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Cutty Sark: the Spirit of Adventure
Since its creation in 1923 to suit the Prohibition-restrained palates of American consumers, Cutty Sark Scotch Whisky has successfully captured the hearts of whisky adventurers.
Conceived more than a century ago in London’s West End by wine merchant Berry Bros & Co, Cutty Sark Scotch Whisky was inspired by cross-Atlantic opportunities and the sea voyage ahead. The iconic blend was named after the legendary three-mast tea clipper sailing ship Cutty Sark, commissioned by Scottish ship owner John Willis in 1869. Intended to boast a cream-coloured label designed by artist James MacBey, the paper turned out bright yellow due to a printing error, which became its signature calling card for decades to come.
The blend was deliberately designed to defy conventions and found its way to the US during Prohibition through popular smuggling spots in the Bahamas and Canada. Thanks to Captain Bill McCoy, a notable liquor trader who dealt with smugglers without altering the products, the ‘Real McCoy’-approved whisky brand became a popular tipple due to its quality.
Cutty Sark enjoyed a meteoric rise in the US after Prohibition ended, going from 7,000 cases sold in 1934 to 80,000 cases in just two years. In 1962, the brand became the first Scotch whisky to sell more than one million nine-litre cases annually in the US. Credited as a category pioneer, Cutty Sark opened new global opportunities and perspectives for Scotch whisky.
The secret to the brand’s success remains its delicate, smooth and mellow character, which also makes it suitable for mixing in cocktails.
Cutty Sark is made with the finest single malts and grain whiskies from Scotland, predominantly matured in American oak casks that contribute flavours of oak and vanilla, and first-fill ex-Sherry casks that offer subtle flavours of spices and dried fruits.
As the brand’s signature, the different malt whiskies in the blend are married for 21 days, allowing them to be filtered at a higher temperature to retain their smooth flavours.
For more than a century, Cutty Sark has guided adventurers from all continents and horizons, from sailors and explorers to pop culture icons and bartenders. Notably, a favourite of filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Cutty Sark has been featured on the silver screen in classics Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), and Goodfellas (1990). In the 21st century, the brand has appeared in series like The Sopranos and Mad Men, resonating with the blend’s The Spirit of Adventure campaign.
With commitment, precision and expertise, Cutty Sark’s master blender, Stephen Woodcock, ensures the whisky remains an adventurous, pioneering, optimistic and vibrant brand that continues to resonate with modern consumers.
The journey of adventure continues on Instagram. Follow along @cuttysarkwhisky.
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