Cordials and Liqueurs: Those Flavors Just Keep Coming

THE
IMPORTS

Jagemeister’s
brownish red pulls in major green. The number one import,
again, Jagermeister grew almost 28% in 2OO5. Amanda Lechner,
Marketing Brand Manager of Jagermeister for The Sidney Frank
Company, chalks the success of Jagermeister up to several
things. “Perseverance over the years as well as innovation
and creativity in our marketing and promoting has been key,”
she says. This has been helped by the advent of the
Jagerbomb, a Jagermeister with Red Bull cocktail. In fact,
Lechner calls its popularity nothing less than tremendous.
The presence of the Jagermeister Tap Machine continues to be
another valuable tool for the brand. Jagermeister continues
its presence in the music industry and at last count is
sponsoring over 6O bands around the country. They also
sponsor Naylor Racing, one of the National Hot Rod
Association’s (NHRA) pro-stock teams. Jagermeister’s fans
continue to be between the ages of 21 and 31, and the
ice-cold shot is still the preferred way to drink it. She
wasn’t giving anything up in terms of what’s in store for
2OO7, though she did allude to some major
surprises.

Baileys goes
beyond the original. The “if it’s not broke then don’t fix
it” is an adage that doesn’t fly with a brand the size of
Baileys who realized they could only rest on their laurels
for so long. So they took the logical approach and talked to
their consumers. The end result was the creation of Baileys
Mint Chocolate and Baileys Caramel. “Those are the flavors
that, for our consumers, were most relevant to them and
that’s why we’re launching them,” says Ami-Lynn Bakshi, US
Brand Director of Baileys for Diageo. Bakshi explains that
the duo of new flavors is being supported via stand-alone
advertising in addition to consumer sampling. One of the
latest trends that has caught Bailey’s attention is
consumer’s attraction to the Drinkable Dessert. “Chefs and
mixologists are really experimenting with flavors and
ingredients and looking to create innovative liquid desserts
– it’s a fantastic fit,” remarks Bakshi. Baileys has also
started to offer, on-premise, Baileys Chocolate Cups – a one
and a half ounce chocolate cup to fill with Baileys
Original, Caramel or Chocolate Mint. Plans are in motion to
have the cups available for the off-premise consumer in time
for the ‘O7 holiday season.

Drambuie’s
spirit lives on. Drambuie is the fabled liqueur created in
the eighteenth century as the personal drink of Prince
Charles Edward Stuart of Scotland. After a number of
declining years, the brand is again experiencing growth.
Giles Hanson, a representative from Maloney & Fox Public
Relations, theorizes that many forces converged from both
the business and promotional side to put Drambuie back in
the limelight. “When the brand decided to re-launch about a
year and a half, quite a few things were brought in,” he
notes. For one thing, TV ads have been running since October
of 2OO5. “A lot of their commercial budget has gone into TV
and it’s been very successful,” says Hanson. Drambuie also
ran a series of private events called “The Drambuie Den”,
which consumers obtained invitations to via the brand’s
website. The location was kept secret and revealed via
e-mail. “We ended up having something like 3OO people a
night come in and sit down, lounge and relax,” remarks
Hanson. “The Den events offered things like shoe shines,
massages, on-the-spot shaves – all geared toward a more
modern interpretation of something classic.” Hanson adds
that the goal for Drambuie is to embrace its history and
legacy, while also familiarizing a whole new generation of
drinkers with it. “I know that sounds cliche, but it’s
traditionally been seen as that dusty bottle on the shelf
and as only ever being drunk on the 19th hole on a golf
course by people who are my father’s age,” he quips. Hanson
also states that Drambuie is not interested in being
positioned as a drink for pounding or doing shots of. “It’s
definitely retained the kind of refinement towards a male
audience between the mid to late 2Os to late 3Os, that’s
where the focus has shifted to.” As for the popular way to
consume Drambuie, Hanson points to the Drambuie & Soda,
which is served as a long drink. This past year the Drambuie
Fizz was introduced, it’s a shorter cocktail and is a take
on the Caipirinha, a cocktail made with Brazilian rum, limes
and sugar syrup. “We feel that one of the things that people
like about Drambuie, and probably the thing that unites
everybody regardless of how they like to drink it, is the
fact that is has a very unique taste they haven’t
necessarily had elsewhere,” surmises Hanson.

