As summer approaches and thoughts turn to vacation plans, there’s a noticeable increase in spirits sales within the travel retail market. This seasonal shift offers a unique opportunity for whisky and spirits brands to introduce exclusive products that cannot be found in regular retail outlets.
Many companies leverage the global travel market to innovate and diversify their whisky offerings, creating something distinct from their standard selections. Furthermore, travel retail often provides competitive or tax-free pricing, along with a vast array of tasting options to sample. So, the next time you’re at the airport, here are some exceptional products to consider.
Ardbeg | Smoketrails
For those who appreciate large, bold, and smoky Scotch single malts, Ardbeg is a top choice. Situated on Islay, this distillery has a core range available in travel retail and occasionally releases enticing limited editions. The Smoketrails expression celebrates the visible trails left by airplanes and introduces the Côte Rôtie Edition.
This whisky blends traditional Ardbeg ex-bourbon casks with rare Côte Rôtie red wine casks from the Rhône region in southern France. You can expect a strong profile of ashy, medicinal peat smoke intertwined with luscious red berries, creamy vanilla toffee, along with delicate hints of camphor and menthol.
Benriach | Triple Distilled 10 Years Old
Benriach, a quirky Speyside distillery, stands out among its peers. In addition to crafting a peated whisky, they have been producing a triple-distilled single malt each year since 1998, making this exclusive spirit predominantly available through travel retail.
This remarkable whisky blends flavors from three different cask types—ex-bourbon, ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry, and virgin American oak. The result is a harmonious mix featuring notes of green apple, vanilla, and toasted almond interwoven with candied orange, brandy-soaked raisins, and vibrant wood spices.
Bowmore | Aston Martin 15 Years Old
Bowmore’s collaboration with the iconic automobile manufacturer Aston Martin has produced several limited-edition bottlings. Among these, the 15-year-old expression stands out, featuring packaging that showcases a historical Aston Martin car.
This particular whisky, maturing solely in ex-bourbon casks and hogsheads, carries the elegant Aston Martin DB4 from 1958. Expect flavors of toffee, vanilla, and candied lemon, complemented by subtle hints of milk chocolate, honeycomb, and sweet tobacco, all wrapped within a gentle layer of peat smoke.
Bushmills | Port Cask Reserve
Bushmills, an Irish distillery with a rich history, is known for its innovative and award-winning whiskeys. The Port Cask Reserve is the second release in their Steamship Collection, celebrating the 125th anniversary of the SS Bushmills steamship’s inaugural journey.
This whiskey is triple-distilled single malt that has matured in ex-Ruby Port Casks sourced from Portugal’s Douro Valley. It showcases rich, sweet qualities featuring plum, red berry, and prune, further enhanced by notes of milk chocolate, coffee, and warm baking spices. The profile is both bold and indulgent.
Glenfiddich | Perpetual Cask Vat 01
Glenfiddich, the world’s top-selling Scotch single malt, offers an impressive travel retail range that includes several whiskies aged in their distinctive solera vats. These vats continuously blend whiskies to enhance their flavors. Vat 01 features a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-red wine casks.
This no-age statement whisky bursts with vibrancy and freshness, presenting initial notes of vanilla custard, toffee apple, and creamy coconut, followed by flavors of chocolate oat cookies, butterscotch, and warming oak spices. A hint of green pear and guava adds a refreshing finish, making it delightful neat or on the rocks.
Glenmorangie | The Tribute 16 Years Old
Glenmorangie, a celebrated Highland distillery, is renowned for its adventurous approach to Scotch whisky. The Tribute 16 Years Old exemplifies this experimentation, showcasing a unique batch of ‘heritage spirit,’ their designation for lightly peated single malt produced sporadically using local Highland peat.
Tasting peated Glenmorangie is rare and should not be overlooked. Aging in ex-bourbon barrels highlights classic Glenmorangie flavors while adding an intriguing peaty twist.
The whisky reveals notes of vanilla, honey, malted cereals, and a touch of tropical fruit, complemented by walnut and a gentle waft of earthy smoke.
Jack Daniel’s | Single Malt
Jack Daniel’s, the leading American whiskey brand, has a history of pushing the envelope in travel retail. Among their innovative offerings, the introduction of their first American single malt was particularly groundbreaking.
Crafted from 100% malted barley, this whiskey initially matures in new American oak barrels before undergoing a finishing period in ex-Oloroso sherry casks.
Flavor notes include earthy cereal richness blending with honey, vanilla, and white chocolate, along with hints of peach, cinnamon, and cocoa, adding layers of complexity.
Teeling | Explorers Edition 12 Years Old
The Explorers Series from Teeling, based in Dublin, showcases a distinctive collection of whiskeys designed to encourage flavor exploration. The 12-year-old expression features part-maturation in rare Amburana casks made from Brazilian hardwood.
This unique maturation process gives the whiskey an exotic twist, presenting an array of fruity and spicy notes upfront, including baked apple, cinnamon, and vanilla. Additional flavors of almond marzipan, walnut, and a hint of liquorice follow, culminating in a long, pleasantly drying finish.
