DFS Group’s third Master of Spirits and Wines event in Singapore was another triumphant tour de force for DFS and Changi Airport.

 

After months of planning kept under tight wraps, the DFS Group, in partnership with Changi Airport, finally unveiled Master of Wines and Spirits last Saturday, writes Linda Haden.

 

This brought together 49 highly revered and coveted brands under one roof, including eight new exhibitors – Moët & Chandon, Moutai, Wuliangye, Port Ellen, Château De Laubade, Château Lynch-Bages, Pont Des Arts and Château Palmer.

 

A total of 79 limited-edition ultra premium products from Australia, France, Italy, Scotland and the USA were showcased at this exclusive affair, which took place in the vast upper foyer of Singapore’s National Museum, one of the country’s last remaining neo-classical vestiges of its colonial past and a dramatic change from the modern confines of the Grand Hyatt venue in 2012.

 

This event follows that of the ground-breaking inaugural Master of Spirits held in 2011, and the Master of Spirits II the following year. As the name change enacted this year suggests, Masters of Wines and Spirits features a much broader range of wine brands – 22 in all – sourced from the most prestigious producers from both the Old and New Worlds.

 

50% RISE IN ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR…

Close to 600 VIPs from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam descended on the gala in the evening to view the exquisite cache of spirit and wine displays.

 

Some 25 distinguished brand ambassadors also attended, sharing their stories behind their brand’s pedigree, history and production methods with personally invited private collectors, aficionados and their guests. Key DFS executives, led by Chairman and CEO Philippe Schaus, brand owners as well as influential opinion leaders mingled alongside.

 

At the opening address of the event Schaus said: “Encounters with some of the world’s rarest wines and spirits, as well as the very Masters behind them have defined this event for the past two years. Now, we also hope to share with our guests a deeper appreciation of what Masters of Wines and Spirits offers: a holistic understanding of the intersection between exceptional drinks, fine cuisine and good company.”

 

Since its inception in 2011, DFS’s Master of Spirits series has quickly become the “must go to” event for brands looking to carve a place for themselves in Asia’s highly lucrative but intensely competitive travel retail arena. As a matter of fact, there was an estimated 50% spike in attendance at this year’s edition over 2012.

 

Daniel Lefrancois, the brand ambassador for Amuse Bouche, introducing The Vertical Collection, the only one in existence, composed of six Amuse Bouche vintages in Magnum formats. Each bottle in this collection is signed by winemaker Heidi Barrett.

 

 

“DFS’s Master of Spirits is now the widely accepted industry barometer to gauge demand for premier wines and spirits in the Far East. It is the epitome of luxury, and it serves as an excellent platform for us in which to reach the precise (affluent) profile we’re targeting in one easy swoop,” said master blender Richard Paterson, Dalmore.

 

Marc Gentzbourger, President of Chabot Armagnac shared a similar sentiment. “In this business, it is all about projecting the right image and DFS does a good job in presenting us in the best light to our target clientele. Master of Spirits is undoubtedly a good vehicle for us to reach out to potential Asian clients for our finest products, particularly those from the emerging markets of China and Indonesia.”

 

MARKET INFORMATION SOURCE

Others also viewed the Master of Spirits as a key channel for gathering first-hand market research. Pernod Ricard Asia’s travel-retail Marketing Director John O’ Sullivan explained: “Master of Spirits is an invaluable source of market information. For instance, we gleamed from the last Master of Spirits that wealthy Asian consumer purchase decisions are no longer driven by prestige.

 

 

“Instead, they are now more interested in finding out all about a product’s origins and its back story. Asia evolves quickly and consumers are now reluctant to spend money unless they know precisely what it is they are buying.”

 

DFS Group’s President for Global Merchandising Harold Brooks believes that that it is the company’s ability to leverage upon its canny insight into the wine and spirit category that belies the past and current successes of the Master of Spirits.

 

“This event without a doubt epitomises our unique ability to do one thing: curate simply the very best. I have never seen the types of products here in one place at one time – truly rare, truly exceptional and truly extraordinary……It speaks volumes of who we are and the brands we represent.”

 

This year’s collection of rare wines, Champagne and spirits included a bespoke selection of 40 vintages of Château Mouton Rothschild and the Dalmore Constellation Collection 1951, which was also created exclusively for Masters of Spirits.

 

Other highlights include Camus Cuveés Masterpiece Organoleptic Piano; Louis XIII Rare Cask 42.6; 1949 Fine & Rare – The Macallan Masters of Photography: Annie LeiboVitz Edition in Linley Cabinet; Dom Pérignon Balloon Venus by Jeff Koons; and the 1983 Port Ellen by Duncan Taylor Scotch Whiskey Zodiac Collection.

 

The Dalmore Constellation Collection 1951 Vintage – now said to be the most expensive single malt whisky in the world.

 

 

Prices ranged from S$1,500 ($1,204) for the Perrier-Jouët  – The Art of Vintage 1982, 1985 and 1996, to a staggering S$350,000 ($281,000) for the Dalmore Constellation Collection 1951, making it the most expensive bottle of whisky in the world.