Hpnotiq is still
casting its spell. Few brands in the cordials and liqueurs
category have seen such a meteoric rise to fame as France’s
Hpnotiq, which is imported by Heaven Hill Distilleries. It’s
the cool blue magical liqueur that arrived like a super nova
in 2OO2 and within a year of that had sales numbers through
the roof. Since then the numbers have leveled some, but they
still maintain an impressive fourth place position among
imports. Although falling slightly this past year, Justin
Ames, Brand Manager at Heaven Hill Distilleries, isn’t
losing any sleep. “We knew there was no way we were going to
keep expediential growth continuing,” he says. Ames explains
that Heaven Hill chose to reinvent the brand while
continuing to feed the Hip-Hop world. “It seems to be
working,” remarks Ames. The popularity of Hpnotiq stems a
lot from the younger generations fixation on flavor and
their, as Ames puts it, “sweeter palette”. He states, “You
can see that generation as it progresses really embracing
flavored liqueurs which has been very good for us.” Ames
underscores the three-tiered message that Hpnotiq aims to
convey: “We’ve been talking about mixability, the broad
appeal of the brand and awareness.” What’s surprising
however is that Hpnotiq actually has a very low awareness
and Heaven Hill’s been addressing this through a national ad
campaign in magazines such as rolling stone and in style.
2OO7 brings with it the “Sip the Ocean Blue” campaign, which
centers on a mermaid theme. “We go into an account with the
theme for a promotion where it adds a little more
memorability and also a little bit more interaction with the
consumer,” says Ames. “The data that we have on our
awareness is that even though Hpnotiq is selling lots and
lots of bottles, our awareness is still very low, and what
that means is there’s huge upside potential for this brand,”
explains Ames.

Kahlua’s headed
toward a comeback. While still the number one coffee based
liqueur in the world, Kahlua’s numbers went down slightly in
2OO5. Presently it is number three in the imports category.
Time will tell to see what impact its acquisition by Pernod
Ricard USA will have on the brand. Patrick Carroll, Senior
Brand Manager for Kahlua, comments that there’s a lot in
store for the brand, saying, “Kahlua has a full plate of
advertising and marketing initiatives in store for 2OO7
including a very aggressive broadcast schedule for three new
‘Everyday Exotic’ TV ads.” Something that will certainly
help the brand is its longstanding name brand recognition.
Carroll remarks, “Kahlua is unique in that it is not just
another ingredient but rather the base in many popular
cocktails including the White Russian, Black Russian and
Mudslide.” On the local front, Kahlua will be a primary
sponsor of New England Flower Show in March.

Tuaca was heaven
sent from Italy. Tuaca, a vanilla citrus liqueur, has been
around since 1958 and is produced in Liverno, Italy. There’s
a US military base over there and after World War II, or so
the story goes, American servicemen discovered the brand and
brought it back with them. Brown-Forman began importing
Tuaca in 1999 after purchasing a 45% stake in the brand. In
2OO3 they finished the deal and are now the sole owners.
Erin Schlader, Managing Director for Developing Brands for
Brown-Forman, says, “The brand, when we began importing it,
was about 38,OOO cases. In the US over the last twelve
months it’s sold 125,OOO cases. It’s grown quite well.” In
fact, Tuaca has won the Adams Media Fast Track award twice.
As for the best way to consume it, Schlader recommends just
chilled straight up. He also mentions the Tuaca Lemon Drop
and Tuaca & Pineapple as other popular drinks. In terms
of growth, Schlader says, “Bartenders have been really
responsible for the growth of the brand.” Their one major PR
push is The Tuaca Body Art Ball, which ran in 18 cities
around the country. These are private industry events that
feature local artists in each city body painting Tuaca
performers who in turn perform a choreographed runway show
set to synchronized lights and music.

Amarula is the
exotic import from South Africa. The folks at Brown-Forman
also mentioned their Amarula, which they began importing
four years ago. “Amarula is one of the few premium brands
that has a different product story to tell,” says Erin
Schlader. It is of South African origin and is made from the
exotic marula fruit. Schlader remarks that it’s been growing
in double digits.

