Whyte & Mackay will showcase The Dalmore 45 and Fundador Supremo Sherry Cask Collection at next month’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition (Basement 2, Booth C5).
The Dalmore 45 is a 45-year-old limited-edition single malt that contains some of the distillery’s rarest aged stocks. The spirit, handcrafted by Master Distiller Richard Paterson, was initially matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, before being transferred into two different vintage Graham Port Colheita pipes dating from 1961 and 1963. Finally, the whisky was married together in first-fill ex-bourbon casks.
The Dalmore 45 is presented in a hand-blown Baccarat crystal decanter adorned with the brand’s 12-point Royal Stag emblem. The Dalmore 45 features flavours of red berries, soft liquorice, crushed hazelnuts, bitter chocolate and Manuka honey. This is followed by flavours of sticky toffee pudding, Bramley apples and dates.
Just 500 bottles of The Dalmore 45 will be released globally this year, each priced domestically at around US$12,500. A select number have been earmarked for Asian travel retail doors. The Dalmore 45 made its debut in the region at the end of March, when it featured in the seventh edition of DFS Group’s Masters of Wines and Spirits event, in Singapore.
Whyte & Mackay Marketing Manager Travel Retail APAC Pierre Dubus said: “We regard The Dalmore as the definitive single malt whisky of the category and are confident that this latest expression will appeal to Asia’s whisky connoisseurs, collectors and other high net worth individuals.
“Travel retail has always been at the forefront of our thinking”
“This release is another example of The Dalmore innovating at the very top end of the category, to drive excitement and to satisfy the strong consumer demand we continue to experience in Asia.”
The Dalmore recently introduced a new visual identity in travel retail. Ten new merchandising units have been installed and a further ten will be fitted over the next few months, revealed Whyte & Mackay Travel Retail Director Richard Trimby.
“We’ve always known the value of The Dalmore and what it could be as a brand. I think we’ve raised our game in terms of presentation and the new visual identity,” said Trimby.
“The new merchandising is a big part of our investment in building the brand in travel retail and exposure in domestic markets. Over 5 million people saw the shop in Taiwan Taoyuan Airport last year.”
Trimby added: “Travel retail has always been at the forefront of our thinking as it’s a premium environment and you’ve got people in the right mindset for discovering brands.”
The Fundador Supremo Sherry Cask Collection made its travel retail debut last year and is poised for further roll-outs within Asia travel retail. The collection comprises three expressions of Fundador Solera Gran Reserva brandy, aged in 12, 15 and 18 year-old sherry casks.
Trimby noted that although it was ‘early days’ for the collection in travel retail, initial results are ‘encouraging’.
Dubus commented: “We see lots of potential in travel retail for our Fundador Supremo brand, not least because it offers something different. Fundador is the market-leading Spanish grape brandy and the Fundador bodega dates back to 1730 with the founding of Spain’s oldest sherry and brandy company.
“We have harnessed this heritage and know-how to create a high-quality, award-winning collection priced from around US$68 to US$168 that is sure to appeal to premium brandy drinkers.”
As reported, Whyte & Mackay will also highlight the new Jura Travel Retail Collection at TFWA Asia Pacific.
