Beverage Dynamics July-August 2020 | Page 20

Micher ' s Master Distiller Dan McKee believes that terroir is " definitely " a component in creating the uniqueness of a whiskey .

Angel ' s Envy Co-Founder Wes Henderson is not as hung up on a whiskey ' s age . " It ' s about maturity ," he says . " So what if it ' s young ?"

To his point about both sides having merit , the Glenrothes did also bring back age statements in 2018 , zigging where other brands have zagged .

A common way that retailers have differentiated their offerings in recent time has been through store-pick single barrels . These programs are a win-win . They grant retailers opportunity to pick their own barrels — often by visiting distilleries , where they can deepen bonds with the brand teams — before offering customers a product that is not available anywhere else .

“ Retailers love to have unique offerings to attract and develop a loyal clientele base . Store barrel picks allow them to do this ,” says Morris of Woodford Reserve . “ They are also a useful tool in building a store-focused ‘ Whiskey Society ’ around to that same end .”

JJ ’ s Wine , Spirits & Cigars of Sioux Falls , SD , has taken “ whiskey society ” to another level . The retailer operates a system for customers wherein they accumulate points for certain whiskey purchases , points they can trade in for the right to buy allocated products like Pappy ’ s of Buffalo Trace Antique Collection . And what bottles are worth the most points ? Naturally , that would be JJ ’ s store-pick single barrels .

Thanks in part to wine , “ blended ” is no longer a dirty word in the minds of consumers . It has evolved beyond the old meaning of

“ cheap .” Instead , the term “ blended ” likely means nothing to modern drinkers . For the same reason that some brands show age statements while others do not , the surest way to appeal to consumers today is through quality . People do not care how old a whiskey is — or what it ’ s made of — so long as it tastes great .

One brand that has helped establish this newer trend is High West . Purchasing whiskey from various distilleries and combining them into unique blends , this fast-growing brand has released some of the most popular expressions on the market today . And while other companies may not aggressively source ingredients this way , it ’ s likely we ’ ll see more blends hit shelves as new high-end releases .

In Scotch , blending has become a way for brands to release new products , even when existing stock does not support another age-statement release .

It ’ s another layer of innovation , producing new products and flavors for consumers to buy . Still , Henderson of Angel ’ s Envy cautions against distilleries leaning too much into this strategy , and becoming blinded by the flavor possibilities .

“ Businesses can get on the gerbil wheel or innovating for the sake of innovating ,” he says . “ Don ’ t say something unless you have a reason to say it . You don ’ t have to come out with a new whiskey release every six months .”

Another way that some brands have chosen to stand out is by showcasing local ingredients in their yeast , mash bills , oak selection and more .

Given the emphasis nowadays on localness in the broader craft market , we see this movement only expanding in whiskey in 2020 and beyond . And it comes at a time when many brands are arguing for a sense of terroir in whiskey , similar to how the term is used with wine .

“ Terroir is definitely a component that lends to the uniqueness of a whiskey ,” says Michter ’ s Master Distiller Dan McKee . “ For example , like grapes , grains grown in different regions , climates and

20 Beverage Dynamics • July / August 2020 www . beveragedynamics . com