EC clients return to travel retail brand activations in 2021

Despite the ongoing travel restrictions due to Covid-19 emerging variants, and fewer PAX in airports, Essential Communications has seen a number of our clients returning to the tried and tested purchase driver of airport brand activations in collaboration with travel retailer partners. Here’s a round-up of this year’s highlights. 

Rodenstock for Porsche Design

 June and September saw major airport and downtown brand activations for Porsche Design eyewear, by Rodenstock. 

 

Porsche Design chose to partner with Beirut Duty Free to spotlight its iconic Porsche Design P’8982 model, which was the focus for a high-profile, 360-degree campaign at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport. The promotion featured the lifestyle brand’s eyewear ambassador Patrick Dempsey in advertising hoardings at the retail pop-up alongside the brand’s sunglasses and readers ranges. The campaign was supported by a 360-degree omnichannel campaign, with social media engagement and selling incentives for store staff to drive interaction and to enhance the shopper experience. 

In September, Rodenstock also partnered with China Duty Free Group (CDFG) to highlight its Porsche Design brand at the Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex in Haitang Bay, Hainan.

The promotion featured Porsche Design’s Vision Drive lenses, Collector’s Edition and Reader’s Range.

Porsche Design ambassador Patrick Dempsey again featured across the campaign’s visuals located in various high-traffic locations at the CDF Mall. The promotion also tied in with the CDFG 88 Eyewear Event, which ran throughout August and highlighted the sunglasses offer at the CDF Mall.

Café Drambuie, William Grant & Sons

Through October, Drambuie launched a new Café Drambuie retail activation as a trial at Heathrow Terminal 3 in partnership with Dufry. The travel retail concept featured a café bar with baristas on hand to serve a choice of three coffee cocktails as a tester for new ways to serve the coffee spirit. 

 

Drambuie welcomed passers-by to its ‘coffeehouse with a whisky twist’ café retail concept, where visitors were greeted by bartenders turned baristas, who enticed travellers with the easy to mix Drambuie and coffee cocktails.

On offer were three tempting cocktail serves: Drambuie Iced Espresso, Drambuie Iced Coffee and Drambuie Coffee Tonic. 

Brand ambassadors dressed as baristas were on hand to make to order the trio of cocktails serves and the activation proved a hit, attracting passengers with the signature Drambuie logo, café bar design and the cocktail instructions cards, which was a key conversion metric, said the brand.  

Drambuie brand-owner William Grant & Sons continued the trial in the Nordics with Scandlines in the Puttgarden Border Shop in November and December.  

James Taylor, Global Marketing Manager for Drambuie, said of the T3 Café Drambuie activation: “The response has been amazing. It has more than covered our expectations for testing out the ways Drambuie can be used for coffee cocktails. 

“People were intrigued by the bar activation, especially with the impactful Café Drambuie neon sign. The coffee station peaked their curiosity making them want to go straight to the bar. Our efforts to revive Drambuie as a premium liquor choice have caused people to see it in a different light. They are interested to try Drambuie at home and make the cocktails that were featured to them during their journey.”

Champagne Lanson

Champagne Lanson has said that a two-month ‘bistronomie’ activation at Nice Airport Terminal 2 delivered a 12-fold increase in sales compared to the same period (September and October) in 2019.

The campaign, a partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail, “proves the value of customer engagement to drive sales” according to the Champagne house.

Lanson Head of Travel Retail Edouard de Boissieu said: “Despite passenger numbers still being quite low, the activation was an amazing success with sales of Champagne Lanson seeing a twelve-fold increase on the same period in 2019. This really was beyond our expectations and just goes to show the value of promotions which engage directly with passengers. We are extremely pleased with the results and now hope to repeat the activation in other key airports during 2022.”

Elit Rye, Stoli Group

November saw Stoli Group release an exclusive limited edition of its Elit vodka brand with partner Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International Airport. Only 350 bottles of Elit Rye were available through the retailer’s liquor and tobacco store in Concourse B, Terminal 3.  

A bespoke activation to promote the ultra-premium vodka expression ran throughout November, highlighted in-store with an eye-catching branded liquor pillar.

Stoli Group Global Duty Free and Travel Retail Director, Jean-Philippe Aucher said: “Elit Rye is another example of Stoli Group’s commitment to releasing exclusives that create excitement among consumers in the travel retail channel. We are now in the tenth year of our close association with Dubai Duty Free and are delighted to produce this special edition especially for one of the world’s great travel retailers.”

Stoli said that Elit Rye Vodka “celebrates and elevates the original vodka ingredient, rye. For over 300 years rye was the most important base for vodka, its characteristic flavours making the spirit famous around the globe.” Elit Rye uses the signature filtration process of Elit Vodka, freeze filtered at -18°C.

Grant’s, William Grant & Sons 

In November, William Grant & Sons kicked off a multi-location promotion for the global travel retail launch of its Grant’s Triple Wood 12 Scotch whisky with a series of high-profile activations in Europe, the Middle and Near East and South Africa.

The pop-ups highlight the new Grant’s Triple Wood 12’s bottle design and invite travellers to experience the blend, which is the result of three-barrel aging and flavour layering

Following a successful kick-off in Larnaca and Istanbul Airports along with Romanian Border Shops during September and October, activations moved to Johannesburg and Beirut- Rafic Hariri International airports and Warsaw Chopin Airport (Baltona). Delhi Duty Free, the Nordics (Scandlines’ Puttgarden Border Shop) and Moscow SVO Airport were all scheduled during December and into early 2022. 

 

Activations have been adjusted for regional consumer preferences. For example, at Istanbul Airport, WG&S focused the activation in the arrivals duty free area, as there is a strong brand presence in the Turkish domestic market. “We wanted to make sure we are targeting and attracting the right consumer in this premium blended scotch led market,” says Oksana Ohene-Adu, WG&S Customer Planning Activation Manager. 

“The big G we are showcasing represents our team badge and is at the heart of our new brand world that champions the power of collective achievement. We also developed glorifiers to elevate our premium bottle and a custom-made sampling trolley was built to support this activation which enabled our team of promoters to offer tasting of our award-winning liquid.”

Ritter Sport

The colourful world of Ritter Sport was reinvented as a sampling and tasting pop-up at the German chocolate brand’s first brand activation since the Covid-19 pandemic. The retail pop-up in collaboration with Dufry has been in place at Zurich Airport’s airside Level 1 Generation Store then the level 2 walk-through area throughout November and December 2021.  

The impactful retail activation has interactive traveller-focused elements that encourage passers-by to sample the flavours, and experience Ritter Sport’s individually wrapped chocolate in the engaging pop-up space.  

The pop-up is well timed, with the brand’s enduring sustainability mindset and visibility in the travel retail marketplace a key strategic focus in the second half of 2021 and into 2022. Promotional staff are on hand to help explain about Ritter Sport’s new packaging designs and sampling experience – the activation also highlights that low-touch sampling is available for confectionery brands to successfully trial product tasting opportunities.   

The Zurich Airport activation is a key example of how Ritter Sport is targeting the travel retail market with updated packaging designs that feature across its bestselling products. The packaging targets the sustainability minded traveller with redesigned paper-based packs, as Ritter Sport builds on its ‘Taste Chocolate in Full Colours’ advertising campaign.

Jan Pasold, Managing Director Global Travel Retail for Ritter Sport, said: “We wanted to translate the emotion of travel and wanderlust firstly into a new colour coded design and packaging concept and secondly to provide a retail experience that passers-by will find intriguing. The aim has been to create a destination for their curiosity, so that they could learn more about Ritter Sport’s latest sustainability initiatives.”

