The Four Roses Challenge

[bourbonmed]

Here's an interesting article on Four Roses' efforts to go premium in the U.S.

First, we all applaud Jim Rutledge's effort to bring the single barrel to Kentucky --but if Kirin wants a 'national' premium shelf presence, they are going to have to distribute it across the nation, not just KY.

The article says they aren't concentrating on the 'traditional' bourbon drinker, rather they are going after the 'cocktail' crowd.

If they would just put that effort and money into marketing their incredibly smooth ultra premium and single barrel offerings, they'd surely win over many of the cocktailers they are trying to recruit in the first place. And they'd take a bite of the Makers Mark and lighter whiskeys crowd.

http://www.courier-journal.com/business/news2004/02/01/biz-front-roses01-8930.html

Omar

Edit - Edited the URL so it works

[tdelling]

I've been thinking about "the Four Roses Challenge", and I think

they're actually in a pretty good position. The writer of the

article obviously took the story and spun it so that it would

make good copy, but in my opinion, the situation isn't nearly

that dire.

In terms of the feminine image, the answer is obvious: your

advertisements feature the Four Roses logo tatooed on a

muscular arm. Voila.

As to the "checkered past"... well they've got name recognition!

That's often the hardest part! And who remembers what something

tasted like so many years ago?

As to "Four Roses American", the blend: they've got a unique

opportunity here to create a top-shelf blend. Higher proof

white-dog plus bourbon has a lot of possibilities that are

really overlooked today.

I'd love to be the one doing product development and marketing

for Four Roses.

Tim Dellinger