Whyte & Mackay is shining the spotlight on the single malt category during this week’s TFWA Asia Pacific Hainan Special Edition online event.

Asia has always been a key market for whisky brands and during the pandemic the single malt category has remained resilient in the face of mounting challenges, according to Whyte & Mackay.

During the pandemic malt outperformed the cognac and blended scotch categories in the region’s duty free market. Malt sales declined -52% compared to a -58% drop for cognac and -78% drop for blended scotch.

At this week’s TFWA Hainan Special Edition, Whyte & Mackay is showcasing the latest innovations from its brand portfolio, which the company says will play a major role in the recovery of travel retail in Asia and beyond.

Latest innovations include the new The Ensemble Collection which has launched in the region. The range features a three, four and five-cask finish and is supported by an omnichannel campaign, which uses bespoke pieces of music to boost penetration and drive in-store footfall.

RESILIENT SINGLE MALT SECTOR

Clarisse Daniels, Head of Marketing for Travel Retail at Whyte & Mackay said: “The single malt sector has been incredibly resilient throughout the past year. We have seen incredible pent-up demand and spend at duty free zones across Asia and Prestige brands such as The Dalmore have been driving that demand.

“The Dalmore is now the third biggest malt brand in value in Asia duty free and we expect this growth trend to continue and grow as more of the market reopens.

“The challenge is to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for our rare collections, so we are pleased to reveal that the travel retail exclusive The Dalmore Ensemble collection is launching in the region after enthusiastic reactions from our key partners.”

She added: “Duty free shoppers in Hainan will be able to discover the new exclusive range through our omnichannel campaign. This aims to drive awareness of our presence on the island in order to entice consumers to visit the duty free shop. Once in store, shoppers will be invited to discover both incredible brand stories and thrilling digital engagement.

“The multi-sensory experience will trigger an emotional reaction as they enjoy the product and create a lasting memory. They will be able to repeat the experience post purchase with the animations being available online.”

Micheline Wong, Area Director, Asia Travel Retail, Whyte & Mackay added: “The TFWA Asia Pacific Hainan Special Edition takes us all to the beating heart of the travel retail market.

“Thanks to Hainan, Asia has been a vital bright spot for us all in the last year and the region will continue to be one of our industry’s highlights for years to come. This is a key market for the malt sector and one where Whyte & Mackay is enjoying excellent results despite the current challenges.

“We are excited to showcase all the innovations and new products we have for this flourishing market.”