Whisky is one of the best-selling spirits in the world and particularly in France, a growth largely supported by innovation. Indeed, the evolution of the market and consumption trends push producers to a constant search for new products and consumption methods.
Gone are the days of whisky enjoyed by the fireside, millennials want innovative and festive alternatives. According to the recent ISWR study, consumers are less sensitive to traditional whisky marketing (age, distillation process, heritage, etc.). It is to reach this part of the consumer that producers must reinvent themselves.
As Guy Wolfe, Strategic Insights Manager at IWSR, notes, "in recent years, there has been a shift in the way some whisky distillers market their product to make their whiskies more accessible and relevant to a younger audience. The initiatives are multiplying: the Moth brand will soon launch an Old Fashioned cocktail (a mix of whisky and bitter) in cans, while the Californian company Troop has already marketed its "hard-seltzer" mixing whisky with tea and lemon, the Bourbon Smash.
At the same time, the same consumers are increasingly favouring low and non-alcoholic drinks. The market for non-alcoholic drinks is growing rapidly, particularly in France. According to an OpinionWay survey published in January of this year, 60% of French people want to try a low or no alcohol drink. Although the market for non-alcoholic spirits is still very young, it is nevertheless very promising: this category has seen a 500% increase in sales in 5 years.
Dealcoholisation could therefore be a good way to support innovation and thus consumer interest in this spirit. The dealcoholisation of whisky allows to keep all the aromatic characteristics and the work done beforehand by the distiller. Much more than a whisky-flavoured drink, this new alternative allows whisky consumers to find everything they appreciate in this spirit but with a much lower alcohol content.
The development of light products could therefore be a good response to new trends. Many producers are already thinking about it!