Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/101724
COVER STORY t ea-based cocktails are now a mainstay at progressive cocktail bars and restaurants, while packaged teas and their derivatives can be found on home bars alongside one's favorite vodka, gin and rum. Retailers have even found some refreshing sales spikes through vodkas and other spirits incorporating tea. This was inevitable, as tea has been a universal beverage for thousands of years. But thanks to the successful marketing of Asian green teas and gourmet blends, most consumers think of tea-based cocktails as primarily an Asian-inspired phenomenon or something rooted in the American South. However, Rado Dvorsky, the professional Slovakian volleyball player turned beverage impresario as President of Avant Garde Imports, set out to change all of that last summer with the introduction of Tatratea, an alluring spectrum of tea-based liqueurs in enchanting bottles with a logo inspired by Slovakian folk art. An Artisan Appeal The wind backing Tatratea's sails (and sales, for that matter) is the trend of artisanal spirits capturing the collective imagination of bartenders, beverage buyers and the general public. For this reason, among many others, Dvorsky says he entered the U.S. market last summer with conidence because he and his team observed consumers at all levels were "actively seeking things that are new, exciting and even a little healthier." "Tatratea is really its own category," Dvorsky boldly proclaims. "When we were in Chicago participating in one of THE TASTING PANEL's signature Speed Tastings a few months ago, afirmation for our future success revealed itself in the fact that more than half the people in attendance were either bartenders or food and beverage professionals. The feedback we got was that although Tatratea is a black tea-based beverage and they had experimented with other tea-based products, Tatratea was mixable with a greater variety of other spirits and mixers. We were told that our lavors were so true and natural that there was no way a synthetic mixer or artiicially-lavored liqueur could ever replicate them. Mixologists also told us they could not wait to get the products back to their bars to experiment and develop new cocktails." n dous! TATRATEA'S EARLY SUCCESS IS STEEPED IN VERSATILITY by Elyse Glickman PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI Each Tatratea spirit varies by proof strength and lavor, with bottle colors that relect the mix of natural fruits and herbs that dominate that spirit's lavor proile. Though Dvorsky explains that "The Original" spirit ("the father of them all") was formulated based on the Slovakian palate, he quickly realized Tatratea, like tea itself, has a timelessyet-modern appeal that translates to lavor proiles from all over the globe. Given the diverse cuisines and cultures stateside, Dvorsky projects various American markets will "ind their lavor" and request cocktails with Tatratea spirits. "Ultimately, Tatratea was conceived as a world brand with global appeal," Dvorsky continues. "Tea is a strong word that suggests something that is natural, healthy, lavorful and aromatic. Although this is an alcoholic product, the fact that tea is the main ingredient relects the public's desire to consume higher quality, handcrafted products that are healthier by nature. Rather than request cocktails with artiicial sweeteners and other synthetic ingredients, Tatratea—a black tea fermented with our proprietary blend of herbs and fruits—will be the better choice because of the nature-oriented approach we've taken in distilling the products." january 2013 / the tasting panel / 71