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Wildmoor whisky launches in ‘lighthouse’ Singapore market
William Grant & Sons is tapping into the huge potential of travel retail in Asia with the launch of its new Wildmoor blended whisky range. Nimmi Malhotra finds out more.
Family-owned spirits company William Grant & Sons has launched a new premium blended whisky brand, Wildmoor. The series comprises seven expressions, of which select expressions are available either via global travel retail (GTR) or retail channels across Asia.
Wildmoor is a selection of high-aged, blended whiskies ranging from 23 Year Old to 40 Year Old. Crafted by master blender Brian Kinsman and sourced from every corner of Scotland, the whiskies are aged in different casks based on their profiles, ranging from Oloroso sherry, virgin oak, and Caribbean rum.
The campaign kickstarted in Changi airport with three whiskies selected from the GTR range — Waking Forest 23 Year Old, Tropical Coast 30 Year Old and Black Mountain 40 Year Old — exclusively available to Singapore travellers at Lotte Duty-Free shops.
According to global luxury director Will Peacock, the Asia-Pacific region is a priority for William Grant & Sons and Wildmoor. “Singapore is a real lighthouse in terms of industry trends, the luxury market, the level of whisky understanding and enthusiast that live here and of course, Changi is a global leading airport with the opportunity to showcase Wildmoor whisky to affluent travellers across the region and beyond.”
The month-long exclusive outlet included a retail pop-up where travellers were invited to a multi-sensory introduction to Scottish moors and its aromas, complete with tastings and added services like complimentary personalisation. Post-Changi airport launch, the campaign has now rolled out to airports in Bangkok, Phuket, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul and Hainan Downtown duty-free shops in China.
Asia and Asia duty free drive two thirds of the total revenue generated by global retail sales for the group’s prestige spirits (valued at US$10 billion), according to Peacock.
Single malts have been “the largest drive of growth over the last 10 years”. William Grant & Sons owns Scotch brands The Balvenie and Glenfiddich, both of which produce single malts.
However, Peacock believes blended Scotch is on the up. Blended whiskies are in demand with “the new generation of affluent whisky lovers who are looking to explore different styles and flavours,” says Peacock. In the blended Scotch category, the company owns Scotch Grant, Monkey Shoulder, and now Wildmoor.
“The Blended category is significant,” he continues, “with nearly US$2 billion in retail sales globally, and we have an unrivalled reserve of rare whiskies curated by the William Grant family. It felt like a great opportunity to release a new luxury blended Scotch to our portfolio to complement our single malts.”
Three different expressions have been rolled out in select retail shops — Dark Moorland 23 Year Old, Rugged Coast 30Year Old and Black Mountain 40 Year Old — available in Singapore, Taiwan, China and, from September onwards, in South Korea.
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