Accolade Wines 

During November and December Accolade Wines invested in a dedicated brand activation at Dubai International Airport. The pop-up store for its Hardys brand is in partnership with Middle East retail partner Dubai Duty Free and exclusive distributor, Gulf Beverage.

 

The activation is well positioned, according to the brand. The pop-up is sited outside one of the retailer’s main stores in Terminal 3 Concourse C and is so far attracting healthy levels of footfall thanks to its premium position in the Emirates Terminal, which also services Qantas and FlyDubai.

“This makes it the ideal location for an Australian wine company to showcase to international travellers, as well as Antipodeans travelling to the region,” said Accolade Wines Senior Regional Manager EMEA Jeff Bond.

The wines on offer include the global travel retail-exclusive Hardys Premium Selection. Other highlighted wines include Hardys Heritage Reserve Bin and releases from Accolade Wines’ Global Vintage Release programme, Eileen Hardy Shiraz and Eileen Hardy Chardonnay.

Whyte & Mackay’s The Dalmore Decades Collection

Coinciding with a unique October auction, Whyte & Mackay revealed The Dalmore Decades, a ‘once in a lifetime’ selection of six single malt whiskies, that celebrates six decades of whisky excellence. 

On 8 October, the Dalmore Highland Single Malt secured a record sale of HK$8,750,000 / US$1,124,000 for a one-of-one, exceedingly rare collection of six extraordinary whiskies at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. The Dalmore Decades No.6 Collection, the only complete set of The Dalmore Decades, sold as a dedicated single lot auction to a private collector. 

During Golden Week in the first week of October, Whyte & Mackay celebrated its landmark The Dalmore Decades auction sale with a series of pop-ups in Asia in partnership with some of travel retail’s most prestigious stores.

The Dalmore Decades range underscores Whyte & Mackay’s commitment to the growing prestige plus price segment, which according to Travel Retail Director Richard Trimby is one of the sector’s most dynamic, he told The Moodie Davitt Report.

The spread of Asia travel retail distribution was focused on five key partners. As Trimby highlighted: three sets went into Hainan with China Duty Free Group (CDFG); one set in Hong Kong with Duty Zero by cdf [CDFG and Lagardère]; another one with Lotte Duty Free [at Changi Airport]; one with DFS in Macau [for Master of Wines and Spirits]; and one more with Ever Rich Duty Free in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. “So travel retail is not just a commercial operation. We could sell these sets to private clients very easily, but for us it was about putting The Dalmore on the stage,” 

He said: “Travel retail is the ideal channel to showcase exceptional masterpieces from The Dalmore in both duty free and digital channels, allowing us to recruit millions of luxury consumers into the brand franchise.

“We only wish we could have more of these exceptional masterpieces from The Dalmore to meet the incredible demand for it in the travel retail channel.”

The Dalmore Decades omnichannel campaign in travel retail generated over 86 million impressions in October across Chinese social media and KOL outreach campaigns.  

Nuwave Channel Partners’ breakthrough range: The Bitmore recycled plastics tech collection listed with travel retailers in three continents

Company achieves airport retail listings for the first time in Europe, Asia and South America

Travel and technology product manufacturer and distributor Nuwave Channel Partners has achieved a long-held ambition by breaking into airport retail for the first time through its in-house Bitmore brand with a range of tech products, made using recycled plastic.  

The company has achieved listings with World Duty Free in the UK, Cell Shop Duty Free in Brazil and India’s Mumbai Duty Free. The new Bitmore range offers over 25 products including powerbanks, QI chargers, headphones, speakers, cables and wellness and travel accessories, with many of the products available in a range of colours.  

The Bitmore products are certified by RCS, which means their production is audited and tested to verify products are made from recycled plastics. Nuwave’s aim is to reduce its use of new plastics by a minimum of 80% by the end of 2022.  

The made using recycled plastic Bitmore range had initially gained traction with Nuwave Channel Partners’ core airline retail market. It is already listed with some of the biggest commercial airlines in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.  

The first airport store to stock the Bitmore range was World Duty Free in London Heathrow Terminal 5. The store is stocking about 90% of the full range, with bespoke point of sale materials created by Nuwave to give it stand out shelf appeal. The range will be available in other World Duty Free stores in the UK in the near future.  

Also stocking the vast majority of SKUs from the Bitmore range is Cell Shop Duty Free, which is selling the products across its network of stores in Brazilian airports. 

Meanwhile, in India, the made using recycled plastic Bitmore range is available through Mumbai Duty Free (MDF) stores in Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. At the latter airport, the range is available in all MDF stores in arrivals and departures, and also in its Digi Store chain of shops.  

A key part of the Bitmore range’s appeal in the travel retail market is that it is very competitively priced against big name tech brands, offering the value proposition that travel retailers are increasingly looking to share with travelling consumers.  

An example of this from the new range is Bitmore’s latest touch control TWS earbuds, which offer high fidelity true wireless stereo sound. They come with a charging case with a digital screen that lets the user know exactly how much power is left inside each earpiece, as well as the case itself. A fully charged case offer up to three full charges for the earbuds. The recycled plastic earbuds are retailed at an exclusive travel retail SRP price of €30.

Reflecting on the appeal of the Bitmore range and looking ahead to its potential for growth in travel retail market, Parmar said: “We work exclusively within travel retail and offer highly-competitive prices to retailers. We understand this channel well, we understand the consumer, which is increasingly looking for products with sustainability credentials and we make sure our product offering is relevant to travellers.

“Travel retail itself is a very dynamic, ever-evolving, and amazingly resilient channel, as we have seen across the past two years. I’ve worked with high street retail as well, but travel retail for me personally is just on a different level in every respect.”

Of his company’s achievement of its first ground store listings, Parmar added: “These past two years have been extremely difficult, so expanding our customer base into airport ground stores is a very satisfying development for the business. Breaking into South America and India is huge step for the global profile of the Bitmore brand.

“We’re very proud of the environmental credentials of these products, which we know has resonated with these new customers. We already have 25 SKUs in this eco-friendly travel tech range, and we continue to work on new product development to add to that.”

Café Drambuie activation finds new fans at Puttgarden Border Shop

 Drambuie has extended its latest Café Drambuie retail activation for the Nordics region, in partnership with Scandlines in the Puttgarden Border Shop. 

The travel retail concept features a café bar and a barista on hand to serve a choice of three delicious coffee cocktails to treat travellers as part of a Drambuie 1L bottle price promotion in the run up to the Christmas season. The trial is a continuation of the William Grant & Sons-owned brand’s initial pop-up activation at London Heathrow in October. 

Drambuie positioned its new activation concept, a ‘coffeehouse with a whisky twist’, as a sampling opportunity on the cross-border shopping journey, mainly targeting Swedish and Danish travellers crossing via Germany.  Here, visitors have been able to discover three tempting new ways to serve Drambuie: Drambuie Iced Espresso, Drambuie Iced Coffee and Drambuie Coffee Tonic.  The easy to mix coffee cocktails have been created for coffee and cocktail lovers and to help the brand understand how customers react to the new serves.

The gift with purchase (GWP) offer that Drambuie introduced at the Heathrow promotion is also available at Puttgarden. The miniature whole-bean coffee sack and grinder have helped draw attention to the promotion with customers encouraged to make their own cocktails at home after sampling the new Drambuie serves. One visitor commented: “It's a very easy drink (Drambuie Espresso) to make, and it tastes delicious!” 

