The Dram Team launches whisky-by-post service

A team of UK-based entrepreneurs and spirits professionals have developed and launched a subscription whisky tasting box concept, The Dram Team.

The Dram Team has launched a mail-order whisky subscription service

Founded by Chris Borrow, in partnership with Greg Dillon, owner and author at greatdrams.com blog, and programmer James Glen, The Dram Team offers whisky enthusiasts the opportunity to taste six different whiskies as frequently as every month.

Each box contains five 25ml drams, averaging £50 RRP per 70cl bottle, plus a 10ml “Sixth Dram” taster, retailing at more than £125 per full bottle.

In addition, each box features tasting note cards and a guided tour of each flight, in letter form.

Boxes are available on a one-off basis for £30, with standard subscriptions available on 3-, 6- and 12-month terms.

The Dram Team is also set to launch a “Box of Dreams”, a limited number flight of six “outlandishly expensive” whiskies retailing from £215 to £650 a bottle to enable enthusiasts to taste liquid they would not usually be able to afford.

Since the launch on 7 June, The Dram Team has soled more than 200 boxes to more than 60 customers.

“The Dram Team was originally conceived nine months ago following tasty inspiration from The Spicery [a curry club subscription business] and a chat with my long-time friend, sounding-board, dedicated whisky-fan and now co-founder, James Glen,” said Borrow.

“We’ve been steadily building up to launch ever since, and it is simply a happy coincidence that we’ve reached the starting line during a real boom period for the industry, with more and more people looking to explore and get into whisky.”

The Dram Team launch was accompanied by a Twitter tasting, hosted by The Whisky Wire, generating a 150,000+ tweet reach and more than 2 million timeline impressions, trending fifth in the UK.

Following the launch period, running to 7 July, and the initial shipments, due in August, the team plans to “take whisky-tastings-at-home to the next level” with a series on interactive online events for subscribers.

“We want our business to be about giving whisky fans ever-new and exciting ways to explore whisky, and about bringing innovative, un-tried and un-tested ideas to the table to see what whisky-fans make of them, while fighting back in our own way against the influence of large corporations, as well as negative trends like ‘flipping’, on the industry,” Borrow continued.

The Dram Team whisky follows the launch of a number of other mail-order spirits concepts including Shaken Cocktails and Taste Cocktails.