5 Questions with Whyte & Mackay Single Malt Specialist Jason Moore
Oct. 3, 2016
Experts predict the blended Scotch whisky category will add seven million cases between now and 2020–driving a category growth in sales of over 5%* and setting the stage for a rebirth of blended Scotch whiskies.
Helping guide blended Scotch whisky back towards top shelf sales is John Barr, one of the latest standouts in Whyte & Mackay’s portfolio of spirits. The brand has now relaunched to celebrate a new flavor innovation, a new look and, maybe most importantly, new recognition as one of the standout spirits at its price point.
Pulling back the curtain on the new John Barr was Whyte & Mackay Single Malt Specialist Jason Moore, an industry insider with a unique view into the upgraded Scotch whisky, as well as other current trends in the market.
Breakthru: Tell us about the John Barr relaunch. What’s new with the brand?
Jason Moore: Very exciting change for John Barr. We’ve got new packaging, as well as a new reserve blend innovation. It just received 96 points in the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, beating all other whisky brands under $30. This new blend is from the same master distiller that creates The Dalmore.
Breakthru: When you consider that reasonable price point, what makes John Barr a unique flavor?
JM: We’re using 30 different whiskies–both single malt and grain whiskies–from the highlands and speysides of Scotland. So it has this beautiful finesse from the highland whiskies and structure from the speysides.
Breakthru: Are there any industry trends when it comes to whisky, scotch, or blended Scotch whisky, that have caught your attention?
JM: People are exploring whisky in a new way. Whisky cocktails are huge right now. I would say bourbon is still leading the way, but I think people are graduating towards Scotch whisky and then ultimately to single malts like The Dalmore. The single malt category is twice as big as it was 10 years ago. It’s an exciting time.
Breakthru: What are some good pairings to go with John Barr?
JM: Well, if you have a good Scotch whisky such as this, then you’ve got to think Scottish, so haggis is always a good choice. However, any gamey meat is always great with great with a Scotch whisky. Scotch is always great at the end of a meal with a crème brûlée or a flourless chocolate cake.
Breakthru: What new innovations are you working on right now?
JM: We’re launching The Dalmore 35 soon, which is a really unique single malt. We only have 100 bottles coming to the U.S. It’s in a beautiful Baccarat crystal decanter.
Source
*http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blended-scotch-whisky-poised-to-bounce-back-as-lean-times-come-to-an-end-according-to-new-research-from-just-drinks-and-the-iwsr-570762701.html