The Black Grouse has finally reached India. Part of the Famous Grouse family, Scotland?s top whiskey, the Black Grouse, with its markedly stronger peaty flavour, makes its entry as the Indian whiskey market expands its vistas. Derek Brown, Brand Heritage Director, was in India recently to launch the label in India. Priced at Rs 2,250, the Black Grouse is targeted at the premium whiskey drinker. Moumita Chakrabarti caught up with him to understand the nuances of this iconic brand better. Excerpts:
Why did you plan to launch The Black Grouse in India now?
We?ve had considerable success with The Famous Grouse in India. And given India?s market potential, we have introduced the new Black Grouse too. In India, people have an affinity for smoky and peated whisky, so we believe it would cater to Indians quite well.
What is the potential for premium liquor in India?
Business-wise, India is a smooth market for us. We are a known brand among Indians as we entered the market in 2000 and have established our presence. Since then we have grown at more than 25% annually, which is more than the pace at which the sector has grown – 20%. Four ?I?s have been crucial in building our brand. We have been independent in maintaining our identity as a brand. We have been around for more than 100 years now and next year we will be completing 30 years as the number one whisky manufacturer in Scotland. We have never diluted our product, have used the best material and also maintained our standards despite high manufacturing costs. We never compromise on the quality. For example, we always make sure to import sherry cask from Spain for bottling our products. Also, all these years we have grown enormously due to our innovative practices. Even now, as we add on Black Grouse, it highlights our same spirit for innovation.
Where India is concerned, we have increased our involvement in the market since 2000. In fact, our first international office was established here. In the process of our brand building, we never compromised on honesty and integrity.
Why did you choose the black grouse as your logo?
The black grouse bird is the inspiration, and the label is also an attempt towards creating awareness about the conservation of the birds. A distant relative of the red grouse, they have declined by 28% since the 1970?s. It is 50% bigger than the red grouse and has a proud demeanour and a darker trait, which best suits this new product. The smoky and soothing taste of this whisky is dramatically different from
The Famous Grouse.
What are your retail and promotion plans?
We are a known brand and the new product will initially be introduced in Delhi and NCR, at Rs 2,250 for a one-litre bottle, through the existing distribution channels. It will then be launched in other cities.
The Edrington Group has launched the whiskey in India. The Black Grouse is for people who are acquainted to whiskey?it is not for first timers. We plan to hold sampling and tasting sessions to promote our brand.