Powers moves into bottled cocktail market

Irish whiskey brand Powers is aiming to tap into the growth of the RTD category with the launch of its first pre-mixed cocktail – a take on the Old Fashioned.

Powers Old Fashioned is made using Powers Gold Label, sugar syrup and bitters herbs flavouring. It is also said to be low in sugar, with 6g per serving. Bottled at 38% abv, the new product will initially launch in Ireland at the end of May. It will be available in 500ml bottles through key retailers in the on-trade and off-trade, including SuperValu, Tesco Ireland and Dunnes Stores at an RRP of €29.99 (US$33.50). The release will aim to tap into the “growing appetite” for whisk(e)y-based cocktails and recruit cocktail drinkers to the Irish whiskey category. Powers Old Fashioned also features a new bottle design that “balances modern cues with the rich heritage of Powers”, dating back to 1791. It features a new label styled on the historic ‘P’ signifier, which became one of the first trademarks in Ireland after it was registered by Powers in 1877. “Powers Old Fashioned is a premium and modern ready-to-serve take on the classic cocktail that is set to tap into the growing interest in Irish whiskey and cocktails among 30- to 40-year-olds in Ireland,” said Brendan Buckley, strategy, insights, innovation and prestige whiskeys director at brand owner Irish Distillers, a unit of Pernod Ricard. He continued: “We’ll be monitoring the progress of Powers Old Fashioned in Ireland ahead of plans for a wider roll-out across other key Powers and Irish whiskey markets in the future.” Powers Old Fashioned is recommended served over ice with a twist of orange peel over the glass.