A world first in luxury bubbles

So Jennie by Le Manoir des Sacres is the name of the world’s first luxury non-alcoholic sparkling drink, made in France and without any added sugar. Reflecting the rising global demand for alcohol-free beverage options, driven by health and cultural demands, this rosé-coloured French sparkling premium drink is presented in a decorative bottle for gifting.

So Jennie alcohol-free sparkling drink

So Jennie is described as very low in calories, with no added sulphites, additives or preservatives. The patented manufacturing process is based on a secret recipe, creating fine bubbles at 0% alcohol. The production process, carefully monitored by the master blender, ensures a fine, distinctive taste and features no alcohol at all at any stage, enabling Halal certification.

The elegant design and traditional curvy shape of the decorative 75cl bottle, manufactured by French glass specialist Saverglass, incorporates an engraved label scattered with butterflies in 14ct gold leaf, making So Jennie an elegant option for gifting.

Jennie Kergoat-Ruelland is the creative originator behind So Jennie. From a high-level career in airline management, French-born Jennie decided to devote herself to creating the new product when she went to a Middle Eastern wedding. “The idea crystallised when I attended a stunningly beautiful wedding in the Middle East and was inspired by the opulence of the table settings, particularly in using the finest Baccarat crystal but then having mundane options to fill them with. So Jennie provides much more than a drink; it’s a lifestyle choice that blends health and luxury and has the versatility to be shared anywhere, any time, with anyone,” she said.

Jennie Kergoat-Ruelland

So Jennie, marketed with the strapline ‘Luxury Bubbles – Alcohol Free’, is best served chilled  at 3-4°C in crystal flutes or long, thin glasses, allowing its delicate aromas to develop.

So Jennie is available in selected global destination stores and venues, including Harrods in London, La Grande Epicerie du Bon Marché in Paris, KaDeWe in Berlin, The Hotel Meurice and the Four Seasons George V in Paris, the Four Seasons Park Lane in London, the three Michelin-starred Joel Robuchon restaurants and the Ducasse Table in Tokyo.

Qatar Airways is the first airline to pour So Jennie on first and business class flights. Qatar Duty Free is also set to offer So Jennie in its duty-free stores.

Heineken innovates in cruise market

Dutch liquor company Heineken has announced a series of innovations in the global duty-free market, with particular emphasis on cruise and ferries. One of its biggest investments is the 100% recyclable BrewLock, which delivers draught beer at brewery quality to passengers onboard cruise lines and ferries.

While standard keg systems require additional gas and regulator systems to pull beer to the tap, the BrewLock system uses a multi-layered keg that relies on normal atmospheric air to squeeze the inner wall and push the beer through to the tap. This way the system is easier to operate and protects the beer from outside influences, ensuring the beer tastes exactly as in the brewery. 

Amstel alcohol-free beer

“This is a one-way keg solution that brings advancements,” said Koos Vrijlandt, global manager cruiselines at Heineken Global Duty Free. “The PET keg and outer cardboard are 100% recyclable and also there is no return journey for the empty keg back to the brewery. This brings about efficiencies in the supply chain. In comparison to steel kegs, BrewLock kegs are 25% lighter - and therefore safer and easier to handle - are horizontally stackable when not in use, and have a considerably smaller footprint in the cooler and storage.”

Boosting cider and beer onboard

With the arrival of Amstel 0.0% non-alcoholic beer and an expanded portfolio of Strongbow ciders, including four new flavours, Heineken aims to respond to evolving consumer demands for more choice in beer and cider.

Heineken’s insight programme has highlighted that beer drinkers want a broader, low- or no-alcohol portfolio. Amstel 0.0% is described as a light-bodied Pilsner that offers low bitterness and a short length of flavour. The product uses natural ingredients and reflects the increasing consumer consciousness of health and wellbeing, the company said. The drink is targeted mainly at men aged 35-plus who consume light/medium beer, as well as women.

 

Sean McNaughten, Heineken Global Duty Free’s manager, explained: “For many of our core duty-free markets in hot climates and especially for military and cruise, this will be a popular choice for lunchtime drinking and after-sports.”

According to figures provided by Heineken, the sales opportunity in alcohol-free beer is significant, reaching 17m hectalitres per annum globally. With a 4.9% sales upswing last year, this category is one of the fastest-growing segments in the overall beer category.

Strongbow unveils four new cider flavours

New cider flavours

To premiumise the cider category and meet the consumer desire for more adventurous drinks, Heineken has unveiled four new flavours to complement Strongbow, the world's leading cider brand. The new flavours are Honey, British Dry, Elderflower and Red Berries. The original Strongbow apple cider has also been repackaged in a bold, contemporary bottle design.

“Cider appeals to a broad audience, especially among new user groups and women seeking to explore different and appealing new flavour options and the versatility of cider as a complement to food,” said McNaughten.

Diageo store opens in Bogota airport

UK drinks group Diageo has opened a Diageo-exclusive store in the international arrivals concourse of Bogota El Dorado airport, Colombia, in partnership with leading travel retailer Duty Free Americas.