In-store for six weeks from 4 November to 12 December, Drambuie sales have seen an impressive uplift. Plus, customer feedback during the promotion in-store has highlighted very good levels of consumer awareness for the Drambuie brand (62% have heard of Drambuie) and over half (53%), would recommend one of the new Drambuie serves to friends. After tasting the cocktails, 80% of customers liked the new serve they tried and 98% agreed they would try it in a bar or at home. 

Hanh Bui, Trade Marketing Manager, said of the Puttgarden Border Shop activation: “In the first few weeks of the activation we’ve seen sales increase significantly. The promotion really resonates with customers who are not only sampling the new Drambuie serves, they are making purchases, because they want to try the cocktails themselves – 98% of samplers told us they were inspired by the serves and they would make their favourite Drambuie cocktail at home.”

Henkell Freixenet showcases key GTR product portfolio at Cannes, focus on growth drivers

Henkell Freixenet returns to the TFWA World Exhibition to showcase its top performing sparkling wine, wine and spirits category brands for the travel retail market. The global sparkling wine leader plans to highlight growth potential for the GTR sector from across its brand portfolio: Mionetto, Freixenet, Henkell and Segura Viudas.

“We are delighted to be back exhibiting again in Cannes. While we know it won’t be as busy as usual, we wanted to show our support to the industry by returning to the TFWA World Exhibition as soon as possible,” says Sandra Janetzki, Senior Vice President at Henkell Freixenet Global Export.

Mionetto Prosecco Rosé

Mionetto stands out for its modern, stylish and Italian approach, keeping up with the new and significant market trends thanks also to the strength of its roots and a close link with tradition.

Precisely this attitude towards change and challenges has meant that the new Mionetto Prosecco Rose DOC Prestige Collection was created, a sparkling wine, which is perfect as an aperitif, delicious throughout any meal and ideal for all drinking, occasions to be spent in pleasant joy.

Additionally, Mionetto won a gold award and was named “Best of Show Prosecco Rosé in retail markets” for Prosecco Rosé at MundusVini Summer tasting 2021.

Henkell Freixenet plans to develop Mionetto’s premium positioning in the travel retail market across the Prestige Collection: Prosecco of the DOC area of Treviso in its Extra Dry and Brut versions as well as the organic variant and the new Prosecco Rosé DOC, which has notes of grapefruit and red berries. Launched in November 2020, the new Prosecco Rosé is a blend of Glera and Pinot Noir, in accordance with the production regulations surrounding Italy’s newly accredited pink fizz.

   

Segura Viudas Relaunch - #Respecttheroots

With its eyes fixed firmly on its origins and the concepts of craftmanship and authenticity, Segura Viudas, Henkell Freixenets premium cava house with a history of more than 800 years, entered a new phase, which is characterised by innovation and sustainability.

Under the strap-line “Respect the roots”, the new positioning underlines the value of the Penedes based bodegas origins and highlights the exceptional quality of its vineyards and the grapes with which it creates its products. The nonconformist and creative character of the brand seeks to attract selective and curious consumers, who appreciate the high quality of Cavas.

The new positioning will help to premium and organic wine category featuring both the Brut Rerserva cava – known for its elegant dry serve derived from white fruits that lingers on the palette and is a perfect accompaniment to soft mild cheese and seafood; and the Brut Rosé – known for its soft finish derived from berry fruits and a light acidity that is an ideal summer drink well suited to sweet dishes such as figs and crema catalana or even as a celebratory sip on its own. The flagship of the brand is the Segura Viudas Heredad in its iconic bottle. The Reserva Heredad offers an elegant and versatile Cava that is aged in the bottle for more than 24 months.

Christian Witte, Key Account GTR, adds this year at Cannes will be an

opportunity for Henkell Freixenet to showcase its extended sustainability offer: “we now have a wide range of organic and vegan certified sparkling wines from across different global brands and product categories,” he says.

Trend topics: Minis, RTDs and alcohol-free categories show growth

Henkell Freixenet is seeing sustained growth from its wide range of sparkling wines in small and special formats, such as 200ml, 3x200ml or 5x200ml bottles.

  strengthen the brand firmly in the

  

 Press Release

 The global icons Henkell Trocken, Freixenet

Cordon Negro Brut, and Mionetto Prosecco

Orange are all available as Piccolo and minis,

alongside many more of our sparkling wines.

“We have seen strong sales from our special

mini multi-packs available in three and five

bottles, especially designed for the duty free

customer looking for 1L purchases,” says

Witte. “For example, we have seen great

growth from our inflight partners; Mionetto

Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut (Prestige Collection) is served on board Ryanair flights and consumption has picked up in summer 2021,” says Witte. The minis theme continues with a marketing focus for travel retail across Henkell Freixenet’s Ready To Drink (RTD) portfolio: Offer a wide range of RTD’s across many categories such as Hard seltzer, wine & spirit based cocktails and sparkling wines.

Additionally the category of alcohol-free products is showing good growth. Henkell Freixenet will display different alcohol-free products such as Henkell Alcohol-free, Mionetto 0,0% or also Freixenet 0,0% at Cannes.

Henkell Freixenet will have a new stand position at the TFWA WE: Blue F11 – in the Blue Village.

Imperial Brands to inspire travel retail to rebuild Together as One in Cannes

Imperial Brands is delighted to be returning to Cannes for the Tax Free World Association (TFWA) World Exhibition & Conference taking place this month (24 to 28 October). The occasion, which will be the first major in-person industry event following the pandemic, provides the perfect platform for all stakeholders to re-unite under one roof and focus on crafting a brighter future for duty free and travel retail.

At the TFWA exhibition, Imperial Brands will showcase its ethos, Together as One, as it calls on all industry stakeholders to work together in a unified and innovative manner, as the travel sector rebuilds from the pandemic. 

Christian Münstermann, Imperial Brands’ Global Duty Free & Export General Manager said: “We are very excited to be able to meet with industry partners in person in the TFWA Exhibition & Conference in Cannes once again. I believe the pandemic has taught all of us how vital strong partnerships are, and as we now focus on recovery, this will be more crucial than ever.

 

Our ethos, Together As One, is about just this - close collaboration with our partners – both established and new - to ensure we are providing the right products, in the right place, at all times, in order to inspire traveling consumers and drive growth.

The tobacco category will always be an integral part of Global Duty Free and Travel Retail, offering opportunities for retailers to boost average spending. This unique feature places the category at the heart of the recovery, and Imperial is ready to welcome travellers back into stores with its complete tobacco offering.”

Imperial Brands firmly believes in the enduring resilience of the travel sector, and is confident of the recovery of Duty Free and Travel Retail. As tobacco is one of the original categories in Duty Free, generating footfall and increasing shopping basket sizes, it will play a core role in shaping a more robust future.

Visitors to the Imperial Brands booth at the TFWA World Exhibition will be able to share in the brand’s strategy for the future. This focuses on Imperial’s unique proposition of offering leading international brands, such as Davidoff cigarettes, complemented by dominant regional brands, such as Gauloises and strong local brands, such as Lambert & Butler.

Christian Münstermann added: “As we turn our focus on building a successful and sustainable future, we cannot stress enough the importance of all of us speaking with one voice and working to find innovative solutions - Together as One”.

For more information, please visit the Imperial Brands stand, GO 6 in the Golden Village, during the TFWA World Conference & Exhibition, 24-28 October 2021.

Mars Wrigley Confectionery NL/ITR strengthens team with new position to drive category growth

 Anouk Aansorgh has been named Head of Category & Customer Marketing ITR for Mars Wrigley Confectionery NL/ITR (Netherlands/International Travel Retail). This follows the decision to merge the divisions earlier this year and is a new position set up to further accelerate the company’s treats and snacking category growth agenda. 

