Provenance, Premiumisation and the Power of Travel Retail: Paul Scanlon on CVH Spirits’ Course in the Global Channel
4 minutes read
Introduction by: Peter Marshall
With a wealth of experience in the drinks sector,including senior leadership roles at Pernod Ricard,Paul Scanlon brings deep commercial and market insight to his role as Global Head of Commercial at CVH Spirits.
Home to some of Scotland’s most characterful distilleries, including Bunnahabhain, Deanston and Tobermory, CVH is sharpening its focus on travel retail as a key growth and brand-building channel.
Paul met with TRUnblocked.com Contributing Editor Colleen Morgan to discuss why travel retail is a “must-win” for CVH, how the company protects the identity of its individual whisky brands, and what lies ahead with the launch of Bunnahabhain’s new Uncharted Coast range.
Colleen Morgan (CM): Paul, congratulations on your new role and welcome to TRUnblocked.com. What attracted you to CVH Spirits, and what excites you about leading its commercial strategy in travel retail?
Paul Scanlon (PS): The brands and people at CVH Spirits are world class.
I was particularly drawn to our ‘crown jewel’, Bunnahabhain – an iconic unpeated, sherried Islay single malt with remarkable depth and character.
I believe CVH is underrepresented in travel retail today. There are clear opportunities for growth across Europe, Asia and the Americas, and travel retail offers a unique platform to introduce our whiskies to a global audience that’s open to discovery.
CM: How has your experience shaped your approach to leading a portfolio with such depth, authenticity, and strength in Scotch whisky?
PS: I’ve worked with leading Scotch single malts and blends throughout my career, but never with brands from Islay or Mull, islands which offer remarkable provenance and flavour profiles.
Our portfolio spans the Scottish islands and the Highlands, with distilleries such as Tobermory, founded in 1798, and Deanston, a Highland distillery with a very distinctive character. That heritage brings both responsibility and opportunity. The key is respecting what makes each distillery unique while ensuring the brands remain relevant in today’s market.
CM: Scotch whisky remains a cornerstone of the travel retail offer. What differentiates CVH’s brands in such a competitive category?
PS: Our strength lies in distinctiveness rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Each of our distilleries has a strong sense of place, a clearly defined flavour profile, and an authentic story rooted in history.
Bunnahabhain, established in 1881, is known for its unpeated Islay style, coastal influence and sherry cask focus. Deanston – a product of the free-thinking 1960s – is housed in a converted 19th-century cotton mill powered by hydro-energy and produces a uniquely waxy Highland spirit. Tobermory, the only distillery on the Isle of Mull, offers two contrasting styles through unpeated Tobermory and the peated, smoky Ledaig.
Our blended Scotch brands, Scottish Leader and Black Bottle, bring a modern perspective to the category.
We protect each brand’s identity through cask policy, liquid style, tone of voice and visual world, while ensuring the portfolio works cohesively in travel retail. That clarity helps retailers and travellers navigate the category more confidently.
CM: Tell us about Bunnahabhain’s The Uncharted Coast, launching soon. Does this signal a stronger focus on travel retail?
PS: Very much so. We’re launching a completely refreshed range with new packaging, starting with An Cidhe (The Pier), which replaces our current GTR exclusive An Cladach.
We’ll retain Cruach Mhòna (Smoky Stack) – our best-performing SKU – in new packaging, and introduce Trì Seudan (Three Jewels), a triple sherry cask expression using Manzanilla, Fino and Pedro Ximénez casks. We’re also launching our first aged travel retail exclusive: a 13-year-old Amontillado cask finish, Bàgh Garbh (Rugged Bay).
Collectively, these launches underline our confidence in the travel retail channel and our commitment to innovation that adds genuine value.
CM: How does travel retail fit within CVH’s broader global growth strategy?
PS: Travel retail is a strategic “must-win” channel for us, particularly for Bunnahabhain. We have recruited an additional resource to support the channel as we sign new accounts for 2026.
Travel retail plays a strategically important role within CVH’s global growth ambitions. It’s not just a sales channel; it’s a powerful brand-building environment where travellers are open to discovery and education.
We see it as highly complementary to the on-trade, which builds credibility, and e-commerce which offers convenience and reach. Rather than competing, these channels work together, with travel retail often acting as the gateway to longer-term brand engagement.
CM: What traveller or consumer trends are shaping how CVH approaches travel retail today?
PS: Indian travellers will be a major growth driver over the coming years, alongside increased spend from Asian consumers on high-value expressions.
Today’s travellers are more informed, more selective, and more values driven. Premiumisation remains strong, but it’s increasingly about authenticity rather than status. And there’s also a growing appetite for discovery – finding something unavailable at home, whether that’s an exclusive, a limited release, or a deeper story behind the liquid.
Transparency around production, sustainability, and provenance is no longer optional; it’s expected.
Digitally, travellers move seamlessly between physical and online touchpoints, so the in-store experience needs to be engaging, informative and human. Sampling plays a crucial role in the discovery process.
CM: Innovation is vital in travel retail. How is CVH bringing innovation to life?
PS: Innovation starts with creating great taste experiences, but it goes beyond that. We use travel retail exclusives and limited editions to explore cask types, flavour profiles and age statements with genuine purpose.
We’re also investing in storytelling, both in-store and digitally, to bring our distilleries, people and places to life. Sustainability is another key focus. From packaging choices to energy use and long-term environmental commitments at distillery level, we’re focused on progress that is credible and measurable.
For example, Bunnahabhain was the first distillery on Islay to install a Biomass Energy Reduction Centre powered by draff from the distillation process, enabling net-zero distillation.
CM: Transparency and authenticity drive consumer trust. How is CVH responding?
PS: Transparency is fundamental to how we operate. We’re clear about how our whiskies are made – from cask selection and maturation to bottling strength and filtration. We emphasise quality cask sourcing, long-term maturation and minimal intervention.
Where we innovate, it’s done with intent and respect for the liquid. We also believe in educating consumers rather than oversimplifying. That depth of information builds trust and allows whisky drinkers to engage more meaningfully with our brands.
Ultimately, our focus is on building resilient brands rooted in authenticity, high-quality liquid and stories that stand up to scrutiny – giving us confidence as travel retail continues to evolve.
