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GOURMET NEWS NOVEMBER 2015 www.gourmetnews.com BUYERS GUIDE BUYERS GUIDE 2 9 W I N E S , S P I R I T S & C O C K T A I L M I X E R S Cocktail Culture Incites Interest In Imports BY MICAH CHEEK The rapid growth of the spirits market has industry experts looking to imported spirits as an upcoming trend. "Brown goods will continue to rise because the market is there, but at some point we'll reach saturation," says Jason Griffin, Craft Spirits Manager at Wirtz Beverages. Griffin says that the next big trend will be agave-based spirits like tequila and mescal. Gin has been highlighted re- cently because of the wide variety of styles and cocktail options, but brown liquors are seeing more interest. Chris Morales, Brand Development Manager at Treaty Oak Distilling Co., suggests that the thawing of tensions between the US and Cuba will push interest in agricole rum, a sugar cane spirit traditionally made in the Caribbean. "You're getting a series of alcohol John the Baptists, say- ing, 'What's happening next?'" says Morales. "And they're saying, 'The Cubans are coming.'" GN Education, Variety Drive Craft Spirits Market actually help the customer." Offsite tastings have proven effective, especially when the person pouring can walk the customer through the differences between samples. Spirits like bourbon can have very different tastes based on the grains used in produc- tion, and staff with knowledge on the sub- ject are often needed to point out these differences to consumers. "Tastings are key; you have to get liquid to lips," says Griffin. "You have to be able to tell the difference between wheat, corn and rye." A wide variety of styles of spirits has fol- lowed the influx of microdistillery brands in the US. "Most states have between 5 and 10 local options for specific spirits," says Chris Morales, Brand Development Man- ager at Treaty Oak Distilling Co. "There are so many gins. For a category that's maybe 4 percent of sales, you start seeing all these options." This wide assortment of gins has been fueled by the comeback of cocktail culture, giving cocktail makers more op- tions for subtle flavor differences. The in- ternet has provided a platform for small distilleries to get the attention of the new era of discerning cocktail enthusiasts. "[The popularity] comes as part of the ac- cess and fluidness of the internet right now," says Morales. "The people who were looking started finding." One factor that gives smaller distilleries an advantage is the ability to experiment. New recipes of liquors can be given a lim- ited release to sell a rare product and gauge public response. "If you have to sell 100,000 bottles, there's not a lot you can do. If you only have to sell 100 bottles, there's nothing you can't do. You can always find someone to buy 100 bottles," says Hletko. Few Spirits' Breakfast Gin is one such example. After a positive response from a limited release, Few is in the process of releasing the product to a wider market. This focus on local releases, combined with frequent off-site tastings, has been an effec- tive strategy for Few. "Our product's being very well-received," says Hletko. "Our VPO at a certain retail chain is the highest of anybody in the organization." GN BY MICAH CHEEK It's time to raise a glass to America's mi- crodistilleries. Small distilleries producing craft spirits are cropping up all over the country, bringing a greater variety to retail liquor shelves. An extension of the micro- brewery movement, microdistilling is see- ing growth as microbreweries and winemakers try their hand at hard liquor. "A decade ago, there were fewer than 50 craft distilleries in the country, and five years ago there were approximately 150 craft distilleries," says Thomas Mooney, President of the American Craft Spirits As- sociation and CEO of House Spirits Distill- ery. Today, there are more than 750 craft distilleries nationally, with the figure ex- pected to pass 800 in the next year. The retail market is still adjusting to the rapid increase in brands of craft spirits available. "Retailers have to be more edu- cated than they ever had to be to be suc- cessful in this market," says Jason Griffin, Craft Spirits Manager at Wirtz Beverages. "It's about having an informed staff that can A New Recipe Idea from Wind & Willow There's a reason your customers keep Wind & Willow in the pantry at all times and tend to buy multiples when purchasing. They know they'll be getting a consistent quality product, great shelf-life and a multitude of recipes for every mix. Since 1991, customers have been using Wind & Wil- low savory mixes for more than cheeseballs or spreads. They are the base for many favorite appetizers, side dishes, and