The Glasgow Distillery embraces the future of whisky
WEAVING together the future and tradition requires a master of the craft and that’s what the team at The Glasgow Distillery prides itself on.
While paying homage to the well-ingrained history of whisky distilling in Glasgow with its name, the distillery says it aims to cater to a unique market of “whisky geeks” in its production and offer some truly experimental drams in doing so.
Libby Barmby, marketing executive at The Glasgow Distillery, said: “We aim to blend together the history Glasgow has with whisky distilling for a more modern market.
“We do have a wide range of spirits here that can suit for plenty of people, but we also aren’t afraid to be a bit more out there in what we make. Especially when it comes to our more experimental Small Batch Series and limited editions.
“With this, we want to bring in more enthusiasts to our brands and the whisky geeks out there who are looking for something a bit more different.”
The Glasgow Distillery regularly launches more experimental cask finish options with its Small Batch Series across the year with 2024 presenting unique finishes such as the Glasgow 1770 Tokaji Cask Finish, Tequila Cask Finish or its Calvados Finish.
Though while it brings some very different drams to the market, this offer can work in both the distillery’s favour as well as the retailer’s.
Barmby explained: “These more unique finishes mean we can introduce more consumers to whisky through other spritis. So for example, tequila has been growing in popularity lately so our Tequila cask finish could encourage a trial purchase from shoppers.
“This goes the same for all our wine finishes as well but can also cater to the more experimental whisky drinker out there, who is looking to try something new and a bit different in the market.
“We can offer something that is a bit different for those people looking for the difference in whisky.”
And this attitude has been reflected in the distiller’s most recent launches with its Banditti Club rum line, which recently launched three new limited edition cask finishes.
Made using the Banditti Club rum as a base without any spices, the three rums have all been aged for a period in different cask finishes including the Barrel Aged Golden Rum, a Pedro Ximénez Sherry Cask Finish as well as a Madeira Wine Cask Finish.
This new range is available as a limited run only at £30 a bottle, but there is a hope that it could bring more shoppers to the rum spirit as well.
This encouragement could be beneficial in a market that appears to be changing its attitude towards the spirits category, as more consumers aim to move away from the traditional options and embrace something new on the shelf.
Barmby said: “I think whisky has changed quite a lot. It’s grown from being so regional, like what people come to expect from their drams when they hear its from the Highlands and Islands or like with us in the Lowlands.
“There’s an expectation in the Lowlands that you’ll find this lighter and and cleaner feeling spirit and, especially if you’re new to drinking whisky, it can be almost difficult to explore more in the field and you might find yourselves sticking to one area.
“But take us for example, we are a lowland distillery but we make three different style of whisky with a light one, a fruity one and one that’s really peaty, which isn’t what people would come to expect from a lowland distillery at all.
“So, at least from a whisky point of view, I think we’re stepping away from that traditional regional mindset of the sector and, instead, we’re starting to bring more people in based on a flavour aspect.”
Having this ability to explore within the brand will pay off, especially as the all-important Golden Quarter trading period gets into full swing and we approach the Christmas season.
And it’s not just discoveries to be made in whisky here as the distiller also prides itself on its vodka and gin brands G52 and Makar. Both offer a truly botanical spirit for consumers to choose from which, while expected from the gin category, delivers on a completely novel vodka.
Further to this, the local angle will drive those consumers who looking for a more provincial addition to Santa’s sleigh this year and the timing for these consumers is ideal as The Glasgow Distillery has confirmed a recent drop in their prices in time for the season.
Barmby said: “We’re a Glasgow-based company so it’s great for shoppers looking for something a bit more local whilst also bringing in that quality.
“They are all award winning products and, with Christmas, choosing which brand to go for can sometimes come down to how affordable it is with some customers.
“Bearing this in mind, we have recently dropped the price of our Glasgow 1770 Original whisky from £49 down to £45. So in days where everything else seems to be going up in price, we’re actually dropping ours and trying to do our bit to give back and help make it a bit more affordable as we come up to Christmas.
“And that is something important to us. We could have spent that money on ourselves or we could put that money back into our customers who helped us reach where we are today, so it’s a way of giving back to them.
“Further to this, we’ve also got our smaller selection packs which let consumers try out the different spirits we have on offer in 50ml bottles whilst providing retailers with some ideal stocking filler ideas for the store.”
But for those retailers looking to provide their customers with something more unique this Christmas season, The Glasgow Distillery is set to release some more additions in its experimental Small Batch Series before the end of the year.
Barmby said: “We tend to have three or four releases all year in the Small Batch Series so there is another coming just before Christmas but we also have some new Cask Strength options coming too with a Batch 2 coming just before Christmas so be sure to keep an eye out for those for the whisky enthusiast customers out there.”
