TREX Awards revealed: Honouring the best in travel retail-exclusive excellence (3)

Welcome to the second annual TREX Awards results.

Following the success of the inaugural edition last year, The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted and proud to reveal further results from this year’s edition of a trailblazing celebration of the finest travel retail-exclusive (TREX) products and related innovations worldwide.

The awards are being released in phases this week – earlier we revealed Children’s Products, the intensely competitive Confectionery & Food and Cosmetics.

On Tuesday we announced the TREX Destination Merchandise, Fashion and Accessories and Fragrances results.

Today we share the results of the Spirits, Tobacco and Smoke-Free Products, Wellbeing and Wine categories, with more to follow.

Spanning multiple categories, TREX recognises differentiation and excellence within travel retail, shining a spotlight on products, campaigns and collaborations that deliver unique, channel-specific value to travellers.

The top performer in each category secures the prestigious Winner title, awarded to the entry that best embodies unrivalled excellence. Gold and Silver follow (only where merited), acknowledging fellow excellent initiatives, resulting in a tiered celebration of the industry’s most outstanding channel-exclusive products and innovations.

The TREX results follow below by category. Silver and Gold (when awarded) are listed first, followed by the Winner.

The results culminate with the reveal of The Patogotitan Award – the highest-ranked TREX across all categories.

Silver: Portugal in a Box Portugal Duty Free – (ARI/ANA Aeropuertos de Portugal)

The proposition: Launched in 2025 exclusively with Portugal Duty Free, Ginjinha Mariquinhas brings authentic Portuguese identity to global travellers. Ginjinha, a sour cherry liquor rooted deeply in Portuguese culture, is packaged with traditional chocolate cups as a souvenir of the time spent in Portugal.

Handcrafted by Licóbidos in Óbidos, this brand represents more than seven decades of family heritage and dedication to quality and tradition.

The ‘Portugal in a Box’ concept was designed to offer departing passengers a perfect take-home gift. The exclusive TREX pack, developed specially for Portugal Duty Free, is a celebration of Portugal’s unique flair and gastronomic credentials.

Judges’ comments:

Hats off to the Portugal Duty Free joint venture. Overall the collaboration between partners seems very strong and delivers exciting products, with a high sense of place and no-brainer gift ideas. Congratulations.

A destination TREX. Would like to see a TREX Ginjinha in the box to make it a true TREX.

Tradition and authenticity are incredibly important to Portugal Duty Free, and Portugal in a Box delivers exactly that. A lovely concept, clearly exclusive and with outstanding results. The product inside is not a TREX but the packaging is. The name is nice too.

Gold: Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar – MMI

The proposition: In November 2025, Maritime and Mercantile International (MMI), in collaboration with Dubai Duty Free, launched a TREX coffret: the Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar.

This limited-edition festive collectable transformed the traditional Advent Calendar into a premium wine, Champagne and spirits discovery journey for international travellers.

The calendar featured 12 miniature expressions from globally recognised brands, including Bombay Sapphire, Jura, Indri Whisky, Hennessy and Chivas Regal. Curated as a multi-day tasting experience, it invited consumers to explore craftsmanship and flavour through a single, premium gifting format.

Judges’ comments:

I really like this. A classy execution and a great (breakthrough) partnership between Maritime and Mercantile International and Dubai Duty Free.

The Festive Wonderland Advent Calendar is a beautifully curated adult version of an age-old concept. So much and so many diverse and tantalising goodies inside.

A very creative seasonal idea, perfect to animate the store and drive conversion.

Gold: Indri Triple Cask Single Malt Indian Whisky – Piccadily Agro Industries Limited

The proposition: This TREX is a marriage of Indri malts matured in ex-bourbon, ex-wine and PX Sherry casks. It is the first triple cask whisky to come out of India, and was conceptualised based on the individual contribution of each wood without overshadowing the original whisky profile (light and fruity with sweet vanilla and spice, also a subtle nuttiness to chew on with a satisfying finish).

Indri Single Malt is distilled with precision in a small village in the state of Haryana, India. The distillery is located in the catchment area of the sacred Yamuna River, nestled at the foothills of the Himalayas.

