Diageo is set to take on Jack Daniels with the launch of a new bourbon.
The drinks giant says Bulleit Bourbon will give maturing young spirits drinkers more choice and should appeal to drinkers of American whiskey who are looking for another premium spirit as an alternative to established brands, such as Jack Daniels.
“Our research has told us that after men reach the age of 25 they start to grow out of spirits they have been drinking for a few years,” said brand manager Emily Young. “They still want to drink spirits, but they feel that their choice is very limited. There aren’t many premium bourbons available on wide distribution, so this is a market
gap that we will hopefully fill with Bulleit Bourbon.”
Bulleit Bourbon was originally produced in Louisville, Kentucky, in the early 1800s and the brand’s popularity travelled west with pioneers who settled in the American Frontier. The bourbon still follows a 175-year-old recipe and is produced with a high rye content, which creates the dry, clean flavour. It is aged for between six and eight years.
A 700ml bottle of Bulleit Bourbon has an rsp of £17.49, and the March off-trade launch will be supported by a £2m marketing campaign with a PR emphasis on men’s magazines and weekend supplements.
The bourbon has already proved popular in top-end bars and Steve Boles, Sainsbury’s buying manager for beers, spirits and tobacco, agreed that bourbon is currently a very trendy drink. He added that the product’s success could be a slow burn.
“It could do well in our stores in London, Manchester and Edinburgh where there are style bars, because bourbon is increasingly being used there to make cocktails,” he said.
Helen Gregory