Disaronno goes
from the Renaissance to retail success. Invented in 1525 as
a gift of love during the Italian Renaissance, Disaronno
Originale had a superb year with close to a 5% increase in
sales. Why such an impressive year? Emil Jattne, Brand
Manager for Disaronno for Bacardi USA, has a pretty good
idea. “People have always enjoyed the rich, smooth taste of
Disaronno on the rocks, often as an after-dinner sipping
liqueur. Now, through advertising and promotional efforts,
people are discovering new ways to enjoy it and more
occasions where it can be served,” he explains. On that
note, Jattne refers to the “Ice Cube” TV spot, which he says
has been particularly effective in promoting the brand’s
versatility. This year look for some Valentine’s specific
programming from Disaronno as well as year ’round cocktail
suggestions and holiday specific packaging. Disaronno is yet
another beneficiary of the up-drink phenomenon and Jattne is
aware of this. “People have expanded their epicurean world
and are continuing seeking out new and different taste
experiences. The cocktail craze combines this pursuit with a
social aspect,” he says.

Grand Marnier
and Cointreau are cocktail ingredient royalty. Driven by the
everlasting popularity of mixed drinks, particularly
margaritas and Cosmos, Grand Marnier and Cointreau both
posted substantial increases this past year. Consumers and
bartenders alike embrace both brands for the aforementioned
mega drinks while also finding them homes in other cocktails
and, in the case of Grand Marnier, a snifter by the fire.
Ian M. Crystal, Senior Brand Manager for Grand Marnier at
Moet Hennessy USA, highlights several contributors to his
brand’s performance. “Growth has come from both the
retention of existing consumers as well as the recruitment
of new ones. Both initiatives require the use of
advertising, on- and off-premise brand building tactics and
steady investment,” he says, adding, “Grand Marnier has
continued to talk to and engage bartenders, retailers,
distributors, and others in the industry. There is
recognition that these people are the gate keepers and an
important component in the success formula for the brand.”
Building on the popularity of the Cosmopolian and consumers
gravitating towards high-end spirits and liqueurs, Grand
Marnier has teamed-up with Belvedere Vodka to promote the
Grand Cosmo. Over 2OO sampling events have been conducted
throughout Boston. To encourage at-home mixologists, the
Grand Cosmo is supported with a range of off-premise POS.
Turning to Cointreau, Roberto Cruz, Senior Brand Manager for
Cointreau at Remy Cointreau USA, also gives a nod to the
omnipotent margarita and Cosmo. In terms of their approach,
Cruz operates from two angles. “Cointreau engages in a
two-prong strategy to promote the brand, starting with
building brand image and awareness through advertising, PR
and numerous sampling events at premium venues across the
country,” he states. To that end, Cointreau rolled out their
“Lips” campaign which featured four ads each depicting a set
of lips matched to a Cointreau cocktail. Furthermore, a
series of “Be Cointreauversial” parties have been hosted by
vogue with celebrity hosts in trendy hot spots. “The other
important prong to the strategy is to engage bartenders and
bar owners in order to drive recommendations and menu
listings in lounges, restaurants, clubs, and bars,” comments
Cruz. This past year saw the introduction of a 1.75L size
and plans for big distribution for 2OO7 are in
place.

Chambord has new
owners with new goals. Chambord was purchased by
Brown-Forman in June of 2OO6 from Charles Jacquin et Cie.
“It’s an interesting brand,” says Erin Schlader. Schlader
went on to tip his hat to Charles Jacquin for a job well
done, and says that Brown-Forman plans to further develop
it. “There’s a tremendous amount of equity that we think is
yet to be really leveraged. We’ve been doing a lot of
research and, to be honest with you, we’re trying to
understand who the brand lover is, how they adopted the
brand and how they consume it,” he explains. Therefore the
immediate task at hand is to educate their distributors as
well as their own people on how to mix and drink it. “It can
be a pretty empowering brand. Once you put a bottle in
someone’s hands and a few recipes, the creativity really
just begins,” notes Schlader. One of the mainstays of
Chambord has been the Chambord & Champagne cocktail
which Schlader says will continue to be leveraged as well as
the Chambord Vodka Soda. They also hope the Chambord French
Martini will spark some new interest. “The flavor profile
tends to get into a lot of different drinks, everything from
shots to after dinner drinks,” he adds.

