After adding a mix of global powerhouse spirits and niche products in growing categories over the past couple of years, Distribution Spirits Company’s (DISC) portfolio of premium wines and spirits is well-equipped to attract all consumer segments in the Caribbean and duty free sectors where it operates, Juan Gentile tells TMI.
Gentile, who created DISC in 2021 after almost 20 years with Edrington most recently as Senior Vice President, Managing Director Americas Travel Retail at Edrington Americas, founded his company to build premium brands in the Caribbean.
“We started DISC focusing on the Caribbean with premium and super premium brands. We began to really penetrate the market with Macallan, not only gaining distribution, but quality distribution. We want to be in the right outlets, in the right hotels, with the right activations,” he says. “Brugal is also one of our key brands in the hotels.”
“Another important channel was the private yachts, especially for the prestige brands like Macallan. We were able to reach a consumer who is not that exposed to the brand.”
In September 2023, Ian Macleod Distillers (IMD) appointed DISC as its exclusive distribution partner for Americas Travel Retail. In February 2024, Sazerac Company Inc. and DISC announced a distribution partnership for select Caribbean domestic markets.
These additions to the portfolio give DISC brands in different price segments and categories that allows the company to reach more people throughout the very diverse islands of the Caribbean.
“After a few years building the distribution and focusing on Macallan, we were approached by Ian Macleod to support the expansion of their gin. We started in the Caribbean. And a couple of months later, we started to expand to the duty free market. We represent the Ian Macleod portfolio, not only for Edinburgh gin, but also the whiskeys – Glengoyne, Tamdhu and Rosebank — in all the Americas from the border of U.S. and Canada all the way down to Tiera del Fuego.”
“Then Sazerac came onboard. Sazerac complements our premium whiskey offers, but also brings a set of standard brands that caters to other segments of the Caribbean. Sazerac has brought more opportunities to target this middle class with their portfolio, with Fireball,” says Gentile.
Last April, Amber Beverage Group (ABG) and DISC extended their strategic partnership to include the exclusive distribution of ABG’s products in the Americas Duty Free Channel. DISC has been working with the Amber Beverage Brands in the Caribbean for the past few years.
The addition of Amber’s portfolio, which includes KAH Tequila, Rooster Rojo Tequila, The Irishman Whiskey, Writers’ Tears Whiskey, and Moskovskaya Vodka, added new categories and new markets to DISC’s portfolio, says Gentile.
“We added a premium tequila, as well as premium Irish whiskeys,” says Gentile. “DISC now has a comprehensive portfolio for duty free, that includes gins, as well as very popular single malts, tequilas, and Irish whiskeys.”
DISC has also had success with Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey.
“Flavored whiskey is a new category that is growing. Ballotin is quite strong in the U.S., and we are helping them to expand both in Caribbean duty free and Latin America.”
DISC has partnered with Promo International – a major consumer goods distribution company that has been in the Caribbean for 30 years — since Gentile founded the company. Promo has the infrastructure and history in the Caribbean that has allowed DISC to succeed, he says.
“We have resources throughout the region. And now we are using Promo’s platform to expand our spirits division,” says Gentile.
After a few years of adding powerful brands, Gentile says he is happy with the DISC portfolio.
“We don’t need new brands now. We need to keep on working with our current brand owners. Brands take time to build. I think we have the right combination of pull brands versus push brands, and brands in the super premium and premium price points, which is where we want to be in play.”
