Whiskey makers need patience to nurture stocks that rest in barrels for years and even decades .
WHO ARE THE NEW CUSTOMERS ? Beyond the current crop of connoisseurs , collectors and whiskey geeks , who are the consumers just now contemplating the category ? Where will the whiskeyphiles of tomorrow come from ? One answer is millennials and other newbies to the spirits market . “ Younger consumers are expressing greater interest in the category — specifically trading up beyond Whiskey & Coke ,” says Chris Fredrickson , co-founder of Traverse City Whiskey Co .
“ American whiskey is appealing to a new generation of spirits enthusiasts in the millennial age group ,” says Price at Campari . Specifically , those who are interested in whiskey ’ s craft and heritage . “ More 21-30 year olds are discovering American whiskey ,” echoes Comstock at Buffalo Trace .
“ Millennials continue to discover our brands as they are drawn to authentic stories that are meaningful to them ,” says Dennis Carr , president of Anchor Distilling Company . “ We ’ re also seeing a big interest in home entertaining and amateur mixology , which further draws new customers to our brands
as they look to discover spirits that are fun to work with and interesting to introduce to friends .”
“ Part of the growth in whiskey comes from pulling people away from other types of spirits ,” reports Wahl at Heaven Hill . But a bigger piece is drawing people away from beer , she says . Both liquids share common attributes of craft production and a sense of place and heritage , stories which play well with millennials .
“ We are seeing a lot of new whiskey / bourbon drinkers ; people who are looking to move on from other spirits and enter the brown spirits categories ,” says Holecz at Western Spirits , who adds that more female consumers are drinking fl avored whiskey products .
“ Surprisingly , the female portion of whiskey ’ s consumer base is growing much faster than the male ,” notes Steffanci at Deutsch . “ Women want bold flavors , and are not looking for girly whiskey .”
CATCHING UP WITH RYE Bourbon is big now , but spicy whiskeys made with a high percentage of rye in the mash bill are rap-
“ We are seeing a lot of new whiskey / bourbon drinkers ; people who are looking to move on from other spirits and enter the brown spirits categories .”
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