‘NEUTRAL’ WHEN THERE’S SO MUCH DIVERSITY WITHIN ITS CATEGORY BY JEFF CIOLETTI odka hasn’t attracted the sort of feverish fandom that, with vodka, it’s bottled and distributed say, whiskey and agave spirits have, but that, in a sense, quite soon after distillation and doesn’t have to sit in a barrel for a couple of is by design. If vodka is truly doing its job and being years not making any money. Vodka everything it’s supposed to be, it’s neutral—without color, tonic drinkers typically aren’t looking to aroma or flavor (mostly). What’s to get excited about? break the bank and they can’t go wrong VWell, it still outsells every other spirit—that’s pretty exciting. with something along the lines of Georgi, Popov, Burnett’s or New Amsterdam, all of which sell off-premise for around $13 and under for a 750ml bottle. And there’s The fact of the matter is that vodka’s “authenticity”-minded consumers who a good reason value vodkas come in large blank slate character empowers it to play gravitate toward brown spirits. bottles, too: they are crowdpleasers that exceptionally well with other ingredients “If you pick up a magazine, it’ll say don’t bust budgets—perfect for parties. in cocktails, helping it become the largest that whiskey is the top trend, and now Value-priced vodkas are also ideal spirits category by volume—71.3 million that the female demographic is invested, for infusions, which are a real cash cow of the 226.1 million 9-liter cases that it continues to rise,” observes Sly Cosmo- for Washington, DC’s Eastern European make up the total U.S. spirits universe, poulos, Corporate Mixologist at Repub- eatery Russia House Lounge—whose according to the Distilled Spirits Council. lic National Distributing Co. (RNDC). menu boasts some 200 vodkas. “I just use That means nearly a third of the “Then I pick up another magazine and it’s different house vodkas and go for the best spirits that legal drinking age Americans tequila, and then in another magazine it’s deal,” says Russia House general manager consumed last year was vodka. And, as ‘poor tequila, mezcal is taking over.’ And Andrew Embree, “As long as it’s a decent large and mature as the category is, it still then another and it’s gin, with all the dif- vodka, when you infuse it correctly, it managed to post more than 2% volume ferent botanicals.” takes any of the kick out of it.” Russia growth in 2017. Often forgotten among those sexier House sells infusions—everything from If there’s ever been a “something for headlines is vodka. But it’s no less pickle, horseradish and mango to roasted everyone” category, it’s vodka. And that relevant. “When you’re dealing with tomato and habanero—for $10 a shot, so “everyone” includes even the “craft” and the mass market, the general public, the it’s a highly profitable endeavor. average consumer—open the front door and look up and down the street in the FLAVORS: EVOLUTION, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Vodka’s superpower neighborhood—it’s still vodka,” says NOT REVOLUTION is its ability to play a role in countless cocktails, such Cosmopoulos. “With all the different as Absolut’s Unicorn Froze. // Belvedere is among Of course, not all flavors have to be price points and styles and flavors, there the distilleries championing rye as a vodka base. // homemade. And it was not too long ago Absolut Patriot Punch. // The 17th-century manor really is a different vodka for every age that you could barely think of flavors “Le Logis” is a signature element at Grey Goose, and demographic.” that had not already been tried. And the situated in France’s Cognac region. // Deep Eddy Blueberry Ginger Mule // Simple yet sophisticated: sub-category itself was ripe for parody. Ketel One Botanical Cucumber & Mint with a splash VALUE VODKA STILL ROCKS Flavored vodka may have taken a bit of of soda. // Van Gogh Vodka’s Dutch Berry Gimlet. // Low price doesn’t necessarily mean low a hit recently—the segment lost 400,000 Grey Goose Martinis. quality. Since there’s no aging involved cases last year, according to the Distilled Spirits Council—but there always will be Brands continually reinforce vodka’s flexibility in thing, it’s that local sells. Brands like a place at the bar and on the retail shelf cocktails by serving up easy recipes and delicious Tito’s and Deep Eddy may be national imagery. Seen here: Absolut Citron “Champagne for ready-to-drink flavors. The segment is Popper” and Van Gogh’s “Peachy Palmer” minis. players now, but both are still very much just evolving away from gimmicks. Austin brands with fiercely loyal follow- “It’s been seven or eight years since ings around the Texas capital. the huge confectionery [flavored vod- the lastest