Whisky Galore at the Saracens Head

February 8, 2016

The Saracens Head recently hosted a spirit tasting with brand owners Maxxium UK Ltd, led by brand development manager Ben Hammond. He said, “The idea behind tasting nights is to encourage customers to try different spirits, which they then buy from the bar. We generally see an uplift of between 5-7% on whisky sales on the night along with continued purchase following the event.”

At the Saracens Head, customers were treated to a whisky and chocolate tasting, as Ben matched different brands, including Highland Park 12 year old, Macallan Gold, from the 1824 series and Laphroaig 10 year old, with different styles of confectionaries. He said, “We bring our own stock for sampling, along with support material, the only requirement is a table for display and willing customers. Generally, we allow a two-hour slot, focusing on three spirits, and we talk to customers about their taste profile, production and history. People are increasingly interested in the provenance of their drinks, so this is a great way to engage them and encourage them to try something different.”

Ben adds, “We’d love to do more whisky tastings with Brakspear pubs. We can also train staff – which helps increase sales – and supply glassware, ice buckets and other support material.”

Image above shows Ben Hammond at the whisky tasting at the Saracens Head