SINGAPORE. DFS Group, in partnership with Changi Airport Group, hosted a spectacular sixth Masters of Wines and Spirits event in Singapore on Saturday evening.
The event, the largest and most prestigious of its kind in Asia, brought together over 60 prestigious Cognacs, wines and whiskies from more than 50 brand houses, including many rare and one-of-a-kind and pieces. The curated collection will be exhibited in-store and is available for sale at DFS’ duplex stores at Changi Airport terminals 2 and 3.
The Moodie Davitt Report joined DFS, Changi Airport Group, leading wines & spirits brand owners and many of the retailer’s loyalty programme members for a memorable invitation-only event on Singapore’s historic Tras Street. The company transformed some of the street’s traditional shophouse venues into showcases for its brand partners, and hosted a series of master classes and tastings for VIP guests.
“Each piece in this year’s Masters of Wines and Spirits collection is a testament to the craftsmanship of the brands and our relationships with our customers,” said DFS Group Chairman and CEO Philippe Schaus. “We’re thrilled to bring together this fantastic assortment of the world’s leading wines and spirits once again to Singapore and present an unmissable opportunity for connoisseurs to build their collection with DFS.”
“Returning to our traditional gala format, this year’s Masters of Wines and Spirits created an intimate and curated experience, tailored for our customers,” said DFS Group Senior Vice President Wines, Spirits, Tobacco, Food and Gifts Brooke Supernaw. “Each piece in the collection was selected with our customers in mind, bringing together a spectacular array of the world’s finest and rarest wines and spirits right in the heart of historic Singapore.”
Speaking on the evening to The Moodie Davitt Report, Brooke Supernaw said: “Each year we reinvent the way we arrange and curate Masters of Wines and Spirits, whether it has been hosted at Changi Airport, our Scottswalk Galleria or the National Museum in Singapore.
“This time we pay tribute to Singapore, capturing the essence of the brands and their DNA in one of this city’s historical streets. The brands are all about heritage and this street brings Singapore’s own heritage to life.”
Supernaw said that regardless of the location, the Masters series centres on the product and the experience.
“Masters of Wines and Spirits begins with the product, the best we can curate in one place at one time. Rarity remains a key element; there are many products here that are one of a kind, or there may be only a handful and we have one of them.
“Then we decide how we want to display these products and where. Importantly, we ask ourselves ‘what is the extra mile we can go for our top tier loyalty members?’ This year that included the master classes, with four whisky master blenders who have over 100 years of experience between them, and also with Château Margaux, Camus Cognac and The Dalmore. And then we had a series of dinners involving the brands, from Champagnes to wines to whiskies.
“The focus then moves to our Changi Airport stores, where any product that is not sold goes on display and is for sale. That then becomes the showcase, allowing a broader customer base to learn about and potentially buy it.”
Supernaw highlighted Changi Airport’s role in encouraging and nurturing the Masters event (Changi Airport Group’s senior commercial team attended the evening).
“This wouldn’t be possible without the trust and support of our partners from Changi Airport, which DFS has had for more than 30 years. We work together to try and push the level of experience and delivery higher each time.”
On the choice of the range, she added: “We have created what we think is a strong formula for selecting these items. We want variety and rarity, something that cannot be found elsewhere. You can’t find it with our major competitors and you can’t ‘Google’ it and find it at the top of the search rankings. It’s all about showing something exceptional to our customers and ensuring that they continue to seek out these unique items through DFS.
“We also want to bring in innovation. This year we have some new categories for Masters of Wines and Spirits. For example we have American whiskies and Japanese whiskies and we have reintroduced a 4.5L Graham’s port. You need an element of surprise. You also want a broad range of prices. There are customers who want to buy a Dom Pérignon cabinet but others want something fine and rare and prestigious at other price points, and we want to service that need. We want to ensure we know what the customers are looking for and also tap into the trends in the market.”
On the impact on the brands, Supernaw said: “We are displaying the high value, top tier product but there’s a halo effect on the brands as a result of the showcase, the story-telling, the craftsmanship. Our customers are curious about the brands’ histories and heritages. So they may not be able to afford the very top end collectible items but they may be interested enough to buy a 25yo from the same brand. That personal connection they get really helps the brands perform.”
Supernaw also said: “We love this event because it showcases our great partnerships with the brands. It’s remarkable to have 60 products from over 50 of the most prestigious Maisons, Châteaux and distilleries in one place. That’s a testament to the trust the brands have in DFS to respect their heritage and DNA, and how we showcase their brands in our stores, especially here at Singapore Changi with 60 million travellers a year.
“It also excites and delights our customers to see products that in some cases have never been seen before. More than that we can introduce the customers to the people that actually made these products; that is something money can’t buy. And ultimately it’s about the customer of course; they are at the heart of everything we do.