Reporting directly to Global Commercial Director Raghav Rekhi, Anouk has been with Mars Wrigley Confectionery for five years, previously Portfolio Director responsible for Bitesize and Seasons in the domestic market in NL. She has a strong background in brand & portfolio management within domestic markets and has wide-ranging experience in both retail and supplier roles at Pepsico and biggest Dutch retailer Albert Heijn. 

Anouk joins Mars Wrigley Confectionery NL/ITR at a pivotal time for the company as it sets out its strategy for 2022 at the approaching TFWA World Exhibition this month.

“TFWA WE will be my first physical event in this industry, and I am very much looking forward to meeting both our retail partners and key players within this incredible business sector,” says Anouk. 

“It has been an incredibly challenging time for all of us over the past 20 months, but we are now seeing the green shoots of recovery and I am delighted to be part of the team that will drive category recovery in 2022. 

“Mars Wrigley remains committed to the philosophy of ‘Better Moments make the world smile’ and my role will be pivotal to interpreting that within the travel retail sector, through understanding the traveller and unlocking conversion.”

Adds Raghav Rekhi: “I’m delighted to welcome Anouk to the growing travel retail department here at Mars Wrigley. We now have an incredibly strong management team and together we are 100% committed to becoming the number one contributor to driving category growth as we move forward from Covid-19. “

Bonjour, Tullamore D.E.W. Rouge! William Grant & Sons set to release travel retail exclusive from Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey

The new Irish whiskey expression will be exclusively available at The Loop, Dublin Airport for six months.

William Grant & Sons is launching an exciting new limited-edition, travel retail exclusive expression from Tullamore D.E.W., its world-famous Irish Whiskey brand. The very best of Irish single malt whiskey collides with the finest Bordeaux Red Wine casks to bring you Tullamore D.E.W. Rouge. Making its global travel retail debut at The Loop, Dublin Airport on 1st October, this 13 year old Irish Single malt whiskey is finished in French Bordeaux Red Wine casks and is the perfect drop for whiskey explorers and red wine connoisseurs alike!

Tullamore D.E.W. Rouge is a union of Ireland’s whiskey-making excellence and France’s unrivalled wine traditions, which has resulted in the creation of a smooth and approachable Irish Whiskey with the fruity aromas and full body of a Bordeaux Red Wine.

Tullamore D.E.W. Rouge (RRP €58) will be sold exclusively as part of The Irish Whiskey Collection at The Loop, Dublin airport for six months, with the wider Global Travel Retail roll-out planned for April 2022. Travelers can pre-order a bottle via The Loop Click & Collect service at theloop.ie and can also trial the liquid at the Tullamore D.E.W. Rouge pop-up activation in Terminal 1 during the month of October.

David Wilson, Managing Director for GTR at William Grant & Sons, said: 

“The launch of Tullamore D.E.W. Rouge is a very exciting development for the brand and underlines our commitment to releasing unique and interesting exclusives into the travel retail space”

“We are delighted to launch this liquid exclusively with Dublin airport in the brand’s home country and we look forward to the wider availability of Tullamore D.E.W. Rouge in Global Travel Retail next year”

Speaking about the new release, John Quinn, Tullamore D.E.W. Global Brand Ambassador said: “

“After maturing the single malt whiskey in Bourbon casks for 13 years, it is carefully finished in ex-Pomerol casks, a renowned red wine from the Bordeaux region of France. It gives incredible fruity aromas and full body – with deep and luscious notes of ripe grape and soft tannin spice.

He continued; “This is a very special liquid and one that we are incredibly proud to release. We are big admirers of France’s unrivalled distinction in wine production as we ourselves aspire to the same excellence in whiskey production. We are delighted to combine these unparalleled flavours and celebrate this fusion of craft from two countries to bring both whiskey and wine lovers a rich tasting experience.” 

Speaking on the collaboration, Tracey Jordan, Alcohol & Tobacco Buyer ARI Ireland said: We are delighted to secure exclusivity for Tullamore D.E.W Rouge and add it to our ever expanding multi award winning ‘Irish Whiskey Collection’ at The Loop, Dublin Airport.  We look forward to welcoming our customers to taste this splendid whiskey and we are delighted to give them the opportunity to purchase this special release within Travel Retail.

Tullamore D.E.W. is a whiskey with a long and rich heritage since the creation of its original distillery in 1829. As the world’s second largest selling Irish whiskey brand with global sales of 1.2m cases, Tullamore D.E.W. remains a proud leader in the Irish whiskey category. 

Premiumisation is set to lead Irish whiskey market growth over the next five years. Tullamore D.E.W. Rouge plays in the ultra-premium space, which is valued at US$141 million globally and US$13 million in Global Travel Retail.

-ends- 

Notes to editor:

Tasting notes

Colour: Deep gold with a hint of red.

Nose: Red berries, violets and orchard fruits blend in a rich vanilla oak masterpiece.

Taste: A red wine spice, sour cherry and an abundance of fruits.

Finish: Dry and ripe with lingering woody notes.

About Tullamore D.E.W. 

The Tullamore D.E.W.’s distilling heritage dates back to 1829. Tullamore D.E.W. is the original triple blend of Irish whiskey, by combining three spirits the blend gives three dimensions of flavour to explore; malt whiskey gives us fruit, pot still whiskey gives us spice and grain whiskey gives us sweet. 

These three spirits come together to give us a balance of flavour like no other in the category. 

The award-winning range includes Tullamore D.E.W. Original, Tullamore D.E.W. XO Caribbean Rum Cask Finish, Tullamore D.E.W. 12 Year Old Special Reserve, Tullamore D.E.W. 14 Year Old Single Malt, Tullamore D.E.W. 18 Year Old Single Malt and Tullamore D.E.W. Old Bonded Warehouse Release.

The name of the whiskey is derived from the town where it’s made and from the initials of its founding father Daniel Edmund Williams, who became the owner of the business in the 1890s and inspired the launch of world famous Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey.    

About the Tullamore Distillery

The Tullamore Distillery opened its doors on the 17th of September 2014, heralding the return of whiskey production to Tullamore for the first time in 60 years. Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey has been distilled & matured in Tullamore since 1829 but in 1954 the original distillery was closed and production bounced between Dublin and Cork. 

When William Grant & Sons added Tullamore D.E.W. to their portfolio in 2010, they set out to return the distillery to its ancestral home.

From the beginning, they wanted to create a new home place that would reflect the quality of the craftsmanship within. And after a year-long search of more than 50 locations, they settled on a 58-acre site in Clonminch, on the outskirts of Tullamore. This is the first distillery in Ireland to be built on a greenfield site in Ireland in over 100 years. 

The initial €35 million investment involved more than 1,200 specialist distillery engineers and construction workers working a combined 475,000 days. Built on the Bog of Allen, in order to lay the foundations, more than 250,000 tonnes of peat had to be excavated. Construction began in April 2013, 20 months after planning permission was granted the first drops of whiskey flowed from our stills. 

Set in the heart of Ireland, the location provides a good supply of quality, soft spring water from the nearby Slieve Bloom Mountains, ideal for the triple distillation process used in Tullamore D.E.W.

Six hand crafted copper stills designed to resemble the original stills of the old distillery further preserve the exceptionally smooth taste the brand has become famous for. And with the addition of twelve brew house fermenters, warehouse storage for more than 300,000 casks, a new bottling plant, grain distillery and on site cooperage this facility is now one of the few ‘grain to glass’ distilleries in Ireland.  These additional elements have brought the total distillery investment to more than €100m.