Diageo's new store at Bogota airport

The store - the first Diageo shop in the region - has been designed with Colombian travellers in mind. Using market and passenger trend analysis for travellers in the region, the store seeks to reflect their preferences, creating a personalised shopping experience. Local favourite whiskies and rums occupy wall bays, glorified by video screens showcasing Diageo’s leading brands such as Johnnie Walker, Buchanan’s, Old Parr and Zacapa.

Other popular Diageo brands are stocked in a striking, central gondola with a tasting area, highlighting new travel-retail exclusives and innovations, which include the Johnnie Walker Explorers’ Club Collection, Smirnoff White and Haig Club single grain Scotch whisky.

Commitment to personalisation

The store was officially opened at a launch event in November by Doug Bagley, managing director of Diageo Global Travel and Middle East, Matthieu Comard, vice president of the division’s Western region, and Leon Falic, president of Duty Free Americas.

Falic said: “As the biggest duty-free operator in the Americas, DFA is delighted to partner with the largest producer of spirits in the world to create this unique Diageo exclusive retail store. We believe that this store, the first of its kind in this region, sets us apart from other duty-free operators. Through this joint effort, we will be offering one of the widest portfolios of world-class spirits brands under one roof.”

Bagley said the store was “a shining example of the strength of our commitment to personalisation and transforming the shopper experience in travel retail”. 

Pernod Ricard optimistic about 2015

China’s corruption clampdown has hit sales at French liquor group Pernod Ricard but there is still optimism in the long term, according to John O’Sullivan, Pernod Ricard Asia Travel Retail’s marketing director.

Speaking about sales to the Chinese, who were traditionally big buyers of super-premium duty-free liquor, O’Sullivan admitted times had been tough. “Asia has been more difficult in the past year,” he said. “There’s been an undoubted slowdown, but business is still positive. There’s still a lot of potential for travel in the region, and in the next ten years, over the long term, it will be good. High net worth individuals are already travelling and are becoming more discerning. The clampdown has been an important factor, but they are still buying high-end - they are just more demanding. There are more middle-class people travelling so we’re still optimistic.”

Elsewhere in Asia, the travel-retail sector is outperforming the domestic market in South Korea. “Korea is a big whisky market but vodka is fast emerging. There has been a slowdown in whisky consumption in Korea but our Absolut vodka brand is growing,” O’Sullivan said.

Absolut Warhol is the latest addition to Pernod Ricard's growing vodka range

Pernod Ricard’s biggest markets are the US, followed by China, then travel retail. He described the latter channel as a “profitable showcase”.

Premiumisation is still the big focus for the French drinks group, but O’Sullivan noted that there was now a new context to the word “premiumisation” in light of the Chinese anti-graft campaign. He gave the example of Ballantine’s 12yo expression versus the standard product Ballantine’s Finest. Whereas before, Chinese travellers would not hesitate to buy 12yo, they may now buy Finest. “We’ve got to make sure we’ve got the right portfolio,” he said, noting that the trend towards purchasing entry-level products is also being seen with Martell Cognac. Travel retail, which offers good value, also enables less cautious consumers to trade up.

Big brand activations in Asia

Turning to business highlights over the past year, O’Sullivan pointed to a number of big activations centring on six or seven brands in Asia, particularly Martell, which has been celebrating the Cognac’s gourmet food pairing characteristics. He also listed the marketing activity around Chivas Brothers’ Blend, Royal Salute’s polo connections, alongside Ballantine’s Signature Distillery Editions and Glenlivet 16yo Nadurra.

Absolut recently launched a new limited edition called Absolut Warhol, which made its debut in travel-retail stores in November following its domestic market unveiling across the US and Europe. The new pop art-inspired product is also featured in the Absolut store at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Travel retailers are also focusing on Absolut Karnival, described by O’Sullivan as a fun product supported by Brazilian-themed activations.

Martell Cognac celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2015

Turning to 2015, O’Sullivan said that Pernod Ricard has a number of major developments in the pipeline, including Martell’s 300^th anniversary celebrations which will see a lot of limited editions. “We have a full year of celebrations for Martell – it’s a big year as it’s the oldest of the major Cognac houses.”

In addition, Chivas Extra, a sherry aged whisky in red and gold livery, is being launched on the domestic market, positioned above 12yo but below 18yo, retailing at $50-60. Lastly, O’Sullivan said there would be “new news” for the Absolut brand next year, without divulging details.

Bacardi embarks on tenth cruise contest

Liquor giant Bacardi has announced the launch of its 2015 Bacardi Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year, now in its 10th year. The contest aims to identify the best bartender on the high seas, as part of the Bacardi strategy to help raise standards of cocktail-making in this vibrant and growing leisure sector.

The competition opened on November 19 and all bartenders on cruise and ferry lines around the globe are invited to enter, via www.bacardicruisecompetition.com. Participants are required to create their own expertly crafted cocktail recipes using at least one spirit from the Bacardi rum portfolio. Entrants should demonstrate how that personal creation is inspired by their love of travel, the flavours, people and places they have experienced on their journeys, including the interactions with guests they meet in the onboard bars.

