Bowmore Upgrades To Stand Out In Travel Retail Stores, Moves Into D2C

A major comms campaign comes to life in travel retail and domestic markets this fall as Suntory Global Spirits looks to further elevate one of its prized Scotch whisky assets: the Islay-based Bowmore. The aim is to make it more relevant to traveling shoppers and raise its profile among domestic buyers.

The permanent portfolio of Bowmore single malt whiskies is also getting a refresh, with a new bottle shape and a new livery rolling out in early 2025 featuring the revival of an old symbol of Islay; the sea dragon Kranadu. The house has been in existence for almost 250 years (since 1779) and it is investing now to retain and enhance its luxury position in the market.

Premiumization is a continuing feature of the travel retail channel, though it has lost some momentum in local markets according to drinks analyst IWSR. Its robustness in duty-free was amply demonstrated in several spirits segments at the Tax Free World Association ((TFWA) exhibition in Cannes, France.

The show—the annual meeting place for the global duty-free industry—celebrated its 40^th anniversary last week and saw big liquor groups like Bacardi, Campari, Diageo, and Edrington showcasing their latest products, with elevation strategies very much to the fore.

In the case of Bowmore, two new ranges have been revealed: a sherry cask collection for domestic markets, and a four-strong range exclusive to travel markets like airports. “Travel retail is such an important channel for us, and this collection reflects that,” said Bowmore’s marketing manager Ekaterina Kolesnik.

To boost Bowmore’s desirability and collectability within the crowded single malt market, the two new collections reflect the spectrum of what the house can offer in terms of flavor profiles, with wider choice and variety than in the past.

The travel-retail-exclusive series is called Bowmore Appellations and takes a terroir-based approach, collaborating with producers from some of the world’s greatest wine-producing regions for their distinctive finishes. They include Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Portugal’s Douro Valley.

To differentiate from typical age statements, Bowmore is running with 14-, 16-, 19-, and 22-year-old products, all of them matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks. Approximate pricing increases with age; respectively $66, $108, $200, and $500. Historically, Bowmore’s expressions and bottlings have utilized some of the regional wine casks mentioned.

Travelers have the pick of a 14yo Bowmore finished in Bordeaux barriques; a 16-year-old matured in European oak sherry casks as well as American oak ex-bourbon casks and finished in Douro ruby port casks; a 19-year-old finished in Pinot Noir casks from Burgundy; and the 22-year old finished in Sauternes casks for a sweeter, fruitier character.

“The new travel retail range sings in comparison to what we’ve had before,” said Suntory Global Spirits senior marketing manager for prestige brands, Kshama Alu, referring to the more vibrant packaging. “It’s striking. One of the things we’ll do is really bring the individual variants alive and talk through their diversity.”

From October, the collection will start its retail rollout in global hub airports starting at London Heathrow and Singapore Changi with pop-ups. Manuel Gonzalez, Suntory Global Spirits’ brand marketing director for global travel retail, commented: “Travel retail is a key showroom for our global brands. Traveling consumers expect high-quality product innovation and authenticity to elevate their airport shopping experience.”

Domestic markets in the frame

Not to be outdone, domestic will also get a four-strong Bowmore sherry oak collection showcasing how European oak sherry casks can also create depth and flavor. The age statements here are more familiar with the collection comprising a 12-, 15-, 18-, and 21-year-old with respective pricing at approximately $78, $152, $262, and topping out at $535.

This range started its rollout in September into whisky specialists like The Whisky Exchange, and luxury retail outlets like Harrods in global cities including London, Paris, New York, Toronto, and Munich.

In terms of the brand transformation, Kirsteen Beeston, Bowmore’s marketing director, commented: “We have a duty of care as custodians of this incredible distillery to capture its true essence. As such, we decided to evolve the world that surrounds the brand.” This spans the creative expression, experience, and level of innovation.

The new livery adds a touch of modernity but retains the distillery’s character using subtle organic line work in the design with a dominant use of the color black, a signature of the brand that also pays homage to one its most iconic whiskies—Black Bowmore distilled in 1964.

The Bowmore.com website has also just been relaunched with direct-to-consumer shopping coming soon for the first time.