NEW CATEGORIES PLAY WITH FLAVOUR

Elsewhere, rum brands are also attempting to take flavour into a more quality driven space. A lack of regulation, the overuse of caramel to hide a lack of aging, a propensity for pirate imagery, as well as marketing that focuses on the party drink market, have lowered the perceptions of, in particular, spiced rums. The recent flurry of flavoured rums therefore, have had a current to swim against, when it comes to portraying themselves as being of quality.

How have they tackled that? With a label that could be just as at home on a craft gin, Suncamino Floral Rum (which claims to be the world’s first floral rum) has opted for a detailed illustration depicting sun, sugar, and the tropics. Or in other words, depicting its provenance. Though the rum hails from Barbados, the hibiscus, orange blossom and honeybush contained within is inspired by and sourced from South Africa. At the other end of the spectrum, there’s Twin Fin. Depicting an entirely surfy vibe with its matte pastel range inspired by both the Caribbean and Cornish coasts. Again, its another of the current sweep of rums to be shipped across from producing regions, only to be flavoured and bottled on less tropical shores. In this case, Cornwall. From the surfy font to the colour palette, Twin Fin is displaying this cross culturalism with pride.

Tequila Treads A Tricky Path

A category to watch is the emerging flavoured tequila market, which has a tricky path to navigate. It’s well documented that tequila has worked hard over the past decade or so to rejuvenate its image, moving from shots to sipping. How then will flavours fit into this? According to e-tailer Master of Malt, sales of flavoured tequila have increased by over 200% from 2021 to 2022. And an increasingly booming amount of NPD is dedicated to it.

But there’s a ‘watch out’. Though consumers, clearly, are ready and already embracing this new subcategory, if brands lean too deeply, tackily, or without thought into a design scheme of neon candy skulls, sombreros and other cliché Mexican tropes, the category risks undoing the premium groundwork of the last twenty years. Perceptions matter, and proving quality from the bottle first, must be a priority.

WHY BBQ’D DRAMS ARE IN

The world’s of food and drink have been slowly merging over the past few years, with food inspired drinks and drink inspired foods. Now, as two genres continue to play off each other, the term ‘don’t play with your food’ has become well and truly redundant. As Scotch brand Ardbeg announces its new BBQ-inspired liquid, we ask, do consumers really want to drink their food?

You’ve heard of peated whisky, but have you heard of meated whisky? You have now. Scotch brand Ardbeg has just launched BizarreBQ. Described as the distillery’s first ever limited-edition barbecueinspired whisky (because why possibly would there be others?) it has been produced to capture the flavours of smoky barbeque.

There’s no meat in it. But by working with ‘grilling guru’ Christian Stevenson, the distiller has figured out a process using double-charred oak casks, Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and the distillery’s unique BBQ casks, that give the liquid a “meaty, peaty punch” to compliment BBQ’d food. To hear them tell it, the taste is like: “Puffs of charcoal and soot mingling with smoky wood and aromatic herbs and spices”. Apparently there is: “The undeniable smell of bonfire and BBQ embers linger in the background. Deep, warming smoke follows in flame-grilled steak, chilli oil, cured leather and clove.”

The release marks the next phase of the distillery’s journey to uncover new ways of experiencing and enjoying smoky flavours. But will it ever be more than a curiosity? A dram to drink as a dare?

Does it belong to the canon of serious whisky making and experimentation, or is it a novelty fad?