UK. William Grant & Sons will celebrate its rich heritage at the TFWA World Exhibition this year, bringing together its flagship and new brands (Stand number: Gold Village GO2).
GRANT’S
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Grant’s Family Reserve won a gold medal at the 2009 International Wine and Spirit Competition |
In 1909, Charles Gordon – son-in-law of William Grant, the founder of William Grant & Sons – set out to conquer the world with Grant’s Scotch Whisky. By 1914 Grant’s had established distribution networks in 30 countries; 100 years later, the company is exporting to over 180 countries.
Grant’s Family Reserve picked up a gold medal at the IWSC (International Wines & Spirits Challenge) this year. “With such an accolade, plus the historical importance of 2009, William Grant believes it’s time to raise the bar for Grant’s Whisky – and where better to preview a very special new liquid than at TFWA World Exhibition,” said William Grant & Sons Global Travel Retail Director Rita Greenwood.
Travel retail is the third largest market for Grant’s and a key channel to build the brand, Greenwood added.
Launching at the TFWA World Exhibition is Grant’s 25 Year Old (RRP: £145). It was created to celebrate “the spirit of togetherness” that has played such an important role within each generation of William Grant & Sons, the company said.
The TFWA show also sees the introduction of Grant’s Distillery Edition. Exclusive to travel retail and presented in a gift carton, this non chill-filtered blend creates a new entry-level premium niche for the brand with a recommended retail price (RRP) at just +5% above Family Reserve.
In support of the premium branding, the company has appointed Grant’s first ever Global Brand Ambassador: Ludovic Ducrocq.
“Ludo’s role will be to promote the deeper, more meaningful experiences that Grant’s whiskies represent to audiences worldwide,” said William Grant & Sons Trade Marketing Manager Ian Taylor.
“It’s tribute to our belief in the brand – the fine quality of the liquid – that leads us towards a step change for Grant’s with new product development that puts greater emphasis on premium end variants.”
GLENFIDDICH
Taking centre stage in Cannes will be the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old – one of the distillery’s rarest and most exclusive single malt whisky expressions – which was unveiled this year.
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The Glenfiddich 50 Year Old, one of the distillery’s rarest and most exclusive single malt whisky expressions unveiled this year, will take center stage in Cannes; it has an alcohol content of 46.1% abv and a retail price of £10,000 |
Just ten bottles of the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old have been made available to travel retail. The first bottle has already been sold at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, while the remaining nine will be available in selected markets from 1 November 2009.
Each bottle is decorated with Scottish silver, crafted by Thomas Fattorini, a sixth generation silversmith, and imprinted with William Grant’s own hallmark. It has an alcohol content of 46.1% abv and an RRP of £10,000.
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The Balvenie GoldenCask 14 Year Old is a non chill-filtered single malt whisky created exclusively for travel retail |
Alongside the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old, William Grant & Sons will be showcasing the new-look Glenfiddich 40 Year Old and Glenfiddich 30 Year Old Single Malt whiskies.
Retailing at £1,550, just 600 bottles of the Glenfiddich 40 Year Old will be made available globally each year for both domestic and travel retail markets. The newly packaged Glenfiddich 30 Year Old (RRP: £205 in travel retail) will replace the current variant from the end of February 2010.
Glenfiddich will also launch a completely new whisky – Glenfiddich 14 Year Old – which celebrates the pioneering nature of the brand. This new product is still in development and those attending the Cannes show will get a sneak preview.
During 2010 Glenfiddich will also release an exclusive travel retail vintage, which will be available to just one selected retail partner. A shortlist of casks has already been chosen, with the RRP dependent on age and strength.
“Glenfiddich continues to be a great success story for William Grant, achieving strong value growth over the past two years. Travel retail represents our most important market, contributing 17% of sales; to that end it is vital we pay the sector special attention and grow from the leading position we enjoy within it,” said Greenwood.
Additionally, the recent unveiling of new packaging for the Glenfiddich 12, 15 and 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch whiskies features a series of subtle finishing touches that reinforce Glenfiddich’s quality credentials and heritage. “With a Glenfiddich Vintage Reserve 2010 scheduled for September, 2010 is definitely going to be a year to remember,” the company enthused.
THE BALVENIE
One of the highlights of the past year is the success of travel retail exclusive The Balvenie Golden Cask 14 Year Old and the duty free version of 21 Year Old Portwood (the latter differentiated from the domestic markets with its higher 47.6%abv and non chill-filtered production).
