It’s been a Scotch-rich year. Some commentators have even ventured to suggest there are too many producers releasing too many super-premium specials, but everyone wants a slice of the premium pie and it’s growing every year, led by the Asian and other developing markets. In a year in which the clear leader in the Scotch malt whisky sector embarked on a complete overhaul and…

The world’s favourite single malt Scotch flexed its muscles in the spring of 2007, with owner William Grant launching a wholesale repackaging of the range and a new brand identity, supported by an unprecedented investment of £23 million in a communications platform around the world. The Every Year Counts campaign is designed to bring in new customers and to encourage existing Glenfiddich drinkers to…

Pernod Ricard’s Scotch and premium gin arm, Chivas Brothers, announced in May a E40m global campaign, taking in the whole Ballantine’s range for the first time in many years. The intention is to put clear water between Ballantine’s and its near rival from the Diageo camp, J&B Rare, which sits just above Ballantine’s as the world’s second biggest selling Scotch whisky brand. The campaign,…

First out of the blocks in January, Chivas Brothers announced the revitalisation of its premium gin brand Beefeater, acquired in a lacklustre state in the Allied Domecq break-up in 2005. The Forever London campaign focused on Beefeater’s status as the last remaining major gin brand distilled in the UK capital, using stylised ad executions featuring iconic London features such as red buses, black taxi cabs…

September 28 was the date for the grand unveiling of Pernod Ricard’s latest deluxe blended Scotch, Chivas Regal 25 Year Old. The ceremony was held at the New York Public Library with 400 VIP guests from more than 30 countries, including movie stars Julianne Moore , Lucy Liu and Daniel Wu . The first in a series of international launches, New York was chosen as…

For the past two years Champagne Krug has been quietly revamping its range in sumptuous style and filling gaps in its portfolio while maintaining the impeccable standards of the liquid inside the bottles. Indeed, the year kicked off with the release of the new Krug Rosé half-bottle, which has proved popular with both on- and off-trade alike in all Krug’s key markets. Later came releases…

The Vinexpo exhibition in Bordeaux in June was the occasion for the launch of Rémy Martin’s Coeur de Cognac. Not perhaps one for Cognac purists, it was developed in a project starting in 2005 to address static Cognac sales in the traditional European markets. While Rémy had Club for the Asian markets and 1738 for the US, there was no blend specifically tailored to European…