Super Sweet
Liqueurs are notorious for being the best-forgotten holiday drink, but that is beginning to change. Catherine Quinn discovers why premium offerings are edging onto duty-free shelves
If there is a bottle notoriously associated with holidays in the Mediterranean, it is the sweet liqueur. Long associated with sticky flavours and a lack of class, it is hardly the kind of bottle a discerning travel retailer wants to stock in great quantity. But a move towards premium and, most importantly, not-too-sweet quality liqueurs looks set to change all that. And with some very impressive innovations making their way onto the market, duty-free outlets would do well to reconsider their ranges.
One of the key factors behind the change is that the market is moving away from locally produced liqueurs marketed mainly as souvenirs. The trend for superior products is currently headed by big brands that already have a reputation for quality spirits. So whereas a liqueur might once have had little to recommend it besides an association with a destination airport, new versions benefit from the substantial backing of a known brand.
Best-sellers at the forefront of this new vogue include a duo of fine liqueurs from high-end tequila manufacturer Patrón, which have previously proved their value to the duty-free market, eclipsing other tequila brands where sold.
“We like to think of ourselves as bringing the duty-free market offerings outside the traditional categories” says brand director Chris Spake of Patrón, whose new liqueurs include the coffee Patrón XO and orange-flavoured Patrón Citron. “The Citron was developed to make the perfect margarita with our tequila. Grand Marnier had too much brandy in it and triple sec was too sweet, so we wanted something with a clear orange flavour but that didn’t
overwhelm the tequila.”
In contrast, the Patrón XO Café is a blend of premium tequila and fresh coffee essence, and is designed to be sipped solo, as well as blended in prestige cocktails such as the espresso-martini, which is currently sweeping London and New York cocktail bars.
So what is Patron’s strategy for these new additions to its spirits stable? “This year we were still working to get the tequila in as many outlets as possible” says Spake, noting that the tequila currently sells with Gebr Heinemann, Aer Rianta, the Nuance Group, and in a number of Russian airports. With the unprecedented success of the XO, however, Patrón was forced to expand its production facility to meet demand.
“XO has almost become a cult product on the on-trade scene – in the UK it’s currently outselling the nearest tequila SKU by 25%” says Spake. “So we’re now devoting the first half of next year to expanding the duty-free side of XO. The second half will be about Citron.”
Patrón’s new liqueurs are certainly well able to call upon the name of the established tequila when it comes to attracting sales. But the products are also at the forefront of another new development – making liqueurs from premium spirits.
Sweet Scotch
Leading the trend in terms of quality base-spirit is whisky – perhaps surprisingly for those who associate liqueurs with an attempt to disguise an unidentified white spirit with sweet fruity flavours. For those in the whisky trade, however, it is a perfect way to bring out the flavours of a good dram.
“To me, as a whisky-maker, it has always seemed natural to complement the flavour palate of certain whiskies with the vibrancy of orange zest and the aromatics of Oriental spices,” says John Glaser, distiller of boutique whisky manufacturer Compass Box, which has recently released Compass Box Orangerie – a premium liqueur inspired by the historic orangeries of 18th century Scotland.
“It’s an infusion of Scotch whisky and natural ingredients, which complement the whisky and enhance its overall aromas and flavours,” says Glaser. “We use a soft, sweet blend of Highland single malt and single grain whisky from Fife. Second, we use only the freshest, highest-quality oranges and top class, aromatic spices. Then we zest the fruit by hand and use only fresh zest in our infusion – no synthetic flavourings or oils – and we use only really fresh Navalino oranges to give the lively, vibrant flavours.”
Compass Box is known for a boutique style of whisky-production – another sign that the market is moving to premium – and plans to formalise a duty-free strategy in the next few years. Although its whisky-based product is the latest on the market, the producer is in good company. Famous Grouse developed its own liqueur some time ago while a number of small-scale whisky distillers have launched their own versions. And as further proof that this style of liqueur is on the up, the winner of this year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition was Glayva’s whisky liqueur, which re-launched with new vigour after securing the award.
Category Innovation
So what else is out there? With such a diverse range of possibilities, it is no wonder that the category is being taken in a number of different directions. These include innovative new flavours and spirit combinations from established producers and new players. But whilst the products coming onto the market are diverse in many ways, they still have one thing in common: the ‘premium’ tag is very much part of the package.
“The current trend for liqueurs is the higher the quality, the better,” says Tim Francis, founder of TheDrinkShop.com. “We find both the off- and on-trade are seeking liqueurs that are ‘beyond the norm’ and are challenging and experimental. Brands which can claim a first in a new style or taste, for example, are well-received.”
In terms of picking out the ones to watch, Francis is particularly excited about Qi Black Tea liqueur, whose unusual flavours hold high promise for future markets; he also rates highly the “sublime” range of liqueurs from Gabriel Boudier. “They are unbelievably fruity, smooth and of the highest quality,” he explains.
The other area of liqueurs to watch out for is already established brands expanding their duty-free offerings. The mixologists’ favourite, Bols, for example, is developing its available products with the goal of making a wider range of flavours available to travel retailers this year.
“With the strong cocktail increase, liqueurs are taking advantage of this boom,” says global brand director Guenael Fily of Lucas Bols. “We designed the bottle for bartenders, and duty-free is one of the few areas for consumers where they can buy Bols Liqueur. For this reason we want a wide range of different flavours in duty-free, giving the choice for travellers to pick up their favourite flavours and do cocktails at home. This year we will introduce new flavours such as mango or pomegranate under the Bols range. We will also introduce our new Galliano L’Autentico after a bartender launch this year.”
With such sweet new offerings, travel retailers should certainly be tempted to change their strategies for stocking liqueurs. And whether it is a high-quality whisky liqueur, an exotic-flavoured treat or a premium complement to a cocktail, this year has seen a whole variety of new products appear on the market. So rather than being tucked away in the local souvenirs aisle, perhaps next year should see a privileged few quality liqueurs earn their place with the select purchases.
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