Innovative Trends Shaping the Future of the Bourbon Industry

In an article titled “Whiskey Innovation 2021: Must-Visit New Projects in Whiskey,” Forbes praised established distilleries and start-ups that are finding new ways to bring unique and quality products to the marketplace. The American Business magazine highlighted the abundance of creativity and innovation in the whiskey and bourbon industry.

In fact, many new brands are making waves with their innovations, not to mention competing with the finest beverage developers in the industry. Their consumers are not only purchasing more American whiskey, they also are finding more products that suit their personal tastes, including finer selections. This, in turn, is incentivizing both old and new alcoholic beverage brands to go back to the drawing board.

Brindiamo Group’s team of entrepreneurs has repeatedly used innovation and hard-earned experience to develop successful beverage brands and companies. Learn more about us.

New Storytelling Methods

The rich history of whiskey has always been a key selling point for the spirit. Its deep-rooted heritage and distinctive character have set it apart from other spirits like vodka. Distillers and brands recognize that a compelling narrative based on their meticulously crafted products is essential for competing in the market.

Today, well-established whiskey and bourbon brands are finding themselves faced with numerous “new kids” in the business. In response, they are evolving to meet the storytelling expectations of modern times. While celebrity endorsements are a popular go-to marketing strategy, many distilleries and brands are embracing storybranding and social media tactics, for example, to create stronger brand connections with their customers.

Changing Perceptions

Fighting the old perception that whiskey is for middle-aged men, some beverage brands are aiming to redefine and market themselves to a younger audience. Now, whiskey is a beverage that can be mixed, shot, and – according to one source – set on fire. These diverse and exciting developments are shaking up whiskey’s once-subdued nature.

Flavored whiskey is another new trend. Particularly popular with millennials, flavored whiskey sales grew to a 6.4% share of the overall whiskey sales category from 2021 to date – an increase from 5.5% in 2020 and 4.8% in 2019. A few top-selling flavors range from cinnamon and vanilla to American honey, apple, and even peanut butter.

Manufacturing Diversity

A “revival” occurs in every aspect of the whiskey distilling process, according to Truly, a lifestyle source. Distillers are experimenting with, completely altering, and adding their own flair to a once-cut-and-dry formula. For example, more distilleries are matching casks with the type of whiskey they’re maturing, such as using larger casks, lighter char levels, and finishing casks specific to that region. Some are even revisiting the age-old idea of aging their whiskey casks aboard ships.

Non-traditional grain varieties, more sustainable maturation processes, and women-owned distilleries are also among the diversities unfolding in the business.

Premiumization

Given the rise in popularity of whiskey and affordable ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, many upscale and exclusive brands are focused on educating both new and loyal customers about the exceptional value and quality of their products. The data clearly indicates that this business strategy holds great promise.

American millennials, for starters, have shown their interest in luxury goods. On a larger scale, high-end and super-premium spirit brand sales accounted for 82% of the revenue increase in 2021. American whiskey was among the top five spirit categories in 2021 as well and jumped from $288 million in sales to $4.6 billion.

Beverage Consulting

If you have an idea for a brand, business, or distilling process, you are in the right place. At Brindiamo Group, we like to think of ourselves as the one-stop shop for businesses operating in the alcoholic beverage space.

Contact us today about strategy, branding marketing, and more. We look forward to working with you.