They like name recognition. At the old line New York restaurant, Ben Benson's Steak House, Bourbon remains popular. Sandy Hybertson, bartender at Shenanigans, says the old timers still call for their Bourbon and Coke and Bourbon and soda. We're not interested in the esoteric brands here. Highballs are big here and the Old Fashioned, made with either Old Charter or Wild Turkey, is a house favorite.
New consumers find it's a quality drink, approachable, with good age and barrel notes.
Like many others, Donald Rakel, vice president for sales at David Sherman Corp. in St. Louis, Missouri, which markets Ezra Brooks, thinks the romance of America's own spirit has helped sales overseas. We're up about 3.5 percent, and the greater part of our increase has come from European and Asian markets. United Distillers Glenmore, which distributes W.L. Weller, Dickel, Old Charter and Rebel Yell, is focusing on younger consumers as the future of the category. They've experimented with single malts and now they're turning to Bourbon. Getting it out is our biggest problem.