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Success of Wick distillery continues


By Will Clark

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Distillery manager Malcolm Waring said the Old Pulteney brand is selling well in the UK.
Distillery manager Malcolm Waring said the Old Pulteney brand is selling well in the UK.

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) says it hit almost £4.3 billion, an increase of 87 per cent in the last 10 years.

Rising demand from both mature and emerging markets saw the value of exports grow for the eighth consecutive year.

Scotch whisky leads the way for British food and drink in overseas markets, forming about 80 per cent of Scottish food and drink exports and a quarter of the UK’s.

While it didn’t quite reach a record profit, Pulteney Distillery in Wick enjoyed a successful year.

Manager Malcolm Waring said the popularity of its brand continues to grow abroad but much of its success is also attributed to sales at home.

“2012 was a successful year for our whisky and while it did not quite reach a record amount of profits for us, in the face of economic difficulties we have been very successful in the present climate,” he said.

“Locally our brand is selling well and the UK market accounts for a lot of our sales but abroad we are selling well in markets in the United States and Scandinavia.

“Despite our company being Thai owned, Asia is currently not a market that we have fully explored but there are plans to sell the brand in that part of the world soon as there is real potential in that market.”

Defying continuing global economic pressures, the total value of Scotch whisky exports grew by one per cent last year to reach £4.27bn. Scotch whisky is now worth £135 a second to the UK balance of trade.

With increasing consumer knowledge of Scotch whisky around the world, demand grew for single malt and premium blended Scotch whisky. Single malt exports have risen over the last 10 years by 190 per cent from £268 million to £778m.

The USA remains the top market by value for Scotch whisky with exports breaking through the £700m mark for the first time to reach £758m in 2012.

Demand from the USA is expected to increase as consumer confidence grows and many people trade up to premium brands.

Asia continues to grow in importance with exports to the distribution hub of Singapore up seven per cent to £339m. Exports to Taiwan increased seven per cent to £165m and direct shipments to China experienced growth of eight per cent to £72m.

Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the SWA, said the industry was contributing massively to the Government’s wish for an export-led recovery.

“A combination of successful trade negotiations, excellent marketing by producers, growing demand from mature markets, particularly the USA, and the growing middle class in emerging economies helped exports hit a record £4.3bn last year.

“There is confidence in the future of the industry, illustrated by the £2bn capital investment that Scotch whisky producers have committed over the next three to four years. New distilleries have opened and older ones brought back to use to meet rising demand.”

Meanwhile, Wolfburn Distillery in Thurso has commenced operations at its site at Thurso Business Park, with the first bottling of its single malt expected in early 2016 when it is planned to be marketed in the UK and abroad to capitalise on the success of the industry.


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