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The Moodie Blog: Distilling half a century’s worth of passion and skill into a single bottle |
| How does someone feel as they present a product that represents half a century (and therefore most) of their working life? |
HONG KONG. Gruppo Campari last night unveiled Glen Grant 50yo single malt whisky, a US$13,000 limited-edition launch, of which only 30 bottles will be available in duty free and travel retail.
The line is being introduced this week at two private functions with key retail partners co-hosted by Glen Grant Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm and Campari Global Travel Retail Director Andy Holmes.
The Moodie Report was on hand last night as the first introduction was held with DFS Group as guests at The Peninsula in Hong Kong. Another will follow at the Galaxy in Macau on Wednesday with other key Asian travel retail partners.
Glen Grant 50yo is initially being launched through Asia travel retail for an exclusive three-month period. The first bottle will become available with DFS at Hong Kong International Airport from Friday 21 March and shortly afterwards will also appear at airports in Singapore, Taiwan, China, Macau and South Korea.
Holmes* told The Moodie Report that of the 30-bottle travel retail allocation, 22 have been set aside for Asia, underlining the region’s booming interest in the single malt category, particularly at the high end. “This is very exciting for us,” he said, “but while sales are important, they are not the main driver. This is all about credibility and image for us.”
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From June 2014 the ultra-premium malt will be introduced in other selected airport locations and key domestic markets across the world.
Glen Grant 50yo comes from a cask hand-filled on 28 October 1963 by the young Dennis Malcolm, a man who has dedicated his entire career since the age of 15 to Scotch whisky production. Half a century later, on 25 November 2013, Malcolm*, now Master Distiller, deemed the whisky to have reached its zenith and be ready for bottling as a 50yo.
During an entertaining and often poignant introduction to the 50yo last night, he noted: “It’s something I will only do once in my life.”
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Gruppo Campari Global Travel Retail Director Andy Holmes: “We are very honoured that our partners in Asia travel retail are walking with us on this journey together” |
Earlier, Malcolm said: “Only time measures our pursuit of perfection. Maturation cannot be rushed. Like people, casks mature at their own pace. I have protected and cared for this barrel for 50 years, letting it breathe and patiently waiting for the magic and interaction of whisky and wood.”
Glen Grant said that each of the 150 pieces (the other 120 will be sold through domestic markets) is unique and handcrafted. The 50yo is presented in a hand-blown crystal glass decanter, created and individually refined by craftsmen at Glencairn Crystal, the last family-owned crystal glass company in Scotland. Each decanter is hand engraved, hand numbered and finished with the number 50 in 18-carat gold lettering.
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In October 1963 a young man laid down a cask of speyside malt whisky at the Glen Grant distillery. Last night in Hong Kong that same man, Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm, unveiled the magnificent liquid result of half a century’s aging |
The design of the decanter is an exact replica of Glen Grant’s tall, slender pot stills – a creation of Glen Grant’s legendary innovator, James “˜The Major’ Grant.
Glen Grant 50yo is housed in a copper-lined Scottish box made from new oak. Each comes with a certificate of authenticity, signed by Dennis Malcolm and every craftsman involved.
The company said: “In an age beset by instant gratification, that which has been expertly crafted by hand – with skills honed and passed down through the ages – is a true rarity. The Glen Grant 50yo is the apotheosis of master craftsmanship: a wide array of age-old skills creating a collective masterpiece that is unquantifiable. It is both aged and timeless. But now, the time has come.”
Andy Holmes said: “This week marks the next exciting chapter for Glen Grant single malt in travel retail and we are very honoured that our partners in Asia travel retail are walking with us on this journey together. We look forward to further developing Glen Grant single malt in global travel retail as a core brand of our portfolio.”
Glen Grant became part of the Gruppo Campari portfolio in 2006. The Glen Grant range includes the refined Major’s Reserve, 10yo, 16yo, 1992 Cellar Reserve, the 170th Anniversary Limited Edition, the Five Decades Edition and Glen Grant 50yo.
*Footnote:. We’ll bring you further details on Glen Grant 50yo in this week’s edition of The Moodie Report e-Zine, and interviews with Andy Holmes and Dennis Malcolm online soon.
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John Hoover (left), soon to retire as DFS Group Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager for Spirits, Wine, Tobacco, Food and Gifts with Marc Gentzbourger, President of MG Cellars, Asia travel retail distributor for Glen Grant |
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The DFS, Gruppo Campari and MG Cellars teams celebrate a landmark launch |
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(Left) John Hoover, Marc Gentzbourger and DFS Group’s newly promoted Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager for Spirits, Wine, and Tobacco Brooke Supernaw; (Right) Dennis Malcolm and John Hoover talk fine single malt whisky | |
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Devin Pun and John Hoover of DFS with Marc Gentzbourger |
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Last night’s launch was hosted in some style at The Peninsula, Hong Kong |
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Andy Holmes keeping the quaich tradition of supping single malt whisky |
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Andy Holmes shares a lighter moment with guests at last night’s dinner |
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Martin Moodie toasts Dennis Malcolm’s crowning achievement |