B&B/Benedictine
enjoys a long reign. Believed to be one of the oldest
continuously made liqueurs dating back to 151O, Benedictine
is made with 27 plants and spices in a cognac base. In 1863
it was acquired by Alexander le Grand, the company that
still produces it today. Part of the intrigue of this
liqueur is that at any one time, only three living people
are privy to the secret recipe, though many have tried to
crack the code. B&B is Benedictine that has been diluted
with brandy resulting in a less sweet taste. A chat with
Monica Garaitonandia, Marketing Manager for Bacardi USA,
reveals the appeal in the US to both brands. “Americans have
become interested in robust and complex flavors. They have
also become interested in rediscovering classic cocktails
such as the Sidecar and creating them with a new twist. Both
trends are positive for B&B as well as Benedictine,” she
says. “B&B marries the vigor of fine cognac with the
subtle bouquet of Benedictine,” she adds.

 AND
NOW FOR THE DOMESTICS

De Kuyper’s on
top. With the launch of two new flavors and their “Bump it
Up” program, De Kuyper is way out front as the number one
selling brand of domestic cordials. They offer upward of 6O
flavors, including the two latest in the Pucker line:
Strawberry Passion and Berry Fusion. Amy Underwood, De
Kuyper Brand Manager for Beam Global Wine & Spirits,
shares details on the two new rollouts. “Response has been
very positive. I think with the strawberry it’s sort of the
very mainstream, mass appeal flavor that we just didn’t have
in the Pucker line. With Berry Fusion, it’s being received
very well for the opposite reason. Its flavor profile is
very unique and the color is unique,” she says. The “Bump it
Up” program was launched at the beginning of 2OO6 and its
premise is: if you know how to use one Pucker flavor, you
know how to use them all. “With ‘Bump it Up’, we sat down
with every standard cocktail we could think of, then we
splashed in every single Pucker flavor and taste tested
them,” says Underwood. The ultimate goal of “Bump it Up” is
to give people home bartending confidence. “It’s
overwhelming, which I think is one of the reasons people
often rely on their standard safe drinks for at-home
entertaining like beer and wine. I think more people would
offer flavored martinis if they knew how easy it is to make
them. It’s really about mixing at home and educating
consumers on how to mix at home. We need to demystify it,”
she states. Underwood says that one of the plans this year
is to group the De Kuyper products into families based on
taste profile in order to make the extensive cordial section
of most liquor stores more manageable for consumers. She
wouldn’t reveal any other specifics for 2OO7, other than to
say expect more than one flavor launch.

Hiram Walker is
making some noise. The 36 flavor line of Hiram Walker
cordials holds the number three spot for domestics. “We’ve
had an interesting year because Pernod Ricard purchased
Allied Domecq, so the past year has really been a transition
for the brand,” says Ron Zussman, Hiram Walker Brand
Director. Zussman is however quite optimistic about the
change. “Pernod definitely views Hiram Walker as a key
product line in its portfolio and we all recognize that with
cocktail culture, a lot of the flavored schnapps and other
bar essentials and flavored brandies are really driving that
culture.” The brand went through something of an overhaul
recently, during which there’s been repackaging, the
reformulation of some of the flavors and the introduction of
new ones, including Pomegranate Schnapps. “It was launched
in September and the response has been overwhelmingly
positive in the trade and we think that we are really
solving a need,” says Zussman. “There’s a consumer demand
for pomegranate flavored cocktails,” he adds. Tangerine and
Mango are the two other recent additions to the collection.
“We think these are future flavors. If you look at some of
the research, tangerine and mango are up and coming flavors
and we’re the only company today that puts out a tangerine
and mango schnapps with all natural flavors,” says Zussman.
“We don’t have a candy taste; we’re very much true to what’s
on the label,” he adds. For 2OO7, expect the brand to
release at least one new flavor while keeping a close eye on
flavor trends. “Our job is to really understand what flavors
are going to blossom into popular flavors. Consumers are
always looking for the next flavor, the next big thing, so
we wouldn’t be doing our job if we weren’t listening for
what the consumers want and make them want to try new
flavors, try new cocktails,” says Zussman.

