William Grant & Sons launches Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection

William Grant & Sons has launched a travel retail exclusive range of whiskies for its Glenfiddich whisky brand that are in perpetual motion.

Speaking to the drinks business yesterday at the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, the spirits giant revealed The Perpetual Collection, explaining how each successive vat fill is like a new generation of whisky building on the past, “ever increasing in character, dimension and complexity”.

The technique – the ‘Solera Vat’ process adds continuous layers of flavours to the whisky, by only ever bottling half the whisky in the vats before refilling. As such, the vats still contains the original liquid, hence the name the Perpetual Collection – a whisky that never sits still.

The range includes four exclusive expressions: Vat 01 is 40% ABV and an accessible single malt matured in Bourbon and red wine casks; Vat 02 is a 43% ABV single malt whisky that has been double -matured in oak and Spanish sherry casks and married in Glenfiddich’s Solera Vat 2 to develop through continuous motion; Vat 03 is a 50.2% ABV full-bodied single malt whisky that has been non-chill filtered and matured for over 15 years in European oak
sherry and ex-Bourbon casks and Vat 04 is a 47.8% ABV refined single malt that has been non-chill filtered) and aged in Oloroso sherry and Bourbon casks for 18 years before being married and continuously adapted in Solera Vat 4.

The line-up, which features the contemporary artwork by Berlin based studio ANF adorning the packaging and includes a special variation of six bespoke pieces of 3D artwork, meaning consumers will have distinct designs from which to choose.

David Wilson, managing director GTR at William Grant & Sons, said: “The global travel retail channel is returning with momentum and Glenfiddich has continued to perform exceptionally well, consistently delivering rare and premium offerings to our customers and consumers around the world.”

He explained: “What you will see from today on is us rolling out the new Glenfiddich range, inspiring consumers and continuing to lead the category in so many ways.

Gwilym Cooke, head of brand marketing global travel retail at William Grant & Sons added: “Speaking to all of our partners about the Perpetual collection is a really exciting time. We think it is going to appeal to the evolving consumer base within travel retail.”

Lindsay Hitzeroth, head of customer marketing global travel retail at William Grant & Sons also highlighted how “this is Glenfiddich’s biggest launch in global travel retail in the last decade” and named it “the perfect celebration of the world of travel opening back up – a range of whiskies that never sit still, for travellers always in motion”.

Hitzeroth pointed out how “the time spent at the airport is that exciting moment where the adventure starts; and so we wanted to give those flying something special to enhance their experience and remind them of their travels. This new range is enticing for all, whether it’s a gift for a maverick loved-one or a treat for oneself, The Perpetual Collection offers travellers a unique moment of enjoyment to capture their life that never stands still”.

To celebrate the launch of the collection, a series of Glenfiddich pop-up retail spaces will also appear in select airports destinations, adding to the excitement of travelling. Travellers will also get the chance to explore the collection through an immersive experience, from interacting with the collective artwork and tasting the liquid, to enjoying the gifting station.