ROYAL SALUTE CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL SEASON OF WORLD POLO

2013 has seen another spectacular season of international polo with luxury Scotch whisky, Royal Salute, sponsoring some of the world’s most distinguished tournaments across four continents.

The season started in style in May with the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup in Greenwich, USA, which attracted some of the world’s best players including His Royal Highness Prince Harry. The event was followed in August, by the prestigious Land Rover International Tournament in Sotogrande, Spain which saw world No.1 polo player and Royal Salute World Polo brand ambassador, Facundo Pieres, in attendance. The China Open took place at the end of September in Beijing, marking the end of an exciting polo season, which served to further consolidate Royal Salute’s links with the historic sport.

Royal Salute will continue its support for the illustrious game when the autumn season begins on 15th November at the Campeonato Abierto de Polo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, widely regarded to be the home of polo, with Facundo Pieres once again taking part.

Neil Macdonald, the Global Brand Director for Royal Salute, commented: “With our shared values of respect and honour, Royal Salute is immensely proud to support the international polo community with the World Polo series. We are delighted to be working with such as world-class player as Facundo Pieres, as he really embodies the essence of Royal Salute and the values the brand stands for. Our association with world polo is a natural fit and has helped us reach aficionados of luxury Scotch whisky around the world for the last seven years. We’re committed to supporting the international polo scene and we are looking forward to the start of the autumn season when we will have the honour of seeing our new ambassador, Facundo Pieres, play in a Royal Salute World Polo series for the first time in his home country. It promises to be a very special occasion.”

Royal Salute’s association with polo has contributed to the strong growth of the brand in recent years as whisky collectors around the world recognise the outstanding quality of its prestigious range of aged whiskies. The luxury Scotch whisky has seen particular success in Central and South America, India, Korea, Japan and the US with approximately 200,000 9 litre cases sold globally in the 12 months to June 2013.

NOTES

About Royal Salute

Royal Salute is the world’s leading luxury Scotch whisky, and begins where others end as only whiskies matured for at least 21 years are ever selected for Royal Salute blends. In 2012, Royal Salute became the first ever brand to be officially associated with the Royal Gun Salutes at the Tower of London, as part of a long term partnership with the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces.

Polo is a game of honour and respect, two values at the heart of Royal Salute. The greatest players are masters of their craft whose sublime horsemanship and respect for their mount allows them to play the noble sport according to the purity of its code.

Royal Salute truly believes and takes pride in the values of integrity and honour; the whisky is laid down to mature for at least 21 years, the unique bottle is meticulously handcrafted from the finest hand-selected porcelain, ensuring that the utmost attention to detail is paid to every element during its creation.

Royal Salute is a leading international supporter of polo, ‘the king of sports and the sport of kings’. Royal Salute World Polo is truly international with a presence in every major region globally:

• Argentina Campeonado Abierto de Polo, Palermo, Buenos Aires
• Australia Sydney Gold Cup, Sydney and Portsea Polo, Victoria
• Brazil Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, São Paulo and Copa Ouro São José Polo, São Paulo
• China Royal Salute China Open, Beijing
• Colombia Copa Uribe, Bogota, Colombia
• India Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup, Jodphur
• Italy Polo Gold Cup, Cortina d’ Ampezzo
• Italy Trofeo Cita’ Di Milano
• South Korea Royal Salute Polo Cup, Jeju
• Singapore Japanese Cup, Singapore
• Spain Snow Polo, Baqueira, Lérida and Sotogrande, Cádiz
• UAE Royal Salute Nations Cup, Dubai
• USA Foundation Polo Challenge, Santa Barbara and Royal Salute Jubilee Cup, Greenwich, New York
• UK The Sentebale Polo Cup, Coworth Park, Westchester Cup at Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park, Kent & Curwen Polo Club, London, and Beaufort Polo Cup, Tetbury

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.

In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements.

For further information please visit www.chivasbrothers.com

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2014 is now available to order from our website – http://www.whiskybible.com/ For an exclusive pre-order discount of £3 and a signed copy of the book simply type PRE2014 into the ‘Your Shopping Cart’ screen at http://www.whiskybible.com/ and click ‘Apply’. The code is available until the 28th October 2013.