Today, they make whiskey 7 days a week, bottling an average of 350K bottles per week on 24 hour shifts to keep up with the demand that makes us the second largest whiskey brand globally. Our distillery employees play a crucial role in sending our whiskey out to the world.

KENTUCKY OWL® RELEASES THE WISEMAN™ BOURBON

BARDSTOWN, Ky. Stoli® Group Kentucky Owl® is announcing the release of The Wiseman™ Bourbon, its first Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced and distilled by Kentucky Owl® in collaboration with the Bardstown Bourbon Company, both located in The Bourbon Capital of the World — Bardstown, Kentucky. The product is a blend of Kentucky Owl® 4-year-old wheat and high-rye bourbons, along with 5 ½-year and 8 ½-year-old Kentucky-sourced bourbons.

 Kentucky Owl Wiseman Bourbon

“The Wiseman™ Bourbon is an artful balance of soft wheat and spicy high-rye that provides a smooth but complex bourbon designed to drink neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail,” said John Rhea, Kentucky Owl® Master Blender. “The product leads with a beautiful caramel flavour and aroma followed by notes of allspice, citrus fruit and a nudge of oak.”

This is the first Kentucky Owl® release under Rhea, who began in June. Rhea previously served as Four Roses Distillery’s chief operating officer, where his responsibilities included quality control, maturation, evaluation and product blending. He was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2016 and served as chair of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association board of directors.

“The Wiseman™ is the beginning of the next chapter for Kentucky Owl® and Stoli® Group,” said Damian McKinney, Global CEO of Stoli® Group. “As a family of exceptional brands, we are continuing to evolve, innovate and grow across all segments of the spirits market.”

Stoli® Group, the leading global ultra-premium spirits and wine company, purchased Kentucky Owl® in 2017. Originally founded by C.M. Dedman in 1879, the Kentucky Owl® Bardstown distillery went dark during the Prohibition era and remained dormant until a descendent revived the brand in 2014. Since then, the company’s small batch releases have sold out quickly and received rave reviews.

The Wiseman Bourbon (90.8 proof/45.4% ABV, $60/750mL) is the latest addition to the Kentucky Owl® portfolio, with its last blended bourbon, Confiscated, released in 2019. The Wiseman will soon be available through a limited number of fine retailers across the distillery’s national distribution footprint.

Accolade Wines to introduce game-changing rPET flat bottles for Banrock Station and Hardys in Cannes

Innovation to bring huge spatial and carbon footprint benefits to the travel retail wine category in the air and on the ground

Accolade Wines will be introducing a major carbon footprint-reducing development for the travel retail industry to the wine category at the upcoming TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes (Yellow Village D26).

The wine company will be presenting environmentally-friendly rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, which will initially house a range of wines from Hardys and Banrock Station. rPET is created by recycling previously used plastics, including plastic bottles.

This game-changing innovation – developed with Acccolade Wines packaging manufacturing partner Garçon Wines – is a sleek, flat 75cl rPET bottle that is only 40mm deep with an easy twist cap. 

100% recycled, rPET requires 75% less energy to produce than traditional bottles, emitting 79% less CO2 than a virgin PET (plastic) bottle. 

The bottles are also themselves 100% recyclable, with each bottle weighing just 63g – six times lighter than average 75cl glass bottles. Each bottle is 40% spatially smaller, enabling 2.3 times more wine to be fitted on pallets, cutting logistics costs and reducing CO2 emissions by 60%.

Each bottle can be fitted through a letterbox, and has the perfect ergonomic design for duty free, fitting very nicely into hand luggage.  

As well as on the ground travel retail stores, Accolade will be introducing the innovation to airlines, with many obvious benefits to the industry. The rPET bottles will bring a significant reduction in weight to store wines, which in turns lessens the carbon footprint of commercial flights. 

Jeff Bond, Senior Regional Manager EMEA, Accolade Wines said: “I think this innovation is a fantastic fit for the travel retail channel both in the air and in ground stores. We are actively pursuing opportunities with airlines, airports, and cruise and ferries. Indeed, we are already in discussion about the bottles with some of the world’s biggest airlines and travel retailers. 

“We are very much looking forward to the conversations we will have about the rPET bottles and the wines that will be contained within them in Cannes, an event that has always been associated with innovation.

“We’re not looking at any exclusivity arrangements for the rPET bottles, which will be used initially with our Hardys and Banrock Station wines. That’s because we firmly believe that these bottles need to come into use as widely as possible across the world because of the major contribution they will make to the travel retail industry’s carbon footprint. 

“I don’t think it is overstating things to say that our introduction of the rPET bottles is a game-changer for the whole wine category in travel retail, and in the wider market.”

Nuwave Channel Partners to showcase Bitmore 100% recycled plastics electronics and travel ranges in debut Cannes appearance

 Travel and technology product manufacturer and distributor Nuwave Channel Partners is excited to announce that it will this year make its first ever appearance as an exhibitor at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes (Blue Village F6).

 

The company’s major focus at the event will be on its fast-expanding range of technology products, produced especially for the travel market under its successful and well-established Bitmore brand. 

The USP of the products is their use of recycled plastic and reclaimed wheat straw as base materials, as part of the company’s stated aim to reduce plastic waste in travel retail. 

 

In addition, Bitmore products come with biodegradable packaging and use environmentally friendly water-based inks.

 

The 100% recycled plastic range includes more than 25 products covering powerbanks, QI chargers, headphones, speakers, cables and wellness and travel accessories. Many of these products come with a choice of colours.

 

Speaking about why his company is focusing on sustainability as a driver in its product offer, Nuwave Channel Partners CEO Hoj Parmar said: “Research has shown that the general consensus of travelling consumers is that they would make a conscious decision to favour products or brands with sustainable aspects, whether it is reducing the use of plastic and other environmentally-unfriendly substances in the manufacture of products or using recycled materials for packaging. 

 

“It’s with this in mind that we continue to develop products, including our recycled plastic Bitmore ranges, under our ‘eco:sense’ banner, and pursue a wide range of other sustainability goals within our business. 

"We want to offer consumers a choice of products that can help them to minimise their individual carbon footprints – that’s a very important focus for us at Nuwave Channel Partners, and we hope it resonates with potential retailers and airlines who share the same goals.”

 

To cement these commitments, Nuwave has recently been certified with the RSC standard, which is proof that the company has a regular and fully audited trail to prove that the plastics it uses are 100% recycled. 

 

Further underlining Nuwave’s sustainability credentials, the company has also recently achieved accreditation to the CSR-A Silver Standard. The accreditation is a visible testimony of excellence in social responsibility and helps Nuwave to integrate social, environmental, ethical, human rights and consumer concerns into its business operations and strategy.

 

The TripClip Travel Pro, a product which recently won a major travel retail award (the TRBusiness Travel Retail Awards Best Travel Accessories Product 2021), will also be on display at the Nuwave Channel Partners stand in Cannes.

 

Invented by Joe Shortt and manufactured and distributed in travel retail by Nuwave, the worldwide patented TripClip Travel Pro is unique, simply solving the issue of having to hold your electronic device whilst on board an aircraft or other mode of transport. 

 

The product has no complex mechanical parts, and no batteries are needed for it. The lightweight, compact device attaches simply and securely to seatbacks in seconds.

Nuwave's product line-up for Cannes is completed by its Lego range of travel-exclusive products and accessories, for which it holds the status of exclusive distributor for European region travel retail.

