Old St Andrews
Old St Andrews is a blended Scotch whisky that is bottled in a distinctive golf ball-shaped bottle. There are several different sizes of bottles, from the one-litre clear-glass version to miniature white ones designed to look like real golf balls.
Old St Andrews is often used for prizes at golfing events,[1] and its marketing relies heavily on the novelty-shape of its bottle. The brand has recently changed its packaging to a clear tube, which makes the golf ball-shaped bottle more visible.[2]
The brand was made popular in the 1980s by Denis Thatcher (husband of Margaret Thatcher), who was often photographed on the golf course with a golf ball miniature in his hand. It soon found favour with the golfing community and saw an expanded level of sales in duty-free shops in the mid-1990s.[3] However, at the end of the 1990s, duty-free sales in Europe ended with the creation of the single-market European Union.
Recently, following the appointment of new distributors, the brand has seen a resurgence.[4]
References
- Scottish Grocer (Nov. 2006).
- TFWA Daily (26 Oct. 2006).
- Drinks International (June 1996).
- The Grocer (Dec. 2006).