Pernod Ricard puts it down to experience

Ballantine’s has launched the first limited-edition 30 Year Old Cask Edition exclusively in Korean travel retail with a VIP experience and personalised gifts.

Ballantine’s 30 Year Old Cask Edition is a rare whisky, bottled at cask strength, with intensified flavours of poached pear, honey and vanilla. 

Each bottle has a unique batch and bottle number and is encased in a luxurious package design of rich dark wood, embossed details and opulent copper accents. This makes it a rare collector’s item or a gift to show gratitude for loved ones during Chuseok, the major Korean holiday and time of cultural significance for honouring your ancestors.

Ballantine's 30 Year Old Cask Edition whisky

Interactive display

Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail is marking the launch by creating a unique experience for travellers in Lotte and Shilla Duty Free at Seoul Incheon International Airport from August until the end of October 2017. An interactive display featuring copper bells for nosing will provide visitors with the opportunity to discover the aromas. To further experience the key flavour notes, travellers can participate in a full VIP tasting when pre-registering via b30caskedition.com. Each customer can create a personalised luggage tag, card holder or phone case when purchasing a bottle.

In separate news, Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail celebrated the award-winning Jameson Deconstructed Series with a Travel Trail activity targeting travellers through Sydney International Airport in July.

Before starting their journey, travellers were engaged through a digital campaign combining both social and programmatic media. Programmatic media was coordinated through Qantas’ in-house data agency to target passengers booking departing flights from Sydney International Airport in July. A fun online questionnaire via jamesonwhiskey.com and promoted through social media also gave travellers the opportunity to discover which Jameson Deconstructed Series expression – Jameson Bold, Jameson Lively or Jameson Round – was likely to suit their taste so they could look out for it at the airport.

At the airport, geo-targeted advertisements on social media and media sites in the terminals directed travellers to the Jameson Tasting Bar in Gebr Heinemann’s Departures store to take part in the Deconstructed Sensory Taste Experience. Passengers could then sample Jameson Bold, Lively and Round to create a memorable sensory experience, thanks to an audio-visual element.

After selecting their preferred whiskey, travellers were sent a creative cocktail recipe to make and enjoy on their trip or when they arrived home. Those travelling back through Sydney International Airport also received an exclusive voucher to redeem on any Jameson product in Heinemann’s Arrivals store.

Jameson's interactive display at Sydney Airport

Virtual reality experience

In other brand news, Pernod Ricard is bringing the St Hugo wine brand’s new home in South Australia’s Barossa Valley to Sydney Airport with an immersive “cellar door” experience featuring the St Hugo Private Collection until September 2017.

St Hugo’s new home in the Barossa Valley is a restored building where visitors can indulge in the collection of St Hugo Australian red wines in a luxurious lounge, private underground tasting rooms or as part of a fine dining experience in the restaurant.

Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail is offering an immersive St Hugo “cellar door” experience in Sydney Airport’s Heinemann Departures Tax & Duty Free store that provides travellers with the opportunity to taste and purchase exclusive St Hugo Private Collection wines, including Seppetsfield Shiraz and Rowland Flat Shiraz, which were previously only available at the cellar door in the Barossa. Travellers are guided through tastings by a St Hugo wine ambassador, while immersing themselves in a virtual reality experience that transports them to the home of St Hugo and educates on the winemakers’ longstanding techniques in creating red wines.

St Hugo's wine installation at Sydney Airport

'Using wine instead of words'

St Hugo Chief Winemaker Daniel Swincer said: “We wanted travellers to feel welcome and to try some of our exclusive St Hugo wines whilst on the way to their next destination. Our Private Collection wines give us the opportunity to present travellers with a wine they likely haven’t seen before and to tell the story of some of the sub-regions of Barossa behind the St Hugo blends using wine instead of words.”

Additionally, Pernod Ricard has partnered with Qantas to feature the St Hugo Private Collection on the winter menu in the Qantas First Class lounges in Sydney and Melbourne Airports until the end of August 2017. 

Trending now… Diageo launches new CÎROC flavour

Diageo is celebrating the latest luxury addition to the collection of CÎROC vodka flavours: CÎROC French Vanilla. The new variant pairs the rich and creamy taste of French vanilla with the smooth texture of CÎROC.

CIROC French Vanilla vodka

Vibrantly tangy ingredients

CÎROC Global Brand Director Natalie Wills said: “We’re always seeking to bring new, fun and luxurious celebratory experiences to our consumers. CÎROC French Vanilla is going to do just that – its intensely indulgent and versatile flavour profile lends itself incredibly well to the hottest trending cocktails, perfect for celebrating.”

The all-year celebration flavour is being launched with a hero CÎROC-Star Martini serve. 

Wills continued: “A combination of smooth vanilla vodka mixed with an array of vibrantly tangy ingredients, topped off with a dash of Champagne, makes the CÎROC-Star Martini the ultimate celebration cocktail. CÎROC French Vanilla offers an intensely luxurious route to creating the ultimate CÎROC-Star Martini, which is why it is our new hero serve for French Vanilla.”

