Contrary to what a Google image search may have once told you, whisky drinkers today don’t fit just one stereotypical demographic.
The modern day whisky drinker isn’t just the middle aged male that is too often shown as the exclusive demographic of whisky through a lot of mainstream media, marketing and advertising. Whisky has long been a spirit enjoyed by anyone, no matter their gender, ethnicity or adult age bracket.
The Glenlivet has actively been working to challenge such preconceptions about the modern day whisky drinker. It has always broken from tradition throughout its two century history, including with its #BreakTheStereotype campaign, launched in 2022 to help dismantle the common misconceptions around the whisky category.
This campaign aimed to shine a light on the true modern day whisky drinker, with The Glenlivet seeding the internet with images featuring real life whisky drinkers to ensure a more diverse reflection of the category. In Australia, this was complemented by a provocative campaign in collaboration with Academy Award Winner, Anna Paquin.
The Glenlivet is also dedicated to this wide-ranging audience of drinkers inside the bottle too. Jayne Murphy, Marketing Director for Malts at Chivas Brothers, said this is a key point of difference for the brand and drives its passion for creativity, innovation and pushing boundaries.
“The Glenlivet is committed to creating whiskies with more diverse flavour profiles that appeal to a wider audience. We’re constantly experimenting with different casks and finishes to create whiskies that are accessible to all,” Murphy said.
“The taste is what sets us apart. The Glenlivet hails from the Speyside region renowned for its distinctive smooth, fruity and creamy style, and our whiskies are known for their complex yet balanced flavours, with notes of honey, fruit, and spice. Whether you’re a seasoned whisky connoisseur or a newcomer to the category, there is something in our range that will appeal to you.”
The innovative nature of The Glenlivet stems from the very start of the brand almost 200 years ago, with the ethos of its founder, George Smith. He set out to create a whisky that was the epitome of excellence, using only the finest ingredients and traditional distilling methods. This spirit has endured for so many years thanks to The Glenlivet’s devotion to quality, innovation and authenticity.
“Over the years, we’ve remained true to these values, while also embracing new techniques and ideas to evolve, break new ground and stay relevant,” Murphy said.
“Ultimately, our success comes down to our unwavering commitment to our craft and our consumers. We take great pride in producing a whisky that people all over the world can enjoy and appreciate, and we will continue to do so for many years to come.”
This attitude has recently seen the brand reimagine its 21-Year-Old and 25-Year-Old single malt whiskies with new cask finishes and a bold new visual identity. The new finishes add a smoother taste and new layers of richness, in a process led by the distillery’s team of ‘makers’, including Cask Expert Kevin Balmforth and Distiller Lisa Glen, who took over the helm from former Master Distiller Alan Winchester.
Whisky lovers will also be thrilled to hear the boundary pushing will continue this year, as the brand has unveiled a new ‘Space-side’ sign at its distillery in Speyside. The sign was built to mark the return to Earth of barley seeds that The Glenlivet sent to space with the University of Guelph in Canada, which will be planted, malted and distilled into a very special ‘out of this world’ whisky.
With such ground-breaking whisky releases and the iconic 200 year anniversary officially being marked in 2024, there is a lot to celebrate with The Glenlivet at the moment. There’s a great opportunity to leverage this in the Australian market in coming weeks, by bringing such energy in-store for World Whisky Day on 20 May.
Murphy had some great tips for how to execute World Whisky Day activity around The Glenlivet, to help a broader range of consumers explore the potential behind the brand and the category.
She said: “I would encourage retailers to leverage the full and extensive Glenlivet range for World Whisky Day. For example, why not host a tasting event and encourage consumers to try the numerous whiskies within the range?
“Some of the ways retailers can encourage a wider audience to explore whisky with The Glenlivet this World Whisky Day is by educating their customers about what makes The Glenlivet so special. From our premium ingredients to our carefully crafted distillation process, every aspect of our whisky reflects the highest standards of quality and tradition.”
For more information on how you can get involved with The Glenlivet this World Whisky Day, contact your local Pernod Ricard representative.