•Super-Premium Bourbon Tops 5 Million Cases In The U.S.

Depletions of super-premium Bourbon in the U.S. market rose by 10.5% last year to 5 million cases, according to Impact Databank. That performance marks yet another achievement in Bourbon’s ongoing renaissance: Since 2010, U.S. volumes of super-premium Bourbon ($25 and above) have now grown by nearly 3.3 million cases. Read more.

•Robert Mondavi Portfolio Posts Solid Gains At High End

Since acquiring the Robert Mondavi portfolio for roughly $1 billion in 2004, Constellation Brands has taken the iconic franchise to new heights. While the Mondavi stable drives volume with the 1.9-million-case Private Selection tier ($11-$14 a 750-ml.) and the nearly 10-million-case Woodbridge label (under $10), it’s the upscale Robert Mondavi Winery range that has been showing the most impressive growth lately. Read more.

•Pernod Backs Jameson With New Multi-Million Dollar Global Ad Campaign

Looking to stoke further growth for Jameson Irish whiskey, Pernod Ricard is backing the brand with a new multi-million dollar advertising push rolling out this month.Running under the tagline “Taste, That’s Why,” the campaign includes a pair of television spots showcasing real-life brand stories. Read more.

•Michter’s Firing On All Cylinders, As Demand Outpaces Supply

Louisville-based Michter’s Distillery has emerged as a cult favorite in recent years, with the brand’s core US*1 range among some of the Bourbon category’s most sought after labels. Despite steady increases in production, Michter’s ran out of its flagship US*1 Bourbon before the end of 2017, and stocks of its US*1 Kentucky Straight Rye expression also ran dry earlier this year. Read more.

•Whisky Advocate: Johnnie Walker Aims To Make Strides Toward Gender Equality

Jim Beam, Jack Daniel’s, Elijah Craig, George T. Stagg. When you think of whiskies named after people, do any women come to mind? Probably not—there are very few examples. In 2012, Glenfiddich released Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve, a 55-year-old single malt named for the granddaughter of company founder William Grant, but—provocative marketing aside—that’s about it as far as women’s representation on whisky labels goes. Read more.

•Campari America Posts 3.4% Growth In U.S., Will Relocate Headquarters To New York

Campari America saw its U.S. sales rise by 3.4% in 2017, as strong performances from company’s whiskey and Tequila brands offset difficult conditions for Skyy vodka. Wild Turkey Bourbon led the way with 9% net sales growth in the U.S.—which is Campari Group’s largest global market, accounting for about 26% of overall sales—while sister label Russell’s Reserve was up by double-digits. Espolòn Tequila likewise continues to surge, with U.S. sales up 57%. According to Impact Databank, Wild Turkey crossed 650,000 cases in the U.S. last year, while Espolòn neared 300,000 cases, nearly tripling over the past three years. Read more.

•Cuervo’s North America Sales Rise 2.6% On Price Increases, Improved Mix

Price hikes and an improved product mix drove Jose Cuervo owner Becle’s sales up 2.6% to $900 million in the U.S. and Canada in 2017, despite a 4.9% decline in volume to 11.8 million cases. The company, whose brands are handled in the U.S. by subsidiary Proximo Spirits, noted that U.S. volume was soft in the first half of the year following price increases in late 2016, but that the higher positioning paid off in the latter part of the year, particularly in the fourth quarter, when North American revenue grew by nearly 10%. Read more.

Top News Briefs:

• With the mainstream beer market continuing to lose steam, Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) posted a U.S. revenue loss of 2% for 2017, as the brewer’s North American volumes fell 3.3% to roughly 113.5 million hectoliters.
•Indiana governor Eric Holcomb has signed a bill that repeals the state’s ban on Sunday alcohol sales.
• Folio Fine Wine Partners has forged a new sales and marketing agreement with Tuscan winemaker Ricasoli, effective March 1.

Upcoming M. Shanken Communications Events:

•March 8, 2018
The 42nd Annual Impact Marketing Seminar
The Pierre Hotel
New York City

•March 16, 2018
Cigar Aficionado’s Big Smoke Miami
Fontainebleau Hotel
Miami

•March 23, 2018
WhiskyFest Chicago
Hyatt Regency
Chicago

•April 17, 2018
WhiskyFest D.C.
Marriott Marquis
Washington, D.C.

•April 20, 2018
Wine Spectator's Grand Tour D.C.
Ronald Reagan Building
Washington, D.C.