William Grant & Sons (WG&S) is introducing its global travel retail exclusive Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection in China, supported by a dynamic pop-up at Hainan Meilan International Airport in partnership with China Duty Free Group (CDFG).

The immersive in-person experience is live in Terminal 2 departures from 8 February to 31 March 2023.

Billed as the brand’s biggest launch in travel retail in the past decade, the Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection features four single malt whiskies, each matured within vats that have never been emptied, adding continuous layers of flavour.

READ MORE: William Grant & Sons marks “dawn of a new era in GTR” for Glenfiddich

The collection began rolling out in the travel retail in August 2022 and its introduction into China marks yet another major milestone in its trajectory.

To celebrate, William Grant hosted two special launch events in Beijing on 2 March.

The first was a reveal for members of the press and KOLs. This was followed by an evening event attended by the CDFG leadership team, selected VIP customers, and the Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador, Chinese actor Li Guang Jie.

“As the borders open and traveller numbers recover, we see so much potential for the Perpetual Collection in China, with Hainan representing an important destination for affluent Chinese shoppers, with duty-free sales set to triple to US$46.5 billion by 2025,” said David Wilson, Managing Director Global Travel Retail for William Grant & Sons.

“Single malt Scotch whisky is the most popular western spirits category in China, and is really driving the current whisky boom.

“Around 85% of whisky sales by value are accounted for by Scotch, and of that, 60% is made up of single malts. As the leading brand – and the world’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky – we are hugely excited by this opportunity.”

As at other locations, the Hainan Meilan Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection pop-up features motion sensors that capture the movements of travellers who enter the space, and project them in waves of colour onto a digital screen.

READ MORE: Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection pop-up captivates at Taiwan Taoyuan Airport

In turn, this creates an original piece of evolving generative art that references the Solera Vat process by which the whisky is made.

Brand ambassadors are on hand to invite visitors to the pop-up  to sample the four different expressions.

To encourage and enhance gifting, consumers can scan a QR code to customise their chosen bottle with a written or recorded message.

“We are thrilled to support and showcase The Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection at Hainan, as it launches into China travel retail,” said CDFG Vice President Luke Chang.

“We know that there is already a huge demand for single malts – and this premium, exclusive collection is sure to further drive sales and trade-up.

“We are pleased and proud to partner with William Grant, and invest in this innovative activation.

“We are committed to creating unique shopping opportunities for our sophisticated passengers, who have come to expect prestige brands, first-class service, and exceptional experiences every time they travel.”

Hainan’s popularity as a top tourism destination among Chinese travellers show no sign of waning.

The island province welcomed 40 millon Chinese travellers in 2021. Hainan’s per capita consumer spending currently stands at RMB16,046 (approximately US$2,318), according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, underlining the island’s importance as a key retail location.

Chinese shoppers are permitted to shop online for duty free products six months after visiting Hainan. Furthermore, they enjoy a generous RMB 100,000 (approximately US$14,444) duty free allowance.