Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/551222
72 / the tasting panel / august 2015 COVER STORY On all levels and with all accounts, Holecz will focus on education and consumer awareness. Thus far, the company has seen great success with early adopters and other pioneers, but now they turn their sights to the broader market, with hopes to encourage new consum- ers to test and fall in love with its expressions. Instead of leaving the process of producing these spirits a mystery, they have decided to pull back the curtain and provide more details about the origins of the ingredients and the method of distillation and infusion. By equipping bar- tenders and retailers with this information, a conversa- tion between these important influencers and consumers will inevitably arise, leading to more trial by customers. That being said, while some guests might buy a book based on a cover and recommendation, others may not be so easily convinced, which is why Twenty Grand will also roll out brand tastings across the country, including pop-up shops offering the collection at music and art festivals, and awards shows—tasting truly is believing, as they say. With this revitalized go-to-market approach and new packaging, the future looks bright for Twenty Grand. As if that wasn't enough, new offerings will be added to the portfolio over the coming year that are firsts of their kind for this category. Without a doubt, Twenty Grand will take the high-end market by storm—the brand is, after all, as good as money! After researching consumer taste preferences and trends, Twenty Grand noticed that peach was making a splash in the cocktail scene and is on the upswing overall, so the company jumped on the opportunity by launching Twenty Grand Peach, an infusion of French vodka, Cognac and natural peach flavoring. As for the liquid inside the bottle, Twenty Grand Peach greets your nose with juicy, savory peaches, which lead into layers of subtle sweetness on the palate and a smooth, rounded mouthfeel; it ends in a long, candied fade. In regard to this newest addition, Holecz notes, "Peach is perfect for our target market and still works well with mixology—peach-flavored cocktails are very popular and an easy sell to consum- ers. On top of that, it has cross-market appeal; it's a whole new twist on the brand." While the libation options are end- less with this liqueur, a cocktail especially poised to fly off the cocktail list no matter the time of year is Twenty Grand Peach with tea. PHOTO: MARGARET SOSS Expanding the Family