THE WHISKY SHOP’S CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE 2013

The Whisky Shop has Christmas all wrapped up this year with a fantastic selection of unique and luxurious whisky gifts.

As the UK’s largest whisky only specialist retailer, The Whisky Shop offers an unrivalled selection of Scotch and international malt whiskies from the world’s premium distilleries, as well as an extensive choice of blends, and there is something to suit all tastes and budgets.

OVER £100

Jack Daniels Frank Sinatra Select – £150

Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select is bottled at 90 proof and gains its rich character from specially crafted “Sinatra Barrels” mingled with the classic Tennessee Whiskey. The Sinatra Barrels are handcrafted with the addition of deep grooves on the inside of the barrel staves.

This exposes the whiskey to extra layers of oak which imparts a rich amber colour, bold character and a pleasant smokiness, followed by an incredibly smooth vanilla finish. 

Highland Park Loki – £133

This 15 year old limited edition single malt comes housed in the same unique and award winning wooden frame as Thor, echoing the fearsome contours of a traditional Viking long ship.

The true shape-shifting ability of Loki springs to life on the palate: its waxy texture is amplified by an intense smoke that doesn’t appear on the nose, shattering the light citrusy illusion of the aroma. All is not what it seems. The smoke fades as liquorice and rich spiced apple flavours come out to play. Lemon and grapefruit are consistent throughout this elusive, yet intriguing character.

£50 TO £100

Bruichladdich Octomore 6.1 – £99.99

Bruichladdich Octomore 6.1 is the world’s most heavily peated whisky. This is the 6^th edition of the uber-experimental cult Octomore. Titanic amounts of peat but with a light, delicate complexity and a beguiling finesse. 

Highland & Island Selection – £89.99 

A wonderful selection of single malts inside an attractive snap shut gift box accompanied by two specially shaped malt blenders glasses.

Dalmore 12 year old (70cl) is a rich, full flavoured and complex single malt whisky.

Jura Superstition (70cl) is a single malt where tastes of spice, honey, pine and peat with a whisper of smoke make a dramatic impact. 

UNDER £50

Aberlour 12yo Non Chill Filtered – £49.99  

An easy drinking single malt, Aberlour 12 year old Non Chill Filtered is exclusive to The Whisky Shop and has a medium amber colour and a nose of baked apples, raisins, light caramel and nutmeg. With a creamy texture and tastes of dried fruit, marzipan, fudge and a touch of nutmeg and pepper and a long, rich fruit with delicate spice finish, this whisky is sure to make a lasting impression this Christmas. 

The Macallan Amber – £45

This single malt is part of The 1824 Series which showcases two of The Macallan’s greatest strengths: oak sherry casks and natural colour.  The Macallan Amber underlines the signature style of The Macallan embracing the defining elements which have made it one of the world’s truly great single malts.

The Macallan Whisky Maker, Bob Dalgarno, created four expressions by identifying the natural colour formed during maturation in different cask types to create the character informed by these colours. The expressions are Gold, Amber, Sienna and Ruby, all names reflecting the actual colour of the whiskies in the range, but also describing naturally occurring mineral and metals. 

Talisker 10 year old luxury gift set – £42.99

This beautiful pack reinforces Talisker’s ‘Made by the Sea’ heritage and includes two of the famous Talisker Rocking Glasses as well as a 70cl bottle of Talisker 10 year old. 

The W Club Gold Membership – £25.00

The W Club Gold Membership is the start of a journey of discovery.

The gift pack also includes a copy of the Jim Murray Whisky Bible, a  Malt Blenders Glass and a Bowmore 12 year old miniature.

The W Club offers a range of benefits including:

• 10% off products at any of The Whisky Shop stores or at www.whiskyshop.com
• Access to www.thewclub.co.uk, a fully interactive website including a comprehensive whisky guide and all the latest whisky news
• Access to Limited Edition Bottlings
• Selected free of charge distillery tours and tastings
• Entry into ‘Money Can’t Buy’ competitions
• Invitations to exclusive instore tastings

Andrew Torrance, Managing Director of The Whisky Shop, said: “At The Whisky Shop we have a wonderful array of whisky gifts to suit all tastes and budgets this Christmas and our knowledgeable staff are on hand to help select the perfect present.” 

