Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/19027
WHISK(E)Y Bigger and Better C DIAGEO’S NEW ROSEISLE DISTILLERY KEEPS PACE WITH GLOBAL DEMAND by Ian Buxton aol Ila is safe! Glendullan is safe! Linkwood is safe! In fact, all of Diageo’s less The “Death Star” at night: Diageo’s new Roseisle distillery is state-of-the-art but won’t kill smaller whisky- production facilities. well-known single malt distilleries appear to be safe, according to David Gates, the distiller’s Global Category Director for Whisk(e)y. Challenged with the fear, widespread on whisky blog sites, that the opening of Diageo’s giant new Roseisle distillery in Diageo gears up for the expected global boom in its branded spirits. Much of the optimism comes from sales to developing markets such as China (20% compound annual growth for the last two decades!), Vietnam, Russia and India. But, in the Americas, Mexico is seen as a hot-spot, with the market grow- ing 27% by value in the year to March 2010 and 18- to 24-year-old drinkers eagerly embracing the category. Not that the U.S. is being left behind. While Scotch may be less dynamic than in some emerging markets, Gates referred to Johnnie Walker Black (“a huge success story”) doubling its U.S. volumes over the past decade and Buchanan’s emerg- ing fast as a brand of choice, especially among Hispanic drinkers. Author Ian Buxton (left) with David Gates, Diageo’s Global Category Director for Whisk(e)y, at Roseisle. Speyside represented a threat to smaller plants (malt mavens had nicknamed it the “Death Star”) Gates responded robustly: “The issue is to create capacity, not reduce it. Why would we do that?” Meeting with THE TASTING PANEL, all the Diageo team were in buoyant mood. The new distillery, a technical tour de force, was running smoothly; the company’s demanding environmental goals were being met, and global demand for Scotch was bouncing back. Roseisle, which will produce around 10 million litres of spirit annually from 14 new handcrafted stills, is a $60-million investment by the world’s largest pro- ducer of Scotch whisky. In addition to this vote of confidence, other distilleries will see around $30 million of capital works as 44 / the tasting panel / november 2010 A comprehensive mentoring program is part of the reason, with around 30,000 U.S. consumers annually exposed to a mixture of education, history and tasting with Diageo’s brand ambassadors, backed by bar staff training and the ubiquitous “Keep Walking” campaign. “Walk with Giants,” originally an on-line digital campaign, is now being rolled out into mainstream media and new, premium expressions continue to be developed to feed drinkers’ apparently endless thirst for upscale styles. Lovers of Johnnie Walker Black’s smoky style will, however, be frustrated by the news that Double Black, with its even more pronounced peaty flavour, is not currently to be expanded to U.S. domestic markets. Following a highly successful test in six international airports, including JFK, Double Black is being offered first to all major global travel retail operators. So you have to fly to get it, but with demand for peaty styles ever growing it cannot be long before domestic markets see supplies. However, concludes Gates “I love drinking whisky in the U.S.—it’s a proper experience.” PHOTO: IAN BUXTON PHOTO COURTESY OF DIAGEO