For all the current talk of doom and gloom in beverage alcohol, enflamed by rising costs, cash-strapped consumers and a younger cohort that’s ambivalent to alcohol’s appeal, the industry’s competitive environment is alive and well.
Last month’s announcement of the winners of the 11th Berlin International Spirits Competition allows the events’ organiser, Adam Levy, to elaborate. “It was a good competition,” he tells Global Drinks Intel. “We were really happy with the number of entries we received from around the world.”
Indeed, Levy goes further, framing the quantity – as well as the quality – of this year’s entrants as indicating a “strong, healthy environment”, particularly in spirits.
“The quality at the price point is still there,” he continues. “The current state of the world economy is keeping the pressure on price. For a quality spirit, the sweet spot is between EUR40–EUR60 (US$43.50–$65) per bottle.”
Of the category trends that Levy observed throughout the judging process for the Berlin awards are producers’ recognition of the consumer appetite for RTDs and alcohol-free. Elsewhere, he notes that “the continued growth of the gin market is still sustaining”.
“What’s making gin even more competitive are those distillers who are looking to make whisky and starting to release white spirits ahead of their intended spirits’ maturity.”
On the more mature side of spirits, the proliferation of whiskey-/whisky-producing nations continues: “Whisky from Germany and Iceland did well in this year’s competition,” says Levy. “Who’d have thought that Iceland makes whisky?
“And, while it’s not just the big three, more Irish whiskies are coming through – and not necessarily from the big guys.”
Here’s a look at this year’s gold medal winners.
Branded Content – Nils Koenig Gin
A premium Mediterranean gin with a gentle aroma that is clearly perceptible on the nose as soon as the cap is removed, evoking a longing for the pine-scented air of eastern Macedonia in Greece.
