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

[Davin de Kergommeaux]

Yes, Phillip, brilliant!
Davin

On 4/1/09, Martine Nouet <martine.nouet at googlemail.com> wrote:
> 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
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