Infusion is a re-boot: Watermel- “If a brand is local, then that is a sell- ka] trend, the whipped cream, the Fruit on is back, but now it’s “Sun-Ripened” ing point for that particular area,” says JR Loops flavors,” says Cosmopoulos. “We’re and featuring real fruit. Starkus, Nevada-based master mixology steering away from that and we’re starting Meanwhile, Austin Texas-based for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. to see lighter flavor profiles.” Deep Eddy, now part of Heaven Hill He points to the Frey Ranch Estate Dis- At the Value end, Burnett’s and Pin- brands, has gained as much attention tillery in Fallon, Nevada as an example. nacle remain flavored vodka anchors. But for its Ruby Red Vodka—which in- “You want to do local, here’s someone also at more premium price points, with cludes real grapefruit juice—as it has who’s doing it local on their farm, at a the exception of Tito’s, practically every for its 10-times-distilled original. single distillery. But that’s tied into how big brand-Absolut, Stoli, Smirnoff, Sved- One of the flavored vodka game’s close you are to the source. It doesn’t ka, Cîroc, Ketel One-has distinctive (and biggest rising stars of the past few years mean anything in Texas—Texans are valuable) flavors in their franchise. And has been cucumber. “Everyone would say going to do Deep Eddy and Tito’s.” continued promotions by established that cucumber was a really hard flavor to vodkas that remind consumers how easy capture in a bottle, but now we’re seeing INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS and rewarding these variations can be. a lot of it,” Cosmopoulos adds. In 2016, Another element that Nevada’s Frey Meanwhile, some national brands-Van Svedka combined a pair of the hottest Ranch has going for it is its grain base— Gogh, for one-have become synonymous trending flavors when it introduced made from an uncommon combination with flavor, while craft-scaled brands such Svedka Cucumber Lime. And, in April of corn, rye, wheat and barley. That as Charbay and new labels like Western of this year, the venerable Stolichnaya wouldn’t have mattered a handful of Son are gaining traction. brand launched Stoli Cucumber. years ago, but today’s consumers are Old stand-bys like citrus will remain Focus is another trend. One longtime increasingly attuned to how their spirits on-trend, as will spicy, peppery expres- leader in the flavor arena, Van Gogh, are made and the ingredients with which sions. Absolut was among the pioneers of scaled back last year from 24 flavors to 15. they are made. both. In 1986, seven years after the Double Espresso is their best-selling flavor “Consumers are savvier now than brand launched its original vodka, overall, followed by Açai-Blueberry, sug- they’ve ever been and they’re more aware it unveiled Absolut Peppar and, gesting people still have a taste for the of what they’re putting in their bodies,” two years later, it introduced exotic. That’s what keeps driving a brand says Cosmopoulos. “They realize, ‘I want Absolut Citron. Both remain in like Figenza, whose fig flavor doubles as a potato vodka,’ ‘I want wheat vodka,’ ‘I the Absolut portfolio today. Last bit of a curiosity for consumers looking to want rye.’ A lot more people are taking a year, the brand launched Abso- try something a bit different, and as an in- look at the base ingredient.” lut Lime—and launching this teresting cocktail enhancer to mixologists. That’s what convinced Belvedere summer: Grapefruit. and Sobieski to play up their respective The Skyy Vodka portfolio also includes THE LOCAL TEAM SCORES BIG rye bases in marketing and prompted a number of tropical and citrus offerings Vodka is an incredibly crowded category Chopin to release its “Single” line of within its Skyy Infusions line. Among and it’s notoriously difficult for a new spirits distilled only once to retain the those are Citrus, Texas Grapefruit, Blood brand to break through. But if the craft character of its base—be it wheat, rye, Orange and Pineapple. A sign of the times: beverage movement has taught us any- barley or potato. Marketing emphasis has shifted away from number Potato remains a classic base, and ar- of times distilled and types of filtration; ingredients guably carries more cachet today than it are emerging as more important. Potatoes rule at Chopin, while rye stars at Belvedere. ever has, thanks to producers who treat in England from the milk of grass-grazed it conscientiously. Examples besides Cho- cows, is not in the U.S.; but in suburban pin include Karlsson’s Gold (Sweden), its association with brand partner Sean NYC there is nice vodka made from hon- Boyd & Blair (Pennsylvania), LIV “Diddy” Combs than its base.