Entries close on January 12, 2015 and the five finalists will be announced on January 19. The finals will take place in Miami from March 18-20.

Liisi Kutt won last year's Bacardi Cruise Competition

Spotlighting destination bars 

Zachary Sulkes, regional manager at Bacardi Travel Retail Americas, said: “Cruise is such a dynamic sector of tourism with strong levels of growth in the numbers of people choosing to vacation on the high seas – for example South America is a key market as more consumers start to travel internationally. With ever more sophisticated vessels launching each year and with many of these super-ships offering up to 30 bars and restaurants as a major focus of the guest experience, we’re actively seeking to work with more cruise operators who share our vision to guarantee great cocktail experiences and to develop the mixology and presentation skills of the onboard bartender through initiatives such as the Bacardi Cruise Competition and in spotlighting the quality of destination bars such as Carnival’s Alchemy Bars, Celebrity’s Molecular Bars and Norwegian’s Mojito Bars, to name just a few.

“Cocktails and vacationing are perfect companions, creating special moments and the chance to try something new. By helping the cruise lines and the ambitious onboard bar-tending community to enhance their craft, we can really create a sustained category driving strategy that wins all round.”

The winner will receive $5,000 cash prize and a Bacardi experience, specially selected to further the recipient’s knowledge base.

In 2014, out of almost 2,000 entrants, the top prize went to Liisi Kütt from Estonia, based on Tallink Silja Line, with her Summer Fairy cocktail – a blend of Bacardi Grand Melon, Martini Prosecco, apple juice, fresh lime juice and syrup.

Anthon Berg introduces coffee flavour

Anthon Berg, the Danish inventor of liqueur-filled chocolate bottles, has launched a new coffee flavour to its travel-retail range, designed as an after-dinner treat. The four Chocolate Coffee Liqueurs consist of an Irish coffee with a warming whisky, a French coffee with sweet and tangy orange liqueur, a Cuban coffee with white rum and mild caramel, and a Mexican Coffee with a shot of tequila.

Anthon Berg Chocolate Coffee Liqueurs (16 pieces)

Why coffee? Anthon Berg’s travel retail director Peter Dige explained: “The combination of coffee and chocolate is an evergreen. But coffee itself has also had a comeback and has been reintroduced as a fine food on a much broader scale than ever before. That’s why we believe that now it is the right time to launch a coffee version of our successful chocolate liqueur bottles.

“The two other products in the range, Chocolate Liqueur Bottles and Chocolate Cocktail Bottles, are the two top-selling products in the Anthon Berg travel retail portfolio, so we believe that our new product Chocolate Coffee Liqueurs is a profitable way to expand.”

Chocolate Coffee Liqueurs come in a 26-piece transparent tube and a 16-piece transparent tube displaying the bottles as if they were neatly lined up on-shelf. The third product is a window box displaying the bottles as in a bar cabinet. Each bottle is individually wrapped in deep-coloured tin foil that carries references to coffee. To help the consumer identify the nature of the product from a distance, images of roasted coffee beans are visible on the box as well as the bottles inside.

Anthon Berg Chocolate Coffee Liqueurs (15 pieces)

Generous promotion

To support the launch, Anthon Berg said it had made “a generous promotion” in selected stores, built around its award-winning brand universe Generosity. Shoppers have the chance to win a trip to the countries where its four coffee recipes are from. The company invites consumers into a coffee liqueur-themed game of “spin the bottle” at the selected airports’ promotion stands.

New marzipan range

Anthon Berg has introduced a new product to its Marzipan Bar range: the Marzipan Bar Nougat 8-piece box. The nougat variety of this chocolate-covered almond paste range is the best-selling on domestic markets next to the Marzipan Bar Original. This launch of the Marzipan Bar Nougat completes the series, now counting four products.

Anthon Berg's Marzipan Bars now include a nougat flavour

Since the first Marzipan Bar was created in 1884, it has been a token of generosity in its home country of Denmark. In those days, the Marzipan Bar was given to waiting customers outside Anthon Berg’s small chocolate shop in Copenhagen. The signature piece has been a favourite for over four generations, and remains so to this day, especially in Scandinavia and Europe.

Peter Dige said: “The Marzipan Bar Original has been a best-seller for over 130 years on domestic markets. The Marzipan Bar Nougat is the best-selling product next to the original. It is a line extension we believe will be very successful in the range, which also counts the Marzipan Bar Cognac and the Marzipan Bar Extra Dark & Cocoa Nibs.”

The Marzipan Bar Nougat consists of bittersweet almond paste wrapped around a core of creamy gianduja nougat. This is covered in a thick layer of dark premium chocolate and a swirl of milk chocolate for decoration.

The range has also been redesigned to a crisp modern look. The front of the box shows the marzipan bars as well as the ingredients in each type of bar. All boxes have pink details to streamline the Anthon Berg portfolio using the brand colour pink. In addition, the boxes now stand rather than lay on the shelf, saving shelf space in-store.

