SINGAPORE. In our new video series ‘Moodie Davitt Video View’, we bring you exclusive on-the-ground coverage from the most innovative brands in travel retail straight from the industry’s most important events.
In this edition, The Moodie Davitt Report Brands Director Hannah Tan-Gillies catches up with Brown-Forman Vice President Managing Director Global Travel Retail David Rodiek and Marketing Director Global Travel Retail Stéphane Morizet who took us on whirlwind tour of its duplex stand at the TFWA Asia Pacific show. [Watch out for a separate, in-depth interview, coming soon.]
Morizet introduced three of Brown-Forman’s pillar brands: Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve and Benriach Distillery and interviewed different brand ambassadors on-site.
Morizet began the tour by introducing the new travel retail-exclusive Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel 100 proof. He said: “This is the expression of one single cask. It is powerful, elegant and complex and we think there is a lot of potential for this for travellers who find these rare casks appealing.”
He also introduced Jack Daniel’s American Single Malt, a new range that marks the brand’s first entrance into the world of single malt. The liquid is 100% malted barley, matured for two extra years in Oloroso sherry casks to create a complex liquid that spruces up the Jack Daniel’s signature style.
Morizet then passed the mic to Brown-Forman/Woodford Reserve Advocacy and Development Manager Grant Shearon, who described the brand as “a Kentucky-born brand which makes great American whisky for the world.”
Shearon then demonstrated how to make the perfect Old Fashioned using Woodford Reserve Double Oaked which he described as “a match made in heaven in the perfect classic cocktail.”
The Brown-Forman journey concluded with Benriach Distillery, which was introduced by Brown-Forman/Benriach Asia Ambassador Stuart Fear. “Benriach is our Speyside distillery,” Fear said. “We have a lot of heritage but we like to focus more on flavour because at the end of the day that’s the most important thing.
“To get these flavours, we like to use techniques that other distilleries don’t have. For example, we like to use non-traditional casks like the quarter casks that we used for our global travel retail range. Quarter casks give more intense flavours and adds a lot of characteristics to the whisky.”
Fear introduced Benriach’s new Octave expression, which is a 40 year old rare single malt. The expression is packaged in a striking wooden box which is complete with a small booklet and signed by Benriach Master Distiller Dr. Rachel Barrie. ✈