Judges’ comments:

It’s a beautiful and tempting offer, with a strong storytelling element to it. The submission could have done with more launch and promotion information.

Nice to see TREX on the bottle and gift canister. There is no detail in the submission on how the TREX was communicated or results, however, or I would have scored it higher.

I like the product very much (having, unlike my fellow judges, had the chance to taste it) and the TREX labelling. A lack of detail in the nomination holds it back but despite that I have scored it very highly for its liquid quality, very strong TREX credentials, and pioneering status as the first triple cask (ex-bourbon, ex-wine and PX sherry) whisky to come out of India.

An outstanding TREX in its own right that we know to have fared very strongly in travel retail, a point underlined by it having been listed in 28 duty-free locations to date.

Gold: Hennessy The Privileged Moment, a Tailor-Made Cabinet of Curiosity – Moët Hennessy Travel Retail

The proposition: Moët Hennessy Travel Retail introduced ‘The Privileged Moment’ as an exclusive consultation redefining luxury engagement for affluent travelers. This unique offering, initially conceived for Very Important Clients in travel retail, centres on the rare and harmoniously blended Hennessy Paradis Cognac.

Guests embark on a multi-sensory journey blending discovery, ritual and emotion. The experience unfolds around a meticulously handcrafted oakwood ‘Cabinet of Curiosity’ trunk. Unlocked with a bespoke key bearing the Maison’s emblem, the trunk reveals Hennessy Paradis alongside evocative artifacts, including grapevine illustrations, copper stills, eaux-de-vie samples, and barrel wood sourced from Cognac.

Judges’ comments:

An astonishing creation. Highly desirable and exclusive. What an exciting item to showcase in stores. My equal top mark.

Entry is short on detail but the TREX looks stunning.

A really delightful initiative designed to drive luxury engagement for affluent travellers.

I love the multi-sensory journey blending discovery, ritual and emotion. It’s arguably more an ‘experience’ than a TREX but for innovation within the travel retail channel it deserves recognition.

Gold: The Aberlour GTRX Trio – Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail

The proposition: In February 2025, Speyside single malt whisky Aberlour introduced a trio of single malt whiskies, exclusively available for global travel retail. The range embraced Aberlour 13 Year Old, Aberlour 16 Year Old Double Charred Selection and Aberlour Suthainn.

Judges’ comments:

Excellent promotion of the TREX product, also a very appealing set. Great PR coverage and culminating with prime presence within a pioneering boutique opening with EVERRICH Duty Free in Taiwan.

A nice range of TREX whiskies brought to life in-store and digitally.

This is an outstanding TREX trio (Aberlour 13 and 16 Years Old and Aberlour Suthainn) brought to life with immense imagination and a real sense of global mission.

By utilising the power and differentiation of travel retail, Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail’s ambition was to make Aberlour a leading player in the ultra-premium single malt category. This TREX trio was key to that. How good to see the value this channel can contribute to such a mission so emphatically underlined.

I particularly liked the partnership with Avolta in UK airports, which also saw Aberlour Master Distiller Graeme Cruickshank livestreaming a 15-minute product masterclass through the Club Avolta Instagram platform.

And then the icing on the cake with the world’s first Aberlour boutique opened in partnership with EVERRICH Duty Free at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Packed with TREX and regular release treats.

Sales performance data (seen by the judges but not published here) was very impressive. An outstanding TREX, outstanding execution and results and, not unimportantly, an outstanding submission. A very near winner for me up against white-hot competition.

Gold: The Glenlivet Cask Master’s Collection – Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail

The proposition: In October 2025, Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail released The Glenlivet Cask Master’s Collection: a new aged range of 14, 16, and 19 Year Old single malts celebrating the mastery and vision of new Cask Master Kevin Balmforth, and showcasing The Glenlivet’s signature smooth style.

Exclusively available in GTR this permanent collection draws on over 200 years of whisky-making expertise passed down through generations of cask masters. Balmforth – announced as Chivas Brothers’ new Master Distiller in December 2025 – selected the finest casks to create a trio of whiskies designed to capture the very essence of Speyside.

Judges’ comments:

A great campaign ticking all the boxes: exciting and exclusive channel-exclusive product, strong and impactful store visibility, marketing on several channels, and client experience.

