A Scots distillery has seen online sales increase by 250% over the past year, thanks to the success of their virtual drinks experiences.
When COVID hit in March 2020, the Stirling Distillery tour, shop and gin school were all temporarily closed, so the business had to rethink its approach and fast.
Founders June and Cameron McCann decided to create a virtual drinks package, a virtual distillery tour and offer live Zoom tastings for those who wanted a way of connecting with friends, family or colleagues.
The distillery has also launched three new products over the past year – Stirling Pink Gin, their Sons of Scotland whisky range and the popular Tropical Triumph liqueur. Steeped in local history, these products have all contributed to the steep rise in online orders.
The family run business has had great success with their live tastings, hosting over 45 in December alone – on one day they hosted nine tastings.
Those taking part include friends, colleagues or family members wanting to meeting up virtually to share a drink, companies wanting to host clients, and even virtual hen parties. Customers have spanned the globe, including Australia, Singapore, the US and countries across Europe.
Over the past year they have established partnerships with various online retailers including Master of Malt, The Sample Guys, Craft 56, Drop24, and the Craft Bottle Shop. They have also partnered with local companies to provide traditional Scottish products including glasses by Angel Share Glass, Stirlingshire Tablet from Johnston’s and Chrystals shortbread alongside their gin and whisky in a bid to promote other local Scottish businesses.
They also create bespoke seasonal gift bundles throughout the year, including Valentines, Easter and Father’s Day gift sets.
The distillery recently announced their annual whisky and gin festivals will be going ahead in the autumn. Run by their events company Stirling Spirit Co., these popular festivals had to be cancelled in 2020 but will cap off a successful year for Stirling Distillery.
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