 

Pre-pandemic, many products from Nuwave Channel Partners’ ranges were sold on more than 50 international airlines. Hoj Parmar reports that as the air travel market picks up, many of these clients are coming back on board, including some of the world’s biggest airlines. 

 

He points out that the TripClip product has been the top seller on board Ryanair in recent months and the environmental credentials of Bitmore 100% recycled plastics products will be a catalyst for building up that airline business once again.

 

Excitingly, Parmar says he is also currently in discussions with several major travel retailers, covering Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and the Americas, to see products from Bitmore appear on the shelves of airport stores for the first time. He hopes to use this debut appearance at Cannes to bring his products to the attention of more international travel retailers and airlines.

 

Looking forward to the Cannes event, Parmar said: “Given the exhaustive safety protocols in place, there is no reason why this kind of show cannot go ahead, just as long as people are able to travel to them. People are sure to behave responsibly in these environments and most delegates will be double vaccinated by the time these shows take place, if they are not already.

 

““Virtual events are great in many ways, but there is no substitute for that face-to-face meeting; that opportunity for potential customers to see your product ranges in person. We’ve simply got to get back to normality in my opinion, life has to go on – we can’t be kept wrapped up in these cocoons and bubbles forever.

 

“It has long been an ambition of mine for Nuwave to have its own dedicated exhibition space at the TFWA World Exhibition, so I’m very proud that we have a presence at the event in October, even in a year when pandemic issues are sure to affect attendance levels.”

Ricola takes travel retail tins to TFWA WE

 Ricola is delighted to return to the TFWA World Exhibition this year, where it will be focusing on its 90g tins with sugar, Original Herb and Lemon Mint (Mediterranean Village, N9).

First launched last autumn, Ricola sees TFWA World Exhibition as the perfect opportunity to give these two SKUs a further push as the industry begins to recover from Covid-19.

Alongside the sugar-included range, Ricola will also highlight its existing travel retail exclusive tins, multipacks and pouches, including travel-inspired designs for its 200g tins. 

Andreas Reckart, Vice President Sales Middle East & Travel Retail for Ricola, says: “By adding a sugar-included  range, we believe we are offering consumers a more balanced and rounded selection that will widen the overall appeal of Ricola.”

Ricola exhibits at TFWA WE after a summer that, continues Reckart, has “seen a satisfactory increase in business within our key European market.

“2021 has certainly been more dynamic than 2020, however we are still very far from what he had in 2019. The main drivers of this increase were the airport, ferry and border trade channels, which have all seen benefits from the resuming regional traffic,” he says.

Business in the Middle East is also starting to see positive result, adds Reckart, but Asia, with the exception of Hainan and Jeju, is still almost non-existent.

“It has obviously been a terrible couple of years for the industry, but our commitment to travel retail and strategy to develop our busines remains as strong as ever,” says Reckart. “For sure, we are really happy that TFWA World Exhibition is taking place physically this year and that we will finally be catching up with our partners in person. Let us hope that 2022 will see the industry start to flourish once again.”

CircleSquare explores key Chinese luxury shopping trends in case study-rich report

Retail marketing, brand experiences and consumer engagement specialist CircleSquare has released an in-depth report into the Chinese luxury market with a wide variety of insights into reaching a new generation of consumers from the world’s most populous country.

 

The 50-page study – titled China: Defining the new luxury – covers the key cultural trends that are influencing the way Chinese luxury customers think, shop and buy, and highlights them using numerous case studies featuring worldwide luxury and home-grown Chinese brands.

 

The report – which has a particular focus on targeting the Gen Z shopper, the young and affluent demographic which is set to become the dominant luxury consumer group in China by 2025 – focuses on four key cultural trends identified by CircleSquare. These are GuoChao (literally “national pride” and a growing trend across the China), Shoppertainment (and the search for escapism), Conscious Luxury (the rising impact of environmentalism, sustainability, diversity and empowerment) and Seamless Experiences (the expectation of a personal relationship with brands).

 

The report concludes with key takeaways, including guiding thoughts around disruption, innovation, storytelling, experience, loyalty and personalisation.

 

CircleSquare Managing Partner Stephane Zermatten said: “Despite what we are told, the brand experiences that appear to work in Paris, New York or Milan are actually lagging way behind the zeitgeist of what the fast-evolving Chinese customers expect from luxury brands.

 

“Brands need to be ready to serve their customers where they are across a multitude of touchpoints in a proactive, consistent and personalised manner to build relationships and long-lasting loyalty. Only the brands who have replaced their universal approaches with personalised experiences and customised products for the Chinese market will succeed in the next five years.

 

“With our report, we have set out to investigate the key trends which are shaping the luxury market in China and offer insights on how brands can succeed in engaging with and ultimately capturing the business of China’s new generation of luxury shopper.”

Lanson brings two new Cuvées to Cannes

 

Champagne Lanson returns to Cannes this year with two new and exclusive cuvées, giving visitors to the exhibition their first opportunity to taste since launch.

Le Black Réserve was created by Hervé Dantan, the house winemaker to offer a Lanson non-vintage Brut combining freshness, complexity and fullness in order to seduce wine and gastronomy connoisseurs.

Aged for 5 years and containing a blend of 100 Crus and 70% Grand and Premier Crus, Le Black Réserve has an intense and mature fruity taste combined with an ample and refined texture, a citrus and chalky freshness mixed with density and vitality.

Le Blanc de Blancs was also created by Hervé Dantan, to magnify the freshness of the Lanson style, combining it with the finesse of Chardonnay. Le Blanc de Blancs is aged for a minimum of 5 years with a blend of 15 Crus and 70% Grands and Premier Crus, it is revitalising and fresh on the palate, with noters of candied lemon, almond, nougat, honey, candied orange bark, and a touch of chalk.

Le Black Réserve and Le Blanc de Blancs are both exclusive to Duty-Free, Wine retailers and On-premise. The high quality of these new cuvées has been recently recognised by the great marks given by Wine Enthusiast (96 points-Highest score of the Brut Non-vintage category and the Editor’s choice).

Says Edouard de Boissieu, Head of Travel Retail “We’re delighted that TFWA World Exhibition is taking place this year as travel retail continues to be a key market for Lanson moving forward.

“While the business has continued to be challenging, Champagne Lanson has experienced some excellent sales on domestic markets with strong sales in Oceania, the US and the UK, in some cases with results well ahead of the Champagne sector average. This we see as extremely encouraging for us as our repositioning has been clearly well perceived internationally, which is sure to have a knock-on effect in travel retail as business continues to improve.”

Long term, de Boissieu remains enthusiastic about the opportunities in Australia and New Zealand where domestic sales have continued to outperform the category in 2021 following impressive sales growth in 2020  of  +25% and +35% respectively.

“With this positivity for the Lanson brand, we are returning to Cannes this year with a great deal of optimism and confidence,” he says. “Most of all, we’re looking forward to seeing our many customers, colleagues and friends for the first time and – naturally – to raising a glass of Champagne Lanson!”

Ritter Sport introduces new packaging design concept targeting higher travel retail visibility and focusing on sustainability

 The colourful world of Ritter Sport is launching a new packaging design concept this autumn for its Travel Retail Edition range with the brand’s enduring sustainability mindset and visibility in the travel retail marketplace a key strategic focus.

Ritter Sport is targeting the travel retail market with updated packaging designs that feature across its bestselling products. The packaging targets the sustainability minded traveller with redesigned paper-based packs, as the iconic German chocolate brand launches its new ‘Taste Chocolate in Full Colours’ advertising campaign for trade media this autumn.  

