Diageo unveils its most expensive single malt whisky

Diageo has launched 160 bottles of Brora 40 Year Old, the most expensive single malt whisky ever released by the premium drinks group. Drawn from a single cask, the bottles retail at £6,995 each and are available as a worldwide exclusive for pre-order through the leading travel retailer World Duty Free Group’s website at www.worldofwhiskies.com. 

The bottles will be available for collection from selected UK World of Whiskies and World Duty Free Group airport stores from 21 April 2014.

The Brora distillery closed in 1983, but some of the famous liquid has been slowly maturing in a Scottish warehouse. This pale gold single malt, taken at the natural cask strength of 59.1% from a single cask distilled in 1972, is the first 40yo Brora whisky ever to be bottled, and the oldest and rarest Brora expression ever released. It has been drawn from its highly-peated bottling – the 1972 reserve. 

Brora 40 Year Old single malt whisky retails at £6,995

The packaging of Brora 40 Year Old seeks to reflect the quality, craftsmanship and luxury credentials of the liquid. The decanter is presented in a beautiful wooden case, an interpretation of the closed Brora distillery, handcrafted by the Queen’s cabinet makers at N.E.J. Stevenson Ltd.

The crystal decanter bears the golden emblem of the Scottish Wildcat, the legendary guardian of the closed distillery and crest of the distiller’s founder, the Duke of Sutherland. The crystal stopper is etched with the number 40 and the decanter has an engraved copper neck detailing the 1972 distillation year.

Steve White, global marketing director of Diageo Global Travel and Middle East, said: “We are confident that the supreme quality and rare nature of this whisky will delight and excite single malt collectors and aficionados who will want to add a bottle of this prestigious whisky to their prized collection.”

David de Miguel, global head of liquor at World Duty Free Group, added: “The exceptional quality of this rare whisky will attract and intrigue whisky connoisseurs, helping to highlight our reputation as whisky specialists with the finest expertise.”  

Porsche Design's CEO on engineered luxury

Porsche Design has grown into an €100m-plus luxury lifestyle brand generating annual double-digit sales growth on the back of global store expansion and new fashion product development, including an award-winning handbag. Here, I talk to CEO Dr Juergen Gessler.

PORSCHE DESIGN GROUP FACT FILE

Turnover (2012): €116.2m (+45%)

Product categories: Menswear, womenswear, men’s and women’s accessories, fragrance, watches, luggage, footwear, writing instruments, smartphones

Number of directly owned stores: 30

Number of franchise stores (including travel retail):  118

Biggest markets in terms of turnover: Europe, followed by North America and Asia Pacific

Porsche Design CEO Dr Juergen Gessler

BUSINESS STRATEGY

MJ Rabbit: What is Porsche Design’s overall business strategy?

Dr Juergen Gessler: Today luxury and lifestyle brands need to focus on fulfilling core values. Luxury is about quality and improving people’s lives, and it is not important any more for people to show off. Companies have to offer a whole lifestyle which people can buy into, because they care more about where material comes from, about quality and design as well as their individual style. Our strategy is to provide such an offering – as we have done now for more than 40 years. We call it “engineered luxury”.

Has the strategy changed following the brand’s recent foray into women’s fashion and handbags?

“If you analyse the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious.” That’s what Ferdinand Alexander Porsche once said, when he founded Porsche Design back in 1972. And up to the present day we follow his design philosophy, be it accessories, men’s or women’s fashion or even handbags. The best example is our TwinBag, which revolutionised the women’s handbags category [the TwinBag can be worn either as a handbag or a shoulder bag thanks to an award-winning magnetic mechanism - Ed]. Why? Because our credo is more advanced than the sheer idea of form follows function. It is a different approach as the whole object has to be considered within its functionality: in our ideal Porsche Design world, form and function are equal. One doesn’t work without the other, but also, one doesn’t follow the other. A truly good product has to fulfil both aspects in order to be a long-term success: aesthetics and function.

Is Porsche Design becoming more “fashion”-oriented, rather than “design”-oriented?

Purist and timeless, that is what Porsche Design stands for. We do not differentiate between fashion- and design-oriented. In the future customers will more and more buy brands and products which are relevant.  Products which are only fashionable will be less successful. Products should cover both aspects.

