For the love of Scotch – Scotland welcomes China to celebrate its heritage – Scotch Whisky News
For the love of Scotch – Scotland welcomes China to celebrate its heritage
More than 750 Chinese colleagues of leading Scotch whisky producer, Chivas Brothers landed in Speyside last week for a four day, immersive Scotch whisky experience that placed them at the heart of Scottish heritage and hospitality.
China is an important market for the Scotch industry, representing more than half of the global Scotch trade, and 25 bottles of Scotch exported to China every minute[1]. Chivas Brothers recently enjoyed double digit growth in this market, with Scotch growing 18 per cent in value, driven by the success of its blended Scotch whiskies in its last half year financial results.
Last week, employees from Pernod Ricard China, which is an affiliate of Chivas Brothers’ parent company, Pernod Ricard, took part in a four-day excursion, where they visited Scotland’s most distinctive whisky region. Touring Speyside, they visited Strathisla Distillery, the heart and home of Chivas Regal; The Glenlivet Distillery, the first licensed distillery in the parish; and popular Single Malt distillery Aberlour.
Here, the guests truly got to experience Chivas Brothers’ world-renowned brands, including Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Ballantine’s and Aberlour, taking part in guided tastings, delivered by the experts behind them. The visitors were also invited to don tartan kilts and sashes at a Highland dinner where they had the opportunity to taste some of the best Scotland has to offer.
The two companies already have a strong working relationship and the trip will further foster this through an internal conference, designed to facilitate knowledge-sharing and build an even stronger working relationship.
Neil MacDonald, Brand Experience Director, Chivas Brothers, said: “We are delighted to be able to host our colleagues from China and show them all the wonderful sights and industries we have to offer here in Scotland.
“Visiting the birthplace of our brands and becoming immersed in their craftsmanship and heritage really is the best way to understand what makes each of them unique. The experiences that our Chinese colleagues have in Scotland, the people they meet, the Scottish celebrations and being at our distilleries will fuel their personal story-telling to colleagues, consumers and trade back in China. This creates even stronger opportunities for our brands and Scotch whisky as a whole.
“China is a very important market for us, and we expect its significance will only continue to grow over the coming years. By fostering even stronger ties with our colleagues, we’re confident this trip will help us build on our solid partnership for the future.”
Other excursions included a trip to Loch Ness, followed by a football tournament at Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC’s stadium where teams from Chivas Brothers took on teams from Pernod Ricard China in a World Cup themed match.
Notes
About Chivas Brothers
Chivas Brothers is a global drinks producer and exports company steeped in Scottish heritage. It is the only Pernod Ricard business dedicated entirely to Scotch whisky and comprises a prestigious range of single malt and blended whiskies. Chivas Brothers’ award-winning portfolio features some of the world’s most revered Scotch whisky brands including Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet. With a multitude of awards and accolades for its quality, craftsmanship, industry-leading sites and award-winning campaigns, its brands are at the heart of moments of connection across the globe.
The company comprises 1,600 employees, 14 Scotch distilleries, two bottling facilities and more than 300 warehouses across its 26 sites including Orkney, the Scottish mainland and London.
