Unifree Duty Free is inviting travellers to discover the world of whisky at Istanbul Airport with a dedicated Whisky Festival, combining tastings, specially designed retail environments and live entertainment to create an immersive in-store experience.
Running from 1 September to 31 October, the activation is taking place across Unifree Duty Free stores at Istanbul Airport, giving travellers the opportunity to explore the whisky category and discover a wide range of expressions throughout their journey.
At the heart of the festival are dedicated tasting experiences and in-store activations at two of Unifree Duty Free’s main stores in the Departure area. Specially designed festival spaces provide a distinctive setting for whisky discovery, while festival stands in the Arrival area extend the experience to passengers as they complete their journey.
As part of the concept, customers are invited to explore the rich diversity of Scotch whisky through an immersive tasting experience featuring a selection of blended Scotch whiskies and single malts from across Scotland’s whisky regions. The experience offers whisky enthusiasts an opportunity to discover the distinctive characteristics, flavour profiles and aromas that define different styles and regions, while deepening their appreciation of Scotland’s rich whisky heritage. By bringing together a diverse range of expressions, the festival celebrates the craftsmanship and tradition behind Scotch whisky, creating an engaging and memorable experience for travellers.
Unifree Duty Free’s whisky portfolio brings together more than 80 brands, giving travellers the opportunity to explore a broad spectrum of the category in a single destination. This extensive selection allows travellers to compare distinct whisky traditions and discover something new, from established favourites to rare and aged expressions.
Adding a distinctive cultural and entertainment element to the festival, Unifree Duty Free hosted live bagpipe performances on 1 and 19 September. A traditionally dressed bagpipe player brought an unexpected and engaging moment to the airport retail environment, complementing the festival’s tasting and discovery experiences.
The festival is further supported by digital communications across Unifree Duty Free’s in-store screens, increasing visibility for the activation and inviting passengers to discover the Whisky Festival as they travel through Istanbul Airport.
“Whisky has a rich heritage built around craftsmanship, tradition and storytelling, making it a natural category for creating an engaging experience for travellers,” said Ceren Tonguç, Chief Commercial Officer, Unifree Duty Free.
“With our Whisky Festival, we wanted to bring the category to life by creating an experience that goes beyond traditional retail. By combining tastings, product discovery, specially designed festival environments and live entertainment, we are giving our guests the opportunity to explore different whisky expressions and engage with the category in a memorable way during their journey.”
The Whisky Festival reflects Unifree Duty Free’s continued focus on experience-led retail, bringing together product discovery, category expertise, storytelling and entertainment to create engaging and memorable experiences for travellers at Istanbul Airport.
The activation will continue across Unifree Duty Free stores until 31 October.