Inside Porsche Design's London Brompton Road store

INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION AND THE CHINA MARKET CHALLENGE

What are the most dynamic international markets for Porsche Design?

As Porsche Design – compared to other international luxury and lifestyle brands – comes from small numbers, most markets are still dynamic for us. Therefore we keep on expanding: in the last fiscal year we opened 50 new Porsche Design locations in total and in 2014 we are aiming to open up around the same amount. In terms of turnover the most important markets are Europe, the US and the Middle East. However, Asia is picking up a lot and is strategically becoming more and more important.

In which countries/territories are you targeting expansion?

We have a very precise strategy until 2018 with regard to our expansion plans. And, as our business is growing rapidly, we are going to open larger stores. For example, our flagship store on London’s Brompton Road, which we opened last year in Q4, is a 345 sq m store and currently the world’s largest. However, our new flagship in Milan, which will begin trading in February/March 2014, will be about 400 sq m. Country-wise we are focusing on France and Austria as well as mainland China, Russia, Japan, the US and Canada. And we are looking more and more at the wholesale business, especially with our men’s and women’s fashion collections.

How important is travel retail in your strategy?

Porsche Design customers are very independent and like to travel. Therefore travel retail is an important pillar in our strategy and creates awareness for the brand. 15 out of the 50 locations we opened in 2013 were at airports. This year we are planning to open at the airports in Santiago de Chile, Mumbai and Vladivostok.

What is your strategy for China?

China is already a big market for our luxury brand. However, our expansion there does not stop as the Chinese demand for luxury products is still growing, not only in tier 1 and tier 2 cities but also in tier 3 cities. In 2012 we celebrated the grand opening of our first own retail store in Hong Kong on Central’s Queen’s Road and in 2014 we would love to make the next step in mainland China.

What are the opportunities for Porsche Design in the Chinese market?

China’s market for luxury goods is maturing but still consumers drastically differ from customers in mature markets. Consumers often spend several months’ salary to buy luxury products and therefore attach great importance to quality, brands and country of origin.

What are challenges you have faced in the Chinese market?

The challenge for all brands - and not only Porsche Design - is to succeed in the competition for prominent retail space and locations. But Chinese customers are shopping all around the world, so we have to make sure that in our stores in the US and Europe our sales people can speak Mandarin. 

The handbag display at Porsche Design's London Brompton Road store

NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS

Which product categories are you expanding?

Last year we completed our assortment with the Porsche Design TwinBag, the brand’s first handbag. We are now all set in terms of our categories and are looking to deepen each category. We are concentrating on our ready-to-wear and women’s collections in order to change the dominant opinion that we are a men’s accessories brand, as that is not true. On February 9 we showed our Fall/Winter 2014 fashion collection at New York Fashion Week and from Spring on we are launching new women’s jewellery and handbags. So within the last couple of years our brand has really turned into a luxury and lifestyle brand.

What percentage of turnover do women’s products contribute?

Our women’s collections account for around 25% and we are very proud of this as we only started in 2010. There was a time when the brand tried to focus on men only. We changed that completely three years ago and are aiming on more than 30% of turnover out of women’s products.

 How important is the watch business to Porsche Design? Are there any new developments coming up in this category?

The first Porsche Design product ever was a watch: the legendary Chronograph I from 1972. It was revolutionary as it was the first all-black watch on the market, and it was black for a particular reason: Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche wanted to create a time instrument with an uncompromising functionality. Inspired by the black felt dashboard of a race car, he decided to design the watch in a way that only the time information is of importance – everything else was non-reflective, in other words: black. Rather than treating a watch as a piece of jewellery, he looked at it as an instrument of precision. The heritage and tradition of this watch accompanies us up until today.

Are there any new developments coming up in the fragrance category?

At the moment there are no new developments in planning.

Porsche Design's installation with pop artist Thierry Noir at Art Basel Miami Beach

FUTURE PLANS

What other plans are you working on over the next 12 months?

By far most important project for the upcoming 12 months is our new flagship store in Milan. From Spring Porsche Design will be present in the heart of Milan’s fashion district, on Via della Spiga. For us this is a great opportunity and challenge at the same time, and once more it shows our dedication and appreciation of the fashion business.