CÎROC French Vanilla and the CÎROC-Star Martini will be rolled out in the on- and off-trade across global markets and will be available in travel retail from October 2017 in one-litre bottles with 37.5%abv.

The launch of French Vanilla is the latest news from the CÎROC #ONARRIVAL campaign, putting CÎROC at the heart of celebratory arrival moments within fashion and popular culture.

The brand recently strengthened its position in the super-deluxe vodka category, with a 5 percentage points share gain globally (Source: IWSR 2016).

Wills concluded: “CÎROC French Vanilla taps into the developing consumer interest in luxury and meets the growing consumer demand for ultra-premium flavoured vodka, while capitalising on the growing popularity and dynamism of CÎROC.” 

Bacardi brings Latin vibe to San Juan Airport

A four-month activation from Bacardi rum is running with travel retailer Dufry at Puerto Rico’s San Juan Airport, where Bacardi is mainly produced. Featuring the full range of quality aged rums, all aged using lightly charred American white oak barrels in Puerto Rico, it celebrates the brand’s heritage in classic rum cocktails.

Running from June until the end of September, shoppers are invited to discover classic rum cocktails at the pop-up cocktail bar, prominently positioned in-store. The bar celebrates Bacardi in its main country of production, and is designed as a great reminder of the classic cocktails they will have come across during their stay on the island.

Passengers at San Juan Airport enjoying classic Bacardi cocktails

Upbeat music playlist

Travellers are encouraged to get involved by mixing their own classic rum cocktails in a fun bar. An upbeat music playlist adds to the mood as brand ambassadors guide them across the range of rums, showing how easy it is to conjure up an authentic taste of holiday once they are back home. 

Throughout the campaign shoppers can enjoy classic cocktails, including Carta Blanca in a mojito or a Rum Collins, the Carta Ora Cuba Libre or to savour a Ocho Anos Old Fashioned. 

The campaign will roll out to other locations globally this summer as part of a category-driving initiative to excite shoppers with rum, grow understanding of its versatility in cocktail-making, and also to create easy learning about its heritage and craft. 

A social, fun spirit

With its credentials as the world’s most awarded rum brand, Bacardi is keen to drive a significant commercial opportunity for the rum category in travel retail. Geoff Biggs, Regional Director Americas, Bacardi Global Travel Retail, explained: “Rum has all the age and craft credentials of whisky, plus the massive driver of its appeal as a social, fun spirit at the heart of many of the world’s most popular cocktails. 

"The extent of the Bacardi portfolio means we are the only rum brand with the credentials to cater across all shopper need states and to accelerate the overall category growth opportunity. Our Carta brands are highly accessible both in terms of taste profile and price point, with plenty of opportunity for rum lovers to progress through the range. For more experienced aficionados, our super-premium rums, including Bacardi Ocho Anos and Bacardi Reserva Limitada, offer sublime sipping-rum occasions.”

Largest premium rum distillery in the world

Gustavo Barba, Commercial Director of Dufry, added: “Shoppers are loving the chance to enjoy one last classic rum cocktail before they leave the island, the obvious local link with Bacardi and its role as a key ingredient in classic holiday drinks. The new bottle tags are also helping people choose the right rum for their kind of cocktail, as we’re seeing with the quantity of bottle being sold.”

The Bacardi distillery in Puerto Rico is the largest premium rum distillery in the world. Since 2004, Bacardi has operated the state-of-the-art Casa Bacardi Visitor Center. It is the second most visited tourism venue in metro San Juan, drawing more than 200,000 visitors a year to learn about the rich history of the Bacardi family and brand, as well as its unique production.

The ultimate in made-to-move style

German luxury brand MCM has introduced its Autumn/Winter 2017 collection – a series of modern classics designed for global nomads on the move.

Taking inspiration from the more subtle and refined colours of autumn, the new collection features a range of muted tones and discreet camouflage patterns. Understated monograms abound, while even the flashier elements of the new line have a more restrained elegance.

MCM's new Dieter nylon backpack

Introducing hard-wearing, soft nylon

Key to the new collection is the introduction of a hard-wearing yet soft and supple form of nylon. The new Dieter nylon range includes a series of clever new MCM classics made to move. Lightweight, waterproof and luxurious, it comes a series of monogrammed and camouflage options.

All new for Autumn/Winter 17, the Essential Boston takes inspiration from the bold, utilitarian travel bag silhouette, combining a weekender style shape with a handbag. Based on MCM’s heritage Princess Kyoto style, it joins a range available in muted new autumn colours and the company’s iconic Cognac Visetos pattern. The Boston comes in a full range of soft leathers, Visetos monogrammed finishes and new colours: delicate new coral blush, refined rustic brown and elegant loden green.

MCM’s best-selling Patricia and Milla bags get a subtle makeover in the form of soft new burgundy and green colourways, accented by discreet gold studs and other highlights. Revived from the MCM Green Book archives, the Patricia takes inspiration from the company’s glamorous Patty bag.