Introducing a new gourmet product 

In a third major launch, Danish brand Anthon Berg has unveiled the A XOCO gourmet range for a younger international audience. A  XOCO centres on bold and surprising flavour combinations, premium quality ingredients and has strong ties with New Nordic Gastronomy, made famous by restaurants such as Noma in Copenhagen.

The new A XOCO range of Nordic flavour gourmet chocolates

The A XOCO chocolate dragées are made from fine Amazon chocolate. Each of the 16 distinctive flavours is designed and handcrafted to be a “gastronomic masterpiece”, according to the company.

“Our chief chocolatier creates the recipes playing by the rules of classic gastronomy, balancing sweet, salty and sour, leaving it up to his audience to pick their own favourite,” it said. Flavours include chilli and orange carrot. (MJ Rabbit thoroughly recommends the orange carrot.)

A XOCO is sold in small 135g jars in a contemporary design. 

Johnnie Walker’s golden gift

Johnnie Walker, the world’s best-selling blended Scotch whisky, has launched a limited-edition bottle design exclusive to travel retail. Aimed at the festive gift market, the Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Exclusive Travellers’ Edition is inspired by the spirit of travel and celebrating shoppers’ journeys across continents. The bottle, with its striking gold-coloured coating, is embossed with an image of the world map.  

Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Exclusive Travellers' Edition

The metallic bottle serves to emphasise the super-premium liquid inside. The 40%abv product is available for a limited time from travel-retail outlets worldwide, in time for key festive occasions such as Christmas, New Year’s Day and Chinese New Year in February. It retails at $68.

Peter Fairbrother, marketing director of Diageo Global Travel and Middle East (GTME), said: “We have created this limited-edition bottle design exclusively for our travel-retail partners in the run-up to the key festive gifting moments. Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Exclusive Travellers’ Edition serves to highlight our commitment to provide differentiated premium products for the travel-retail channel and we are positive that the luxurious world map design captures the imagination of travellers seeking gifts that celebrate journeys.”

Johnnie Walker master blender Jim Beveridge, who created the product, suggests serving the spirit in a tall glass with crushed ice and a slice of orange.

The metallic bottle features a world map design

Tasting notes

On the nose Gold Label Reserve is soft and buttery, carrying aromas of fresh botanicals and smooth caramel. On the tongue, sweet honeyed and floral flavours carry a smooth and creamy character. Then the signature Johnnie Walker smokiness brings all the flavours together in a long, lingering finish.

Bacardi meets… Colin Powell

Surprising things often happen at the TFWA World Exhibition for the duty-free industry – and so it did this year for Bacardi. Executives at the Bermuda-based liquor group met the event's 2014 keynote speaker and former US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who stopped by the Bacardi stand on October 27. He met Aude Rocourt, regional director of Global Travel Retail Europe, and shared his admiration for the Bacardi brand and family despite his Jamaican heritage and natural affinity with rum brand Appleton. 

Bacardi's Aude Rocourt meets Colin Powell

Later in the week, Bacardi shared its whisky know-how with a group of journalists during a tasting of the group’s growing portfolio. See the journalists in action below, savouring brands such as Dewar’s, Aberfeldy, Glen Deveron, Craigellachie and Aultmore (all documented on the MJ Rabbit blog).

Bacardi hosts a whisky tasting at the TFWA World Exhibition

In addition, Bacardi’s travel-retail chief Mike Birch laid out his plans for whisky category growth in the channel. Here’s what he said:

“Last year, Bacardi Global Travel launched its category strategy for growth. This was underpinned by huge investment into bespoke world-class traveller research targeted at unlocking barriers to purchase. We developed a specific category vision against traveller missions to understand the biggest opportunity areas. We then aligned all of our brand/portfolio initiatives with a clear platform to grow the category and to unlock new shoppers and new occasions. Premiumisation, advocacy and enhanced visibility across our core categories are the pillars to our ambition.

Vodka - Grey Goose drives growth

“Vodka is the second-largest driver of spirits and growing vodka will deliver total spirits growth. In 2013 vodka grew three times faster than spirits and three times more than its fair share. It delivered $17m year-on-year in turnover. Super-premium vodka grew the category 30%. The main driver of this growth was Grey Goose, delivering over two-thirds of all vodka growth.

Gin -  Bombay Sapphire the number one brand

“Gin is a relatively small category with 3% value share. However, it is growing three times more than total spirits and is growing more than four times its fair share. Bombay Sapphire is the number one brand in value and volume, delivering over 42% of the category growth.

Rum - leading through premiumisation

“Rum is performing behind the domestic market, where it is the third-largest spirits category, representing 12% globally. However, rum only has 5% share of spirits in global travel retail. Additionally, 16% of sales are high-value/premium and over, compared to 70% of the total spirits market [in travel retail as a whole]. As market leader we will lead the category into growth through premiumisation and shopper education and communication.

Whisky - number three Scotch whisky player

“Bacardi is a sleeping giant in whisky with a strong ambition, supported by significant aged inventory, growth capacity and market-leading shopper research investment. Our ambition is demonstrated by our credentials:

Number three Scotch whisky player globally with our portfolio of Dewar’s/William Lawsons/Malts (Source: IWSR 2013 sales by value);

Number one Scotch brand in US domestic (Dewar’s White Label, sales by volume);

Number one Scotch whisky company in Russia domestic (sales by value) with William Lawsons and number 1 whisky in Russia domestic (sales by value) – the fastest-growing whisky brand worldwide;

Number four malt producer worldwide (on a production capacity basis).