The updated packaging design conveys an emotive brand message of joy and goodness, fun and wanderlust, while the new colourful and travel themed branding design has been created to underscore Ritter Sport’s commitment to its exclusive travel retail product range. 

The shift from plastic to paper and rougher cardboard packaging, which plays into a more natural look and feel, represents the brand’s enduring focus on sustainability. The objective is to communicate to the global traveller the existing sustainability credentials of Ritter Sport products due to the tactile feeling of the packaging.

Formed in 1912 and providing distinctive splashes of colour across the confectionery landscape since the mid-70s, Ritter Sport has been working on redefining its travel retail exclusives offer in a crowded market. 

Ritter Sport’s colourful packaging makeover is focused on design elements derived from a propeller logo; a colour code which is related to the respective flavour varieties contained in the pack; while the signet logo, with the recognised colourful world map, distinguishes the exclusivity of the products for all travellers at a glance.

Sustainability is at the heart of Ritter Sport’s drive - already a key component of the brand’s philosophy for the last 30 years. Ritter Sport wants to further communicate its sustainability purpose: doing the right thing to create really good chocolate. A first step is the on-pack QR communication where space has been created on all packaging. Travellers have the opportunity to learn about Ritter Sport’s sustainability engagement via a quick scan of their device. Core topics are 100% certified sustainable cocoa supply chain (including the new Rainforest Alliance logo), as well certified packaging material FSC, climate neutral company and a lot more.  

By 2025, the brand wants to complete its updated packaging journey from plastic to paper and for its entire range of chocolate bars or individual choco cubes and minis to use fully recyclable plastic foil wraps and pouches. The company’s goal is to use Ritter Sport packaging made from renewable raw materials that are in harmony with man and nature and can be recycled as a valuable material. 

The new design of the exclusive travel retail packaging aims to position Ritter Sport as the most colourful, impactful and sustainable pioneer in travel-retail confectionery. Ritter Sport is also working to create a holistic brand experience for travellers.

Nicole Miltenberger, Marketing Management Travel Retail for Ritter Sport, said: “We felt it was time the Travel Retail Edition range really stood out with its own packaging concept. The new exclusive design celebrates Ritter Sport’s hero products. The propeller logo design aims to be more colourful, more impactful and more exclusive. We wanted to translate the emotion of travel and wanderlust into a new colour coded design and packaging concept that encapsulates the sustainability that Ritter Sport stands for.”

“To be a finalist of the Travel Retail Awards voted by shoppers in September 2021 with the Ritter Sport Choco Cubes Pouch (50 pieces) confirms our ambitions and demonstrates that we are going in the right direction to fulfil consumer needs,” continues Miltenberger.

Lanson to highlight Champagne and ‘bistronomie’ at Nice airport this autumn

 

Champagne Lanson has partnered with Lagardère Travel Retail to offer travellers departing through Nice Airport T2 a Champagne experience based on ‘bistronomie’ (a casual version of gastronomy).

Taking place from August 31 to October 25, the HPP will promote Lanson’s most recent cuvées: Le Black Réserve and Le Blanc de Blancs, both of which are exclusive to travel retail, wine retailers and on-premise outlets.

During the HPP, a sommelier – specially trained at Maison Lanson, will be animating the Champagne tasting, pairing Le Black Réserve and Le Blanc de Blancs with different cheeses to demonstrate how different, and sometimes unexpected, flavours can work well together.  

As an added incentive, travellers are offered a price off on purchases of Le Black Réserve, Le Blanc de Blancs, Le Rosé, and Twin-packs (TR exclusive).

Champagne Lanson worked with Paris based Globe Group (https://www.globe-group.com/fr/)  to develop the HPP. Creating a ‘green’ concept was high on the agenda for the agency, with sustainability, eco-friendly and zero waste the three key focuses. 

 “We’ve been very impressed by the efforts and enthusiasm of Globe,” says Lanson Head of Travel Retail Edouard de Boissieu. “They’ve done a really fantastic job in a very short space of time.”

Says de Boissieu: “This is a new style of HPP for Lanson and our intention is to give the consumer more than just a taste of Champagne, reinforcing our ambition to position the brand at a premium quality level by building the gastronomy story around it. Food pairings are an ideal way to do this, and we think it will provide a very pleasant experience for consumers as they leave Nice airport. Nice is the perfect venue to hold this HPP especially as it will be the perfect preview of these two cuvées before the presentation at TFWA World Exhibition and we are grateful to Lagardère for this opportunity.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4_dSbAFpHo&t=14s

Aurora commits to Cannes with Eco Nation range – and more to come

 

Plush specialist Aurora World has announced its commitment to attend the upcoming TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes (24-28 October) this year.

The decision comes on the back of Aurora seeing promising recovery in its travel retail business, particularly in Europe where holiday traffic has begun to pick up with families accounting for a significant percentage of volume.  The company can also report that it has enjoyed one of its best July sales performances ever, fuelled by high demand in domestic markets in the UK, Europe and the US.

Says Aurora’s Head of Travel Retail Garry Stoner: “It has been an incredibly challenging 18 months and we are nowhere near back to 2019 levels as yet, but orders are now coming in from our travel retail partners and sell-through is encouraging. For us, it’s key to keep that momentum going and TFWA World Exhibition & Conference is an essential date in the diary for showcasing our new collections and discussing promotional concepts with customers.”

Aurora’s Eco Nation range, and sustainability in general, will be a strong focus in Cannes with a major expansion of this concept planned for Q1 2022.

Since its launch in Q1 this year, Eco Nation has been listed for more than 200 travel retail locations globally. Each piece is 100% sustainable, made from recycled and natural materials. While many recycled plush products can be rougher in texture, Aurora has spent time refining its production process to keep a smooth and gentle feeling to each product. 

Each Eco Nation plush product uses 8 recycled bottles, shredded into pellets that are melted into yarn which is then used to make plush. This combination of quality product and quality impact led Eco Nation to become a Toy of the Year 2021 finalist in the plush category. 

“We are very excited to be returning to Cannes this year with our Eco Nation range and invite all attending retailers to come and ‘feel’ for themselves the quality and softness of the latest collection. 

“We will also be announcing some exciting new brand partnerships, and I personally am looking forward to finally reconnecting with the trade in-person as we start to rebuild our business,” says Garry Stoner, Aurora’s Head of Travel Retail. “

(See link below to a short video on Eco Nation).

https://youtu.be/IZZmecYBJQk

THE DALMORE DECADES

A once-in-a-lifetime selection of six exceptional single malt whiskies celebrated through the release of three unique collections that tell the story of The Dalmore’s relentless pursuit of excellence through six decades.

Donation from the global auction at Sotheby’s of a unique one-of-a-kind collection of six rare Single Malts in October will be made to V&A Dundee as part of a four-year partnership with the arts powerhouse celebrating design, creativity, and vision. 

 

The Dalmore Highland Single Malt is proud to present The Dalmore Decades, a one-of-a-kind selection of exceptional whiskies, spanning six decades. From one of the oldest liquids released by The Dalmore to the first Scotch created in the new Millennium, the collection celebrates the visionary creators and stories behind each bottle and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to own these iconic pieces of history.

Demonstrating the craftsmanship of The Dalmore’s whisky, each decanter tells a magnificent story of the Highland Single Malt maker’s relentless pursuit of excellence. Celebrated in the release of three extraordinary Collections, the first truly unique set of six whiskies, the No.6 Collection, will be offered at auction by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in October 2021, as part of the company’s autumn sales series. A significant percentage of the sale will be donated to Scotland’s design museum and the first V&A Museum outside of London, V&A Dundee.

