Campari brings Howler Head to Australia

Campari Group will distribute Howler Head Whiskey in Australia. The 'banana flavoured super-premium whiskey' is made by Catalyst Spirits - in which Campari has a 15 per cent interest- and is the official flavoured bourbon whiskey of the UFC.

Its launch in Australia coincides with UFC 284: MAKHACHEV vs VOLKANOVSKI on Sunday, 12 February 2023 in Perth, Australia. Campari has a 15 per cent controlling interest in the Catalyst Spirits brand, which is also available in the United States, Canada, Brazil and the UK.

“With bourbon whiskey serving as one of our global priority brand pillars for Campari Group and the recent positive trends in overseas markets, Howler Head is an ideal fit for our local portfolio,” said Simon Durrant, Managing Director of Campari Australia.

American whiskey sales around the world have spiked in recent years, driven in great part by flavoured whiskies. Howler Head is banana flavoured.

The global flavoured whiskey market was expected to reach a value of USD$27 billion by 2022, according to Future Market Insights, with North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific driving significant volume increases. Launched in the US in 2021,Howler Head had sold nearly 70,000 9L cases by the end of 2022 and has quickly become one of the fastest-growing whiskey brands in the United States.

For the Australia launch, Campari has signed UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski as brand spokesperson.

"People have been asking for Howler Head to come to Australia since its launch two years ago, and now is the perfect timing! I look forward to celebrating my victories with this great whiskey and will be sure to share a toast with my family, friends and fans," said Volkanovski.

UFC fighters Robert Whittaker, Tai Tuivasa and Charles Oliveira will also be making personal appearances to greet fans in Perth during fight week of UFC 284.

Oliveira, former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk, and rising stars Sean O’Malley, Charles Jourdain and Caio Borralho to promote the brand globally. Through its partnership with UFC®, Howler Head has the ability to reach 700 million UFC fans worldwide.

“In addition to being an exceptionally high-quality liquid, in line with flavoured whiskey trends, Howler Head has established a clear unique brand personality and, through its deep relationship with UFC, we believe it will be a hit in Australia,” says Paolo Marinoni, Marketing Director of Campari Australia.

“Along with Alexander Volkanovski, we will also be engaging additional fighters to endorse the brand. We are very pleased to give consumers the chance to meet and greet some of the greatest athletes in the world during the week of UFC 284 in Perth."

Howler Head is 80 proof and will be available as a limited run at UFC on-premise partner ALH Hotels before a trade-wide roll out in May. With an ABV of 40 per cent, a 700ml bottle of Howler Head will retail at around $65 RRP.