What were the highlights of 2013?

A big step to promote our re-launch as a luxury and lifestyle brand was our first runway show in New York in September 2013 as well as an event which we hosted during Art Basel Miami Beach in December [The Heart of Freedom collaboration with the French pop artist Thierry Noir - Ed]. Additionally we established the brand as a market leader in the luxury smartphone segment with our new all-touch Porsche Design P'9982 smartphone from BlackBerry, which we launched in November. And of course, not forgetting the expansion of our retail network.

Paton's goes nuts for Chinese New Year

Australian confectioner Paton’s has produced a limited edition of its luxury Paton’s Macadamia Royals range to mark the Chinese New Year of the Horse.

The embossed 170g gift box is decorated in an opulent red and gold foil design. The high quality embossed pack contains whole premium macadamias, which have been dipped in toffee and coated in milk chocolate.

Paton's Macadamia Royals range marks Chinese New Year

Geoff Henthorn, head of sales at Paton’s, said: “Chinese New Year is a very important gift-giving occasion for many Asian nationalities and Chinese people are known to favour the taste profile of the premium Australian macadamia nut. We have decided therefore, for the first time, to produce a luxurious Chinese New Year presentation of our world-famous Royals.”

The Chinese New Year theme has also been applied  to the Suncoast Gold savoury macadamia range.

A luxury red and gold gift box decorated with a flower motif containing two 75g bags of Suncoast Gold Abalone flavoured nuts and one Suncoast Gold 75g Sea Salt flavour is being offered exclusively in travel retail this year.

Davidoff marks the energetic Year of the Horse

Davidoff is celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Horse with a special collection of accessories for 2014, which complements its Limited Edition Year of the Horse Gran Toro cigar release. Zino Davidoff, who founded Davidoff in 1875, was himself born in the Year of the Horse.

To celebrate the energetic and active horse, Davidoff presents a new collection of accessories composed of a lighter, a round cutter, two cigar cases, three ashtrays and a humidor. The cigar accessories are crafted in a shiny black and fiery finish.

Davidoff Year of the Horse ashtrays

The Year of the Horse Prestige Lighter has an octagonal design and comes in a gilded, moiré pattern. It shows an elegant and energetic horse engraved on the side.

The Year Of The Horse Cigar Cases are finely crafted in vegetable tanned full-grain leather from Europe. The leather tanning process is natural and the colouring and sealing of the case are hand crafted. The particular aesthetic finish is secret, the company says, adding that the craftsmen work with "forms and fire" to create them. The characteristics of this special leather such as veins, scars and different tones are designed to exemplify its purity and authenticity. The cases are crafted in two colours : shiny fiery red or brilliant blacks. They are designed to hold two XL cigars.

Davidoff Year of the Horse humidor

The Year of the Horse Ashtrays are made in the renowned city of Limoges from the finest porcelain, a porcelain which was first described as White Gold in the Imperial Period and was produced with a special combination of kaolin, quartz and feldspar. The density of this exclusive material is said to be a perfect surface to apply painted designs. The ashtrays come in three different designs.

The Davidoff Limited Edition Year of the Horse humidor has been designed with a slim lid, inspired by the brand's classical cigar boxes. To guarantee the air-tight seal of the humidor and meet Davidoff’s high quality standards, small metal pieces are embedded in the lid and ensure that it remains airtight throughout the years.

Bacardi shows its spirit in the Year of the Horse

Bermuda-based liquor group Bacardi is marking the Chinese Year of the Horse with several tempting gift presentations in the travel retail sector. Here are the details:

GLEN DEVERON SCOTCH WHISKY

Bacardi has enhanced its single malt Scotch whisky brand Glen Deveron, Royal Burgh Collection, with a dedicated Chinese New Year presentation.

Available exclusively at World Duty Free Group stores at London Heathrow airport’s two key terminals for Chinese traffic – Terminal 3 and Terminal 5 - the specially adapted gift boxes feature a red ribbon, emblazoned with new year wishes and a galloping horse graphic, wrapped around the box. The presentation is finished with a special Chinese New Year-themed gift tag.

