Asia: Sales of single malt Scotch in Asia duty free down by 52% since start of Covid-19 pandemic

Sales of single malt Scotch in Asia duty free have fallen by 52% since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data from Whyte & Mackay.

The Dalmore owner highlighted that the single malt sector has remained ‘resilient’ in the face of the coronavirus crisis when compared with other categories, such as Cognac (which witnessed a 58% drop in sales) and blended Scotch (which plummeted by 78%).

Single malt is nearly as big as blended Scotch in Asia duty free, Whyte & Mackay said, accounting for 22% of the market.

Whyte & Mackay is the third-biggest single malt whisky supplier in Asia travel retail, driven by The Dalmore, which is now the region’s number-three malt by value.

Clarisse Daniels, head of marketing for travel retail at Whyte & Mackay, said: “The single malt sector has been incredibly resilient throughout the past year. We have seen incredible pent-up demand and spend at duty free zones across Asia, and prestige brands such as The Dalmore have been driving that demand.

“The challenge is to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for our rare collections, so we are pleased to reveal that the travel retail exclusive The Dalmore Ensemble collection is launching in the region after enthusiastic reactions from our key partners.”

Duty free shoppers in Hainan will be able to learn about the new range through Whyte & Mackay’s omnichannel campaign.

Daniels added: “This aims to drive awareness of our presence on the island in order to entice consumers to visit the duty free shop. Once in store, shoppers will be invited to discover both incredible brand stories and thrilling digital engagement.

“The multi-sensory experience will trigger an emotional reaction as they enjoy the product and create a lasting memory. They will be able to repeat the experience post-purchase with the animations being available online.”

In October last year, Whyte & Mackay created a new digitally focused campaign series for travel retail after concluding the industry ‘cannot simply wait’ for traveller numbers to rebound.

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