Diageo Global Travel was delighted to open the doors to its newest home in Haikou Duty Free International Shopping Complex, Hainan. A showcase for Diageo’s unrivalled Scotch whisky portfolio.
Shoppers in the luxury centre can now enjoy an immersive whisky experience like no other offering gifting, sampling and much more across the Diageo whisky collection.
The boutique features a digital and physical displays which bring to life the many rare and exclusive liquids as well as a sampling station where customers can taste and understand more about the sorts of whiskies which best appeal to their palate and taste profile. There is also a gifting area for specialist packing, turning every whisky purchase into a bespoke gift.
Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex has the potential to become the world’s largest travel retail location, its significance is transformative in our industry, and it continues to lead with the way it is growing and developing retail space – this whisky boutique which is an example of this growth and development in action. The whisky category has a dynamic new venue in Haikou and for malts and blended brands Haikou is a powerful location to develop Diageo brands as the finest examples of scotch whisky available to consumers.
The boutique was opened in a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony with propitious lion dance on 28th March 2023. Further to this and to celebrate the launch of this very special retail space Diageo’s scotch experts hosted a Johnnie Walker Blue Label and Talisker dinner with the CDFI team including an immersive tasting and sampling of some of Diageo’s oldest and rarest scotches including: Talisker 44 Year Old, and Johnnie Walker 40 and 48 Year Old blends.
Commenting on the opening of the boutique Andrew Cowan, Managing Director of Diageo Global Travel said: “We are incredibly proud of this boutique, of its ambition for our luxury scotch portfolio and its quality. We know that it has a bright future as a beacon for rare and exclusive whisky gifting. This is a testament to the quality and craft, luxury and gifting that the liquids present.
“Having a special place for us to bring consumers and customers on a journey of appreciation and anticipation is vital in our to bring the category to life and unlock the understanding of what a versatile and magnificent liquid it is.”
He added: “We are proud to be part of Haikou International Duty Free’s development, as a paradigm for shoppers, holidaymakers and retailers. CDFI and Haikou have shown their intent and ambition in travel retail – and it is hugely exciting to be part of it and to provide the sort of showcase in which our brands can demonstrate their credentials of quality and flavour. This is not simply a hub for visitors to shop, but an experience like no other. A new way to connect and learn about brands in the most creative, captivating, and luxurious way.”
