Diageo Owns 18 of World’s Top 100 Spirits Brands

Diageo owns 18 of the world’s top 100 spirits brands, with Pernod Ricard second with nine, according to IWSR Magazine‘s latest rankings.

The top ten positions in the IWSR Real 100 ranking (by volume) are dominated by domestic Asian brands, with exceptionally strong markets for soju in South Korea, local whisky in India and cane spirits in Thailand.

Smirnoff is “the first truly global brand on the list” according to IWSR. Up one place this year to sixth, it sold over 25 million cases across 155 countries.

Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky grew +2% last year but fell one place to 12th. It is just ahead of Bacardi rum, unchanged in 13th, and Jack Daniel’s whiskey, which rose two places to 14th. “These Western brands don’t completely rule their home markets as they face more competition from other international spirits brands,” said IWSR. “But their global reach ensures that they are still available to hundreds of millions of potential consumers and generally at affordable price points.”  Read more here, from MoodieDavitt Report.

Firing Fake Pineapples, Pernod Uses ‘Influencers’ to Drive Sales

Pernod’s chief marketing officer Thibaut Portal tells Reuters influencer marketing was playing a “growing and key role” in the French spirit maker’s campaigns and was in use on all its major brands.

Sometimes brands use social media stars with millions of followers to drive awareness of a brand, but other times pick “micro-influencers” with thousands of followers who, as experts in their industry, can impact choices.

“We are not interested in working with big, massive influencers with four or five million followers (when) the week after, the same influencer is going to post a picture of a washing machine,” Portal said.  Read more here, from Reuters.

Trappist Beer Returns to England

A community of English Trappist monks have given up dairy farming and taken up brewing instead.

The Cistercian monks of Mount Saint Bernard Abbey blessed their new brewery, appropriately enough, on April 23, the feast day of the great patron of England, Saint George. They brew a lager they have named “Tynt Meadow” in honor of the plot of land on which their monastic life was re-founded in 1835.

According to the monks, their beer is “mahogany-colored, with a subtle, warm red hue, and a lasting beige head. Its aroma carries hints of dark chocolate, liquorice, and rich fruit flavors…full-bodied, gently balancing the taste of dark chocolate, pepper, and fig. It leaves a warm and dry finish on the palate.”

Peek Inside the New SunKing Distillery

A photo gallery from the Indianapolis Star.