Reflecting the spirit of the Chinese holiday season, the in-store tasting bars at T3 and T5 include vivid displays of red apples, which are considered to be particularly auspicious as a traditional Chinese symbol of peace.  Wrapped in bright red wax paper, the apples are given free to travellers as a holiday greeting and also pay homage to The Glen Deveron distillery, located on the site of an ancient apple orchard, with apple a characteristic flavour across the current range of three aged single malts.

Glen Deveron's Chinese New Year presentation for 2014

The Glen Deveron single malt Scotch whisky collection is targeted at whisky lovers wanting to expand their appreciation of single malts - and the Chinese shopper is a particularly significant target for the brand, especially at London Heathrow.

Aude Rocourt, regional director Europe at Bacardi Global Travel Retail, said: “This new adaptation of the gift pack shows the adaptability of our portfolio to target key gifting periods where the needs of the shopper in travel retail are heightened. It’s a perfect chance for relevant shopping and exclusive experiences to play a key role in their purchase decision. Heathrow is experiencing a significant uplift in Chinese passenger traffic and these high-spending travellers respond positively to engaging, innovative shopping experiences. Premium gift packs for Chinese New Year are a fantastic interpretation of how we can meet the needs of the Chinese traveller with innovations that are highly relevant.”

The Glen Deveron, Royal Burgh Collection, is available exclusively from World Duty Free stores in the UK and Spain priced as follows: Glen Deveron 16 Years Old, £41.99 (one-litre bottle); Glen Deveron 20 Years Old, £59.99 (one-litre bottle); Glen Deveron 30 Years Old, £150.00 (70cl).  

BENEDICTINE DOM

Bacardi has unveiled a limited-edition Year of the Horse gift box for its French liqueur brand Bénédictine DOM as the central focus of its activations for Chinese New Year at Singapore Changi airport, in a world exclusive with leading retailer DFS.

The intricately designed new gift box, retailing at S$50.50, encases a standard one-litre bottle of Bénédictine DOM that features traditional celebratory colours of red and gold with dramatic decorative graphics of galloping horses. 

The seasonal gift box is being promoted until March 2 across three terminals with full sampling, highlighting three main serve options: neat with ice, with tonic as a chilled refreshment, or served with rose tea as a hot drink. 

An extensive programme of supporting activities and in-store theatre includes displays from a Chinese Kungfu Tea Pourer, dramatically serving a special blend of tea and Bénédictine DOM.  The tagline ‘Share the Secret’ is used in reference to the brand’s remarkable 500-year history and its secret recipe, developed in 1510 by a Benedictine monk.

Bénédictine DOM's Year of the Horse display at Singapore Changi airport

Irving Holmes Wong, Bacardi Global Travel Retail regional director Asia Pacific and MEA, said: "Bénédictine DOM’s proud position at the top of Changi’s best-selling liqueur list demonstrates the truly unique place it occupies in the hearts and motivations of consumers in the region.  This special limited edition offers Changi travellers an exquisite and exclusive new presentation of their favourite brand, perfectly positioned for gifting at Chinese New Year as families are reunited in the season of bonding, sharing and celebrating.”

Brooke Supernaw, senior vice president - spirits, wine & tobacco at DFS Group, added: “Chinese New Year is a very special time for many world travellers, and in celebration of the Year of The Horse, we are delighted to work with Bacardi to present to our customers at Changi a uniquely new look and feel to a traditional and revered favourite. Within our stores, customers will find the finest, expertly curated selection of exceptional products, and Bénédictine DOM is amongst the most sought-after. It makes perfect sense to feature it as one of our promotional focus for Chinese New Year.”

Bénédictine DOM has a long history in the region, ranging from its starring role in the original recipe for the Singapore Sling cocktail to its position as a well loved must-have in the drinks cabinet of many households. The liqueur, made to a recipe over 500 years old, has been popular for generations.

The story of Bénédictine DOM began more than 500 years ago in the Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy, France, when the Benedictine monk Dom Bernardo Vincelli created a secret elixir. Today, Bénédictine DOM is still made in Fécamp using the unchanged secret recipe of 27 herbs and spices. Distilled and aged in Le Palais Bénédictine, the liqueur has an aroma of spices and citrus fruit, offering notes of crisp freshness, softened by a touch of honey.

