WHISKIES
Single malt whisky brands continued their upward trend, despite the pandemic.
The Whisky Division comprises five single malts, all sharing the same values of excellence: Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore are distilled at Bruichladdich Distillery, in Islay (Scotland); Westland is located in Seattle in the United States; and Domaine des Hautes Glaces farm distillery is in the French Alps and has just celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Growth in the single malt portfolio in 2021/2022 was nothing less than remarkable. A number of factors fuelled this performance: major investments over recent years to boost the profile and appeal of the division’s brands, the development of brand specific e-commerce sites and a push to educate consumers through social media campaigns on "provenance". Whisky drinking took off in the Asia-Pacific region, making the market a promising growth driver.
On Islay, Bruichladdich Distillery has become the first single malt Scotch whisky distillery to receive B Corp certification, rewarding years of good social and environmental practices.
From an economic perspective, the three Scottish single malts benefited from strong demand in the US market, the rebound in Asia, and good resilience in Europe.
Perfectly integrated into the local economy of the Seattle area, where it actively participates in preserving Garry oak trees, Westland Distillery is now recognised nationally on account of the undisputed quality of its whiskies and the success of its new e-commerce platform.
Domaine des Hautes Glaces opened a new distillery and with it a new chapter in its history, marking 10 years of crafting terroir whisky. The new facility increases its distilling capacity, but its ethos remains the same: single malts made only from organic grains grown in the Trièves Mountains.