Diageo Global Travel and Middle East (GTME) has opened the first ‘The Singleton Sensorium’ in travel retail at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport and describes it as a ‘luxurious retail space’.

 

Diageo told TRBusiness that it is serious about its single malts in travel retail and recently talked through the strategy behind its ‘flagship’ brand, Singleton with Charlotte Turner.

 

The GTME division released three variants from ‘The Singleton of Glendullan’ as travel retail exclusives in October last year including the Classic, the Double Matured and Master’s Art.

 

 

The Singleton of Glen Ord, a richer expression of The Singleton style and The Singleton of Duffton, ‘regarded as the most well-balanced expression of The Singleton style’, are also available in travel retail and domestically.

 

While Diageo is happy with the portfolio it has and stresses that it doesn’t want to make any changes to it, it is making a big step change with regards to Singleton, which it aims to position as its flagship malt.

 

“We’re going to create a brand which has a breadth of expressions that can go from an entry level 12 year-old (about $50) to the Master’s Art ($160) which is a much more exclusive expression,” Arnout Boele Customer Marketing Director, GTME Americas, told TRBusiness.

 

“So Singleton is really built to recruit new customers into the single malts category; this is an accessible malt at a great price point.”

 

At Taoyuan Airport, tasting bays have been installed at which dedicated brand ambassadors will lead nosings and tastings of The Singleton whiskies.

 

In addition, The Singleton Sensorium features branded wall and window displays, and an engagement gondola in a premium location in one of the world’s busiest airports.

 

As mentioned, three of The Singleton variants are travel retail exclusives, and will feature prominently in The Singleton Sensorium. They are The Singleton Of Glendullan Classic, The Singleton Of Glendullan Double Matured, and The Singleton Of Glendullan Master’s Art.

 

In addition to these three exclusives, The Singleton Of Glen Ord, a richer expression of The Singleton and The Singleton Of Dufftown, regarded as the most well-balanced expression of The Singleton style, are also available in travel retail and domestically and will be available to purchase in The Singleton Sensorium.

 

Peter Fairbrother (left), Global Marketing Director of Diageo Global Travel and Middle East (GTME), said: “The Singleton is the very best choice for people who are new to Malt Whisky. The Singleton Sensorium in Taoyuan offers consumers an amazing shopping experience that will introduce them to some of the easiest to savour and best tasting malt whiskies in the world. We’ll have fantastic brand ambassadors on-hand to tell The Singleton story and to lead customers on a sensory journey from nose to palate and beyond.

 

“The Singleton Sensorium is the next step in Diageo’s journey to build The Singleton as a powerful brand in Scotch whisky and we are thrilled to be working with Taoyuan International Airport and Tasa Meng to offer consumers this unique shopping experience.”

 

Nancy Ku, President of Tasa Meng Duty Free said: “It’s a real coup to host the world’s first The Singleton Sensorium in our retail space in Taoyuan International Airport. It offers Travel Retail shoppers an experience unlike any other and is the perfect environment for them to find out more about this family of beautifully-balanced Scotch whiskies.”