Malt whisky consumer research

"Over the past two years we have heavily invested in shopper and consumer research to understand the growth potential of the category. We know that many shoppers are moving into the second stage of luxury, wanting lesser-known brands with strong quality cues for their whisky choices. Stage one is still important in offering the well-known brands. However, stage two is where the incremental growth can come from.

"Malts supports the emerging second stage of luxury trend, with discovery malts growing twice as fast as mainstream, and we estimate that by 2015 half of the Scotch growth will come from malts, particularly discovery malts.

"There are three drivers that these second stage luxury shoppers need:

1 – Age statements

2 – Assured quality standards (e.g. Gold award for Aberfeldy)

3 – Engaging brand stories for them to share with friends at home i.e. ‘’did you know…’’

Unlocking category growth

"The Bacardi portfolio will unlock this incremental category growth in three ways:

1 – Activating the second stage of luxury through permanent merchandising: The John Dewar & Sons Fine Whisky Emporium;

2 – We will launch innovation, bringing you additional age statements in 15yo and 30yo as well as additional craftsmanship in 12yo. We will launch the last of the great malts through five brands: Aberfeldy, Glen Deveron, Aultmore, Craigellachie and Royal Brackla;

3 – We will drive advocacy and engage shoppers with the John Dewar & Sons portfolio, through a tasting flight experience of different ages, which is guaranteed conversion of a higher age statement.”

Innovation will accelerate in 2015

Summing up the category vision, Birch concluded: "It's an immensely exciting time for Bacardi in travel retail right now. This year, we've already launched a stronger stream of innovation than ever before to further drive our performance across the category and we have further original launches to come.

“Everything we do is inspired by our insight programme and is not simply about creating ‘new news’ for the sake of it but is designed to deliver genuine change and growth for the category, actions that truly resonate with the consumer. The results seen so far from this strategic approach have been stunning and we're especially proud of how Grey Goose VX and the single malts are performing, particularly as customers and shoppers have responded so enthusiastically and are eager to see more from us.

“Innovation in its broadest sense will accelerate in 2015 with our range developments and new products, including further consolidation of our rejuvenation of the whisky category. We'll be delivering creative retail and advocacy solutions for airports and other markets, including cruise, to deliver category growth as we engage with shoppers and educate them by sharing the unique personality and engaging stories behind each of our brands, especially in complex categories such as rum and malts.

“The John Dewar & Sons Fine Whisky Emporium is a prime example of how we can bring the brands and consumer together in a new way with an experience specifically tailored to consumer needs.”

Grey Goose VX lands in the Pacific

Following its successful global launch in Paris in July, luxury spirit Grey Goose VX has been premiered in the Pacific region with a high-profile experience at Sydney airport, in partnership with Swiss duty-free operator Nuance.

The promotion features a stylish branded tasting bar set in the main duty-free store, including glorifiers and a luxury travel bag gwp, with Grey Goose brand ambassadors explaining the story behind the product. The uniformed brand ambassadors wear white gloves as they carefully extract the liquid from the decanter using the “Barrel Thief” ritual used by the cellar master when sampling spirits straight from the barrel.

Above and below: Grey Goose VX is launched at Sydney airport

“As an innovative, ultra-premium offering, Grey Goose VX has been released in strictly limited allocations to selected premium airport locations and we are delighted to premiere it in the Pacific region through this high-profile activation at Sydney airport,” said Irving Holmes Wong, regional director Asia Pacific and EMEA at Bacardi Global Travel Retail.

He continued: “Grey Goose VX intrigues and delights both vodka and Cognac lovers, creating a new drinking occasion and opening up unique new opportunities to engage the sophisticated, affluent traveller seeking the world’s finest spirits experiences. It is through such innovative and memorable brand experiences that we can strengthen the differentiation of travel retail, making the channel an essential destination for this vital and discerning passenger profile.”

A Grey Goose VX brand ambassador extracts the liquid with a pipette

Grey Goose VX is the latest ultra-premium launch from Grey Goose vodka, positioned as a sipping vodka containing drops of Cognac. The VX in the name stands for vodka exceptionelle, reflecting its origins in the Cognac region of France.

MCM dazzles in Diamondland, Beijing

German luxury brand MCM travelled to Beijing to reveal its Spring/Summer 2015 collection referencing digital art, futurism and technology, all set against a breathtaking 3D backdrop. Entitled “Game On! Diamondland!”, the spectacular event was held on October 31 at the Phoenix International Media Centre, a striking circular building designed by architect Shao Weiping. The new urban landmark opened its doors exclusively for the MCM extravaganza.

Welcome to Diamondland at the Phoenix International Media Centre, Beijing

The Spring/Summer 2015 collection saw MCM going back in time, on a journey through the Black Forest region and its German heritage. The Black Forest, a wooded mountain range in southwestern Germany, is the fantastical setting of classic Grimm brothers' fairy tales, as well as cherry cake and interesting traditional style. 