The Dalmore recently unveiled its long-term commitment to the design and creative sectors via its four-year partnership with V&A Dundee. In a world-first collaboration, the fastest growing luxury single malt whisky* is working with Scotland’s design museum to champion and nurture creative talent. The relationship is anchored in a relentless pursuit of excellence as champions of Scottish culture, and in exporting shared purpose, talent, and stories. The four-year collaboration allows V&A Dundee and The Dalmore to curate and advocate for exceptional design on a global scale.

A pioneer in the art of cask curation, over the last 50 years Master Distiller Richard Paterson has been on a mission to push the boundaries in whisky production and seeking to optimize potential over time. The Dalmore Decades is Paterson’s personal selection and a culmination of his custody of the exceptionally rare casks the distillery enjoys.

Paterson commented: “Over the past 50 years, I have kept a watchful eye over our superlative inventory of rare whiskies, giving them the guidance to mature and reach their full potential in the finest casks sourced from around the world. Each bottle marks a very special milestone in the brands history and has a unique story to tell, which I hope the lucky collector will enjoy with those closest to them – if the last year has taught us anything, it is that life is to be enjoyed now. This collection is a memento of our 180-year history in the making. We are proud to share the pinnacle of six decades of whisky making, the result of potential earned and honed over time.”

The one of one, six bottle Collection to be auctioned via Sotheby’s is comprised of:

The Dalmore Decades 1951 – ‘Royal Heritage’ 

A 60-year-old single malt, matured in twin sherry casks, one can expect to find whispers of black treacle, ginger spice, and cocoa powder. The astonishing 1951 is one of the oldest whiskies ever released by The Dalmore, and the last of the whisky distilled during the Mackenzie era. Founders of the Distillery, it is the Mackenzie family heritage that allows The Dalmore to proudly display the 12-point royal stag on each and every bottle.

The Dalmore Decades 1967 – ‘Expertly Composed Spirit’ 

An impeccably elegant 53-year-old single malt, laid down in 1967, a landmark year in which the stillhouse as it stands today was created. This single malt provides complex but wonderfully intriguing layers of clementine, tangy ground coffee and muscovado, thanks to its final maturation in a Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine barrique.

The Dalmore Decades 1979 – ‘Curating Exquisite Casks’ 

This 40-year-old single malt is a tribute to the longstanding relationship between González Byass and The Dalmore. The 1979 has enjoyed maturation in a particularly fine Matusalem Oloroso sherry butt before a final maturation in a Graham’s Port Vintage 1952 – one of Port’s rarest vintages. The resulting whisky is exuberant sultanas and toasted pistachios, finishing in pleasant notes of maple syrup, pineapple, and succulent dates.

The Dalmore Decades 1980 – ‘Unbroken Chain of Visionaries’

The 1980s marked Richard Paterson’s arrival at The Dalmore and his tutelage by the last Mackenzie. Like his predecessor, Richard’s long-standing tenure personifies a commitment to the vision of the distillery established 180 years ago. This 40-year-old single malt takes the traditional maturation of The Dalmore and reverses it: the whisky moves from Bourbon casks into Matusalem sherry butts, then spends more than five years back in first-fill ex-Bourbon casks before bottling – a bold move which brings renewed life and vivacity to the spirit. The 1980 promises beautifully orchestrated single malt layers, which include a gentle whisper of bitter chocolate, marzipan, and cocoa powder.

The Dalmore Decades 1995 – ‘The Creation of an Icon’ 

The 90s welcomed the creation of an icon The Dalmore’s minimalist bell-shaped bottle, its sinuous curves echoing the voluptuous shape of the stills through which the distillery’s matchless spirit runs. The 1995 is matured in ex-Bourbon casks and finished in spectacular Tintilla de Rota port pipes. It offers a burst of red berries, glazed nectarines, frangipane, and moist pecan pie on the palate, building to a triumphal finish.

The Dalmore Decades 2000 – ‘Into the New Millennium’ 

At 12:02am on Saturday, 1 January 2000, as the world celebrated the dawn of a new age, workers at The Dalmore were at their posts securing a notable achievement for the Highland distillery: the first in Scotland to run new spirit off the stills in the third millennium, officially witnessed three minutes after midnight.

The final whisky of The Dalmore Decades is also perhaps the most distinctive: it has spent all 20 years of its life in a Matusalem Oloroso sherry butt in a radical departure from the distillery’s practice. Rare and intriguing, black maraschino cherry and bitter chocolate drench the palate, and a final kiss of liquorice and tarte Tatin ebbs slowly in the background. While it took 20 long years to craft this unique spirit, its exceptional quality can be recognised in a matter of seconds.

Alongside the truly unique No. 6 Collection, The Dalmore will extend the opportunity for collectors to acquire a remarkable piece of history, releasing 15 one-of-a-kind, collectible Decades sets – the No.5 Collection, containing five masterpiece Decades whiskies through the years (1967, 1979, 1980, 1995, 2000). Each of the 15 sets is truly unique: mirroring the colours of the brands Principal Collection, each decanter will feature a different and distinctive coloured stopper. Bottles will be engraved with an exclusive set number, presenting a compelling opportunity for established and new collectors alike. Every set is presented on a stunning pedestal that owners will take home to display as their own masterpiece. Each No.5 Collection set will be sold exclusively through the finest retailers in the world including 5 set in the prestigious Travel Retail Channel - China Duty Free Group (Hainan), Duty Zero by cdf (Hong Kong International Airport), Ever Rich Duty Free (Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport), LOTTE Travel Retail Singapore (Singapore Changi Airport) and DFS during the famous Master of Wine and Spirit showcase in Macau. Other retailers in domestic markets include Harrods (UK), Wally’s Wine & Spirits (US) and Le Bon Marché (FR) with an RSP of £200,000 / $270,000. 

Alongside the No.5 Collection, the No.4 Collection of 25 covetable sets, each containing four Decades whiskies (1979, 1980, 1995, 2000), will be made available to purchase. Mirroring the No.5 Collection, each unique decanter will be engraved with an exclusive set number and striking black collar and stopper, presenting a once in a lifetime chance to capture four remarkable moments in Scotch history. Each set will be displayed within one bespoke display pedestal, with individual compartments to house each decanter, and with each whisky’s unique story engraved upon the door. Each No.4 Collection set will be sold exclusively through retailers including 4 sets in the Travel Retail Channel – China Duty Free Group (Hainan), Dufry (London Heathrow T5) and LOTTE Duty Free (Incheon International Airport), alongside Selfridges (UK), Annabel’s (UK), La Grande Épicerie (FR) and to view at Fairmont Pacific Rim Vancouver (CA), Waldorf Astoria (NL) with an RSP of £100,000 / $135,000. 

The Prestige Plus price segment within the Malt category in GTR has been the most dynamic in the past years and the only price band still growing dynamically in GTR during the Covid impact (according to IWSR 2020). ‘Travel Retail is the ideal channel to showcase exceptional masterpieces from The Dalmore in our customers' duty free shops and digital channels, allowing us to recruit millions of luxury consumers into the brand franchise. We only wish we could have more of these exceptional masterpieces from The Dalmore in order to meet the incredible demand for it in the travel retail channel,” commented Richard Trimby, Travel Retail Director, Whyte & Mackay.

The Dalmore Decades No.6 Collection will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in early October. For more information, please visit www.thedalmore.com or www.sothebys.com/wine.