What brands led the way in terms of innovation and sales growth ? In the U . S ., depletion of Bacardí rum is up since last year , with the Bacardí Premium range , Bacardí Real Rum Canned Cocktails and Bacardí Spiced leading the charge . We ’ re seeing growth in the rum category compared to two years ago , specifically in the off-premise , which tells us people are choosing rum when they ’ re heading to the liquor store , or buying from on-demand delivery services like Drizly or ReserveBar .

With ultra-premium spirits up 17 %, we ’ ve seen a lot of opportunity in this space to educate consumers and introduce them to our more exclusive variants , such as the Bacardí Reserva Ocho Cask Finish series and the Angel ’ s Envy limited-edition expressions , three of which we released in the past year .

The vodka category is on fire , with Grey Goose taking things to the next level with triple-digit growth in on-premise sales — about 30 % higher than the growth of the vodka category as a whole . As the # 1 vodka recommended by bartenders , Grey Goose is seeing further growth with the reopening of bars and restaurants , as consumers continue to trade up .

What activation programs were most helpful in growing your brands ? Late last year , we debuted Bacardí rum ’ s first holiday campaign in over a decade : the ‘ Winter Summerland ’ activation themed around bringing Caribbean warmth to the colder months . We also had a colorful ‘ Move Like It ’ s Summer ’ creative ad campaign .

Bombay Sapphire leans into creativity and connection in the brand ’ s latest partnership with the Basquiat Estate as the ‘ Official Spirits Partner ’ of the Jean-Michel Basquiat : King Pleasure Exhibition .

Grey Goose celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and is revisiting its roots in style , music and culture ; earlier this year , it became the official spirit partner of the 64th annual Grammy Awards . And Patrón is partnering with beloved Mexican Formula 1 racing icon Sergio ‘ Checo ’ Perez .

What do you have planned for 2022 to keep the momentum going ? We just rolled out new flavor additions to our Bacardi Real Rum Canned Cocktails range — Bacardí Piña Colada and a brand-new Mojito Variety Pack with new Mango Mojito and Strawberry Mojito variants . In addition , we will release the next limited-edition variant in our Bacardí Reserva Ocho Cask Finish series .

Last year , we announced the limited-edition launch of Bacardí Reserva Ocho Sherry Cask Finish , as the start of a five-year program that will see a new cask finish released annually until 2025 . Each year , a base of Bacardí Reserva Ocho will be finished in a different type of barrel , resulting in different flavor profiles and notes .

We ’ ve introduced a new Ranch Water RTD beverage to our Cazadores portfolio of 100 % agave authentic Mexican canned cocktails . The latest flavor , inspired by the Texas drink , joins the lineup of three additional Tequila Cazadores ’ RTD cocktails , including the beloved Margarita , Spicy Margarita and Paloma , which launched nationally last year .

20 • Fall 2022 www . cheersonline . com