 | Maximum flavour: Highland Park 21 Year Old is available now in global travel retail, priced at €79/US$99 |
UK. Highland Park, the Distiller of the Year owned by The Edrington Group, has released a 21yo single malt Scotch whisky variant developed exclusively for travel retail.
Highland Park 21 Year Old is available now in global travel retail, priced at €79/US$99.
The new product is bottled at a higher strength than the internationally acclaimed 18yo and, in terms of flavour profile, is described as more closely related to Highland Park 30yo.
It shares with the 30yo a slight emphasis on American oak in maturation, according to the company. As a result notes of toffee, fudge and chocolate, as well as the Highland Park trademark balance between smoke and heather honey sweetness, are evident.
Highland Park Global Controller Jason Craig said: “Bottling the 21 Year Old at 47.5% abv gives this particular expression maximum flavour delivery, which is always a priority for Highland Park. In addition Highland Park 21 Year Old complements our existing travel retail presence and the Highland Park range as a whole.”
The Edrington Group Area Director for Global Travel Retail William Ovens added: “We are delighted with the continued success Highland Park enjoys in this [travel retail] market and the introduction of the 21yo not only fills the gap between the 18 and 25yo expressions but extends our range of aged variants to six, meaning Highland Park has the widest range of aged expressions of any single malt brand in this channel.
“Highland Park’s success can also be attributed to the focus of our distributor Maxxium’s Global Travel Retail who are doing a great job in securing new listings for the brand.”
TFWA success
At last week’s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes Highland Park secured a number of high-profile new listings, including world-leading operators DFS and World Duty Free.
Travel retail has become Highland Park’s second-largest market globally, after the UK. The brand has been available in the channel for over ten years and the last three have seen it increase its shelf presence by more than +100%.
A key driver of this success is the award-winning 16yo, which was introduced as a travel retail exclusive two years ago and has been listed by all major travel retailers.
The single malt category is one of the fastest-growing categories in travel retail, growing at double the total spirits growth rate (source: IWSR 2006).
Highland Park is growing at +15% year-on-year and is the second fastest-growing single malt behind fellow The Edrington Group brand The Macallan.
About Highland Park
Established in 1798, Orkney-based Highland Park is one of the oldest Scotch whisky distilleries. At the San Francisco World Spirits Awards 2007 it won the coveted title of Distiller of the Year. The distillery uses hand-turned malt to add to the balanced layers of aromatic character, in addition to aromatic peat, cool maturation, sherry oak casks and cask harmonisation to ensure consistency and balance.
MORE STORIES ON HIGHLAND PARK
Edrington singled out for a dozen medals – 11/06/07
Highland Park scoops top distiller award – 21/05/07
Highland Park to thrill collectors with new release – 13/11/06