Both clearly meet the travel retail passenger’s thirst for exclusives and explain why travel retail is the brand’s second largest market, said William Grant & Sons.
Limited editions, too, remain highly sought after and next year will see the introduction of The Balvenie Madeira Cask, aged 17 Years. The travel retail exclusive will be available at a higher 48.2%abv and non-chill filtered, retailing at £70.
“Sampling in travel retail remains an absolute priority for The Balvenie,” said Taylor. “With well trained, professional promotional staff, we see huge success for the brand; the recent Balvenie Wall in London Heathrow Airport T5 showed this – our most successful Balvenie promotion ever.”
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The recent Balvenie Wall in London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5’s World Duty Free store proved to be the brand’s most successful promotion ever, thanks to the focus on well trained professional promotional staff and sampling opportunities |
HENDRICK’S GIN
The focus for Hendrick’s in travel retail continues to centre on the “sublimely abnormal” in terms of show-stopping promotions, fun packaging and quirky theatre that is surprising and intelligently unusual, the company said.
New fixtures will be revealed in Cannes, centering on the new Hendrick’s Bath Tub (freshly arrived from its debut in Barcelona Airport) along with the introduction of an exclusive travel retail gift pack.
This new gift pack will bring additional shelf stand-out and appeal, combining theatrical design with travel-themed graphics in true Hendrick’s style. The gift pack will contain a bottle of Hendrick’s gin and a fine bone-china teacup.
“We see Hendrick’s as offering tremendous potential for development in travel retail,” said Taylor. “There is nothing standard about Hendrick’s; nothing ordinary. Peculiarness is crucial to its very being and that’s what makes it so exciting for the airport environment. You’ll see a great deal more peculiarness over the coming year.”
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New fixtures for Hendrick’s will centre on the new Hendrick’s Bath Tub, freshly arrived from its debut in Barcelona Airport |
SAILOR JERRY RUM
William Grant & Sons is also introducing Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, a smooth Caribbean rum blended with natural spices. Initially available to US cruise-ships and Scandinavian duty free, it is already selling over 500,000 cases since its launch to US domestic in 2001.
The brand is based on Norman “˜Sailor Jerry’ Collins (1911 – 1973), known for his iconic tattoos and tattoo art. His deftly-crafted, boldly-lined designs became so popular and widely copied that he took to printing “˜The Original Sailor Jerry’ on his business cards.
NEW BRAND: MONKEY SHOULDER
2009 also sees the introduction of new brands to selected travel retail markets. Monkey Shoulder, a triple malt Scotch whisky, is named in honour of the distillery maltmen who turned the barley by hand and suffered a temporary strain nicknamed “˜Monkey Shoulder’.
Monkey Shoulder gives a contemporary expression to the heritage of William Grant’s whisky. It will initially be available in the UK.
William Grant is 100% convinced that such activity in a downturn economy is the correct way forward.
“It’s all about belief in the brands and belief in the market,” explained Greenwood. “Market conditions have been difficult but – like our pioneering forefathers – we see the key to future success is to act bravely, think flexibly and remain creative, growing industry and consumer confidence in our brands.”
What ties all these brands together is a strong conviction and faith in the future of travel retail and a way forward that is founded in investment, the company added. Investment not just in product development (though that is crucial) but in the supporting roles of high profile activity, sampling and training.
“The coming year will see a far greater emphasis on these three elements for all William Grant’s brands,” added Greenwood. “High profile activity can range from simple fixtures with tastings, trained hostesses and a gwp, to major launches such as Glenfiddich 50 Year Old where we took over a complete shop unit at Paris Charles de Gaulle and invited local dignitaries and media.
“These events, combined with a focus on the liquid through sampling, and ensuring total and complete product knowledge from those working with the brands, will form the key building blocks of our strategy moving forward.”
For more information, contact Ian Taylor, William Grant & Sons, tel: +44 20 8334 1258, fax: +44 20 8332 1695, or e-mail: Ian.Taylor@wgrant.com. Visit www.williamgrant.com.
ABOUT WILLIAM GRANT & SONS
William Grant & Sons is an independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today still controlled by the fifth generation of his family. The company distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Grant’s, as well as selected other spirits, including Hendrick’s Gin.
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