Whiskey is no stranger to innovation as flavored whiskies, unique blends, and interesting aging techniques have dominated the market for the last few years. All of this is in line with consumer demand for premium products, unique flavors, and a memorable experience. If your bar is pouring whiskey guests can’t find anywhere else, that has an engaging story or process, or that is proprietary to your establishment, then you’ll find yourself ahead of the competition.
And whiskey drinkers are certainly a demographic your establishment should want to target. Union, a data-driven hospitality engagement platform, recently released an OnPrem Insights study on whiskey drinkers. It found that the whiskey category has an overall retention of 53%—in line with vodka and well ahead of other spirits categories—meaning a guest is likely to consume whiskey again on their next bar visit
“From premium to well drinks and old fashioneds to mixed shots, whiskey is a clear winner on-premise,” says Layne Cox, Union’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Still, there’s a huge opportunity to convert guests who like to try whiskey into guests who order it more regularly. Operators and brands would be smart to spend time highlighting their whiskey offerings to boost interest—and sales.”
Fortunately, whiskey makers have made it easier than ever to stand apart from the crowd with private barrels, select blends, and unique finishing processes.
One-of-a-Kind Whiskies
“There are a lot of whiskey explorers out there these days,” says Peter Iglesias, CEO of Bespoken, a pioneering craft whiskey maker that recently released three new whiskeys. “They’re not scared to try new things.”
And Bespoken is happy to provide all-new flavors for them to try. Through a proprietary process, Bespoken uses hand-selected wood staves, individually toasted and charred, to craft the perfect balance of flavor. Bespoken's tailored wood-finishing uses only the traditional ingredients—grains, wood, toast, and char—with no additives. The result is hand-selected and sustainable whiskeys that deliver unique flavor with less impact on the environment. “It's about creating a flavor profile that resonates with a consumer, something that just tastes great,” says Iglesias.
This process also enables Bespoken to create proprietary whiskies for establishments like bars and restaurants as well as individuals. The company is focusing on its Artists Partnership, where Bespoken partners with specific artists to create and launch a whiskey brand. The current plan is to work with eight artists over the next four years.
Georgetown, Kentucky-based Blue Run Spirits, which creates limited-release bourbons and rye whiskies that often sell out in minutes, is also looking to offer drinkers a one of-a-kind whiskey with its first Private Barrel Program. Officially dubbed “CHOSEN,” the program is designed to give consumers a much more engaging experience through a five-step process that operates much like a sports draft—enabling equal participation from everyone. The private barrel program will run seasonally, perhaps every 15 months.
“I think private barrel programs are a way for on premise accounts to just elevate that overall experience and curate it, tailor it to what their preferences are,” says Wade. “I think this is a really good opportunity for restaurateurs and on-premise accounts to set themselves apart from the person next door.”
The program was developed by Trey Wade, Blue Run’s Chief Experience Curator, who says he’s always looking to up the ante with bourbons and whiskies, “How can we take something that people already like and just take it to the next level? In designing the program, I use my experience from the past few years of selecting hundreds of barrels from all different sized brands and a bunch of different types of spirits, and really taking inventory of what's common out there, what's being done really well, what are some things that have some opportunity to be improved upon. In turn, I developed the program for us, and it was an opportunity for us to continue to engage with our consumers and offer a really special product that has an amazing experience attached to the actual selection.”
Marketing the Whiskey in the On-Premise
Of course, even the most unique product won’t sell if your customers know nothing about it, and this is where staff training comes in.
“It’s our job, as a supplier of our brand, to really educate the on-premise, the bartenders,” says Iglesias. “There's a new generation of bartenders out there today. They're not quite as knowledgeable yet; I think they're on their way. What it boils down to is partnering with these accounts and teaching them about the technology.
“If we can get the bartender to get the consumer to try it, we believe the consumer is going to like it a lot.”
For the on-premise, it’s also about creating an unforgettable experience around that tasting. “I really love how the experience, the ambiance, and the total atmosphere can impact your memory of a particular product," says Wade. "I have a big focus in making sure that our product is attached to those unforgettable culinary experiences. And a lot of that starts with asking, ‘How and where are we getting our products from? How are we presenting it? How is my service around this product?’”
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