The Whisky Shop is the UK’s largest whisky only specialist retailer with a full range of whisky gifts available online at www.whiskyshop.com and at 22 stores nationwide, including premium flagships in London’s Piccadilly and on Manchester’s Exchange Street.

Home to some of Scotland’s most precious and rare whisky stocks, The Dalmore distillery is set to extend its Principal Collection of desirable whiskies with the launch of The Dalmore 25 Year Old.

Available in specially selected retail partners globally from 25 October, The Dalmore 25 year old will join the 12, 15, 18, Cigar Malt Reserve and King Alexander III as a permanent addition to the collection.

Meticulously crafted by Master Distiller Richard Paterson, The Dalmore 25 combines festive aromas of exotic fruits, marzipan, vanilla pods and fig cake.

As with all of The Dalmore’s prestigious and award-winning whiskies, much of The Dalmore 25’s unique character and quality comes from a passion to use only the finest wood.

This spirit has been matured initially in American white oak casks before being divided into hand-sourced 25 year old sweet Palomino Fino sherry butts and 1980 first-fill bourbon casks. These exceptional whiskies are then expertly married together in bourbon barrels before finally being transferred into Tawny Port pipes from Portugal, giving additional layers of complexity and richness.

Only 3,000 bottles of this outstanding single malt will be produced annually with an RRP of £600.

The Dalmore 25 won Gold at the 2013 International Spirits Challenge (ISC) awards and will be officially unveiled at this year’s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.

Dalmore Master Distiller Richard Paterson said:

“The Dalmore 25 is matured in casks that have previously housed a very special grape which creates a sweeter style of sherry. As a result, the cask has gifted a wonderful a palate of orange peel, chocolate truffles and spiced gingerbread. The Dalmore 25 is a truly spectacular addition to The Dalmore Principal Collection, and a must have for fans of the distillery.”

NOTES

The Dalmore 25 will be rolled out globally from 25 October and available in North America from early 2014.
The Dalmore 25 is bottled at 42% abv.
Tasting Notes:
• Aroma: Exotic fruits, marzipan, vanilla pods, treacle toffee, fig cake and sweet balsamic
• Palate: Orange peel, chocolate truffles, liquorice, sweet damsons and sherry soaked raisins
• Finish: Demerara sugar, maple syrup, bitter chocolate and spiced gingerbread

Further information on The Dalmore

Dating back to the days of King Alexander III, The Dalmore gained its iconic 12-point stag emblem in 1263 when one of the Mackenzie clan saved the king from being gored by a stag.
The Dalmore is produced in very limited quantities and due to the distinctive distillation process no two batches will be exactly the same, ensuring that each release of The Dalmore is unique.
The Dalmore distillery houses some of Scotland’s most precious and rare whisky stocks. Home of the record-breaking The Dalmore Trinitas 64 year old and a number of other rare expressions such as Sirius, Selene, Candela and Oculus, it is no wonder that whisky investors, collectors and aficionados keep a watchful eye on this collection.

Global superstar DJ Pete Tong brings the bass to Edinburgh for the Ballantine’s ‘Soundtrack of You’ party

Competition winners from around the world attended the exclusive event after creating the soundtrack of their lives

Winners from around the world were whisked away to Edinburgh, Scotland to spend the evening at the exclusive Ballantine’s Soundtrack of You event, which featured global superstar DJs Pete Tong and Heatbeat.

The one-off club night took place last night (16th October) at popular Edinburgh venue, The Caves, and saw legendary DJ Pete Tong and talented Argentinian DJ duo, Heatbeat, take to the decks for competition winners and guests of Ballantine’s, the world’s No 2 Scotch whisky.

