International Beverage Group (IBG) has unveiled a new travel collection of age-statement single malt scotch whiskies from its Balblair Highland distillery.

The new expressions have been available in GTR since 1 April and feature a new look designed to capture the attention of passengers.

According to IBG, the collection complements a new range being simultaneously launched to the UK domestic market. This replaces all existing Balblair expressions.

FOUR HAND-SELECTED WHISKIES

The new travel collection features four hand-selected whiskies (12-Year-Old, 15-Year-Old, 17-Year-Old and 25-Year-Old). The 17-Year-Old is exclusive to GTR. Three of the four expressions (12-Year-Old, 15 Year-Old and 17-Year-Old) have been launched with Dufry Group through its UK airports.

For Balblair, the collection signals a new era in that it is a move away from the distillery’s current ‘vintage-only’ approach.

John MacDonald, Distillery Manager, Balblair said: “As one of the oldest working distilleries in the Scottish Highlands, Balblair has a long and rich history of crafting premium single malt Scotch whisky. These new expressions are true to the unique characteristics that have made Balblair such a popular brand among whisky aficionados.

“We are proud of our heritage and we will continue to honour our centuries-old traditions, but we also look forward in our quiet pursuit of perfection.”

James Bateman, International Beverage Sales Director for Global Travel Retail added:  “These new Balblair expressions are another example of our commitment to building distinctive and desirable premium brands in travel retail.

“This range sets a new standard to personify the distinctive house style and unmistakable quality and provenance of Balblair. Each expression has its own unique characteristics. All of them exude Balblair’s true highland spirit.”

In terms of packaging, this reflects the location of the distillery and takes inspiration from the surrounding landscape. A larger logo area and new label font has also been incorporated into the design to create greater on-shelf brand visibility.