UK. Ian Macleod Distillers (IMD) has partnered with Avolta for the exclusive launch of the Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Glenfarclas range in global travel retail.
Two expressions – Glenfarclas 11 Year Old and Glenfarclas 105 – are available exclusively in Avolta’s World Duty Free UK stores throughout September before a wider roll-out across GTR.
The travel retail-exclusive Glenfarclas 11 Year Old (46% ABV) is a natural colour, non-chill filtered whisky, while Glenfarclas 105 (60% ABV) is claimed to be the first-evert cask strength whisky release, first introduced in 1968.
Glenfarclas 11 Year Old has been named World Duty Free’s Malt of the Month for September.
To support the launch, Glenfarclas Distillery Manager Callum Fraser is signing bottles and meeting with whisky connoisseurs this month at Edinburgh, Heathrow and London Gatwick airports.
Avolta’s Global Category Head of Liquor David de Miguel said, “We are delighted to be the global travel retail launchpad for Glenfarclas under the stewardship of Ian Macleod Distillers.
“Glenfarclas 11 Year Old is a superb expression and worthy of the Malt of the Month accolade and Glenfarclas 105 is an iconic single malt expression that will delight whisky lovers.”
“Glenfarclas is a hugely respected and highly rated single malt and we are really thrilled to launch these two very special expressions with Avolta, marking the return of this iconic single malt to the travel retail channel,” added Ian Macleod Distillers Head of Global Travel Retail William Ovens. “We are equally delighted that Glenfarclas 11 Year Old is Malt of the Month during the exclusive global launch period.
“IMD’s Travel Retail team has worked closely with J&G Grant to develop an exciting GTR range, which includes two entirely new travel retail-exclusive expressions, the 11 Year Old and the 16 Year Old (70cl/RSP £79.99), which will be complemented by the highly regarded and more widely available 105 and 35 Year Old expressions.”
The exclusive listing is the first since IMD was appointed international distributor for J&G Grant-owned Glenfarclas on 1 July. Both IMD and J&G Grant are family-owned businesses in Scotland with a long-standing association through their joint ownership of Broxburn Bottlers, one of the country’s largest independent bottling operations.
Founded in 1836 and now run by the fifth generation of the Grant family, Glenfarclas is the oldest family-owned distillery in Speyside. Known for its rich, sherried style, the whisky is produced in direct-fired stills and matured in Oloroso sherry casks at the foot of Ben Rinnes. ✈
