Flying Dutchman
Joe Bates with the latest from travel retail
Store focus
Amsterdam Schiphol airport
Holland’s main international gateway has developed a well-earned reputation for offering customers excellent value.
The Dutch airport has recently expanded its whisky offer with the opening of a new specialist 88sq m whisky and cigar store. The shop is located in Schiphol’s Schengen lounge and about 35 per cent of its floor space has been dedicated to whisky.
Unusually for an airport store it boasts some high-tech features such as touch-control plasma screens, which offer customers extra information about whiskies and cigars and even short video clips on promoted brands.
The line-up of whiskies includes some rare items such as Girvan 1964 single grain, Ladyburn 1973, Balvenie Cask 191 50 Years Old, and Glenfiddich 50 Years Old.
Top-selling whiskies include Balvenie 12 Years Old, The Famous Grouse, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Glenfiddich Tube and Talisker 18 Years Old.
The main drawback to the new outlet is that Dutch licensing laws forbid tasting promotions forcing concessionaire KLM Tax Free Services to rely on straightforward price discounts.
Promotions do offer good value, however.
Current duty-free deals offer savings of 40-50 per cent on Dutch prices and include 1-litre of Johnnie Walker Black Label for 23.50 (£16.10), 1-litre of Glenmorangie 10 Years Old at 24 (£16.45), and1- litre of Jim Beam Black bourbon at 16.25 (£11.15).
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By Joe Bates
Section : Travel retail
Page number : 55
