UK. Scotch whisky house Cutty Sark, owned by La Martiniquaise, celebrated its milestone 100th anniversary in style with a duo of events in London on 27 September.
The Moodie Davitt Report was on location for both events. The first was a special whisky tasting at wine merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd in Mayfair, where Cutty Sark debuted the rare, limited-edition centenary bottle created by Master Blender Stephen Woodcock.
Guests were welcomed to the event by La Martiniquaise Group Global Marketing Director Sylvia Bernard and Berry Bros. & Rudd Executive Chairman Lizzy Rudd.
“We are very respectful of the legacy of the brand and the Berry Bros. Rudd ownership period is a great source of inspiration, even up to this day,” Bernard said.
“Cutty Sark has created a link between our two companies which may seem different at first, but have plenty of shared values and long-term vision. We are both independent, family-owned companies with special links to Port wine.
“Since acquiring Cutty Sark from Edrington Group in 2018, we have been honoured to have the brand, which is a fantastic addition to our Scotch whisky portfolio. Thanks to the passion and commitment of our teams in Scotland and abroad, we are very proud to say that the brand is back to growth and with a very promising future.”
At the lunchtime celebration, guests enjoyed three different Cutty Sark cocktails created by London drinks agency Wet & Dry. There was also a cocktail masterclass, led by Wet & Dry Mixologist Russell Burgess, who taught guests how to make a Cutty Julep Centenary Cocktail.
The event included a tour of the Berry Bros. & Rudd store, which has remained largely unchanged since opening in 1698. Led by Berry Bros. & Rudd Brands Heritage Director Ronnie Cox, guests learnt about the history and heritage of the Mayfair store, which one fateful day a century ago was where Cutty Sark was born.
In 1923, partners Berry Bros. & Rudd met Scottish artist and sailor James McBey, who drew the original label for Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky. Named after the legendary three-mast tea clipper and smuggled into the US during Prohibition, Cutty Sark was referred to as ‘The Real McCoy’ in tribute to the notorious captain.
The Cutty Sark Centenary edition is limited to just 1,435 numbered bottles, with some to be launched with selected retailers in global travel retail. The edition features a cleat-like cork and comes encased in a striking gift pack resembling a mainsail – both a nod to the three-masted tea clipper, which is the brand’s constant inspiration.
Cutty Sark has also released a special anniversary design for its original whisky. The limited-edition expression highlights Cutty Sark’s maritime inspirations and features the brand’s classic yellow colour scheme.
The launch is supported by the striking ‘Never-ending Adventure’ video campaign, which traces the brand’s roots from being smuggled into the US in the 1920s to its continued efforts to become pioneers in the whisky industry.
The celebrations continued with a glamorous dinner held at the Cutty Sark ship in Greenwich, London. VIP guests were able to explore the ship and learn about its maritime history.
The gala, held under the ship’s keel, opened with a welcome speech by La Martiniquaise President & CEO Jean-Pierre Cayard followed by the unveiling of the Cutty Sark Centenary Edition by Woodcock.
Guests were entertained by musical performances, including Scottish bagpipes, before enjoying a special tasting of the Cutty Sark Centenary whisky.
“At the end of the First World War and in spite of the prohibition in the US, Berry Bros. & Rudd, purveyors of the royal crown, decided to create a new Scotch whisky, being totally unsatisfied with the existing offer,” commented Cayard.
“To create the label, they commissioned Scottish artist James McBey. Being an avid sailor, the label he created was fully inspired by the ocean. He placed at the centre of the label an illustration of the fastest tea clipper of its time, the Cutty Sark.
“For the whisky style, they wanted a light, smooth, easy-to-drink whisky – made with a long marrying process still being used to date.
“Whenever the Cutty Sark ship left the wharf, there is always some uncertainty in navigation and that is the same for the Cutty Sark brand. Throughout its 100 years, Cutty Sark has navigated through periods of success and idleness. Today, we are very proud to be celebrating this milestone and bringing our spirit of adventure to the next 100 years of Cutty Sark.”
“We are very excited to let our consumers and whisky lovers immerse themselves in the brand’s epic history and discover our story,” said Cutty Sark Brand Manager Manon Brochet. “For a century, Cutty Sark has been guiding adventurers from all continents and horizons: sailors, explorers, pioneers, pop-culture icons.
“We are so proud to celebrate 100 years of Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky aboard our namesake, the Cutty Sark ship. Our Cutty Sark Centenary Edition gives a real flavour of our whisky’s century of adventure. And we are celebrating around the world thanks to our Anniversary Edition and dramatic video campaign.
“With the wind in our sails since 1923, we are looking forward to sharing many more adventures with Cutty Sark lovers in the years to come.”
She added: “To celebrate 100 years of adventure, discoveries, heritage and great Cutty Sark Whisky, a global anniversary plan will be put in place worldwide and throughout the year in the brand’s key markets.”
In an exclusive Q&A with The Moodie Davitt Report, Cutty Sark Master Blender Stephen Woodcock talks about the inspiration and craftsmanship of the Cutty Sark Centenary Edition.
Woodcock said: “23 is central to the inspiration of this whisky because we were looking for this anchor point to work on and 23 came up so often.
“23 March 1923 was when Cutty Sark was born in this very building and James McBey was born on the 23rd of the month. Also, 23 in terms of the age of a spirit was achievable.
“When I was looking at our inventory, this 23 year old whisky, which was laid down in 1999, was the perfect starting point. The only label on the cask was sherry and port. Eighteen years in first-fill Oloroso then five years in port. That was the centre point and where the 23 came from.
“Aged for 23 years in sherry and port made the whisky quite punchy and with a lot of flavour that didn’t meet the brief,” he added. “The brief was to create a Centenary Edition that was in the light, smooth Cutty Sark style. We needed to round those edges and so I started looking at inventory that dated back to the 1970s for some of the malts.
“I looked at malts that were synonymous with the Cutty Sark brand and some grains from distilleries that are no longer with us. That allowed us to soften those edges.”
The Cutty Sark Centenary Whisky offers caramel and chocolate flavours, which drift into notes of soft fruits and spice.
When asked what it means to be celebrating Cutty Sark’s 100th anniversary milestone as its Master Blender, Woodcock said: “It is so meaningful to be here in Berry Bros. & Rudd today. I’m walking through the same doors that the inventors of Cutty Sark did all those years ago. This is the first centenary celebration, and it will never be repeated. What an honour to be part of that.”
Looking to what the next chapter holds for Cutty Sark, Woodcock said: “The primary focus is to maintain the heritage while maintaining our spirit of adventure.” ✈
