 |
Proud moment as Bombay Sapphire Revelation is unveiled in Sydney Airport. From left to right: Bacardi Global Travel Retail Division Regional Director Asia Pacific Aude Rocourt; Bacardi Lion Managing Director Colin Rochester; The Nuance Group CEO Australia & New Zealand Jann Fisch; The Nuance Group Merchandising & Buying Director Jim Fader |
AUSTRALIA. What a day to remember for the global travel retail industry, as Sydney Airport hosted the fifth and final stage in the unprecedented worldwide launch of the ultra-luxury gin Bombay Sapphire Revelation.
In a fitting grand finale, guests thronged the trendy Ivy Bar in Sydney’s Central Business District to welcome Revelation to Oceania – the last of the five continents where Bacardi Global Brands has presented the unique Bombay Sapphire Revelation decanters, each of which retails for US$200,000.
With excitement building up, a limousine and bus convoy ferried participants to Sydney Airport. At the SYD airside departures megastore, The Nuance Group CEO Australia & New Zealand Jann Fisch and Bacardi Global Travel Retail Division Regional Director Asia-Pacific Aude Rocourt unveiled the triumph of design and artisanship that is the Revelation decanter.
The past week has seen launches at London Heathrow Terminal 5 (through World Duty Free), Singapore Changi Airport (with DFS Group), New York JFK (also DFS), Dubai International (Dubai Duty Free), and now at Sydney (with The Nuance Group). The project is a collaboration between Bombay Sapphire, Garrard jewellers, Baccarat crystal makers and designer Karim Rashid.
The proceeds from this unique project, driven by Bombay Sapphire owner Bacardi, will go to The Smile Train, the world’s leading children’s cleft charity that has been widely embraced by the travel retail industry over the past year.
The Moodie Report is on hand at each location to document a launch that is unprecedented in the industry.
 |
Drinking to the success of Bombay Sapphire Revelation are Sydney Airport Corporation’s team. Pictured from left to right: Assistant Duty Free Manager Michael Degering; Manager, Duty Free Retail and Commercial Development Alan Baynash; and Manager Retail Mark Lucey |
Welcoming guests to the Sydney event, Bacardi Lion Managing Director Colin Rochester heralded the completion of the Revelation launch: “This is a truly unique initiative, ultra-luxury in its presentation and unprecedented in the global drinks industry.
“The Bombay Sapphire brand is synonymous with design, and all over the world the brand has supported and promoted leading and emerging designers and their work. Revelation will take Bombay Sapphire’s association with design to a whole new level.
“Importantly, Bombay Sapphire will not be just an ultra-luxury project,” added Rochester. “This initiative’s major benefactor is The Smile Train, a charity that provides life-enhancing cleft surgery all over the globe.”
Bacardi’s Aude Rocourt shared the excitement: “Revelation has been a tremendous project for us in travel retail, and I am delighted we can have the grand finale in the great city of Sydney.
“This is an example of teamwork between three leading design names – Baccarat, Garrard and Karim Rashid. The Baccarat work is the same on all five decanters but the stopper and the Garrard works are different, so each bottle of Revelation is a unique collector’s item.”
Jann Fisch expressed how proud The Nuance Group is to be one of the partners in this global project. “We may be the last to launch Revelation but we will try to be the first to sell one of the bottles, and we will certainly be doing all we can to promote it at Sydney Airport.
“We are grateful for our partnership with Sydney Airport to enable us to take on this task, and we are delighted that proceeds from all of our efforts can go to charity.”
 |
The scene at Sydney’s trendy Ivy Bar, where the celebrations took place. Note the five blue decorations on the table, symbolising the five Revelation decanters |
Fisch later enthused about the potential that Revelation has to show that promotions in the liquor category can be based on something other than price. “It can also be something really specific that is creating the additional atmosphere for, in this case, the Bombay Sapphire brand. We will see in two months’ time whether we can see some impact on the sales.”
