Transform Super Premium
& Accelerate Highland Park
“The past year has been a transformational one for our Super Premium business, which is tasked with shaping the brands that will drive Edrington’s next generation of growth.”
Our leading single malt, Highland Park, has continued to build on the momentum created through its Viking Soul consumer marketing and award-winning packaging, and the brand is now significantly outperforming the malt whisky category.
The Glenrothes single malt brand returned to the Edrington portfolio last year, reuniting the brand with its distillery and cooperage. After an extensive review of the brand’s portfolio, stock and market potential, the brand has been transformed and is ready for growth in international markets as a super premium malt for whisky experts.
Edrington increased its strategic stake in ultra-premium tequila Partida to 25%. Partida is distributed in the USA by Edrington Americas, and the brand has shown encouraging growth in its first year.
Snow Leopard Rare vodka is making its mark in key cities in the USA, home to the world’s largest super-premium vodka market. The brand’s founder, Stephen Sparrow has relocated to the USA to lead the brand’s key city strategy.
Edrington’s super premium innovation unit is based in the USA, home to the world’s largest premium spirits market. This team is developing processes that allow brands to move through stages from new innovation and testing through incubation in select urban neighbourhoods and ultimately to acceleration as part of the worldwide network.
“Edrington is now building a portfolio of super- and ultra-premium brands and is ready to transform those brands, meeting consumer needs and recruiting new consumers, to drive the next phase of growth”
Accelerate Highland Park
Highland Park is The Orkney single malt with Viking Soul. Over the last 12 months the brand has been brought to life through its new expressions, award-winning new packaging and increased investment in consumer activations and brand-building.
Highland Park has generated strong recruitment among consumers in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas, delivering exceptional growth of over 30% in volume. The brand’s rapidly growing Inner Circle online community offers its members exclusive access to events, brand information and limited edition prestige expressions. This growth has led to customer service and enquiry handling being based in Orkney in future.
In the coming year, Highland Park will focus on building value growth by refreshing its prestige portfolio, including new 25, 30, 40 and Highland Park 50 year old, the distillery’s oldest release for nearly a decade.
After the success of the Viking Warriors series in Global Travel Retail, plans are in place for a new range which will launch in June/July 2018. This range will mirror the key elements of the new domestic packaging, but will be unique to airports, ferries and cruise lines.
The Glenrothes
A year after the brand was acquired, The Glenrothes has been transformed and now has access to Edrington’s international distribution and brand building model. The brand is being promoted through digital channels, enabling it to reach whisky enthusiasts around the world and attract them, virtually and literally, to new experiences at the brand’s handsome Georgian home, Rothes House and its traditional Speyside distillery.
In the coming year, The Glenrothes will offer a complete new range of primarily sherry oak seasoned malt whiskies, packaged to guide consumers clearly through the portfolio and showcase the brand’s outstanding casks.
