BROWN SPIRITS: WHISK(E)Y OVERVIEW


Scotch consumers crave ‘newness, difference and discovery in duty free’


The need for innovation and uniqueness is more apparent than ever in the duty free and travel retail whisk(e)y sector. The general consensus is that suppliers are doing their best to offer something different, whether its through the packaging, flavour or finish. Andrew Pentol investigates.


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arlier this year, Bacardí Global Travel Retail announced the global exclusive launch of


Dewar’s Double Double, its latest whisky innovation with DFS Group at Singapore Changi Airport. A new series of aged statement


blended Scotch whiskies, crafted using a unique four-stage ageing process, Dewar’s Double Double is being supported by a communications campaign running on DFS’ digital platforms. Duty free and travel retail has


a vibrant mix of consumers from emerging markets at the second stage of luxury who seek new discoveries, especially in aged whisky. This new wave, combined with the specialist whisky status of travel retail among established connoisseurs and collectors, makes launches such as this extremely important and much needed. Oliver Storrie, Global Travel


Retail Manager, Quintessential Brands, tells TRBusiness: “Consumers are looking for age statements and premium products. They are seeking finishes. When passengers enter an airport, they want an experience. They do not want to see a typical premium brand they can get in the local domestic market.” Customers want to


purchase something special, either as a gift or purely for themselves, according to Storrie. “I think travel retail is offering that right now. If you walk through an airport you can see all different types of brands and finishes.”


MAY 2019


One company trying to appeal to consumers seeking something different and special is Loch Lomond Group. Present in the channel with its Loch Lomond and Glen Scotia whiskies for around two years, the company will soon add a further brand to its DF&TR portfolio in the form of Littlemill Scotch Whisky. André de Almeida,


Managing Director, Global Travel Retail, Loch Lomond Group


tells TRBusiness: “Scotch whisky and single malt drinkers like to discover something new and different. That is really who we are trying to appeal to. All we are trying to do is ensure our whisky is discovered by consumers.”


On-shelf stand-out


More often than not the key to offering something different and unique is being innovative. In the case of whisky, this can be in flavour, finish and packaging.


San Francisco-based American whiskey brand Gold Bar, which entered the channel in 2016, is known for producing products with distinctive packaging. Elliott Gillespie, President, Gold


Bar Whiskey says: “There had not been a lot of innovation in terms of packaging, but we are now seeing a trend for this. “If you look at the traditional


offering of whiskies, they tend to have a general look and feel.” He adds: “A lot of the bottles that


stand out now though are ones that really jump off the shelf in terms of innovation. That is where Gold Bar really sits. We win on the juice and win on the package.” In order to be different and


Above: Dewar’s Double Double is being supported by a communications campaign running on DFS’ digital platforms.


Left: Glen Scotia Scotch whisky is excelling for Loch Lomond in global travel retail.


“Consumers are looking for age statements and premium products. They are seeking finishes. When passengers enter an airport, they want an experience.”


Oliver Storrie, Global Travel Retail Manager, Quintessential Brands


TRBUSINESS 119


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