Above and below: Models on the catwalk 

The Diamondland show took inspiration from the diamond in MCM’s monogram, which symbolises value, strength, durability and beauty. The brand’s emblem is also inspired by the diamond-laden Bavarian flag, which symbolises the legacy of Munich, MCM’s hometown, and the Bavarian states. Another source is the Wittelsbach diamond, purchased by King Philip IV of Spain in 1664, which came into the Wittelsbach family when Leopold I’s granddaughter married Charles of Bavaria. Lastly, the diamond is also inspired by the diamond suit of traditional playing cards which was an essential travelling companion during the illustrious age of travel.

A model (right) showcases a metallic backpack

A model wears a striking evening gown with sneakers

Throughout the show and thanks to a beautifully staged installation, MCM revealed the evolution of its diamond motif in four chapters, each different and offering bold narratives and multi-sensory effects.

Top model Soo Joo

The star-studded front row was graced by global celebrities such as Elizabeth Jagger, top model Soo Joo, South Korean actress Claudia Kim, Chinese actress Zhou Xun, actor Dou Xiao, fashion blogger Wang Yangming, Chinese diving queen Guo Jingjing, international fashionistas Bip Ling and Hanneli Mustaparta as well as modern artist Hang Chunhui.  

After the catwalk show, guests enjoyed an after party designed to simulate entering a diamond with light refractions. A thrilling performance from British indie pop singer VV Brown ended the memorable night.

Chinese actress and singer Zhou Xun

From top left: Claudia Kim, Bip Ling, Lizzie Jagger and VV Brown

MJ Rabbit meets… David Beckham

David Beckham, Diageo’s Haig Club whisky brand partner, flew into Cannes to meet customers and media attending the TFWA World Exhibition 2014 – including MJ Rabbit. Haig Club, Diageo’s new single grain Scotch whisky, was created in partnership with the sports star and British entrepreneur Simon Fuller, who have both played a major role in creating the brand.

Speaking at an exclusive press launch for the brand in Cannes, Beckham (wearing a red Remembrance Day poppy on his Maison Martin Margiela suit) told the media guests: “Whisky has always interested me. Every Christmas and New Year my grandfather would bring out his Dimple bottle and his whisky glass. Only he would be allowed to drink it, and this memory remains very precious to me.”

David Beckham toasts the launch of Haig Club whisky

Beckham, who counts more than 50m Facebook fans and over 500,000 social media hits per day, told the gathering that when he flew to Singapore in September for the travel-retail launch of the brand with leading operator DFS at Changi airport, he was “immensely proud” to see the product in the duty-free brochure – and made sure to buy a bottle, much to the amusement of the staff who served him.

Beckham highlighted the 400-year distilling heritage of the Haig family and hoped that the relatively affordable price would attract new, non-whisky drinkers to the brand. “If you’re interested in whisky and not a whisky drinker, it’s a great place to start,” he said. This was certainly the case with his fashion designer wife Victoria, who, according to Beckham, as a non-whisky drinker enjoyed her first sips of the whisky and apparently demanded 10 bottles for her office.

In Cannes, Beckham joined Diageo executives in discussions with customers to talk about Haig Club’s potential and its premium positioning in the travel-retail channel.

Haig Club single grain Scotch whisky

Doug Bagley, managing director of Diageo Global Travel and Middle East, enthused: “It is wonderful to have our Haig Club partner David Beckham at this year’s TFWA World Exhibition. Haig Club began to roll out in travel retail earlier this month and we are delighted that David is so heavily involved in positioning the brand in the channel.

“Haig Club underlines Diageo’s commitment to innovation and to premiumisation in travel retail. Whisky is the most vibrant spirits category in the channel and we are working with our travel-retail partners to deliver ground-breaking activations that will support our vision for Haig Club as an accelerator of the whole whisky category.”

He continued: “We have big ambitions for travel retail this year - it represents one of the fastest growing and most profitable opportunities for Diageo. As the market leader in liquor, we are investing in continuous innovation, in premiumisation and in creating luxury retail experiences for travellers. Haig Club represents a dynamic and iconic partnership and we believe it will have global appeal to whisky and non-whisky drinkers alike.”

Scotland’s oldest grain whisky dynasty

Haig Club is a new product from the House of Haig, Scotland’s oldest grain whisky dynasty, at nearly 400 years old. It is crafted using a process that combines grain whisky from three cask types. This creates a fresh, clean style that showcases butterscotch and toffee for a smooth taste that the company believes will be enjoyed not only by whisky drinkers, but also by those who have always wanted to try whisky. 

Haig Club began rolling out in duty-free outlets worldwide from October with a recommended retail price of £40/$62.50 for a 70cl bottle.

