Molson Coors is moving the Coors name out of seltzer and into the hard stuff.
Molson Coors is establishing Coors Whiskey Co., betting that there will be, in the company’s words, “a built-in affinity of beer drinkers for a whiskey produced by a brewery.” Its first product, Five Trail, is slated to roll out Sept. 1 in four markets: Colorado, Georgia, Nevada and New York.
Five Trail, described as “an ultra-premium whiskey,” will be produced in partnership with Bardstown (Ky.) Bourbon Co. It will be a blend of “Colorado single-malt whiskey” and three bourbons, cut to 95 proof with “Rocky Mountain water,” and will retail for $60 for a 750ml bottle.
“This is not just about acquiring a brand or working with a distiller on a blend,” Kimberli Fox, Molson Coors’ marketing manager for wine and spirits, said in the company announcement. “This is a true collaboration that marries Colorado provenance with innovative distilling techniques of pioneering Kentucky-based distillers.”
The move comes after Coors discontinued Coors Seltzer, saying that it wasn’t an effective extension of its beer brand. Coors still produces Topo Chico and Vizzy seltzers, which have performed much better.