The lucky winners travelled from all over the world for the opportunity to dance to two of the world’s greatest DJs after winning the Ballantine’s Soundtrack of You competition, with each submitting a soundtrack which reflected their personality and told their life story through music. Facebook fans then voted for their favourites, sending the winners on their way to Edinburgh for a night of beats and bass.

Pete Tong said of the experience: “I’ve really enjoyed being a part of the Ballantine’s ‘Soundtrack of You’ competition. Music is the ultimate form of self-expression, and no matter where I am in the world I love to see how passionate people are about music. The international crowd at The Caves embodied this, and the atmosphere was electric! I really enjoyed my set.”

Heatbeat added: “The Ballantine’s ‘Soundtrack of You’ party was awesome! People from all over the world connected through their love of music, which is the perfect crowd to us, and exactly what the Ballantine’s competition was all about. The venue looked amazing, and everyone had a really good time, especially us. We can’t wait to come back to Edinburgh again soon!”

The event was held to celebrate the launch of the new Ballantine’s Finest bottle, which reflects the essence, personality and life story of its founder, George Ballantine. The new bottle, whilst more contemporary, stays true to the original essence of Ballantine’s, resulting in an iconic design which reinforces the quality of the whisky inside.

NOTES

For pictures and video content from the event, go to: facebook.com/Ballantines and twitter.com/Ballantines_LtdNotes to editors

About Ballantine’s: Ballantine’s is the No 1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the world’s No 2 Scotch whisky by volume, and the range sells over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 120 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827.

About Chivas Brothers Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.

UNLUCKY FOR SOME BUT IT COULD BE LUCKY FOR YOU

 To celebrate our Story Season, we are offering you the chance to win one of 13 amazing prizes inspired by the great works of literature. These include:

Bose Soundlink® Wireless Speaker with iPod touch 16GB

Mulberry leather and silver money clip and £200 cash

PRADA classic tortoiseshell square frame sunglasses

Sennheiser digital wireless RS 220 headphones and transmitter

Leica D-LUX 6 digital camera

Murdocks of London Wren Shaving set – with Murdock Mach 3© Razor, Best Badger Brush and chrome metal stand, 200ml Shave Cream Jar and 100ml Post Shave Balm

Mont Blanc Pen – Meisterstück platinum line classique rollerball

Christopher Ward c5 Malvern automatic mk ii dress watch

Tannergoods Field Tan canvas and leather Nomad Duffle bag

Box of 10 Cohiba Behike 52 cigars

Jaques 18″ Staunton design Walnut, Sycamore and a solid Mahogany Chess Board with 3 1/2″ Original Staunton Design Chess Set

3″ Sterling Silver Quaich

Paul Smith ‘City Webbing’ black grained leather shoulder bag

Visit jurawhisky.com to take part.

Also this month, we’re inviting you to Save the Date with a good friend and sit down with a glass of Jura to swap a story or two. More details here.

Become an honorary Diurach to find out about more exclusive tastings, events and all of the latest updates from our beloved island. Be part of our story

Ten years ago we created a bespoke blend of peaty single malts – named simply ‘Monster’ – for the owners of the Park Avenue Liquor Shop in New York. It was so well-received that we appended ‘The Peat’ to the front of the name and decided to share the idea with the rest of the world. To celebrate this milestone we have released a special limited edition of The Peat Monster, which is now available!

We’ve created a unique recipe for The Peat Monster Tenth Anniversary Limited Release.
Its smoky, peated character is still shaped by a combination of Islay, Island and Highland single malts. However, some older casks of peaty Highland single malt bring extra richness, while the addition of one of our rarest archive whiskies adds finesse, complexity and class. To balance the extra flavour and intensity, we have bottled this beautiful creature at a slightly higher 48.9%. The bespoke label was created for us by famous US artist and whisky lover Mark Burckhardt and only 5,970 bottles were produced.
Contact your favourite retailer now to reserve your bottle or, alternatively, just pick one up from our UK-based web shop.

“Above All, Share & Enjoy!”

BALLANTINE’S UNVEILS NEW GLOBAL BRAND POSITIONING

STAY TRUE, LEAVE AN IMPRESSION 

Authenticity, self-belief, self-fulfilment and conviction at the heart of Ballantine’s new global advertising campaign

Ballantine’s, the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky and part of the Chivas Brothers family of brands, has today announced the launch of a new strategic brand positioning and accompanying marketing campaign.

