Craft Spirits
Breaking the “endless wall of sameness” – Compass Box on disrupting the whisky category
Compass Box Whisky may be a newcomer to travel retail but it has already established a strong foothold.
The brand has made a mark for its innovative offerings and remains committed to reinforcing its role as a disruptive force in whisky making.
Its bestselling Orchard House and The Peat Monster whiskies have made a notable impact in the duty-free market (in association with brand representative Duty Free Global), thanks to their distinct flavour profile and character.
In April, the company partnered with Dubai Duty Free to unveil its first travel retail-exclusive limited-edition named The Travelling Circus, which appeared as the first Whisky of the Month in the retailer’s redeveloped Concourse B/C liquor & tobacco store.
Design agency Stranger and Stranger, a Compass Box partner since 2008, crafted The Travelling Circus label
The expression was also launched in August with DFS Group at John F. Kennedy and Los Angeles international airports.
The brand’s growing presence in the channel is particularly timely as travel retail consumer trends continue to evolve, with a growing inclination towards craft spirits and innovative experiences.
Compass Box Whisky International Commercial Director Kerrin Egalka notes consumers’ shifting preferences for craft spirits. She says: “Many shoppers these days are looking for new and different experiences in general and especially when in global travel retail outlets.
“Many shoppers these days are looking for new and different experiences”
–Compass Box Whisky International Commercial Director Kerrin Egalka
“Having the same spirit offerings delivering much of the same look and feel as each other, the same as domestic markets and the same as GTR ten and 20 years ago, is not going to drive breakthrough growth. It feels like the travelling consumer is looking to be jarred out of the seemingly endless wall of sameness and craft spirits can provide a break from the monotony.”
Compass Box recognises the vital role of exclusive travel retail products, as travellers are now more focused on finding distinctive items and immersive experiences that add to their overall satisfaction.
Egalka says: “We do already have an extremely loyal fan base who like to collect every release we produce – so we aim to bring them along with us on our travel retail journey. We created The Travelling Circus, a channel exclusive, which rewards those who remember our much-loved 2015 release of The Circus.”
Egalka says Compass Box’s innovation pipeline underscores the company’s commitment to exploring new possibilities in Scotch whisky.
“At Compass Box we are constantly pushing the boundaries. For the travelling consumer, we’re excited for the opportunity to surprise them with different recipes when we can – for example, we will be releasing a travel retail-exclusive version of our upcoming limited-edition whisky Secrets of Smoke.
“We’ll get to share an alternate recipe to the global release so collectors will be able to see two different routes of the concept. For lovers of peat, this will be a really interesting and exciting gem to seek out.”
As the demand for differentiated retail experiences grows, the importance of retailer partners in curating these interactions becomes ever more significant. The company is seeking partners who could support emerging brands in the category.
Egalka says: “We find that consumers really want to lean into new experiences when they are shopping out of home. Whether that involves tasting, storytelling or other unique interactions, it would be great if there was a lower barrier of entry for emerging brands to have the opportunity to engage with consumers. We’d love to see retailers break away from the traditional model of large-scale displays and carve out space for brands like Compass Box to disrupt the conversation.”
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The Moodie Davitt eZine
Issue 337 | 11 September 2024
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