Additions for Autumn/Winter 17 include a new embellished Visetos option and a feminine studded outline, making it a little dressier and edgier. The Milla Studded Outline shares this stylish addition, and is available in classic rustic brown or black, while the Patricia Embellished Visetos adds a splash of colour and vibrancy to a modern style icon.

MCM's cute rabbit charm

Travel heritage shines through

Meanwhile, an unexpected combination of spangles, thread and crystal chain endows the Milla Tweed with a subtle pink blush for the season.

Born amid the glamorous heyday of Munich’s jetset in 1976, MCM’s travel heritage shines through for Autumn/Winter 17 with a series of updates and edits to its tried-and-tested travel pieces. Fresh for Autumn/Winter 17, the Dieter travel range brings a bold new finish in luxurious, hard-wearing yet soft nylon. Lightweight, waterproof and made to move, the range features a series of monogrammed and camouflage options across a clever and utilitarian, fashionably shaped collection.

Boasting a fun, playful range of options, MCM’s new charms and straps allow for endless customisation. Made from luxuriously cozy, soft-to-the-touch materials with voluminous details, MCM’s cute charms enrich the season’s collection with a playful choice of 2D and 3D animals and accessories.

Whether finished in subtle camo or glittering crystal, MCM’s smart straps add a touch of flair and functionality to any piece. The straps can be mixed and matched for the ultimate in made-to-move style. 

Grey Goose lands at Melbourne Airport in bar debut

Dufry Group at Melbourne International Airport partnered with Grey Goose vodka in July to launch the departure store’s first drinks brand takeover of its new bar concept.

Brand owner Bacardi chose Dufry’s new-generation store in the revamped Terminal 2 as a key international location for the brand, which is the number one super-premium vodka and category leader in global travel retail (source: IWSR 2017).

The Grey Goose digital campaign at Melbourne Airport

Ultra-stylish setting for cocktail lovers

Set against a huge digital screen backdrop showing the brand’s new above-the-line campaign, the cocktail experience was more akin to bars in Melbourne’s Central Business District than to an airport store, Bacardi said. 

A copper plate-fronted geometric bar design created an ultra-stylish setting for cocktail lovers to enjoy a Grey Goose Le Grand Fizz or Espresso Martini, one of Australia’s most popular cocktails in 2017.

Grey Goose also dominated the ceiling-height LED screens around the spirits department.

In front of the bar, additional eye-catching props told the story of Grey Goose and its authentic French heritage with a classic pannier style bicycle and the chance to enjoy a game of La Petite Pétanque. Point of sale merchandise included top-tip cards offering an insider’s guide to Melbourne’s cocktail scene.

Compelling brand immersion

Vinay Golikeri, Regional Director, Asia Pacific & Middle East Africa, Bacardi Global Travel Retail, said: “The new-generation store of Dufry in Melbourne is spectacular and the technology is state-of-the-art. We’re excited that Grey Goose is the first drinks brand to leverage the incredible brand visibility of the space and create a super-premium bar environment, maximizing consumer engagement with the luxury positioning of Grey Goose.” 

He continued: “Working closely with our Australia domestic market colleagues, this Grey Goose campaign is a great example of engaging consumers with a compelling brand immersion that seamlessly connects them on their travels with the best experiences of Australia’s cultural capital.”

Ken Tse, General Manager Australia, Dufry Group, added: “Creating a luxurious sense of place is an important element of our new Melbourne store, and we especially wanted the bar to be an iconic and memorable final outpost for the city.  Having a category-leading, ambitious global brand like Grey Goose as our launch partner is a fantastic and elegant pairing and one that our customers are responding to enthusiastically.” 

Davidoff launches rare Macallan 1991 as Asia exclusive

Swiss cigar specialist Davidoff has unveiled details of a rare 25yo Macallan Scotch whisky, exclusively crafted for and sold at Davidoff of Geneva stores in Asia.

The Macallan 1991 whisky was specially selected for Davidoff of Geneva (Asia). This single cask, cask strength (53.5%abv) expression was aged for 25 years in a sherry butt cask and bottled in 2016 by Signatory Vintage, an independent bottler in Scotland.

Davidoff exclusive: The Macallan 25yo Scotch whisky (Photo credit: Oettinger Davidoff AG)

Purveyor of fine experiences

With only 494 units available, each 700ml bottle is presented in a decanter and veneer box.

This expression of sherry-seasoned Macallan is a classic example of the distillers' signature work. Only a thin cut of their stills was used to fill the sherry-seasoned casks, and only a very small percentage of their casks were allowed to be matured into single-cask-bottling quality.

This rare Macallan cask reinforces Davidoff of Geneva’s position as a purveyor of fine experiences and cigar pairings, Davidoff said.

The whisky’s first nose has spices (star anise, cardamom) and subtle sulphur notes; aeration brings briny and salted caramel aromas. The style is bright, modern and elegant, and the slight brininess is reminiscent of a fino sherry. There is also a floral touch of white flowers and green apple, which opens up to custardy/confectionery notes, marmalade and candied orange peel. Rancio, green walnuts, leather and toasted notes complement the finish.

On the palate, the whisky is sharp, with the alcohol present but not overwhelming. The finish is nutty and pretty bright.