A growing penchant for rare, prized liquor

PHOTO | BD GRAPHIC 

By DOREEN WAINAINAH

In Summary

• Rising incomes lure the rich and middle-class to luxury whisky, cognac, champagne, rum and vodka.

Old money, new money and aspirational Kenyans have made a name for themselves by splurging on the finest. The super-rich pamper themselves with expensive collectibles, art, classic cars, fine wine, jewellery and top-end watches.

You will find wealthy Kenyans sipping the likes of Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky or a vintage Dom Perignon or nosing over a tot from the collectible Hennessy 250.

Hotels and restaurants have played a role in the growing penchant for ‘liquid gold’.

Champagne bars, cognac and cigar lounges stock up bottles ranging from the pricey ones to the rare editions and the number of Kenyans going into these places keeps growing.

“Our reserve portfolio has been doubling year on year in Kenya,” says Charles Weru, the Reserve Brand commercial manager for East African Breweries Limited ( EABL).

The growing premium liquor market has also been boosted by foreigners and the entry of high-end bars and restaurants. These outlets target the big spender with exclusive products and rich ambience.

Mr Weru says such outlets are reinventing the meaning of the local bar and what it has to offer.

Luxury is relative and cuts across all occasions and levels, the commercial manager says.

‘‘The luxury segment is subjective depending on the consumer and cannot be fully pinned on price alone,’’ he says.

Some bottles available in these high-end bars are collectibles.

They are limited editions or the distilleries which made them closed down. Kenya, for instance, has only 73 bottles of Johnnie Walker & Sons Private Collection out of the 8,888 available globally.

This collector bottle retails at about Sh70,000 similar to the Johnnie Walker & Sons Odyssey which is not the most expensive in the range, but it is rare. This means at one point, an unopened bottle will appreciate in price.

Women drinkers

Of the luxury category in Kenya, the highest demand has been for whiskies, cognacs and champagnes. There has also been a growing thirst for exclusive rums and vodka.

Whisky is one of the top sellers in the spirits segment, due to its availability as well as the marketing by distributors such as EABL, Wines of the World and Pernod Ricard among others.

Cognac and champagne are viewed as statement drinks.

To lure more elite drinkers, the female consumer has not been left behind.

Mr Weru says more women, mostly associated with softer drinks like wines and liqueurs, are willing to try new things including whisky.

There is also a growing movement to woo more women to drink whisky. An online club for whisky amateurs and connoisseurs known as Women Who Whisky, for instance, gives members an opportunity to learn about varieties of whiskies and the cocktail culture.

Targeting the entrepreneurs, aspirational, returnees and other drinkers, here are some of the luxury liquor available in Kenya:

dwainainah@ke.nationmedia.com