Stay True, Leave an Impression serves as an invitation to consumers to express themselves in a genuine and authentic way, applauding conviction and self-belief. The global campaign, which is a natural progression from the brand’s hugely successful ‘Leave an Impression’ campaign launched in 2007, will begin rolling out across all key markets from October onwards, aiming to unify all brand communications across the complete Ballantine’s range.

The new positioning has been developed by M&C Saatchi London, the first campaign the agency has developed since winning the business in 2012. The campaign will feature a number of authentic ‘Stay True’ protagonists, who have each been chosen to front the campaign because they epitomise the message of being genuine, authentic and ultimately, of staying true to yourself.

These protagonists are shown across all iterations of the advertising creative in situations that reflect their passion and commitment to staying true; demonstrating that whatever you do, it’s about doing it with conviction, doing it because you believe in it.

This will be brought to life in multiple channels, principally via a 30” television spot to be showcased on MTV and The Discovery Channel amongst others, but also including a print campaign which will run across press, outdoor and online media.

The TV commercial, ‘The Drummer’, tells the story of a drummer, who performs not because he wants the money, the fame or to be adored; but because it is who he is. This story is enhanced by its leading light, Ben Mead, who serves as the embodiment of ‘Stay True’, having rejected the traditional path of record contracts and instead favouring less well-known venues where his band feel that their music is best appreciated.

The TVC was shot by Jake Nava, a director with a wealth of experience in both music videos and advertising. Despite the fame and recognition he received for his recent work with Beyonce in the US, Jake has remained insistent that his family and friends will keep him in East London.

Peter Moore, Brand Director for Ballantine’s commented: “Stay True is rooted in the DNA of Ballantine’s, thanks to our founder George Ballantine. A true innovator and entrepreneur, he was always original and acted with genuine conviction and flair, and this approach to life is reflected in the unique taste profile and iconic look of the Ballantine’s range.”

“George Ballantine stayed true and left an impression himself, so we want to continue his legacy by creating a platform that celebrates Ballantine’s and its founder’s intrinsic values. We are trying to inspire people to have the conviction to stay true to themselves, to follow their passions and to remain as genuine and authentic as they can be.”

The campaign is currently rolling out across South America (including in Mexico, Chile and Brazil) and southern and central Europe, with other markets globally rolling out throughout 2013 and into 2014.

M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, the brand engagement arm of the M&C Saatchi Group, together with Ballantine’s digital agency, Work Club, will be delivering a Global BTL campaign that celebrates the new positioning via digital and PR. This will launch in parallel to the TV and print campaign.

To see the TV commercial, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHWCfGQqUIc

Jeremy Hemmings, Global Client Director at M&C Saatchi London added: “We are delighted with the launch of the Ballantine’s Stay True campaign.  We’ve gone back to the roots of the brand to establish what we see as a real conviction position that distinguishes it from its close competitors. This has allowed us to produce creative work which exudes real passion from our brand protagonists, cutting through some of the false gloss you tend to expect from many brands in this category.” 

About Ballantine’s 

Ballantine’s is the No. 1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky by volume, and the range sells over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 120 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827. 

About Chivas Brothers 

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport. 

Campaign Production Credits

Whisky sailing trips Tall Ship Thalassa 2014

Make the once in a lifetime trip and sail with tall ship Thalassa! Sail along with us to the best single malt distilleries and visit the famous Islay Whisky Festival. Discover Scotland’s coastal distilleries, enjoy the company of whisky lovers and learn from whisky professionals! see Scotland and its isles from a different angle and discover its beauty. Read more…

Many guests have been welcomed on board before you: last summer an article about our whisky sailing journey was published in Whisky Magazine 2013. Read more about the experiences  of journalist Martin Mitchell:

Read the article here…

Our whisky sailing trips in 2014

Whisky trip 1: May, 17th – May 24th 2014

Price: EUR 895,- per person

Whisky trip 2: May 24th – May 31st 2014 (ISLAY WHISKY FESTIVAL)

Price: EUR 995,- per person ** ALMOST FULLY BOOKED: ONLY 2 PLACES AVAILABLE!!**

Read more…

Program Whisky Sailing Trip 1

Important notice: during this journey we chose to sail another route compared to the previous journeys! Were you our guest during one of these trips before it might be worthwhile to consider shipping  in on board of Thalassa once more and discover a new part of Scotland!

