Whisky is back on top. Having been briefly overtaken by vodka last year, blended whisky has reclaimed the title of number one spirit with a 4.5% rise in value to £805m

whisky

Focus On Spirits by Daniel Woolfson

Publishing: 15 September

Online Listicle:14 September

Submissions deadline: 22 August

Advertising deadline 22 August

 

The Story

Whisky is back on top. Having been briefly overtaken by vodka last year, blended whisky has reclaimed the title of number one spirit with a 4.5% rise in value to £805m. So why is whisky suddenly in vogue? And what is going on elsewhere in spirits? Having racked up another year of stellar sales gains, can gin continue this momentum and to what extent will it need to innovate?

Key themes:

Hard drinkers: The nation is opting for harder stuff. Sprits are up nearly 7% in value and over 4% in volume, making it the second fastest growing market in alcohol. Why is this?

The experience: Drinkers aren’t just downing spirits or hastily mixing them with lemonade. They want an experience – hence the rise of premium mixers. We’re also seeing presentation playing an increasing role. Gin goblets are becoming a more regular sight in bars and pubs, while cocktails are coming in everything from jam jars to test tubes.

Whisky boom: Could whisky be the new gin? Similarly to how gin shed its ‘granny’ image, can whisky become a hit with the younger crowd? What are brands doing to encourage this? Is packaging promoting a new image? And how are younger people drinking whisky – is there a role for cocktails?

Vodka: Last year’s boom seems to be over, as vodka value and volume has fallen. Why is this?

Gin: The stellar growth of gin continues with a 35% value gain. Pink gin is the biggest innovation this year. What could be the next big thing for gin?

Innovation: Key to this feature will be a discussion of the latest NPD from the category’s brands and own label players, large and small. The feature will explore the market trends that have inspired recent innovations and weigh up which new launches are most likely to encourage future growth in the market. We will profile 4 of these in separate innovations panel including launch date, RSP and an image.

Key questions the feature is likely to address:

 What consumer trends have impacted the category over the past year?

 How have promotional strategies (both in terms of price and marketing) evolved?

 How has merchandising changed in the market?