even entrees. The latest recipe from the kitchens of Wind & Willow adds a new twist to a traditional favorite. Turn your traditional mac 'n cheese into an upscale, super side dish with an unexpected Wind & Willow favorite. This time, a sweet dessert mix is used in a savory recipe by combining the Pumpkin Pie Mix with cheeses and cream over pasta. Savory Pumpkin Mac 'n Cheese is a pleasant surprise that will once again have your customers stocking up. Follow Wind & Willow on Facebook to see new recipes each week: facebook.com/windandwillowfoods. You can also find recipes on the company website at www.windandwillow.com. Find great recipes and tips for every occasion on Pinterest: pinterest.com/cheeseballmix. Wind & Willow www.windandwillow.com Wine Mulling Spice Blend from eSutras Organics eSutras Organics Wine Mulling Spice Blend is manufactured in an organic facility in Chicago. Artisan-made in small batches to retain its unique quality and flavors, this blend is a delicious combination of organic spices which makes ordinary cider, wine, tea and brandy into extraordinary spiced drinks. Available to purchase in small case sizes, it's simple to place an order with eSutras Organics. eSutras Organic 773.583.4850 www.eswholesale.com Gift Ideas from Tortuga Rum Cake Company Tortuga Rum Cake Company is known world-wide for authentic and original Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cakes. Baked in the Caribbean from a generations old island family recipe, the cakes are made with the finest ingredients and special oak-barrel-aged Tortuga gold rum. Each cake is hand glazed and vacuum sealed, locking in the deli- cious freshness and giving the cakes a shelf life of 12 months. The company also of- fers Chocolate Rum Turtles with Sea Salt, Caribbean sauces, flavored gourmet coffees including single-serve coffee, rum balls and rum fudge. Tortuga is also now offering homemade Salt Water Taffy with Rum. It is made from a special recipe and with the finest ingredients. Sweet Salt Water Taffy will bring back memories from your travels to sea side destinations including the Caribbean. Each pack- age includes eight unique flavors that are individually wrapped: TORTUGA Rum and Cola, TORTUGA Rum, TORTUGA Coconut Rum, TORTUGA Banana Rum, TORTUGA Mango Rum, TORTUGA Pineapple Rum, TORTUGA Orange Liqueur and TORTUGA Rum Punch. The taffy boasts a shelf life of 12 months and has received rave reviews on the delicious tropical, rummy flavors. This new treat is a perfect addition to the delicious gourmet products you offer year-round. Tortuga Rum Cake Company 305.378.6668 or 877.486.7884 www.tortugarumcakes.com Wixon Private Label Dry Mixes and Seasonings Wixon's culinary innovation teams offer creative ideas for private label gourmet dry mixes and seasonings. Three core levels of service – product innovation, formulation development and processing and packaging – ensure products meet expectations at every step. A one-stop production system and a variety of packaging services complement the customizable packaging experience. Wixon 800.841.5304 www.wixon.com Maureen Downey, named the "Sherlock Holmes of Wine" by Bloomberg and the "Wine Detective" by SF Weekly, has launchedWineFraud.com, the first of its kind resource for vendors, buyers and pro- ducers of fine wine. WineFraud.com Founder Maureen Downey was instrumental in solving the now notorious case of the Kurniawan wine counterfeits, which were estimated to have brought $130 million dollars of fake wine to auction and international markets. When Thomas Keller's the French Laundry had $300,000 of wine stolen from its col- lection last December, Downey was imme- diately consulted by the FBI to help crack the case. Bloomberg Business says, "For the past 10 years she has been on a one-woman crusade to rid the wine industry of coun- terfeit and stolen wine." The aim of WineFraud.com is to raise awareness of wine fraud and counterfeiting issues in the wine trade and among con- sumers, and to educate its members on the core principles of wine authentication. The mission of the site is to make it difficult for wine fraudsters to thrive by raising aware- ness and knowledge, as well as increasing due diligence. The ultimate goal is to end wine counterfeiting and fraud, creating a more transparent and authentic global wine marketplace. WineFraud.com offers a subscription service that provides education and advo- cacy for wine collectors, producers and vendors through the largest anti-counter- feiting resource in the world. The site re- ports information about the latest breaking counterfeit scandals, and current wine fraud events and trends. GN Website Provides Education and Advocacy on Wine Fraud

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