“That’s what we want to continue to do: showcase unbelievable products, celebrate our partnerships and excite our customers.”
Meeting the masters
This year’s event, as noted above, featured master classes and educational tastings for selected guests. At The Dalmore house, Master Blender Richard Paterson hosted a bespoke tasting to showcase The Dalmore’s heritage. Camus Cognac Global Brand Ambassador Frederic Dezauzier introduced guests to the smallest and rarest cru in the Cognac region, Borderies, which included a Borderies Vintage and an exclusive Borderies blend that has never been released. Château Margaux Regional Ambassador Thibault Pontallier conducted a vertical tasting across decades of the brand’s history.
Guests were also given an opportunity to meet key whisky brand ambassadors brought together by DFS’ The Whiskey House at Singapore Changi Airport. Moderated by DFS Group Director of Spirits Frederik Vanden Bulcke, The Whiskey House provided guests with an interactive discussion and guided tasting with Brendan McCarron of Glenmorangie, Brian Kinsman of Glenfiddich, David Stewart of The Balvenie and Mike Miyamoto of Hibiki.
Vanden Bulcke said: “The Whiskey House is a proprietary concept created with William Grant & Sons with two aims: to make whiskies more accessible for new consumers and as a place for connoisseurs to find newness and limited editions. It’s not only about Scotch but also world whiskies, and it’s not only about malts but also blends.
“It also fits with our theme tonight. Tras Street carries with it the heritage of Singapore, and whisky is all about heritage, but about innovation too.”
The panel discussed heritage, innovation and the importance of offering something different in the travel environment through exclusive products.
“These products are all about craftsmanship,” noted David Stewart. “We have a big responsibility, passing these traditions of whisky-making from one generation to the next.”
Willian Grant & Sons showcased Chapter Two of The Balvenie DSC Compendium, which celebrates the work of David Stewart. He said a third version would appear later this year, with two further editions planned.
Brendan McCarron said: “We are always trying to experiment but what’s important is that you do that while respecting tradition. Innovation should not take place for its own sake, rather it’s key that heritage inspires you to do something new. We are trying to look a decade and more ahead, and there’s still a lot we can do with the casks we have.”
Mike Miyamoto noted: “We are pursuing perfection. We experiment every day. What we are showcasing here in the Hibiki 35yo, which was launched last year, is an example. Some of the whisky in there is 54 years old, which is significant for Japanese whisky, which does not have the aged stocks that Scotch does. The average is 42 or 43 years.”
2017 Masters of Wines and Spirits Collection:
The 2017 collection includes 27 Cognacs and whiskies and over 25 vintage wines and Champagnes, many of which are exclusive to DFS. Highlights (selected images below) include:
Bruichladdich Special Release
Camus 65 Year Old
Château Mouton Rothschild 18 Vintages Vertical
Château Lafite Rothschild 1982 Vintage Imperiale
Château Margaux Pyramid Set of 1990 Vintage
Dom Pérignon Malle P2
Glenmorangie Pride 1974
Hibiki Arita-yaki 2016, Kutani-yaki 2016
Martell Grand Champagne 1920
Masi Amarone Vertical Set with Watch
Penfolds Bin 707 Boeing 6L
Louis XIII Le Mathusalem
The Dalmore Richard Paterson 50 Year Old
The Macallan Fine & Rare Treasury Collection
Participating brands at 2017 DFS Masters of Wines and Spirits: Aberlour, AmuseBouche, Araujo Estate, Bowmore, Brora, Bruichladdich, Camus, Chabot, Château Beychevelle, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Clerc Milon, Château Ducru Beaucaillou, Château Haut Brion, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Léoville Barton, Château Léoville Las Cases, Château Margaux, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Palmer, Château Pontet-Canet, Continuum, Courvoisier, Dom Pérignon, Gaja, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Graham’s Port, Grands Vins De Bordeaux, Hardy, Hennessy, Hibiki, Janneau, Karuizawa, Lokoya, Louis XIII Cognac, Luce, Martell, Masi, Moutai, Otard Collection Du Roi, Pappy Van Winkle, Penfolds, Perrier-Jouët, Prunier, Pétrus, Ridge, Royal Salute, Tesseron, The Balvenie, The Dalmore, The Glenlivet, The Macallan, William Larue Weller, Wolf Blass.
DFS Masters of Wines and Spirits is part of the DFS Masters Collection, a signature programme of exhibitions that also includes Masters of Time, set to take place in Macau this December.
The Masters Collection runs across DFS’ five pillars of luxury: wines and spirits, beauty and fragrances, watches and jewellery, fashion and accessories, and food and gifts.
