I don’t expect you all to watch this video (it’s 28 minutes long!), but if you have the time, it’s an interesting look inside the new artisanal movement in not just spirits, but in clothing, perfumes and chocolates. I wouldn’t have this blog if I didn’t think that this trend towards artisanal, handcrafted products, especially in spirits, is a movement that’s going to continue to gain steam. Consumers these days want artisanal chocolates, coffees, teas, cheeses, beers, clothing, spirits, etc….they want to know where the products they buy are coming from, how they’re made, who makes them, they want to Meet the Maker, Meet the Distiller, etc. If Bombay Sapphire, a brand that is omnipresent, well-known and somewhat mainstream, is trying to share more about their artisanal approach, then it’s probably a good sign that the artisanal movement is no passing trend.
This past week, I was fortunate enough to get invited to attend the American Distilling Institute’s Hands-On Distilling Workshop. One of the considerations that was raised to the aspiring distillers at the workshop was: don’t distill, just be the brand. Crush their dreams, why don’t you! But it’s worth considering. Distilling isn’t for everyone. It’s hard. It’s expensive. It takes time. It’s a labor of love. Lots of people will fail at it. So why not forget all of that and just come up with an ownable/novel concept, pay somebody else to do the distilling, and just focus on marketing the brand? At least if it flops, you haven’t sunk everything you own into the venture.
So I want to ask you all: How do you feel about spirits brands versus artisanal spirits? Like, say, a SKYY Vodka, a brand that is extremely successful, but is purely a brand and a brand only (their vodka is produced by Frank-Lin Distillers in San Jose, CA, a huge producer that’s kind of like a paid mercenary for spirits brands). Does that cheapen a brand in your mind? As a consumer, do you want to know which brands physically produce their products in-house and which brands do not? Or do you not care as long as the product tastes good? Do you want to know more about the production processes of big brands like Bombay? Sound off!
