According to Craig Robertson Scotch isn't on the rocks. He admits 2007 was an exceptionally good year for whisky and 2008 wasn't far behind, but industry expert Alan Gray says the depressing turnaround is firmly down to the global recession and that the underlying future for Scotch remains bright.
Alan, a whisky analyst at brokers Sutherlands of Edinburgh and author of the Scotch Whisky Review, is confident the Diegeo and Whyte & Mackay job losses, although devastating, are not a taste of things to come.
"The years from 2005 saw tremendous growth, an average of 6% a year compared with a norm of 1.5% and there was always likely to be a wee bit of reaction to that. Then the recession kicked in. The first quarter of this year saw exports down 18.8%, however in April and May they were down just 9.9%."
By its very nature, making whisky is a long-term business. A bottle produced today cannot be drunk for a minimum of three years and more likely nearer 10 if it's a single malt. Distillers are bound to think ahead.
Alan Gray has some wise words for Diageo.
"They're making cuts when they don't absolutely have to. I think it's the wrong thing to do. I believe there's a strong case for keeping Johnnie Walker open."
"From a heritage point of view they should be doing more with Johnnie Walker. They have a small visitor centre at Cardhu but it's a long way from anywhere. They should have a heritage home in Kilmarnock, really play up the link with the world's top-selling whisky."
"There are 195 million bottles of Johnnie Walker sold a year. That's a lot of whisky and lots of potential visitors. With an archive and a bottling plant where people could see Johnnie Walker or another whisky being bottled, they would be on to a winner."
Some very sensible and free advice from Alan Gray there. Are you listening Diageo?
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17 comments:
As someone who has liked his dram for a long time, what I see at the present is a younger generation beguiled by a range of cheap products that are claimed to be "fashionable". Some of this tastes like anti-freeze, and worse may be very close to it. As some of the hooch brought in from Eastern Europe is "instant brain damage" according to one customs official I know, this might explain a lot.
Matter of interest - always been intrigued by the phrase 'scotch on the rocks'.
One of the first lessons learnt when touring the distilleries is not to put ice in scotch malt - wrecks it!
I wonder why 'Red Label' has not been sold in this country for many years. I happen to think that it's because it's about the most awful Scotch on the market and the Arabs deserve it. I certainly wouldn't drink it by choice.
However, I must agree that Diageo are wrong in their assessment.
Now Black Label is a part of my very few problems. I love it to bits and it always bites me on the bum the next day!
I'm not fond of Scotch - much prefer brandy or cognac (when I can afford it). Distillers here don;t confine themselves to one product. They make rye whisky, rum, brandy, vodka - whatever. Never understood why Scottish distillers didn't branch out. Then I realized - there are no Scottish distillers left (except for Glenfiddich?).
Catosays, it was withdrawn in the early eighties along with a few other Distillers brands because of EEC regulations that brandnames had to be sold at the same price in all EEC countries.
And guess what? They would have had to cut the price...
They do scunnert, vodka and gin are made and bottled here.
Armadale vodka became famous(infamous?) after some Yank rapper sung about it.
I seldom drink spirits Demetrius but a decent malt on a cold winter's night isn't bad.
Agree some of the hooch youngsters drink isn't any better than the likes of anti-freeze and it can be nearly 100% proof.
Is it an American saying WW from the big screen era?
Not a clue Cato, someone will know I'm sure.
Mmmm, at least you don't get a headache OR. :)
They do though scunnert, there's even a vodka made here. Can't remember the name though.
Ah scunnert, Conan knows all about it.
Hey...hope you doing OK Lassie...
Got something on my blog for you
Click to fame!
SR,
I'm a Macallan lad 12 or 18 and Springbank 12. I've only tried Johnnie W once and never again!
I've just bought Whisky Galore on dvd it doesn't play grrrrrr! But that's what we need another Whisky film to raise the profile a wee bit more!
CD
Thanks so much Baron. :)
Morning CD
Aye Macallan is perhaps mine too CD but I only have one or two on cold winter nights.
Now there's an idea. Anyone a film producer?
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