Category: Wisdom & Opinions

The changing face of whisky marketing

Whisky marketing is a funny beast – its goal is to entice newcomers into the category or to encourage established whisky drinkers to try something new. For a product that is geared towards our senses of taste and smell, it’s amazing how little whisky’s current marketing methods actually speak to those senses – instead relying on sight and persuasion. But it wasn’t always this way…

Think about the bottles of whisky you’ve purchased in the last 6-12 months. Can you recall what prompted or urged you to buy those whiskies? Ignoring any financial incentive (i.e. it was on special or part of a discount deal) here’s a list of possible triggers that may have prompted your purchase…

• You saw a promo for it in a newspaper advertisement or lift-out.
• You attended a tasting event put on by the brand which was presented by the brand ambassador.
• You tried a dram of it at a bar or a whisky expo show and were impressed enough to grab a bottle for yourself.
• You saw some “chatter” and noise about it in an online whisky group (e.g. a forum or Facebook group).
• You read an online review of it by a whisky blogger.
• You watched a YouTube video review of it that was shot and uploaded by an amateur/enthusiast.
• You were “influenced” by an Instagram post.

At various different times in recent history, each of the above was considered “best practice” for whisky marketing. Those of you with either a few years under your belt or a bit of marketing experience may have noticed that the above list was presented in a particular order. Generally speaking, the above list started with more traditional, “old school” marketing methods and transitioned to more “new school” marketing methods. You may also have cynically (but accurately) observed that the list is in order of most expensive to least expensive, in terms of how much a brand must spend to market and promote their product. And therein lies the rub…

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Is the tide turning on the Scotch Whisky industry?

The Scotch whisky industry and its sales have seen many ups and downs over its history.  The last two decades have certainly been on the “up”.  However, there are some signs around that the tide might be turning, and perhaps there’s a “down” looming on the horizon.  Let’s take a look at some of these signs and whether the industry should be worried….

In many forms of pop culture and entertainment at the moment, there’s a fine yet increasingly blurry line between nostalgia and recycling.  Witness the recent Top Gun sequel: Many have argued (correctly) that it borrows far too heavily from the original.  Was this lazy, uninspired thinking by the producers – or a calculated ploy to cash in on the public’s fondness and nostalgia for the original?  (One suspects a combination of both!)  The same could be said for so many other big screen and little screen productions – it’s a seemingly endless line of sequels or spin-offs.  I assume it’s only a matter of time until the Fast & Furious is somehow worked into the MCU?   And when reality TV shows have to rely on getting previous contestants and winners to come back for a “fresh” season, you KNOW there’s a serious dearth of new ideas.

Whisky, it seems, is not much different.   The names of certain branded expressions or releases that were retired many years ago are back in service again.  (For example, Macallan’s “Gran Reserva” and Exceptional Special Cask labels, or Diageo’s “Singleton” appellation, etc).  Other buzzwords are being re-applied to countless expressions and releases that are actually just the same product that’s always been on the shelves, merely dressed up in new clothing.  (You can play whisky word bingo with the following: “Reserve”, “Harvest”, “Choice”, “Vintage”, “Barley”, “Vault”, “Sherry”, “Warehouse”, “Loch”, “Rare”, “Wood”, and “Cask”).   Oh, for the days when brands just had a 12yo, a 15yo, and an 18yo!!!      

But how effective is all this recycled – even “upcycled” – marketing?  Can the industry really afford to be re-dressing old ideas?

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The Australian Whisky Awards, 2022

{This article is now a few years old, and discusses a unique awards program that operated as a public-vote.  You might like to read our more recent article, Whisky Awards – Who really wins?}

February 2022 saw the second annual Australian Whisky Awards, presented and organised again in Sydney by the Australian Whisky Appreciation Society, or “AWAS”, as it’s more commonly known.  The awards ceremony and gala dinner was held on the top floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art overlooking Sydney Harbour, and some 120 people gathered to mingle, celebrate with, and recognise the many people involved in various aspects of the industry.

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Westward – The American single malt whiskey

“New world” whisky/whiskey is advancing and expanding in many countries around the globe at the moment, and the category is particularly exciting and dynamic, given that most of the producers aren’t shackled by the rules and limitations that constrain, for example, the Scotch whisky distilleries. One country that has truly exploded as a new world producer is the USA, with a host of distilleries showcasing many different styles of whisk(e)y above and beyond the traditional bourbons and ryes of Kentucky. Westward is one such distillery.

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78 Degrees – an Australian whiskey with a twist

If you’ve followed the news, gossip, and under-currents of the Australian whisky industry over the last year or two, you’ll be aware that it’s an extremely dynamic scene right now. New distilleries are popping up everywhere; new releases & products are being launched; distilling methods and products are diversifying; distillery ownerships are changing hands; and the industry is genuinely in a state of “blink and you’ll miss something”.

In a space that is becoming increasingly crowded, each new distillery fights for its point of difference or to latch on to something tangible that sells their story. Phrases like “craft”, “finest ingredients”, “pristine environment”, “care and attention to detail”, and the classic “traditional methods” simply don’t carry much weight or meaning anymore, and – with due respect to all involved – it can seem a bit forced for those distilleries that have simply copied or modelled their plant and operations on the same blueprint and template as the many distilleries that stepped out before them.