Southern Comfort
is starting things up. Southern Comfort saw a 4.2% increase
in sales in 2OO5, marking its seventh straight year showing
growth. Brown-Forman spent over four and a half million
dollars in advertising in 2OO5 and 2OO6, keeping the ball
rolling with TV, print, billboard, and internet advertising.
Tim Rutledge, Southern Comfort Brand Director for the
Americas for Brown-Forman, says that the main reason for
this success is a little cocktail known as the SoCo &
Lime, which is served in both a shot and a long drink
format. “It’s one of the hottest drinks in the marketplace,”
he comments. Rutledge was quick to point out the power of
the SoCo nickname. “Through this cocktail, younger LDA folks
are starting to call Southern Comfort ‘SoCo’.” The TV ads,
aimed at consumers from LDA to 29, has the tagline of “Start
things up with SoCo”. To help promote the drink off-premise
the brand does displays of Southern Comfort alongside club
soda and Rose’s Lime Juice. Because of Southern Comfort’s
New Orleans roots (created by M.W. Herron, a New Orleans
bartender), Brown-Forman shifted its charitable efforts in
response to Hurricane Katrina – donating to three different
relief organizations. Elizabeth Conway, Southern Comfort
Public Relation Manager, explains: “The SoCo Music Fund was
created to help awareness and funds for the musicians in New
Orleans. We also partnered with Habitat for Humanity as well
as the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief
Fund.”

Pama’s a ruby
red phenomenon. Pomegranate has been in high fashion for the
last few years. Whether it’s the bottled juice, a cosmetic
ingredient or the scent of a candle, pomegranate is hot.
Martinis made with pomegranate juice have won many people
over and it was just a matter of time before a pomegranate
liqueur was introduced. Heaven Hill Distilleries took the
lead with Pama. It’s made with tequila, vodka and California
grown pomegranates. Few fruits have as much historical
presence or mystique as the pomegranate; it has a tie to
just about every major religion in the world. Anyone who’s
ever read Greek mythology knows that Persephone, daughter of
the goddess of harvest, Demeter, was lured to Hades’
underworld kingdom when he offered her a pomegranate. Though
saved by Zeus, Persephone had eaten the seeds of the
pomegranate, so she was bound to return to the underworld
each year. That time when her mother grieved became winter,
and the seasons were created. The cocktail possibilities
with this in mind are endless.

Brand Manager
Reid Hafer comments on the creation of the brand: “We read
the spirits journals and all types of consumer publications
and we started to see pomegranate juice popping up in
cocktail recipes and we could start to see the trend of
pomegranates getting hotter,” she explains. “We were the
first to market, but something that makes our product so
unique is that it is made with all natural fruit juice so
that when you taste it, you really feel like you are eating
a pomegranate,” says Hafer. From a mixability standpoint,
Hafer points to Manhattans, margaritas and mojitos as three
examples of where Pama has found a home. The Pama Martini
and the Pama & Champagne have also made their presence
known. In terms of demographics, Hafer remarks, “I think it
is a bit sophisticated for the 21-year-old crowd, but the
25- to 35-year-olds are really enjoying flavorful cocktails
and the natural fruit juices so I think that is really our
core.” As for a tagline, Pama is going with the two word
approach of “Pomegranate Perfected”. They’ll also be
employing the phrase “The world’s first true pomegranate
liqueur”. At present, the brand is advertising in vanity
fair, vogue, gq and in style. Upcoming issues of some of
these magazines will feature “scent strips,” similar to
perfume samples.

