Portfolio Profile - Pernod Ricard Whiskey

A New Chapter

PERNOD RICARD REMAINS ON THE FOREFRONT OF WHISKEY INNOVATION

By Michael Tulipan

THE GLENLIVET 12 ELEVATED OLD FASHIONED

INGREDIENTS 2 parts The Glenlivet 12-Year-Old 1/2 part maple syrup 2 dashes orange bitters 2 dashes walnut bitters Orange peel (for garnish)

PREPARATION Add ingredients in a rocks glass. Stir with large ice cube. Garnish with orange twist. Pernod Ricard’s whiskey portfolio includes some of the most established and iconic whiskey brands in the world spanning Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. Category leaders Jameson, The Glenlivet and Chivas stand alongside the leading single pot still Irish whiskey collection including Redbreast and Midleton. And the more recent additions of American whiskey brands like Jefferson's Bourbon, TX, Rabbit Hole, and Smooth Ambler have opened an exciting new chapter for the company.

Pernod Ricard’s goal is to attract more consumers to the whiskey category and innovations in aging, blending and cask finishing have become the key to future growth. Jefferson’s Bourbon, named in honor of Thomas Jefferson and acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2019, offers a great example of experimentation with aging. Jefferson’s Ocean matures at sea on ships that cross the Equator up to four times, in the process visiting five continents and anchoring in, on average, 25 ports during this time. Jefferson’s vision also extends to partnerships, whether with renowned chef Edward Lee for the Jefferson’s Chef’s Collaboration or the Barrel Aged Manhattan collab with Esquire.

“Our American brands carry distinct stories, like Smooth Ambler’s commitment to its local West Virginia roots or the innovative two-year at-sea aging of Jefferson’s Ocean,” says Jenna Murray, Whisk(e)y Brand Ambassador at Pernod Ricard. “These young, unique brands drive new interest to the category and further elevate our established portfolio of scotch and whiskey offerings.”

Innovation also abounds at a legacy brand like The Glenlivet. Thanks to a two-hundred-year history and worldwide success, The Glenlivet may not seem a likely candidate for reinvention. But the brand continues to create new expressions like The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, Caribbean Reserve, and a 14-year-old finished in Cognac casks. For the Founder’s Reserve, Master Distiller Alan Winchester marries a selection of scotch from aged oak casks and American first-fill oak casks that have never been used to mature whisky. The selective use of these casks brings a smooth, creamy sweetness to the complex fruity tones already present in the whisky. True to its name, the Caribbean Reserve has a tropical feel since the blend is finished with a portion of whisky from barrels that previously held Caribbean rum. Both expressions are well balanced and exceptionally smooth, which has helped expand the market and attracted more women to experience The Glenlivet in a new, accessible way.

Pernod Ricard is also expanding the world of Irish whiskey with the introduction of a new product series with Redbreast inspired by the Iberian Peninsula. The first expression in this line, the Pedro Ximénez Edition, is a single-pot still whiskey that offers a sweet finish. It is triple distilled then initially matured in former bourbon and oloroso sherry casks, before being re-casked in Pedro Ximénez Hogsheads. The resulting Pedro Ximénez Edition offers a balance of fruit, spice and toasted nuts on the palette and a satisfying sweetness.

“This dedicated series celebrates Redbreast’s time-honored connection to Iberia’s and Ireland’s rich heritages as the finest wine and spirit makers in the world, combining whiskeys that are truly unique and extraordinary,” Murray says.

By continually pushing boundaries and allowing its brands room to innovate, Pernod Ricard aims to remain on the forefront of whiskey’s continued renaissance and help develop a whole new generation of aficionados in the process.