It’s thus noteworthy when a distillery comes along that is genuinely innovating and doing something different. The 78 Degrees distillery is one such pioneer…

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The complete guide to oak, casks, & whisky maturation

Whisky maturation is both a simple and, yet, incredibly complex process.  Let’s look at the subject in detail; explore what the distilleries are doing; address a few myths; and explain all the beautiful things that happen when we age whisky in oak casks…

One of the quintessential images associated with whisky these days is the classic “action shot” inside the warehouse.  Think of those old-school, dunnage style, dimly-lit warehouses with earth floors and casks racked just two or three tiers high.  It’s an evocative image, showcasing the majestic oak casks quietly slumbering, doing their part to mature the spirit that will one day give us delicious whisky. 

Oak casks maturing in warehouses - Whisky maturation

But it wasn’t always this way.  Whisky – uisge beatha, or the water of life – was originally an unaged spirit, taken off the still and flavoured with additives such as honey or heather to quell the drink’s aggressive nature and to make it more palatable.   Tradition, or perhaps just a convenient story for the distillery tour guides, tells us that the maturation and aging of whisky was a happy accident.  Variations on the story abound, but the crux of it is that some unfortunate person had more uisge beatha than he could immediately consume, and so he put it in an oak cask to store it until he was ready for it.  The cask was left alone or forgotten about for some time, and when it was finally retrieved, he made the happy discovery that the spirit had mellowed, improved, and taken on new characteristics.  Maturation, as we know it today, was born.

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5Nines Distilling – Adelaide’s new kid on the block

It was around 18 months ago that a whisky colleague of mine flicked me an email saying he’d come across a new distillery in Adelaide.  The operation hadn’t released any whisky yet, but he’d visited the distillery and was impressed with the approach being taken on site.  “Keep an eye out” was the intel that came my way.

Fast-forward to the present and the distillery – 5Nines – is now an established name that is quietly plying its trade.  And for those seeking diversity and variation from a single producer, 5Nines has hit the scene with a large range of whiskies that showcases different styles and flavours.

So what’s to know about the distillery?  Well, the name is a good starting point:  The owners claim their sole passion is to create the perfect spirit, and at 5Nines they’re trying to achieve perfection. 99.999% perfect?  That’s the five nines. 

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Matching a whisky to every James Bond film

James Bond and whisky? Whisky has been paired with food for decades, although in more recent years we’ve seen whiskies paired and matched to cigars, watches, music, and even movies!   If you’re going to sit down in your comfy sofa and pass away a few hours being entertained by 007, then having a good dram in your hand goes a long way to enhancing the James Bond experience.

Of course, Bond’s drink of choice may be a vodka martini, but we can shake and stir things up for the whisky drinkers out there who are James Bond fans: Here is our effort to pair and match the perfect whisky to every (official) James Bond film.

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The Highland Coast 700 Whisky Route – HC700

If you’re planning a trip to Scotland and you’re reading this blog, then there’s a good chance that visiting a whisky distillery or two will be part of your itinerary!  Notwithstanding the whisky aspect, most guides or books for Scottish tourism naturally focus on the attractions of Edinburgh and the usual historic sites beyond such as Stirling Castle, etc.  Unfortunately, when it comes to tourist guides and even online resources, it would be fair to say that there’s not a lot that gets devoted to the far north and the Highlands.  Which is a great shame, since it’s the far north that boasts some of Scotland’s most stunning and dramatic landscapes, scenery, and attractions.  The Highland Coast 700 is a fantastic resource and journey that addresses this imbalance, and is a must-have for any serious whisky enthusiast exploring Scotland.  If you’re embarking on the North Coast 500 (aka NC500), the Highland Coast 700 is the obvious extension and guidebook. 

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The whisky lover’s complete guide to sherry

When you first start to explore the world of single malt Scotch whisky, you learn early on that the vast majority of whisky is matured in two different types of casks:  Casks that previously held bourbon, and casks that previously held sherry. 

With further exploration and perhaps some self-education with your nose and palate, you’ll probably begin to be able to identify when a whisky’s maturation journey has been influenced by sherry casks.   In other words, you’ll either smell or taste the sherry cask influence on the spirit.  And, like many people, you might even find yourself favouring the sherried style of whisky, and you’ll have a preference for the distilleries that make sherry cask maturation a feature of their house style and portfolio.  (Glenfarclas, Glendronach, and Macallan arguably being the three main front-runners in this regard, although the Aberlour’s a’Bunadh release is also a long-time favourite).

Whilst many people understand and appreciate the concept of using second hand sherry casks to mature whisky, few people actually understand or appreciate sherry by and of itself.  What is sherry, as a drink?  What are the different types of sherry?  Do some sherry types work better with Scotch whisky than others?  If you’re one of the many whisky lovers who enjoys a sherried dram, Whisky & Wisdom presents this complete guide to sherry to help you understand more about what you’re actually enjoying and why…..

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