Dewar’s taps into Broadway at the Tonys
We got the lowdown from Bacardi-owned Dewar’s on the Scotch brand’s red carpet appearance at the upcoming 78th annual Tony Awards.
The next iteration of Dewar’s partnership with French crystal maker Baccarat will appear at the 78th annual Tony Awards this Sunday 8 June.
Held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Tonys are known as the theatre world’s equivalent to the Oscars or the Grammys.
At this year’s Tonys, Dewar’s and Baccarat have combined to create a speakeasy experience, which will be graced by an A-list attendee list – of nominees, past winners, presenters and traditional Hollywood actors – where bespoke cocktails crafted with Dewar’s and presented in Baccarat’s crystal glassware will be served.
Speaking to The Spirits Business about the strategy behind the speakeasy, and the significance of being at the Tonys, Brian Cox, global vice-president of Scotch whisky at Bacardi, notes it’s about “recognising that aged Scotch is a multi-sensorial experience” and holding the category up as a “catalyst for social interaction”.
This is a message Dewar’s has pushed since its ‘Here’s to the Story’ campaign that debuted last year, seeking to redefine whisky away from its ‘old world reputation’.
Dewar’s is a legacy brand, but it’s also looking to modernise and position itself within a new whisky drinking audience, and even outside of whisky, in culturally relevant moments.
Experience as the ‘new luxury’
As Cox explains: “Whether you look at the Tonys and Broadway, the heritage, savoir faire and craftsmanship of Baccarat from France, and us in Scotland (next year we’ll be celebrating our 180th anniversary), we all have a long and storied history, and a heritage that brings real knowledge and authenticity.
“Yes, we’re very proud. Everyone’s proud of these traditions and we’re great brands, but then we reinterpret and evolve that into a more contemporary expression. What’s wonderful is that we have that routine in our heritage that we express, but we’re making it relevant for today, keeping things fresh and innovative.
“It’s about bringing new experiences to people.
“The new form of luxury isn’t so much what you own, it’s more what you experience. Some people call it the ‘experience economy’, which I think is a bit reductive, but it is really about the experiential. That’s the new luxury. It’s what you feel.”
Whisky and theatre also share many commonalities, which makes the Tonys the ideal ceremony for Dewar’s to show up in, Cox says.
Linking the two, he observes: “There’s obviously the live storytelling part, but then, they’re both really varied, multi-dimensional worlds.
“The idea with ‘Here’s to the Story’ is that whisky at its best brings people together, to share, and often to share with friends and family the best stories. We like to say great stories deserve a great whisky, and the best stories deserve Dewar’s, hence our tagline. I think that when you look at Broadway and the theatre community, it aligns really well with those values.
“There’s this idea where theatre often leads the way for the film industry. Theatre is very innovative. It is cutting edge. There’s always that excitement, that discovery angle – and I think that really aligns well with our brand, the history, the story platform, and also the discovery of the cocktails.”
Cocktails for the A-list
Regarding the cocktails, Tonys guests will be able to sip three: the Golden Cue, The Revival and the Act One Apéritif. Each is made with Dewar’s Double Double 21 Year Old Oloroso Finish and served in a different Baccarat glass: Mille Nuis, Talleyrand Coupe and Harmonie Tumbler.
Building on how Dewar’s is showcasing its ultra-premium, four-stage-aged whisky in cocktails, and the role Baccarat’s luxury glasses play, Lindsay Gorton, the US brand manager for Dewar’s who spearheaded the activation, said the development of the glassware and cocktails for the speakeasy was “incredibly important”.
Gorton continues: “One thing is about the ingredients and the amazing taste that we’ve developed for each cocktail, was that there was a lot of thought around which glassware was the right vessel to provide the most sensorial experience, and how this interacted with the ingredients – like apricots, mole bitters and Sherry reduction.
“So we chose a coupe. We chose another, it’s not a flute glass (I don’t know the technical term for it), but it’s almost like a wide flute. And then we chose a more traditional, Old Fashioned glass for what is essentially a Sazerac cocktail. We’ve taken all that into account.”
On how the cocktails were thought out, Gorton adds: “We started with a huge list where 30 or 40 different cocktails were considered and then we whittled it down.
The Golden Cue (bright and fruit-forward with apricot liqueur, simple syrup, fresh lemon and pineapple juice) is something we’ve been working with for a while, and it’s a cocktail we developed because we wanted someone to say ‘there’s Scotch in this? This is so unexpected’, so it really creates this point of discovery.
“Then the Act One Apéritif (with oloroso Sherry, Tempus Fugit Crème De Banane, golden syrup and a spray of absinthe) is more of a traditional Sazerac cocktail with crème de banana in it. It’s as though you’re expecting one thing, and then you taste it, and it’s something else.
“Lastly, the Revival (with red wine vanilla syrup, PX Sherry and Bitterman’s Xocolatl Mole Bitters) is something created by a bartender we’re working with. As someone who’s had a lot of cocktails in my lifetime, working in this industry for many years, is one of the most surprising and delicious cocktails I’ve had.”
Gordon notes that the cocktails at the Tonys go back to a sensory experience, which Dewar’s is looking to give to Scotch: “Most consumers, or I would even say all consumers, don’t expect Scotch to be presented in this way. They don’t expect to have that experience with Scotch, because in their mind, it is usually solitary consumption, in a glass, neat, maybe over a rock.
“With this flavour experience, I think it will open the guest’s repertoire as to how you can enjoy it.”
While the cocktails will be at the speakeasy for the pre-awards and for attendees after the red carpet, those who haven’t managed to secure a Tony’s invite can try the cocktails at the Baccarat Hotel New York’s Grand Salon, where they’ll be available until 15 June.
Related news
Dewar's debuts 'first' stone-toasted whisky
