the boutique era
Like many people I know, I’ve spent the last year and a half of lockdown getting into new hobbies.
I’m not traveling. I’m not going out to eat very often. I’m not exploring the city’s cocktail culture. Hence, I’m spending that money on other interests.
The two genres that have specifically sucked me in during COVID are cigars and watches, which pretty much makes me the most basic dude on the planet right now. Both industries are exploding, and my Instagram feed is like an endless feast of new makes, models, and sizes. New watch. New cigar. New watch. New cigar. Keep scrolling.
But here’s the thing: much like American whiskey right now, almost none of these new brands are actually creating their product from scratch. Rather, they’re taking the components of another company’s product and putting their spin on it.
That’s not to diminish the value of what they’re bringing to market, but rather to say that, as a consumer, a little bit of homework can go a very long way. Do some research into where these products are being sourced and you can find some spectacular deals.
My current obsession is the Venice Beach-based Vaer, started in 2016 by two guys named Ryan Torres and Reagan Cook. They’re purchasing automatic movements (the guts of the watch) from ETA SA in Switzerland, as well as Miyota in Japan, and creating sleek, elegant designs from those core components. I’ve purchased one of each model thus far, and I’ve been so pleased with the result that I sold my 2002 Rolex Submariner last week (for a tidy profit) and have never looked back. The Vaer D5 looks just like it for about 15% of the price, and my A12 Dirty Dozen still gives me the Swiss-made street cred.
My other obsession is the Paulin Neo C, manufactured in Glasgow just down the street from the warehouse where I purchase most of my single casks abroad. These three Scottish sisters are using Seiko’s robust NH35A movement from Japan, applying a minimal modernist design to a fantastic engine. Their aesthetic is simply divine.
Are these companies making watches? It depends on how you look at it. Barrell Bourbon, to use a whiskey example, is using American whiskies from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana to design products for a new generation of drinkers. Sure, they’re using components that are already on the market (often in cheaper formats), but they’re creating something that speaks to the modern consumer (more so than Dickel No. 12). Are they making whiskey?
If I had to think of a direct comparison, I would equate the movement of a watch to the mash bill recipe of a whiskey. Go online, and there are countless websites that list the various available mash bills from different distilleries, breaking them down by producer. Watch movements work the same way. It’s usually the first thing a serious consumer wants to know about when examining a new product. Is it from MGP? Is from ETA? The answer helps us understand what we’re dealing with qualitatively from the get go.
Cigars are no different.
My friend Matt Booth has an amazing line of cigars called Room 101, and you’ll find one in my mouth just about every Friday. That being said, Matt doesn’t manufacture his own cigars. They’re made for him by various producers, from A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua to Rocky Patel in Honduras. Matt puts his spin on the blending and the branding, but he creates none of the source materials.
Ten years ago, consumers were passionate about distillers. They went out of their way to purchase products from the same people who farmed and literally produced the source materials that created the liquid in their glass. Today, however, the game has completely changed. Consumers have accepted the fact that there are manufacturers and there are brands. In fact, they pride themselves on understanding both sides of the market and being able to wax eloquently about which brands source from the best manufacturers.
Yet, unlike the history of blended Scotch whisky, where consumers held brand loyalty to a specific non-descript recipe, today’s drinkers are only loyal to transparency. The education is part of the experience. They want to know all the intimate production details. Just like watch fans enjoy debating and discussing the merit of certain movements, whiskey drinkers like to do the same with specific mash bills, and cigar smokers with specific tobaccos.
This is the modern boutique market. And it applies to almost everything.
Modern boutique brands are like translators. They speak consumer and, in many cases, they’re helping old manufacturers find new fans in a crowded marketplace by putting a modern touch on a classic tradition.
-David Driscoll