RYE IS ROCKING

IT’S NOT just bourbon that America is enamored with. Bourbon’s spicy cousin, rye whiskey, is making a roaring comeback according to new data from the Distilled Spirits Council. Since 2OO9, rye whiskey volumes have grown 536% from 88,OOO 9-liter cases to over a half million cases in 2O14. In value terms, that translates into a 6O9% jump from slightly over $15 million in supplier revenues in 2OO9 to over $1O6 million in 2O14. This represents approximately $3OO million in retail sales according to David Ozgo, Distilled Spirits Council Chief Economist. “The growth of rye whiskey has been phenomenal, given that as late as 2OOO, volumes were virtually nonexistent with only a handful of brands in the US market,” he said. “By 2O14, there were over 1OO brands, and the sheer numbers tell the story. While it still represents a small share of the overall American whiskey category, its growth is skyrocketing.” Ozgo attributed the revival to several factors: 1 Growing interest in American whiskeys in general from 2OO9 to 2O14. Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey volumes grew 28.5% and revenues rose 46.7%, reflecting consumers’ taste for more premium quality. 2 Americans are embracing the heritage of spirits products, and rye whiskey has a long history in the United States. It was the original grain of the East Coast, and George Washington had the largest rye distillery in early America on his Mount Vernon estate. 3 The revival of cocktails and cocktail culture; in particular classic cocktails which, pre-Prohibition, were often rye-based. If the current movement is any indicator of things to come, expect to see The Rye Wars coming soon to a TV channel near you . . .