The Tasting Panel magazine

December 2014

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102  /  the tasting panel  /  december 2014 CRAFT SPIRITS S eeing an exciting opportunity amid the developing craft spirits movement, the Sazerac Company, along with its subsidiary, Gemini Spirits & Wine, has carved out several brands to be a part of a single portfolio, dubbed Bond & Royal Spirits Company. The new division, which formally launched in September, will focus on developing brands within the craft and specialty spirits arena, and currently counts close to a dozen labels in its portfolio, including Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Banks Rum, Siete Leguas Tequila, Campo de Encanto Pisco, Dimmi Liquore di Milano, Glenfarclas Single Malt Scotch and the Casa San Matias Tequilas. "Over the years, Sazerac and Gemini have partnered with some of the most passion- ate and skilled spirits producers in the world," says Megan Hurtuk, head of marketing for Bond & Royal. "As we continue to see growth here in the United States, especially within the craft cocktail scene, the time is right for a more concerted effort and dedica- tion of resources." The Roots of Craft As a business that began in the 1800s in the form of the Sazerac cocktail and later morphed into a bar called the Sazerac Coffee House, it only makes sense that the New Orleans–based, family-owned and-operated Sazerac Company would return to its craft spirits roots and aim to build credible brands in an industry flooded with product launches and labels. Today, Bond & Royal follows in the footsteps of its parent company, developing and acquiring spirits from its home base in Chicago. "It's an incredibly exciting time to be in this space," Hurtuk says. "We know how much integrity matters not only to our supply partners, but, more than ever, the bar trade and our consumers—they want a closer connection to the process and the people behind the products they're buying. We don't blame them one bit, and are thrilled to be able to spread the authentic stories of these spirits and foster that relationship. " The name Bond & Royal is also a nod to Sazerac's past, as the former Sazerac Coffee House was located on Royal Street in New Orleans's French Quarter, while "Bond" refers to the familial bond within the company and its partners. It's also no coincidence that Bond & Royal's acronym spells out the word "bar." "The company started out in craft spirits when it was founded," Hurtuk says, "so we looked at our vision and the company's history as a sort of cross streets. The 'Bond' is a On the Corner of Past and Future 1870s shot of Exchange Alley in the French Quarter of New Orleans where the Sazerac Coffeehouse would have been located. THE SAZERAC COMPANY INTRODUCES A NEW CRAFT SPIRITS DIVISION: BOND & ROYAL by Jennifer Nalewicki Megan Hurtuk is the head of marketing for Bond & Royal. PHOTO MISSING PHOTO COURTESY OF DRINKINGCUP.NET PHOTO: REBECCA PEPLINSKI PHOTO COURTESY OF DRINKINGCUP.NET

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