Rochester said that having Sydney as one of only five airports around the world launching Revelation has added to the excitement that exists around the Bombay Sapphire brand.
“It’s the fastest-growing gin in the world and it happens to be the fastest-growing gin in Australia as well. So to team up with The Nuance Group who are fantastic partners on the travel retail side with us, and to provide them something that is quite unique, is a great initiative.”
Highlights of the Sydney Airport Revelation decanter:
– A central sapphire (2.39ct)
– Set in a white-gold mount on the Baccarat crystal bottle
– Central sapphire set in yellow gold
– Surrounded by 10 baguette sapphires (total weight 0.90ct)
– 35 brilliant cut diamonds (total weight 0.44ct).
 |  |
Guests enjoyed specially concocted Bombay Sapphire Revelation cocktails, embellished with a red rose petal | |
THE KEY FORCES BEHIND REVELATION
The creator: Bombay Sapphire
The master distiller for Bombay Sapphire (www.bombaysapphire.com) hand-selects a unique combination of the finest botanicals from around the world.
Based on a secret 1761 recipe, the spirit is infused with the aromatic flavours of 10 botanical ingredients. The striking translucent blue Bombay Sapphire bottle reflects the distinctive taste and is recognised for its inspiring design.
 ” /> |
Sydney Airport’s Sapphire moment as Revelation moves down under Click the Podcast icon to listen To download: right click on the Podcast icon and select ‘Save Target As’ option Click here for more information, instructions and previous Podcasts |
The designer: Karim Rashid
Karim Rashid’s internationally acclaimed work has won numerous awards and features in the permanent collections of 16 museums worldwide. Rashid was born in Cairo, raised in England and Canada, and now works in New York. His association with Bombay Sapphire began when he designed a martini cocktail glass inspired by Bombay Sapphire in 1999. He is a member of the Bombay Sapphire Foundation set up to support contemporary design (www.karimrashid.com).
The jeweller: Garrard
The jewellers and silversmiths set the stones that form the centrepiece of Revelation in their in-house London workshops following a tradition that dates back to 1735, when Garrard was established.
Garrard is the oldest jewellery house in the world and was honoured with the title of Crown Jeweller in 1843. Garrard made the crown in 1870 that Queen Victoria wears in the image that appears on the Bombay Sapphire bottle.
A sapphire set in each glass stopper by Garrard is the centrepiece of Revelation (www.garrard.com).
The crystal maker: Baccarat
Founded in 1764, Baccarat is recognised globally as the eminent creator of luxury crystal, with commissions for the likes of Japanese Emperors and Russian Tsars, as well as European royalty.
The company boasts more than 3,000 permanent references, from traditional crystal lighting to stemware, jewellery and home decoration.
For over 200 years, Baccarat has illuminated royal palaces and presidential residences worldwide. The traditional crystal-making skills are passed down through generations (www.baccarat.com).
About The Smile Train
The Smile Train is the world’s largest and most cost-effective cleft charity. 100% of donations goes directly towards programmes. All overheads are met separately.
Since 1999 The Smile Train has provided free cleft surgery to over 400,000 children and trained tens of thousands of medical professionals. It now has programmes and partners in 61 countries.
A simple surgical procedure, costing around US$250, can cure 100% of all clefts, but it is beyond reach for families in many emergent countries (www.SmileTrain.org).
MORE STORIES ON BOMBAY SAPPHIRE REVELATION
And then there were four: Bombay Sapphire Revelation makes dazzling Dubai debut – 30/03/08
The unveiling of Bombay Sapphire Revelation: the next chapter unfolds at JFK T4 – 28/03/08
DFS Group unveils Bombay Sapphire Revelation in spectacular Changi ‘First’ – 29/03/08
Baccarat’s Revelation looks a million dollars – 27/03/08
Bombay Sapphire Revelation introduced in London as five-city roll-out nears – 25/03/08
Gearing up for the great Revelation – 20/03/08