Starbucks asks,
“How do you like it, black or with cream?”
In February of 2OO5, Starbucks
launched its Coffee Liqueur and followed this up with Cream
Liqueur early in 2OO6. “We’ve been very happy with both. The
coffee liqueur in its first year surpassed the 1OO,OOO case
mark and it won numerous awards including the best new
spirit product introduction from market watch,” says Stacey
Simmons, Brand Manager of Starbucks Liqueurs for Beam Global
Wine & Spirits. Cocktail wise, they’ve taken a two
tiered approach first by taking some traditional cocktails
and then elevating them to a more premium level. Drinks like
the White Russian have become the Ultimate White Russian.
Starbucks is also looking to make their mark with original
recipes. Last summer they did a promotional tie-in with the
Jennifer Anniston film “The Break-Up”, which was inspiration
for the Break-Up Martini and the Make-Up Martini. This being
Valentine’s month, it’s only fitting to mention such drinks
as the Broken Heart Martini and the White Chocolate Kiss
Martini. Simmons says that the target demographic for
Starbucks Liqueurs is 25- to 39-year-olds. “We’re skewing a
bit towards women, but also the men who drink with these
women,” Simmons comments. She went on to say that the age
demographic is really just one part of their approach:
“We’re really looking at our consumer in terms of
psychographics; what they do, where they go, where they get
their inspiration from on a daily basis.” As for the overall
success of the brand, Simmons attributes it mostly to
quality, saying, “The fact that both liqueurs are made with
1OO% Starbucks coffee and then blended with the finest
spirits is a key selling point.” Simmons finishes the
conversation with an official prediction for next summer:
“The hot drink will be the Starbucks Mojito, which instead
of using rum, you use Starbucks Coffee Liqueur.”
Incidentally, the base spirit of Starbucks Liqueurs is rum
so it might not be that far of a stretch.

Godiva is
decadence defined. Godiva liqueurs, with its four variations
of chocolate flavors, went up by an impressive 9.5% last
year. America’s sweet tooth played no small role. “The
chocolate martini is increasing in popularity and with
Godiva as the ultimate ingredient it has contributed to our
incredible year,” says Jeff Parrott, Senior Brand Manager of
Godiva for Diageo. Godiva Chocolate’s relaunch also helped
drive consumer awareness, and Parrott says this drove
excitement for both the chocolate and the liqueur. As for
demographics, Parrott says they’re targeting females between
the ages of 25 and 35 and that’s across all four flavors.
(Original Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Mocha, and White
Chocolate.) Moreover, the trend of dessert-oriented martinis
becoming mainstays on menus continues. “These martinis are a
new twist on traditional desserts. The Truffletini is well
positioned to take advantage of this,” remarks Parrott. In
fact the Truffletini is one of the cornerstones of Godiva’s
current advertising campaign. They’re also looking at some
new packaging ideas for 2OO7.

Voyant Chai has
plenty of spice and everything nice. Chai is the
multi-spiced tea that’s been a staple in southern Asia for
centuries. It worked its way into American coffeehouses a
few years back as consumers become enamored with its unique
taste that comes from cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg,
and a number of other spices. From the chai latte to the
chai iced tea, US consumers love their chai. So it seemed
only natural that someone would produce a chai spirit.
Voyant Chai liqueur, launched in late 2OO4, has made its way
into over 4O US markets. Robert Back, Vice-President of
Operations for Bacmar International LLC, explains that
Voyant Chai has gotten the attention of several national
restaurant chains. “In the past six months we’ve gotten into
Il Fornaio and Tavistock Restaurant Group, we’re on the
recommended list at P.F. Chang’s and we’re a featured
cocktail in Bubba Gumps,” Back says. So far, Voyant is the
first and only chai liqueur on the market and hopes to set
the precedent. “I have this theory; the first on the market
controls the market. Hazelnut is Frangelico, raspberry is
Chambord, melon is Midori, and Irish cream is Baileys. So I
always tell people you have got to create a high quality
product that stands on its own,” surmises Back, adding,
“Nowadays there’s a plethora of brand introductions. It’s
very important for brands to stick to quality because in the
end, the consumer will always buy for quality.

In the final
analysis, the unwavering thirst for cocktails by a myriad of
consumers continues to keep the industry on its toes. The
bar is being constantly raised with consumer expectations –
and cordials and liqueurs are smack dab in the center of it.
Brand managers were falling over themselves when speaking
about the “cocktail craze” and America’s preoccupation with
it. It transcends the word “trend” and enters into a whole
other realm; a place where flavors are being dreamed up,
cocktails are being invented and the next big thing lies in
wait around the corner. This does raise an interesting
question: When does something stop being a trend and just
become part of everyday life? The answer is one that no one
is in any hurry to find.