The sailing trip starts in Oban, Scotland and ends in Troon, Scotland.

Day 1: Embarkation in Oban, departure to Tobermory

Day 2: Visit distillery Tobermory, bustour Mull

Day 3: Departure for Bunnahabhain, overnight stay in its bay OR via Corryvreckan to Jura, overnight stay in its bay

Day 4: Visit distillery Bunnahabhain or Jura, departure to Port Ellen

Day 5: Possible visit distilleries Islay, overnight stay in Port Ellen

Day 6: Departure direction Campbelltown, visit Springbank distillery

Day 7: Tour Glenscotia, departure for Arran, visit distillery, departure for Troon

Day 8: Disembark at Troon

Program Whisky Sailing Trip 2

The sailing trip starts and ends in Troon, Scotland.

Day 1: Embark in Troon, departure to Bruichladdich

Day 2: Departure for Port Ellen

Day 3: Departure to Bunnahabhain

Day 4: Visit distillery, departure to Port Ellen

Day 5: Port Ellen, in the afternoon departure to Jura

Day 6: visit distillery, departure to Campbelltown

Day 7: Visit Springbank distillery, departure to naar Arran, visit distillery, departure to Troon

Day 8: Disembark in Troon

The definite sailing routes depend on wind and weather conditions. The captain of the vessel is authorized to modify the schedule, if necessary due to circumstances as described above. In such case the captain and his crew will make suggestions for a fair alternative route. 

Information and online booking

More information about the trips can be found here. For online booking click here. For further questions please contact us by email or phone: +31-10-4156600.

Welcome on board!

HOLLANDS GLORIE

Liesbeth Wammes – de Graaf

Brigitte Beckers

THE GLENLIVET DISTILLERY VISITOR CENTRE AWARDED BEST ATTRACTION 

The reputation of The Glenlivet, the world’s No. 2 single malt, has been further enhanced by its recently upgraded distillery visitor centre being named Best Visitor Attraction by the prestigious Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards (HITA).

The visitor centre saw off competition from the other shortlisted attractions to scoop the prize, cementing its standing as a must-see Speyside tourist attraction. It will now go onto compete in the national Scottish Thistle Awards

The centre which has been in operation for 35 years and attracts over 40,000 tourists annually from around the world, was transformed in 2013 to include three different daily tours that enhance the visitor experience and provide the opportunity to hand-fill and purchase your very own personalised bottle of The Glenlivet 18 Year Old single cask selection.

Following its upgrade, the centre put a strong emphasis on obtaining and analysing visitors’ feedback. Facebook and social media channels have become a vital part of this process, allowing the public to keep up with the distillery’s activities and tour availability. This search for excellence in customer services really impressed the judges with  Laurence Young, Chair of the judging panel for the HITA, commenting: “The Glenlivet Distillery’s application demonstrated that the organisation is really committed to listening to customers and responding to their feedback. Introducing great ideas during a recent major upgrade to the centre demonstrated that the company genuinely values the opinions and suggestions of the people visiting the centre each year.“

Caroline Mitchell, Manager of the Chivas Brothers’ visitor centres, comments: “We are delighted that The Glenlivet visitor centre has been awarded Best Visitor Attraction. It really goes to show that all our hard work in developing exciting activities and listening to feedback has paid off. It means a lot to us to be recognised by The Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards. We want to thank everyone in the distillery for all their work in maintaining the centre to such high standards and we will keep our fingers crossed for further recognition at the national Scottish Thistle Awards.”

Introduced in 2005, The Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards promote and encourage excellence within Highlands and Islands tourism industry, rewarding the best businesses in the region.