INTEGRATED ANNUAL REPORT 2021/2022

2021/2022 saw Westland Distillery’s strongest sales growth yet. A number of factors contributed to this exceptional performance from the distillery renowned for its pioneering American Single Malt Whisky: the efforts of its brand ambassadors in the US, the successful launch of its flagship Westland American Single-Malt, and the particularly effective "Judgement of Westland" campaign.

This campaign was Westland’s main marketing initiative for the year. It takes its name from the famous 1976 Judgement of Paris blind tasting, at which a New World wine was preferred over a Grand Cru Bordeaux for the very first time. At the whisky equivalent, a tasting of 2,000 comparably priced single malts from around the world, Westland stormed to joint first place, throwing the traditionally all-Scottish leader board into disarray. The Judgement of Westland campaign (expertly run by consultants Dave Broom and Sam Simmons) was named the world’s best brand campaign at the 2022 World Whiskies Awards.

Westland has consistently sought to lead the way on the green transition, and the past year has been no exception. In May 2021, it released the very first edition of its Westland Colere whisky ("colere" from the Latin, meaning "to cultivate/tend"), made using a new variety of barley called Alba. This six-rowed barley is grown as sustainably as possible, practising crop rotation to reduce the need for chemical inputs, for example. At the same time, Westland is pursuing its research project with Washington State University to select seeds that can thrive in certified organic environments. The distillery’s efforts in terms of sustainable barley production have not gone unnoticed: it won the title of Global Sustainable Distillery of the Year at the last World Whiskies Awards.

Looking ahead, Westland plans to hold more tasting events over the coming year and will exhibit at all the major international whisky fairs (now back after a two-year hiatus imposed by the pandemic). It will also begin to gradually release its flagship American Single-Malt to export markets - an eagerly awaited step that will boost the brand’s profile around the world.