In New Zealand they “ran out” of bourbon

As supply chain pressures and shipping delays are felt around the world, New Zealand is suffering from a bourbon shortage, according to the Guardian newspaper. “It’s really a pain”stated Neil, worker in a wine shop. “There is a shortage of bourbon right now. We can’t get anything from America».

Bourbon or otherwise American whiskey. Its name comes from the Kentucky county of the same name, which was “baptized” in honor of the French Bourbon royal family, who helped the revolutionaries in the Struggle for Independence from the English. That’s where Father Elijah Craig started making whiskey from corn in the 18th century (later it turned out that the priest lived in Fayette, Virginia).

For months, retailers and some loyal customers struggled to replenish supplies. The worst shortages have hit ready-to-drink (RTD) drinks, particularly bourbon and cola mixes, which are particularly popular in New Zealand. “Bourbon RTDs are like our bread and butter really, if we were selling bread to a wine cellar,” Neil said. “They are very popular here».

The shortage was confirmed by Brendon Lawry, the managing director of the Liquorland NZ chain, who said suppliers across the country had been experiencing shortages of bourbon to make RTDs for the past four to six months, partly due to shipping delays. “Hopefully this is a short-term issue“, write down.

Internationally, shortages in the spirits industry have been in place since 2021, partly due to the world consuming more alcohol during the pandemic. Diageo, the multinational drinks company behind whiskey brands such as Johnnie Walker and Crown Royal, warned in January that it was facing shortages due to rising demand, the Wall Street Journal reported. Many spirits can require months or even years of aging before reaching the cellars, making it difficult to suddenly ramp up production.

THE Robert Brewermanaging director of Spirits New Zealand, said the shortage in New Zealand was due to transport delays, the growing popularity of spirits and congestion in the supply chain from Kentucky and Tennessee, where bourbon is usually made. .

And while the bourbon shortage has been noted nationally, it’s not the only alcohol under pressure, as the lack of carbon dioxide is starting to worry beer brewers and RTD manufacturers. Producers across the country are struggling to obtain affordable supplies of carbon dioxide, which is used to create carbonated drinks, a range of food products and also in beers.

THE Dylan Firth, executive director of the New Zealand Brewers Association, said smaller craft breweries were hit hardest. As well as fizzy drinks, CO2 is used in the production of food, including chicken nuggets, which have been documented missing from supermarkets in recent months. “I don’t think the situation is dire yetFirth said.

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