Pernod Ricard burrows into bourbon with Rabbit Hole

French drinks giant Pernod Ricard has added super-premium bourbon brand Rabbit Hole to its drinks portfolio, MJ Rabbit is delighted to report.

Rabbit Hole, an award-winning range of Kentucky spirits, is particularly recognised for its iconic, state-of-the-art distillery in the heart of Louisville. The brand’s Straight Bourbon and Rye whiskeys are crafted with a mix of carefully selected grains, distilled in copper Vendome column stills and aged in native oak barrels by Louisville’s hot summers and cold winters.  

Super-premium Rabbit Hole Whiskey

The bourbon category is undergoing a renaissance, as new consumers discover its quality and versatility. Bourbon can be appreciated neat and has also recently earned its rightful place in modern mixology. 

Pernod Ricard has signed an agreement to acquire a majority share of Rabbit Hole Whiskey, produced and based in Louisville, Kentucky. This transaction is expected to close shortly. 

As was the case with previous successful partnerships such as Monkey 47 super premium gin, Smooth Ambler West Virginian whiskey and Del Maguey mezcal, Pernod Ricard is joining forces with a passionate entrepreneur, Kaveh Zamanian. The founder of Rabbit Hole left his day job as a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst to fully dedicate himself to the art of crafting whiskey in the heart of Kentucky’s whiskey culture. As part of the strategic partnership, Kaveh is keeping the majority of his shares in Rabbit Hole and will continue to operate the company.  

Fast-growing speciality brand

With this strategic partnership, Pernod Ricard expands its newly created portfolio of speciality brands, gathering smaller brands with unique and comprehensive value propositions and select distribution. 

Alexandre Ricard, the dynamic CEO of Pernod Ricard, said: “This partnership is the perfect implementation of our long-term investment strategy to create sustainable value. Kaveh and I embrace the same entrepreneurial spirit. Rabbit Hole is a fast-growing brand, strongly rooted in its terroir and very well positioned in the high-end bourbon and Kentucky whiskey categories. We are excited to take the brand to the next stage of its very promising development.”

Kaveh Zamanian added: “Pernod Ricard and I share the same entrepreneurial values and our ethos and strategic visions are fully aligned. By leveraging Pernod Ricard’s extensive distribution network to reach new consumers, we are able to strengthen Rabbit Hole’s position as a brand and amplify its presence as a new voice in American Whiskey. In partnership with Pernod Ricard, Rabbit Hole is poised to reach new heights. I am very excited about this partnership and our future together.”

Let’s hop(e) Rabbit Hole can be purchased soon in travel retail.

Bacardi powers up rum range with 16yo travel exclusive

Bacardi has announced a powerful addition to its expanding premium rum portfolio with the launch of Bacardi Gran Reserva Especial (16yo). Retailing at US$100 for a one-litre bottle, the travel retail exclusive product will be initially available from DFS stores at selected Asia Pacific and North American airport locations from July 2019. 

Introducing the exceptional Bacardi Gran Reserva Especial 16yo rum

Bacardi Gran Reserva Especial (40%abv) is described as a rare, limited-edition, premium sipping rum, crafted by the brand’s maestros, who have hand-selected the most exceptional barrels of aged rum. Traditionally aged for a minimum of 16 years in American white oak barrels, the warmth and humidity of the Caribbean climate accelerates the rum ageing process – around three times faster than whisky ageing, for example – but with no reduction in quality as the tropical ageing process develops. This remarkable 16-year-aged rum can be compared to a whisky aged for 40-plus years, expressing a complexity and smoothness rivalling that of the world’s most exclusive single malt Scotches.  

Bacardi rum has focused on providing age statements across its rum range to guarantee a minimum age for the liquid, strengthening the premium characteristics of its portfolio and enhancing consumer understanding in navigating the range with a clear price ladder directly related to the age and craftsmanship of each variant.  

Significant premium launch

Julie Witherden, Marketing Director, Bacardi Global Travel Retail, outlines the strategic importance of the new launch: "Rum is the last category to premiumise in global travel retail with total premium+ rum sales growing at +11% [five-year compound annual growth rate, according to drinks analyst IWSR, 2018]. As category leader, Bacardi rum is ambitious to seize that opportunity and unlock its true potential. 

“We are creating a stunning new landscape with age statements for every type of rum enthusiast. Our commitment to helping consumers explore rum with greater confidence is underpinned by the quality, range and clarity of our portfolio architecture and its pricing ladder. Positioned above Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez (10yo), Bacardi Gran Reserva Especial is aged for a minimum of 16 years – comparable to a 40-year ageing in whisky, making it an exceptional sipping rum and a significant premium launch in our strategy.”

Company founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó pioneered key rum-making techniques, including the isolation of a single strain of yeast from nearby sugarcane fields. This closely guarded ingredient delivers the consistent quality and taste that makes Bacardi rums the world’s favourite and is still used today. The release of Bacardi Gran Reserva Especial demonstrates the continuing unwavering commitment to maintaining that Bacardi family tradition of craftsmanship, excellence and innovation. 

Tasting notes

Bacardi Gran Reserva Especial is aged under the Caribbean sun for a minimum of 16 years, slowly developing the liquid with warming woody notes, stone fruits, caramel and a smooth, velvety texture, with a viscous mouth feel. It is best enjoyed neat or over ice.

DFS will present Bacardi Gran Reserva Especial at a selection of key airport locations from July 1, including Singapore Changi, Hawaii and Los Angeles. Digital media on DFS platforms will complement the extensive in-store support for the launch.