Visit www.haigclub.com

MJ Rabbit says: The beauty industry has long used “spokesmodels” for new product launches, picking celebrities who align with their brand innovations. Although David Beckham is way more than a spokesmodel in this case – he is a business partner in the brand with Diageo – I loved the way in which Beckham provided a human face and an emotional element to the Haig Club launch. He referred to the lasting memory of his late grandfather, who would traditionally drink whisky every Christmas. I believe many liquor companies would do well to note what Diageo has achieved and bring much-needed (dare I say it) feminisation to a product category that can be overly traditional, staid and lacking in excitement.

Martell Cognac marks 300th anniversary

Cognac house Martell is celebrating its landmark 300th anniversary with the release of Martell Premier Voyage, presented in an artwork designed by French artist Bernar Venet. The limited-edition product, which is hitting travel-retail shelves from November 2014, has been developed in recognition of the brand’s 300th anniversary next year. 

Premier Voyage was released to global travel retailers during the Master of Wines & Spirits event in Singapore on November 8, organised by leading duty-free operator DFS. From there, it will be available at major travel retailers worldwide throughout 2015, in locations including Hong Kong, Sydney, Los Angeles, Toronto, New York, Amsterdam and Paris. Some 30 of the 300 pieces will be available in travel retail.

Martell Premier Voyage celebrates the Cognac house's 300th anniversary

“Travel retail is a channel with ever-increasing influence for Martell Cognac,” said Francois Plantecoste, community director for Global Travel Retail – Martell. “It’s an ideal showcase to convey Martell’s brand image and meaningful content. Customers will be able to experience and learn about Martell’s art of craftsmanship, art of tasting and art of gastronomy in an attractive and memorable way, hence creating a high impact and strong appeal to our Cognacs. As a result, we are extremely pleased to provide this stunning piece of art to airport retailers in some of the world’s most influential sites as we celebrate our 300th anniversary.”

Retracing Jean Martell's footsteps

In celebration of the house’s tricentenary, cellar master Benoît Fil returned to Martell’s roots to create the new blend, which contains 18 eaux-de-vie from Martell’s cellars. Using Jean Martell’s original correspondence, Fil pieced together a map of Jean Martell’s key suppliers from 1735 to 1742, and began to retrace his footsteps 300 years on. Visiting winegrowers, Fil sampled eaux-de-vie and met with the winegrowing families whose ancestors had originally supplied the brand’s founder. The blend was then aged in barrels made from the oak of a 300-year-old tree.

Fil said:“The desire was to create a blend that reflected the journey and history of Jean Martell. We had access in our archives to the exact geographical locations that he went to. Therefore, we were able to visit the descendants of these winegrowers who today create the best quality eaux-de-vie. Martell Premier Voyage takes the best things from the past of Cognac and Jean Martell’s vision, and makes them something that we can enjoy today. This new blend truly captures three centuries of Martell turning Cognac into art.”

Turning Cognac into art

French conceptual artist Bernar Venet lent his distinctive, minimalist style to create a striking artwork in which to house the Cognac. Venet’s timeless design comprises metal arcs which are divided into three clusters, evoking the 300-year anniversary, which cover a simple and elegant teardrop-shaped Sèvres crystal decanter. The juxtaposition between the flowing shape of the bottle and the powerful energy and aged appearance emanating from the steel arcs seeks to demonstrate the union between tradition and modern visionary spirit. The blend can only be drawn from the sculpture with a pipette similar to that used by the cellar master to extract and taste eaux-de-vie from the barrels.

Explaining his inspiration for the decanter, Venet said: “I was inspired by the date 1715, as the year that Louis XIV died and this great Cognac house was born. I have in the past created a sculpture around a statue of Louis XIV, and I wanted a sense of continuity with my work. The arches in the work represent this continuity, and a sense of time. The three arc clusters represent the three centuries that we are celebrating. There are so many parallels between Versailles, the birthplace of art de vivre, and Martell and with what I do.”

Each bottle of Martell Premier Voyage will be individually signed, numbered and produced to order. A registration list is now open. Visit www.premiervoyage.martell.com.

Bacardi unveils rare single malt whisky

Bacardi has launched Aultmore, a Speyside single malt Scotch whisky, in World Duty Free Group airport stores from November, exclusively for one year. Featuring two age statements – Aultmore 12yo and a travel-retail exclusive Aultmore 21yo – this rare Speyside single malt release is described as a key player in Bacardi's single malt portfolio.

First produced in 1897, for more than a century Aultmore has been distilled in handmade copper pot stills. To ensure a pure flavour, the barley used has no hint of peat smoke, and only the finest grade casks are selected for maturation. Taking its name from the Gaelic for ‘Big Burn’, the Aultmore distillery was built outside Keith on the nine-mile road to Buckie, in a remote region of Speyside. The distillery sits beside by the village of Aultmore, with both often obscured from view, blanketed in thick fog from the mysterious Foggie Moss.

Aultmore 21yo single malt Scotch whisky

Nigel Sandals, category buying manager for liquor at World Duty Free Group, said: “Aultmore 21yo is a classic single malt whisky and will be exclusive to World Duty Free Group for one year. We have an extensive programme of support and in-store activation in place, including featuring Aultmore as Malt of the Month on our World of Whiskies website and sharing details about this exclusive whisky with our extensive database of loyal customers who are passionate about whisky.

