| Georgian High-Alcohol Spirits and Their Place on Local and International Shelves: Current Market Trends |
TAZO TAMAZASHVILI
Best Sommelier of Georgia, Wine Expert
LASHA TSATAVA
DipWSET, Co-founder of Saperica,
Beverage Director at Chama Mama
SABA KHUTSISHVILI
Founder, Shuano Factory
Tazo Tamazashvili, Lasha Tsatava and Saba Khutsishvili discuss how Georgian high-alcohol spirits are presented on international markets, as well as the current trends shaping those markets.
Tazo Tamazashvili: When it comes to wine, Georgia has a strong marketing presence on international markets, built on centuries of winemaking tradition, our diverse grape varieties, and our production techniques. On these same markets, however, we are far less visible with our high-alcohol spirits – chacha, wine brandies and fruit distillates – even though Georgia has a centuries-old tradition of producing them.
This culture now needs much greater promotion both on the domestic market and abroad, where demand is high and the trends are promising. In Georgia, we have small producers making natural products, including chacha, various distillates, and craft beer. One such example is Saba Khutsishvili and his factory, Shuano.
Saba Khutsishvili: The history of our factory began years ago with the making of honey beer. It turned out to be a unique product and soon attracted consumer interest. Later, we added fruit distillates to our range. Today, at Shuano, we produce 22 types of distillate, for which we select the fruit with great care.
We produce distillates from quince, pomegranate, persimmon, feijoa, tkemali (cherry plum), and other fruits. Among them, the quince distillate attracts particular interest, with around 3 litres of distillate obtained per 150 kilos of fruit. We filter it through a silver filter, followed by charcoal, paper, and quartz.
We have recently added ice filtration as well. Distillates from feijoa, quince, wheat, and maize sell well on the local market thanks to their pricing. These are followed by distillates from chanchuri (a local Georgian plum variety) and pomegranate, sourced from pomegranate plantations in the village of Kvemo Kedi. We use both cultivated and wild fruit. The drawback of wild fruit is lower yield, but the upside is exceptional aroma.
We also produce distillates from mulberries grown in Akhaltsikhe and from pears (Williams) harvested in Shida Kartli. At Shuano, we make natural lemonades from tkemali and honey. Our products are available in a few local restaurants, but establishing a strong presence in the market requires considerable effort.
Chama Mama
Today, artisanal and craft trends are becoming increasingly popular in the high-alcohol spirits sector. Demand for such products is growing, including in the US market, where Chama Mama is represented with several outlets.
Lasha Tsatava: Georgian artisanal spirits may occupy a small niche on the market, but they do have their place. This raises the question: what does it cost a small producer to secure that place? Awareness of Georgian chacha and distillates is still limited, so producers have to fight constantly to establish themselves. As Beverage Director at Chama Mama, I do not give up easily, and I specifically seek out such interesting products for both our wine and cocktail lists. We place particular importance on presenting Georgian products properly to our guests. Today’s consumers want to know the story behind the beverage they are tasting and what sets it apart.
When a new flavour appears on Chama Mama’s wine or cocktail list, one that our customers are not yet familiar with, I pair it with flavours they already know. This is a well-tested technique in our industry for introducing new products, and it works very well.
The more distinctive and unique a product, the more carefully we need to consider our approach and how we support its sales. Selling it in a restaurant is one thing; getting it onto retail shelves is quite another, as securing the space can be a major challenge for small producers.
This is why marketing and PR campaigns are so important, ensuring that such beverages have the opportunity to establish themselves both on shop shelves and behind the bar.
Tazo Tamazashvili: In Latvia, where I am currently working, Georgian products are well known, including chacha, which is in high demand. Fruit distillates, craft beer, and craft gin are another matter, as awareness of these is lower. This is why we handle their introduction and presentation to consumers with special care.
The Story of Ambe
Lasha Tsatava’s family produces chacha and a wine spirit under the brand name Ambe. In the Megrelian language, ‘ambe’ means ‘story.’ The wine spirit is made from the grapes of a single Rkatsiteli vineyard, using wine distilled from these grapes. It is diluted with naturally softened, low-mineral water sourced from alpine springs. The spirit is aged for three to four months in an unwaxed qvevri and filtered through charcoal before bottling. Chacha from Rkatsiteli grapes is also produced under the Ambe label.
Market Overview
Tazo Tamazashvili: In Georgia, one rarely comes across Georgian craft products, whether in specialised shops or on bar shelves. It is a problem when these types of beverages are not promoted on the domestic market. Georgia attracts many tourists from around the world, who are particularly interested in authentic Georgian flavours. Distillates from small producers, including chacha, full of diverse and distinctive flavours, should undoubtedly have their place on the shelf.
As for the international market, small producers and their products have their own advantages, even though large producers dominate. Today’s consumers are interested in terroir-driven, handcrafted, limited-production beverages. That is why it is essential to feature such drinks at events and festivals, not just wine. In this respect, Georgia offers remarkable diversity.
Regarding the European markets, there is a well-established digestif culture, and consequently, consumption of high-alcohol spirits is strong. Chacha certainly has potential in Europe. Fruit distillates, on the other hand, are often consumed not on their own but in cocktails. Cocktails made from richly flavoured distillates have long been a trend in Europe. This is exactly where Georgian spirits need greater marketing support.
Lasha Tsatava: Awareness remains the main challenge on both domestic and international markets. The younger generation often shows little interest in local products, frequently choosing imported items of varying quality instead. Price is also important, as products from small producers are rarely found in the low to mid-price ranges.
Another, and perhaps the main, challenge in the local market is the lack of continuous contact and dialogue with consumers. For development, there needs to be a constant exchange of information. There should be places, in retail outlets or cocktail bars, where customers can expect to find something intriguing every time they visit.
Cocktails Made with Spirits
Lasha Tsatava: At Chama Mama, we have a cocktail list featuring both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. In our cocktails, we use both international spirits and Georgian high-alcohol products. We create syrups based on seasonal flavours for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, including tarragon, rosehip and fig.
We use Malamo, a Georgian craft gin, to make one of the most popular cocktails on our list, Georgia 1991. ‘Feijoa Dream’ features a feijoa-based spirit. When it comes to classic cocktails such as the ‘Old Fashioned’, we have long since been using walnut jam syrup. We always try to incorporate the Georgian flavours we grew up with. I believe the local market needs more boldness and creative approaches, which is reflected in the cocktail culture. Foreign visitors coming to our country expect this creativity. How could we not introduce products from Saba and other small producers, which are so diverse, to both local and international customers? Just think of how many fascinating stories could be told about each of these beverages.
Recommendations
Lasha Tsatava: To help these types of beverages gain recognition and boost sales, we need to create a trend. Building a trend requires more conversations and active dialogues with consumers about what makes Georgian craft products better and what makes them unique.
Tazo Tamazashvili: In Georgia’s major cities, Tbilisi and Batumi, the bar culture is well developed. It is from this sector that I see the need for greater interest in Georgian artisanal spirits. It is important to offer more authentic products to both local and international guests. This would highlight our diversity and also support small producers in their work. Ideally, there should be regulations defining the proportion of imported versus local products on the market.
