Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/133302
MIlESTOnE A Spirited Partnership WILLIAM GRANT & SONS CELEBRATES yOuNG'S MARKET COMPANy'S ANNIVERSARy WITH A SpECIAl CREATIOn W Left to right: Mitch Bechard, Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador; Chris Underwood, CEO, Young's Market Company; Vern Underwood, Chairman of the Board, Young's Market Company; Simon Hunt, Chief Commercial Officer, Williams Grant & Sons; Ted Roman, SVP Sales, William Grant & Sons USA; Jonathan Yusen, President & Managing Director, William Grant & Sons USA; Rich Frederick, Division Vice President – West, William Grant & Sons USA; Andy Nash, Category Marketing Director – Scotches, William Grant & Sons USA. Tasting Notes Floral notes with faint essences of vanilla and pear greet you on the nose, giving way to an exquisitely creamy mouthfeel marked with a honeyed sweetness and a smooth, gentle finish. William Grant & Sons presented Young's Market Company with a special commemorative blend of Glenfiddich at a private dining event on May 7. hat do you do when the time comes to celebrate a company's 125 years of excellence? If you're William Grant & Sons, you mark the occasion with a bit of empathy—the U.K.-based distiller marked that very milestone last year. And if the cause célèbre is the century-and-a-quarter anniversary of a trusted distribution partner like Young's Market Company, you don't just raise a glass to acknowledge their success. You craft a singular batch of single malt scotch whiskey in their honor. The specially created spirit was the centerpiece of a special private dinner event held May 7 at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach, CA, where WGS presented Young's with a commemorative blend of their signature spirit, Glenfiddich. It was a fitting gesture between two family-owned industry titans whose six decades of partnership have resulted in the relentlessly exceptional brand building of high-quality libations. Yet marketing prowess and craftsmanship are merely the end result of a deeper connection between the two companies, one that is rooted in a strong sense of like-minded values. "The relationship that we enjoy with each other is one that is built on a foundation of honesty, integrity, and trust," explains Chris Underwood, Young's Market Company's CEO. "It continues to be a strong partnership because we both share an aggressive, pioneering spirit and a passion for the liquid inside each bottle." This compatible approach has enabled the two companies to help each other navigate through the constantly changing waters of ever-evolving tastes and trends with tremendous success. More important, it's allowed them to achieve such mutual triumph harmoniously. "We've had our differences on how to work together over the years," explains Ted Roman, SVP Sales of William Grant & Sons USA. "However, when you share values like we do, conflicts that do arise are just bumps in the road to us." While the unique commemorative libation serves as a celebration of past successes, it does not mean either company is set to rest on their laurels. "We both feel we have a duty to make sure we are always working toward a long term vision," states Simon Hunt, Chief Commercial Officer of WGS. "It is our responsibility to set the table for the seventh and eighth generations." In that case, one can only imagine what the 250th anniversary commemorative blend of Glenfiddich might taste like. —Rich Manning 34 / the tasting panel / june 2013 TP0613_001-41.indd 34 5/23/13 4:25 PM