[MM-MALTS-L] Macallan ends "Fine Oak" range of whiskies

[Martine Nouet]

a good false day story.... well done

Martine Nouet

2009/4/1 Philip Storry <phil at philipstorry.net>

> Macallan today announced that they are discontinuing their Fine Oak range
> of whiskies, and beginning an immediate recall on "marketing safety
> grounds".
>
> A representative of the world-famous distillery explained "We spent decades
> telling people that sherry casks produce a superior whisky before we
> released Fine Oak."
>
> The Fine Oak range, matured in ex-bourbon casks, offers a Macallan provides
> consumers with an opportunity to try a quite different Macallan to the
> traditional styles.
>
> "I don't know what we were thinking," said the Macallan representative, "we
> basically threw away years of marketing in favour of a cheap gimmick."
>
> He continued "We had this great story, and just threw it away.  It makes no
> sense.  I mean, it was so logical and sensible - more expensive casks make
> better whisky, right?
>
> Bourbon casks are cheaper due to legislation and the economies of scale in
> the US spirits industry, but Macallan traditionally avoided them as their
> vanilla taste didn't match their distinctive rich fruity flavour - the
> product of sherry casks.
>
> "In an industry that has accidentally fallen into the habit of using
> second-hand casks for cost reasons, it's pure common sense that the more
> expensive casks are better."
> A second Macallan representative interjected - "They're not second hand.
>  Don't print that.  They're pre-seasoned at source.  Sorry, he's new here."
>
> The second representative continued, "In these troubled financial times,
> Macallan has decided to follow the lead of politicians like the UK's Gordon
> Brown - and throw money at the problem.
> "We firmly believe that by returning to the basics - selling luxury goods
> at luxury prices - we can do our bit for the world economy.  Fine Oak just
> doesn't fit that message, whereas our traditional sherry-only cask strategy
> does."
>
> All Fine Oak bottles currently on sale are to be recalled and will be put
> into a special commemorative blend, tentatively named "The Fruitless
> Grouse".
>
> Industry experts and commentators have welcome the move.
>
> One, speaking anonymously and not for his west-Islay distillery which
> produces the world's heaviest peated malt, a quadruple-distilled malt, and a
> wide range of single malts, said:
> "Last year we had to apply for EU protection for the sherry cask quality
> myth, which was a sad thing.  With so many distilleries experimenting with
> high quality wood - often sourced from America - the sherry myth was on the
> brink of extinction.  When even Macallan deserted it, it looked like it was
> goodnight for this stalwart of the industry."
> "But with Macallan's renewed support, things are now looking up.  It'll
> take a while for the population of related misconceptions to recover, but
> we're hopeful that it will."
> Another, who doesn't work for Bruichladdich, agreed:
> "Now all we need is for another distillery to step in and rescue the water
> myth..."
>
>
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-- 
Martine Nouet
Mid Nerabus
Port Charlotte Islay PA48 7UE
Scotland - GB
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