Whisky firm reveal new look for 175th birthday year

Whyte & Mackay have revealed their new look bottle design as part of their 175th birthday celebrations.

The taller, contemporary bottle is expected to give the brand even more shelf stand out against competitors and appeal to a younger consumer, as well as loyal Whyte & Mackay drinkers, with its splashes of red, gold and black throughout.

While the bottle now has a more modern look, it still features cues to Whyte & Mackay’s rich brand heritage – from the brand’s iconic lions embossed on the bottle, ‘whisky makers since 1844’ stamp on the bottle closure and the second, gold, label providing a clear reminder of the whisky’s USP – ‘triple matured for a smoother, richer taste’.

The new look bottle will be rolled out across all channels, nationwide, in fractional phases of 5cl, 20cl, 35cl, 70cl, 1 litre and 1.5 litres.

There will be a run of 500,000 neck tags on bottles, reading ‘new smooth bottle, same smooth whisky’ and featuring the brand’s International Sprits Challenge (ISC) Gold Medal status which Whyte & Mackay Triple Matured Blended Scotch took home at the 2018 Awards – one of the most respected and sought-after accolades in the drinks industry.

The release will also be supported by a national media campaign across the UK, including print, online and out of home, as well as shopper activation, once again reminding consumers that the only thing that hasn’t changed is the whisky inside the bottle.

Ruairi Perry, head of brand at Whyte & Mackay, said: ‘We at Whyte & Mackay have been whisky makers since 1844. We pride ourselves on always producing a fantastic blended whisky and wanted to celebrate our 175th birthday with a great new look. The only thing we haven’t changed, of course, is the award-winning whisky inside.

‘Consumer satisfaction has always been very important to us and response to the new bottle has been very positive. They love our taller, more modern look.

‘Our new look comes shortly after the release of Whyte & Mackay Light – a premium, lighter spirit drink at 21.5% ABV aimed at giving consumers more choice. It’s already proving a hit, with consumers telling us it tastes great.’

Whyte & Mackay – with a significant presence in the UK spirits category – have developed a number of contemporary spirit brands in recent years, designed to reflect evolving consumer demands.

Whyte & Mackay’s investment in the portfolio started in earnest with the relaunch of Single Malt Scotch Whisky Tamnavulin in 2016, followed by the redeveloped positioning for Single Malt Scotch Whisky Jura, which launched 5 new whiskies for the domestic market in 2017.

Whyte & Mackay’s investment continued with the launch of the contemporary, story-led brand Shackleton in 2017, in the spirit of Sir Ernest Shackleton, to whom Whyte & Mackay had originally supplied whisky to accompany the polar explorer on his expedition to Antarctica. 2018 saw the release of Woodsman Blended Scotch Whisky and Wildcat Gin.

More recently in 2019, Whyte and Mackay launched The Whisky Works, a boutique whisky house, under the stewardship of famed whisky maker Gregg Glass.

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