Building Markets for Artisan Spirits
Artisan spirits are very much on the agenda for Tales of the Cocktail attendees. Distillers of hand-crafted, low-volume gins vodkas, liqueurs and other spirits rub shoulders here with innovative bartenders who value artisan spirits as ingredients in their original cocktail creations. You’ll even find distributors who are willing to work to get those products onto shelves and bars, even in the face of overwhelming mega-brand with massive marketing budgets.
The Artisans Spirits session, held here on July 17, focused on marketing challenges. Since these products are usually created by passionate people with little money to spare for the kind of marketing and sales forces that large manufacturers can muster, the road to success for artisans usually requires word-of-mouth marketing, and the support of mixologists who understand how the spirits are made, and what role they can play in a bar program.
Distributors and distillers also suggested artisans play up the local angle of their products, especially if ingredients come from the region where the spirits are distilled. The trend toward organic cocktail ingredients can also play into the artisans’ advantage, though some panelists pointed out that sourcing consistent, high-quality organic ingredients is often a challenge.
Several audience members and panelists agreed that a marketing association for artisan distillers could have the potential to allow low-volume producers to obtain distribution, and enter markets where they have difficulty prospering alone.
