Infinium Spirits Eyes Growth In Whiskey And Tequila

Infinium Spirits, the California-based marketer owned by the Underwood family, is eyeing growth in the American whiskey and Tequila categories this year, led by brands like Templeton and Corralejo. Templeton, with U.S. volume of approximately 50,000 cases, is introducing its first Bourbon, which also marks the first commercially released whiskey distilled at the brand’s Iowa distillery.

The new Templeton release is a big moment for the brand, according to Infinium senior vice president of commercial Shane Fitzharris. “It allows us to control our own destiny in relation to the liquid that we have and where we want to take the brand,” he tells SND. “It allows us to innovate from a distillation standpoint.”

The new Bourbon, called Fortitude, is made from a high-rye mash bill of 55% corn, 40% rye, and 5% malted barley. It’s bottled at 46% abv and carries a suggested price of $40 a bottle. The new whiskey is rolling out now across the U.S. While the new Bourbon marks the first of Templeton’s own-make spirit to hit store shelves, Fitzharris says the company has a full innovation pipeline. “We also may look at different brands coming out of the Templeton Distillery that would be under an umbrella of brands,” he says. “We’ve also started distilling single malt. What we’re making today is really for the future.”

While Templeton is charging ahead with Fortitude, the brand’s rye portfolio, which includes 4- and 6-year old ryes, plus a 10-year-old single barrel bottling and various limited releases, is also seeing a new innovation: Templeton Midnight Rye. “What we’re doing there is we’re taking dark Californian port wine and we’re blending it with our straight rye whiskies,” says Fitzharris. Midnight Rye is also rolling out now with a more formal launch coming in mid-April and early May. While Fortitude is made from Templeton’s own distillate, the brand’s ryes will remain sourced for now.

Elsewhere in the Infinium range, Tequilas Corralejo and Tears of Llorona also have expansion opportunity. Corralejo is a substantial brand in the super-premium market segment at over 200,000 cases, according to Impact Databank. Corralejo, says Fitzharris, will lean into its history and heritage to help it stand out from the increasingly crowded (and celebrity-driven) Tequila market. “We’ll be introducing an exciting new package for one of the particular SKUs in Corralejo’s portfolio in 2024,” he says. “Ultimately we’re leaning right back into the authenticity of Hacienda Corralejo, the provenance, the history, and the production processes.”

Tears of Llorona is a luxury-priced extra-Añejo Tequila that already has a strong position in its segment, according to Fitzharris, and is well-positioned for future growth, despite its relatively limited production. “It’s small batch,” he says. “We want to grow our volumes, but we have to make sure we’re not compromising what makes that product particularly special.”

Outside of whiskey and Tequila, Infinium is prepping Zaya rum for the future. Fitzharris tells SND that the brand will receive a refresh this year, with the plan to highlight both the quality of the rum but also the brand’s commitment to charities working to clean the ocean. For Crystal Head vodka, Infinium is preparing to expand into RTDs with canned Espresso Martinis and Cosmopolitans. Those are set to hit shelves later this spring in 100-ml. cans at 20% abv.—Shane English

Tagged : Corralejo, Crystal Head, Infinium Spirits, Tears of Llorona, Templeton, Zaya

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