‘A long way from ordinary’: Whyte & Mackay unveils Jura Travel Retail Collection

Whyte & Mackay last week revealed the new Jura Travel Retail Collection, alongside the brand’s new signature range of single malts, at a tasting event in London. The Moodie Davitt Report was the sole travel retail media present.

The Jura Travel Retail Collection is the brand’s first range of single malt Scotch whiskies exclusively available to global travellers. The line is rolling out now worldwide and showcases the introduction of a new signature style for Jura. It will be presented at next month’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition (Basement 2, Booth C5).

Highland and island distilling styles combine in the Jura Travel Retail Range

The Travel Retail Collection comprises four whiskies which each have a subtle smoke flavour: The Sound (1-litre), The Road (1-litre), The Loch (70cl) and The Paps 19yo (70cl). Recommended price points range from approximately US$60 to US$110.

The whiskies were matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and further enhanced by sherry casks that previously held Pedro Ximénez for 15, 20, 30 and 40 years.

The domestic collection features five single malts: Jura Journey, Jura 10yo, Jura 12yo, Jura Seven Wood and Jura 18yo.

Whyte & Mackay said the introduction of this new house style and both ranges reflects its long-term commitment to advance the position of Jura in the category. It also reflects the brand’s aim to appeal to new drinkers and invest in consumer communications with a more compelling and premium proposition, the company said.

Whyte & Mackay Regional Director Asia Travel Retail Micheline Wong commented: “We’re hugely excited about this launch, which will reinforce Jura’s positioning as a premium malt, thanks to its distinctive new packaging and innovative new signature style of whisky.

“Jura has a great story to tell in the channel – and this new travel retail-exclusive range is just the first chapter. The new packaging, which features stunning photographs of the Isle of Jura’s local landmarks, significantly strengthens its on-shelf appeal. The launch will be further supported by a series of innovative activation programmes.”

[image_magnify src=”https://www.moodiedavittreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/The_Paps_bottle_and_carton_600.jpg” src_big=”https://www.moodiedavittreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/The_Paps_bottle_and_carton_1200.jpg” alt=”” /]

Speaking to The Moodie Davitt Report at last week’s tasting event, Whyte & Mackay Travel Retail Director Richard Trimby explained the thinking behind the new range. “Jura is in good shape, it’s currently number five in travel retail EMEA, but we weren’t comfortable with where it was positioned.

“It was seen as being an everyday whisky which was undervaluing the brand. I think we were a bit confusing, by offering peated and unpeated, whereas now we have a core identity.”

Trimby continued: “Our strategy is to create distinctive brands that consumers think are worth paying more for and Jura wasn’t quite doing that. Now, we’re talking more about where we’re from and have introduced a style that is a bridge between Highland and island.

A long way from ordinary: Photographer David Guttenfelder travelled to Jura to capture the essence of the island and people who live on it

“Jura is such a charming place, but quite hard to get to – this is reflected in Jura’s tagline ‘A long way from ordinary’. There are only 200 people on the island; one village, one school. We want to be a big brand but we act small and come from a small place.

“The challenge is how to communicate an island community spirit in an airport space”

“The distillery is important to Jura and business is booming on the island. It gets 8,000 visitors a year and hotel rooms are always booked up.”

Whyte & Mackay Global Marketing Director Steven Pearson said: “We had a good brand and now we have the opportunity to have a great brand. I think what’s special about Jura is the unique relationship between the island community and the whisky, and we want to tell that story.

“In 1963 the distillery reopened to save the island community and it plays a part in everybody’s lives. I firmly believe that we have in Jura one of the most distinctive single malts out there because it’s got a back story like no other.”

According to Trimby, Jura’s relaunch is allowing the brand to enter other markets. “We have a strong business in the UK and Europe and have just gone into the USA. There is new interest in Asia, particularly from the travel retail side and I think it was the presentation that captured the imagination there. Retailers have seen what we’ve done with a brand like The Dalmore and that is on fire in Asia.”

“We want to be a big brand but we act small and come from a small place”

“Our strategy is to create distinctive brands that consumers think are worth paying more for” – Whyte & Mackay Global Travel Retail Director Richard Trimby

Trimby emphasised the significance of Jura’s new bottle shape and packaging in communicating the brand’s personality. “We invited a world-renowned photographer to capture the character and the people of Jura and the distillery then put that on the pack.

“The idea is that people can capture the essence of the spirit visually and we can project that further when we do activations. The challenge is how to communicate an island community spirit in an airport space.”

Commenting on Whyte & Mackay’s travel retail performance, Trimby said: “Over the last three years we’ve had phenomenal growth, up +50% in value. A lot of that growth was driven by Asia.

“We had some markets which were overstocked last year and now we’re focusing much more on the premium channels and selling the right quantity at the right price and place.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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