A fine TREX example. This submission focuses specifically on an excellent partnership with Lotte Duty Free at Changi Airport.

Another top-class, superbly articulated submission from Pernod Ricard Travel Retail, packed with detail, including commercial results.

The mission was clear, The Glenlivet Cask Master’s Collection (comprising 14, 16, and 19 Year Old single malts) celebrated the mastery and vision of new Cask Master Kevin Balmforth. And that mission was delivered with clarity and ambition.

Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail is impressively focused on TREX productions (including big recent successes such as The Glenlivet Groundbreaker, the 40 Year Old and 55 Year Old) deploying channel exclusity to amplify a brand’s international standing.

The roll-out was equally ambitious. From an immersive Changi 1st pop-up to an extensive global media and PR campaign traversing traditional B2B (including a first TREX podcast interview) and featuring a paid media partnership with Conde Nast Traveller and Vanity Fair Magazine, it was all guns blazing.

Overall the Cask Master’s Collection global campaign reached an estimated 23 million consumers. Wow, again a very near winner in a category in which any of the top contenders deserve immense praise.

Winner: Bushmills World Wood Series – Proximo

The proposition: Exclusive to global travel retail, Bushmills’ The World Wood Series has been created to strengthen the famed Irish whiskey’s brand and premium credentials and consolidate its place as the leading Irish single malt in travel retail.

The World Wood Series includes Bushmills 10, 12, 15, 18 & 21 Years Old, each shaped on the wild coast of Ireland and seasoned in various world casks.

Judges’ comments:

This is a true TREX (I like the fact that it is completely new and not a domestic product made to be a TREX). Great high-impact activations across a number of locations delivered strong results. I don’t see TREX on the bottles though.

Excellent promotion of the exclusive product, wide geographical coverage, strong customer activation and storytelling.

Very strong concept and a fabulously thorough and well-argued entry. Take this crucial excerpt, for example: “The Bushmills World Wood Series represents a paradigm shift in travel retail strategy: not domestic extensions, but travel-retail-first innovation from the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery (established 1608).” That is powerful, purposeful parlance. No token TREXism here.

The World Wood Series (Bushmills 10, 12, 15, 18 & 21 Years Old) is a quality quintet, launched with conviction and speed in India (Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi) before rolling out to other major international airports – including London Heathrow, Dubai International, Dublin, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Munich, Kuala Lumpur and Vienna.

Stellar commercial results (seen by the judges but not for publication) underline the lead role the World Wood Series played in driving a very impressive Bushmills travel retail performance.

Boy was this a closely fought category but the Bushmills entry deservedly wins on a countback basis.

Winner: Villa Zamorano Reserva Cigar-Can – Flor de Selva 

The proposition: The VZ Reserva Cigar-Can is a TREX 5 x premium cigar sampler presented in a fully functional, reusable aluminium canister designed to operate as a compact travel humidor.

Unlike conventional cigar samplers that rely on passive cardboard or wood packaging, the Cigar-Can integrates a two-way humidity control system (Boveda) within a sealed cylindrical container. The lid is engineered to function as a portable ashtray, transforming the packaging into a practical smoking accessory.

The 5-cigar assortment (Expreso, Robusto, El Gordo, No.15, Soberano) offers a curated introduction to the Villa Zamorano Reserva line in a format optimised for mobility, impulse purchase and gifting.

Judges’ comments:

Innovative and desirable packaging, ideal for travelling.

Love the fact that the can the cigars are packed in doubles as a humidor.

Brilliantly innovative. The Villa Zamorano Reserva Cigar-Can transforms packaging into function, serving as a portable humidor and ashtray in one compact format – engineered specifically for travellers seeking practicality.

The TREX credentials are impeccable. This is not a mere size or bundle variation but, as the entry rightly contends, a structural rethink of how premium cigars are presented in travel retail: portable, protective, experiential and reusable.

I like the inherent sense of corporate responsbility too. The reusable aluminium container reduces single-use packaging waste, while an integrated humidity solution prevents product deterioration and waste.

A great entry and a deserved winner against those that did not make the cut this year (sorry).

