Wine Fast Track Brands

FAST TRACK

FAST TRACK

test market in the country. Because we’ re able to sample new products to so many consumers, we can launch new flavors into the wholesale market with a high degree of confidence that they will be successful. In fact, we receive many calls from our distributors requesting us to expand products that have been successful in our locations. This was the case with [ Rising Star winner ] Mint Chocolate Chip Cream Whiskey, which has consistently been a visitor favorite in our distillery locations and has gone on to do very well in the wholesale market.”

Elsewhere among Growth Brands awards winners, Empress Gin launched Empress Cucumber Lemon Gin in spring 2024. This featured“ a third blend of botanicals emphasizing garden fresh cucumber and bright citrus in the flavor profile,” explains Dopkins.“ Empress Cucumber Lemon has done very well in its first year in market, and is best enjoyed in a classic gimlet or with tonic for a refreshing and delightful cocktail.”

This is in addition to the flagship Empress Indigo product, as well as another successful new flavor roll out in recent time:

“ Empress Elderflower Rose Gin, an expression with its own unique blend of botanicals featuring elderflower and rose and a deep red color, was launched in the fall of 2023 and continues to perform very well, perfect in cocktails like the Negroni Rosa, made with Empress Elderflower Rose, dry vermouth, and Victoria Bitter Bianca,” says Dopkins.

Rising Star award winner Midnight Moon Moonshakes also captured growth through offering different flavor options.

“ Our three top-selling flavors— Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Brownie, and Peanut Butter Cup— led the charge, while every flavor in our lineup, including fall favorite Apple Pie, contributed to the momentum,” says Gina Huss, SVP national sales and marketing at Piedmont Distillers.“ Each Moonshake delivers rich, nostalgic flavors with a bold moonshine kick, setting us apart from other cream liqueurs. From the classic milkshake-inspired Cookies & Cream to the warm, fudgy goodness of Chocolate Brownie, the perfect blend of peanut butter and chocolate in Peanut Butter Cup, and the comforting taste of Grandma’ s freshly baked Apple Pie, each flavor sparked excitement and drove repeat purchases. Our ability to blend nostalgic flavors with bold moonshine innovation has created a desert-like indulgence that resonates with both moonshine lovers and cream liqueur fans alike.”

Midnight Moon Moonshakes plans to continue this successful strategy.

“ Our latest innovation, vanilla, is inspired by the world’ s most beloved milkshake and ice cream flavor,” says Huss.“ As the number-one ice cream flavor, Vanilla was the perfect choice for the Moonshake lineup, delivering the nostalgic sweetness and creamy indulgence our fans crave. Though it seems vanilla, it’ s not. Midnight Moon Vanilla Moonshake is the only vanilla moonshine cream liqueur— smooth, rich, and anything but ordinary. It’ s a must-have for crafting classic cream cocktails or mixing up something unexpected.”

Premium whiskey brands like Woodford Reserve have taken note of this consumer taste in exploration by offering multiple limited-edition offerings every year.

“ Our special offerings( the distillery series, the Master’ s Collection, Batch Proof) also drive sales,” says McCall.“ People love something new – and we offer several new products each year.”

Sometimes the new flavor innovations aren’ t limited editions but innovative line extensions intended to bring in a broader consumer base. For instance: Heaven Hill’ s Rising Star, Widow Jane.

“ Flavor is our north star, and Baby Jane Bourbon— launched last year— embodies that philosophy,” says Jamie Van Haren, associate director, luxury whiskey brands, for Heaven Hill.“ Made with our proprietary heirloom corn, also named‘ Baby Jane’, this bourbon brings a bold, creamy spice

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