William Grant and DFS unveil Glenfiddich 50yo in Los Angeles

US. William Grant & Sons Global Travel Retail has partnered with DFS to release a single bottle of Glenfiddich 50yo at Los Angeles International Airport.

The exclusive event was held on Monday, 7 November at the DFS Duty Free store in the Tom Bradley International Terminal(TBIT) and featured an unveiling by Glenfiddich Global Brand Ambassador Ian Millar and DFS Group North America Managing Director Polly Nelson.

The Glenfiddich 50yo bottle is featured on a custom display at the store entrance. “Our rare whiskies are the ultimate expression of our whisky-making art and we chose to highlight this with DFS in their premium TBIT store”, said William Grant & Sons Regional Marketing Manager Paige Parness.

Left to right: Mitch Bechard, US Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador; Stephen Corrigan, William Grant & Sons Regional Director North America Global Travel Retail; Polly Nelson, Managing Director DFS North America; Ian Millar, Glenfiddich Global Brand Ambassador; Paige Parness, William Grant & Sons Regional Marketing Manger the Americas; Joe Lyons, Vice President of Business Development DFS; Robert Calzadilla, General Manager of Los Angeles International Airport


The line has strictly limited supply (only 50 bottles are released every year, of which only one bottle will be made available to international travellers across the Americas).

“It is a real privilege to work in such a premium atmosphere, with both an outstanding product offering in the form of Glenfiddich 50yo and a retail partner such as DFS who are determined to offer luxury and exclusivity to their patrons,” said William Grant & Sons Regional Director North America Travel Retail Stephen Corrigan. “This event has been a real high point in 2011 – a year focussed on premiumizing our business in North America travel retail.”

Above ane below: Glenfiddich 50yo makes a stylish entrance with DFS at Los Angeles International Airport



“We are delighted to offer the only bottle of Glenfiddich 50 Year Old available in Travel Retail in the Americas this year. This is one of the rarest and most precious expressions ever released by one of Scotland’s most distinguished distilleries” Polly Nelson, Managing Director, North America DFS Group stated.

Peter Gordon, Chairman of William Grant & Sons and the great-great-grandson of William Grant, the founder of Glenfiddich, commented: “Staying true to the pioneering spirit of William Grant, who laid down stocks of whisky for future generations to enjoy, we have consistently planned ahead and have more aged stock than any other distillery.

“Every new year is important when it comes to making exceptional whisky and Glenfiddich 50yo is the ultimate expression of this pioneering foresight.”

Design cues have been taken from archives that record the distillery’s 124-year history; the hand-blown bottles are individually numbered and presented in hand-stitched, leather-bound cases, which were inspired by William Grant’s personal ledgers.

Nestling next to the bottle, a leather bound book details the whisky’s history and provides pages for owners to record personal tasting notes for each occasion they enjoy their whisky. A certificate is also included within the case which has been hand-signed by four of the distillery’s long-serving craftsmen who, between them, have spent 160 years at Glenfiddich.

On return to the distillery, the certificate will also be hand signed by Peter Gordon. Each bottle is decorated in Scottish silver, crafted by Thomas Fattorini, a sixth-generation silversmith, and imprinted with the William Grant & Sons hallmark.

The unveiling of Glenfiddich 50yo with DFS in Los Angeles is the focal point of a larger promotional programme taking place throughout November and December across the airport. This includes the installation of a new Glenfiddich wall bay and high impact displays promoting the Glenfiddich range.

Stephen Corrigan and Paige Parness of William Grant & Sons North America Global Travel Retail


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