“Aultmore is being launched initially in our Glasgow store on 8 November and will be prominently showcased in our World of Whiskies store, with extensive sampling activity at the integral Tasting Bar. It will then be rolled out across the entire business on 26 November and our aspiration is to make this as successful a launch as the Glen Deveron Collection.”

"Genuinely exciting aged malts"

Mike Birch, managing director of Bacardi Global Travel Retail, said: “We are particularly excited to offer Aultmore on a one-year exclusive partnership with World Duty Free Group, building on the tremendous success of Glen Deveron in 2013. We share a joint ambition to make genuinely exciting aged malts available to discerning collectors and enthusiasts alike and Aultmore will feature at World Duty Free Group’s European stores, including Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, where malt fans visiting Scotland will be delighted to discover this rare find in-store, close to its evocative home in Foggie Moss.”

The smooth, clean and fruity taste of Aultmore can also be traced back to the moist, misty Foggie Moss with its network of natural springs. Here, the distillery’s secluded water source slowly wends its way through boggy terrain where bracken, gorse and heather filters and purifies the water, aiding the character of the spirit.

Inspired by the natural environment, the soft black imagery used on the label evokes a sense of the location’s foggy nature and helps to create an air of mystery, adding to the mood. The use of uncoated paper seeks to give an elegant look but with a naturally tactile feel, enhanced by the contrast of the slightly faded illustrations.

The Aultmore Distilling Co logo has been branded into each of the wooden bottle closures throughout the age range, helping to emphasise the brand heritage. To accentuate pride in the secret past of the distillery, each bottle has been embossed with the statement: ‘A Nip of the Buckie Rd’.

The history of Aultmore

Founder Alexander Edward of Forres opened Aultmore in 1897, during the peak of the late-Victorian whisky boom. Already a seasoned distiller and important figure on the Scotch scene, he had inherited his first distillery, Benrinnes, from his father and subsequently became one of the co-founders of Craigellachie. Aultmore, however, was to be the first distillery he would build from scratch. In time, Alexander Edward would become famed as one of Scotland’s best-known distillers.

Built to supply whisky to the big blending houses of the day, it was Aultmore’s popularity with blenders that gave rise to the distillery’s success. The whisky soon became known as one of only five single malts considered Top Class by the Distillers Company Ltd. This further encouraged the pioneering blenders of the era to seek out the distinctly high-class malt for their creations.

As the vast majority of its single malt was earmarked for blending, bottlings of Aultmore have always been rather elusive; the whisky is often dubbed the Rarest of Speyside. Despite its rarity, for more than 100 years it was known to be a secret dram of the locals and Buckie fisherman, savoured by those who knew to ask at nearby inns for ‘a nip of the Buckie Road’.

Tasting notes

According to Bacardi, the whisky evokes “ethereal summer nights, gloaming air tinged with fruity olive oil and rosemary, then velvety sweetness with soft melon and cereal hues, a select smooth secret”.

Stars shine at Cannes

The stars were out in force at the 30^th edition of the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, held from October 27-31 2014.

The legendary funk guitarist Nile Rodgers – famous for producing/writing some of the world’s biggest hit records (think Daft Punk’s Get Lucky and Chic’s Le Freak) – performed for a packed house at the event’s 30^th anniversary gala evening, where wines from Languedoc legend-in-the-making Gérard Bertrand were enjoyed by the guests.

TFWA got lucky: Nile Rodgers performed at the 30th anniversary event

On Tuesday, a select group of journalists – including MJ Rabbit – met the equally legendary ex-footballer David Beckham, who was in town to launch his Haig Club whisky partnership with Diageo. Ever the style icon, he wore a sharp dark grey suit, teamed with a blue denim shirt and brown brogues, and toasted his Cannes appearance with a signature ginger-flavoured cocktail. I asked him where his suit came from, and his eyes lit up as he told me it was by Paris-based Maison Martin Margiela. Now there’s a man in-the-know about fashion…

MJ Rabbit meets David Beckham at Cannes

Davidoff’s award-winning Nicaragua cigar was the star of the show at the Swiss brand’s brilliantly executed Master’s Evening, hosted by CEO Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard and his partners at Belgian chocolatier Neuhaus, Paris-based gourmet brand Fauchon and Flor de Cana, which provided slow-aged rum. Neuhaus delighted the crowd with a master chocolatier on hand, dipping delectable chocolates. I also spotted travel retail’s number one gun, DFS chairman and CEO Philippe Schaus, savouring a Davidoff No 2. Smokin’ hot!

Pernod Ricard held its strictly-off-the-record media dinner, where I think I’m allowed to say that deputy chief executive Alexandre Ricard previewed the 2015 celebrations for the 300-year-old Martell Cognac. A legend indeed.

When it comes to hospitality, few do it better than the Danes. On Tuesday night, Danish chocolate brand Anthon Berg dished out generosity in spades – as well as a delicious buffet dinner. A group of famous Danish comedians performed at the event, ensuring the gathering was both unforgettable and hilarious.

Stay tuned for more TFWA brand highlights, and see you next year!