 

CHANGE IN FORMAT

Another noticeable change to this year’s Masters of Spirits and Wines programme was the addition of a media dinner hosted by senior DFS management and various brand representatives.

 

Held at the Salt Grill & Sky Bar owned by Australian celebrity chef, Luke Mangan on the day prior to the main event, it gave the DFS Group ample opportunity to drum up additional interest – especially among the 30-strong Chinese press contingent. Based on the theme “good drink, good food and good company”, the dinner was the DFS Group’s very first slick PR push for the Master of Spirits series.

 

Perched high above the city on the 56th floor at Ion Orchard, journalists were treated to panoramic views of Singapore’s skyline and its harbour, as they dined on a four-course menu with wine and spirit pairings developed by Chef Mangan.

 

Camus Cuvées Masterpiece Organoleptic Piano, which houses five signature Cuvées in crystal decanters tucked within five separate compartments with tactile openings].

 

First on the drinks list was the Dom Pérignon 2004, which was followed by the Château Cos D’Estournel 2000 and Penfolds Grange Vintage 2007. The evening ended on a high note with Richard Hennessy and Royal Salute The Kensington Blend Essence – 49 Year Old.

 

During the dinner, Brooks held an open dialogue with Chef Mangan, Ch’g Ph Tiong, one of Singapore’s foremost wine critics and publisher of the Wine Review, and Aki Eguchi, Diageo World Class Bartender 2012, who exchanged personal stories and anecdotes about the shared social experiences that emerge when pairing food with drink.

 

On top of the dinner, members of the media were also given the opportunity to tour the displays at the National Museum before the evening’s proceedings. The swarm of 70 journalists were divided into smaller groups led by DFS executives who took them to view nine exhibits manned by brand ambassadors, who gave vivid commentaries about the masterpieces on show.

 

NO VIP MASTERCLASSES THIS YEAR

Master classes for VIPs were not woven into this year’s schedule as DFS apparently found that neither guests nor brands gained any significant value from participating in last year’s programme, according to a source that did not want to be named.

 

“Asians generally shy away from voicing their opinion or asking questions in large crowd settings. This rang particularly true when we ran our master classes last year. (Master class) Conversations became rather one-sided, and participating brands were unsure if they actually managed to get their message through.

 

Highland Park Orcadian Vintage Series and 50-year old in a handcrafted cabinet by master furniture maker John Glavin.

 

“Arguably, it is far better and much more effective to let clients have a one-on-one dialogue with brand ambassadors. It becomes much more of a personalised and tailored experience,” he said.

 

Brooke Superrnaw, Vice President, Wine and Spirits, DFS Group underlined that despite the inherent changes made to the overall agenda, the event still has one ultimate aim: to surprise, delight and wow invited VIP guests. “We collaborate closely with our brand partners to bring their vision to life; inspiring them, while leveraging on our intimate knowledge of both our (brand) partners and clients to pair them perfectly,” she said.

 

On a challenging note, a handful of brand ambassadors who have participated in previous Master of Spirits expressed that it is getting harder to develop or select products that convey the underlying premise described by Supernaw. “It is getting to be quite a challenge to come up with something new each year now,” quipped Paterson.

 

Some suppliers on the other hand, were already poised to produce their next masterpiece for the 2014 edition. “Master of Spirits is one of the few opportunities we have to create unique pieces, and for us to express our innovative spirit. It is an exciting test that we relish,” stated Cyril Camus, president, Camus Cognac.

 

Left to right: The DFS Group senior management team: Michael Schriver, Harold Brooks, Sibylle Scherer and Philippe Schaus (Photo credit: Roxanne Lowit).

 

CHANGI AIRPORT SALES AND DISPLAY

From November 17, 2013 to the end of February 2014, the Masters of Wines And Spirits collection will be displayed and become available for sale within DFS concessions at Singapore Changi Airport Terminals 1, 2 and 3 as part of the Masters of Wines and Spirits Traveller showcase.

 

In a press statement, Ivy Wong, Senior Vice President, Airside Concessions, Changi Airport Group, said: “At Changi Airport, we work closely with concession partners on innovative ways to inject even more excitement and vibrancy into our transit malls, including exclusive products and novel on-ground activities.

 

“Since it was launched in 2010, DFS’ Masters of Spirits has been a key flagship event for Changi’s liquor and tobacco business every year. We are honoured to partner DFS for the third time on this prestigious event, which has strengthened our position as an airport that offers a world class travel retail experience.”

 

DFS Group Chairman and CEO Philippe Schaus addresses the media gathering (Photo credit: Roxanne Lowit).

 

Planning for the fourth edition of the Master of Spirits is already underway, although DFS insiders were reluctant to reveal further details. However, Brooks disclosed to TRBusiness that two brand new offshoots of the Master series are in the pipeline.

 

“Masters of Fragrance will take place sometime in 2014 and there’s also going to be Masters of Fashion, both of which will be equally as thrilling as Master of Wines and Spirits,” he stated. He declined to name precise dates and locations for both events.