Winner: Certified Organic Manuka Honey MGO 1200+ Gift Box – Biosota Organics 

The proposition: Biosota Organics and Heinemann Duty Free showcased a limited-edition Year of the Snake Manuka Honey MGO 1717+ Gift Box as part of the Lunar New Year activation at Sydney Airport.

Biosota’s Certified Organic Manuka Honey MGO 1200+ Gift Box showcases the world’s highest MGO-rated Certified Organic Manuka Honey – an ultra-rare expression of verified potency and purity.

Responsibly sourced from remote Australian forests and independently tested, it unites scientific credibility, certified organic integrity and refined presentation to redefine true luxury wellness.

The collaboration highlighted premium Australian Manuka honey within a culturally aligned gifting environment during one of travel retail’s key seasonal moments.

Judges’ comments:

I am pleased to see this product in this category as it has great wellbeing and health benefits. Nicely executed and communicated through Heinemann Tax & Duty Free at Sydney Airport (and with other retailers, see a fellow judge’s comments below).

What a beautiful product, the perfect healthy gift!

What is there NOT to like about this extraorindary product and the collaboration with Heinemann that brought the TREX to life?

In a health-conscious age, this is a brilliant and refined luxury gift, presented with all the panache and elegance you would expect of, say, a Louis Vuitton or Dior.

Presented in premium recyclable Miron violet glass within an elegant gift box exclusive to travel retail, each 500g jar is completed with a temperature-sensor lid for real-time monitoring and a premium honey dipper. Lovely touches.

As a well-written entry emphasises, the long-life, reusable glass supports circular packaging principles.

Biosota Manuka Honey’s journey from hive to customer reflects a deliberate harmony of nature and science, supporting ethical beekeeping practices, long-term ecosystem stewardship, and preservation of exceptional grade and integrity at every stage.

Results, notably through Heinemann Tax & Duty Free, Sydney Airport; BKB Duty Free at Incheon Airport; IPP Travel Retail in Vietnam and Lotte Duty Free at Brisbane and Melbourne airports, have been deeply encouraging.

In its submission the company said its core objective in 2025 was to elevate Certified Organic Manuka Honey MGO 1200+ into the world-class travel retail gifting category. It has achieved that triumphantly. 

One of the best entries in this year’s TREX Awards.

Winner: Torres Celeste – Dubai edition: Dubai Duty Free exclusive – MMI

The proposition: In April 2025, MMI and famed Spanish wine producer Torres launched a TREX wine that sought to redefine how exclusivity can be designed, experienced and commercialised within an airport environment.

The Celeste Crianza 2021 – Dubai City Skyline Edition, developed exclusively with Familia Torres, was conceived as a collectable, destination-led wine available only at Dubai International Airport with Dubai Duty Free.

The bottle design, featuring a Dubai skyline printed directly on the glass, was crafted to enhance both collectible value and emotional connection, creating a product that was simultaneously premium, local and memorable.

Judges’ comments:

A beautiful bottle, and what a great initiative to partner with the food & beverage section. Clients can taste the wine without pressure in the restaurant, and what better, unique gift to bring back from Dubai? Bravo.

This is a fabulous wine TREX. Really great to see how the TREX is available in Dubai Duty Free and Emirates Leisure Retail F&B outlets, giving passengers multiple opportunities to see the brand and taste before their buying.

I enjoyed reading this submission as much as I know I would enjoy the wine. Commercial silos so often hamper the consumer experience at airports; this initiative shows what can be achieved when retailers and food & beverage operators collaborate. And believe me, judged in historical context, this is a BIG breakdown of silos.

And with a high-quality TREX to boot. Torres Celeste Crianza 2021 – Dubai City Skyline Edition was conceived as a collectable, destination-led wine available only at Dubai Duty Free and Dubai International Airport. A world-first and exactly the kind of compellingly differentiated proposition our industry needs to come up with more often.

The lovely bottle design truly lived up to the TREX credentials, featuring a Dubai skyline printed directly on the glass.

What I really liked though was the simultaneous cross-channel activation: across Dubai Duty Free retail stores and three Emirates Leisure Retail airport restaurants, allowing travellers to discover, taste and purchase the same exclusive wine across multiple touchpoints.

Taste before you buy (not through one of those horrid but necessary plastic sample cups you see in many duty-free stores) raised to new heights. Cheers.