tilleries, producers of Evan Williams, is giving Bourbon lovers in select markets a new way to chill out this summer—Evan Williams Kentucky Slush. Evan Williams Kentucky Slush is a pre-mixed cocktail made with real Evan Williams Bourbon and the natural flavors of lemonade, orange juice, and sweet tea, and can be frozen, poured or blended. Heaven Hill recommends serving it frozen in the bottle or any personal container, blended with ice for an instant frozen bourbon slush, or simply poured straight on the rocks.As the Bourbon category grows year after year, now surpassing 16 million cases in the US and topping the $1 billion mark in exports for the first time, traditional seasonal trends, whereby consumers trade in their whiskeys for “white goods”—gin and vodka—during the summer months, have largely gone by the wayside. In fact, share of Bourbon consumption is now as high in July and August as January and February. Given this trend, and given the dynamic growth of Evan Williams Bourbon, named both an Impact “Hot Brand” and a Beverage Information Group “Growth Brand” this year, Heaven Hill is test marketing Evan Williams Kentucky Slush in 11 markets this summer. Test markets will include Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Evan Williams Kentucky Slush will be shipping late May and is to be available in market at off-premise accounts from June until August in a 1.75 liter PET bottle suitable for storage in the freezer. Strongly branded with the Evan Williams logo and graphic theme, Evan Williams Kentucky Slush is intended to be merchandised and displayed within the bourbon aisle using the POS materials made available, either on the shelf or as part of an impactful floor display. All marketing materials, from case cards to posters and bottle neckers, use the tagline “For Seriously Refreshing Bourbon…Just Chill.” Evan Williams Kentucky Slush is bottled at 25 proof or 12.5 percent ABV, with an average national suggested retail price for the 1.75 liter bottle of $14.99.
“As the Evan Williams brand franchise grows, we have identified additional usage opportunities, and one of these is clearly to expand Bourbon as a refresher during the hot summer months,” says Susan Wahl, senior brand manager, whiskeys, at Heaven Hill. “We know through both research and anecdotal evidence that many of our newer Evan Williams consumers look for different, more refreshing ways to drink Bourbon in the summer, whether at backyard cookouts, at the lake, or other summer gatherings. We feel that we have a great taste profile, and with the flexibility to freeze it straight in the bottle, blend it with ice, or simply pour it on the rocks, we look for great results in our 11 test markets.”