Pernod Ricard toasts Chinese New Year

French liquor giant Pernod Ricard has launched a number of luxury wines and spirits for the Chinese New Year gift-giving season. Here's a selection of the finest products:

ST HUGO WINES

The group's Australian fine wine brand St Hugo has unveiled its new Mark the Milestones campaign in Australian duty-free stores. The promotion urges travellers to celebrate their personal achievements and milestones to success. The launch is timed to coincide with the key Chinese New Year gifting season and includes dedicated in-store areas at Sydney and Melbourne airport showcasing St Hugo until 28 February.

In airports, dedicated product displays enable consumers to taste the range. The activity focuses on the latest 2010 vintage of St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, duty-free exclusive St Hugo McLaren Vale Shiraz and St Hugo Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro.

For an extra-special gift over the summer holiday season, a limited quantity of back vintage St Hugo wines wrapped in premium leather packaging are also available for sale.

Drawing on the campaign’s theme of marking the moment, customers can personalise their purchase with a customised wax seal on the bottle’s box packaging to commemorate a special occasion such as a birthday. To celebrate Chinese New Year, the wax seals are available in Chinese characters and a dedicated Happy New Year seal has also been created.

Peter Ham, general manager of Pernod Ricard Pacific Travel Retail, said: “As the home of St Hugo, we are very excited that Australia is the first duty-free market to introduce the St Hugo Mark the Milestones campaign. This new activation which takes place during the key Chinese New Year period, allows us to engage with travellers by inviting them to personalise their St Hugo bottle and mark the most important moments in life. We are confident that this impactful campaign will increase the brand’s visibility and consumer engagement while resonating with wine lovers travelling out of Melbourne and Sydney.”

ROYAL SALUTE SCOTCH WHISKY

Luxury Scotch whisky Royal Salute has launched The Polo Batch, its first-ever World Polo limited-edition product in celebration of its links with polo, known as the sport of kings. The new 21yo blend is expected to be popular among travellers in Asia and the Gulf.

In Asia, the launch coincides with the Chinese New Year. Travellers purchasing The Polo Batch bottle will be offered an exclusive prestige gift wrapping service symbolising fortune and happiness in Chinese culture.

The striking bottle celebrates the international footprint of polo, featuring the names and locations of various Royal Salute World Polo events, including The Royal Salute Polo Cup in Jeju, Korea and The Royal Salute China Open in Beijing, China. A white sporting stripe emblazoned on the front of the gift box highlights the product’s sporting links.

Innovative activations are taking place at Dubai Airport and 10 Asian airports including Seoul Incheon, Jeju, Gimhae and Gimpo in Korea, in addition to Taoyuan, Hong Kong, Singapore Changi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur through January and February.

Videos feature world number one polo player and Royal Salute brand ambassador Facundo Pieres. Royal Salute’s latest advertising campaign also features Pieres.

MARTELL COGNAC

Cognac house Martell is introducing a new limited edition, Martell Millésimes 1971, a rare cognac exclusively available to travellers in Asia travel retail.

Martell Millésimes Collection - which started with the vintage 1968 - is a celebration of the house’s heritage since its creation in 1715 by Jean Martell. Each limited edition is a blend of the rarest vintage eaux-de-vie selected from Martell’s oldest cellars situated in Cognac.

Martell Millésimes 1971 retails at $838 and is available at exclusive points of sale including the Martell Boutique at Kuala Lumpur Airport and the Martell brand spaces in Hong Kong Airport, the downtown T-Galleria store in Singapore, King Power’s Srivaree Complex downtown shop in Bangkok, and Ever Rich Taiwan’s Neihu downtown duty free shop. From April, the limited edition will also be extended across Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and China.

In-store luxury oak wood displays aim to bring the product to life. Travellers are also invited to take part in an exclusive olfactory experience allowing them to use their senses and discover the three main aromas present in the expression.

Charles-Armand de Belenet, global marketing director for Martell, said: “Martell Millésimes 1971 is an incredible limited edition which perfectly embodies Martell’s long-standing expertise. Made using three vintage eaux-de-vie chosen for their exceptional character from the most prestigious crus, this Cognac perfectly highlights Martell’s outstanding quality.”