Louisville, Ky. – Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky is taking a look back at its rich history as it celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The Scotch whisky brand, named after the famous clipper ship, was designed to be smooth, mixable, and enjoyable to the American palate. To celebrate the milestone anniversary, Cutty Sark will dress up for the occasion with an Anniversary Limited Edition on its original range. The Cutty Sark’s 100th-year anniversary bottle has a festive and vibrant label as well as a gift box, available in select U.S. markets. The namesake Cutty Sark Clipper Ship was the fastest of its time, and a century later Cutty Sark Whisky still honors that “Spirit of Adventure” through partnerships with athletes and outdoor enthusiasts.
As part of the anniversary, Cutty Sark is also hosting more than one hundred tasting events across the country this year. The brand’s 100th anniversary event was recently held on the famous Cutty Sark ship in London where a numbered Centenary Edition was unveiled.
“We are proud to work with such an iconic whisky brand to celebrate their milestone 100th anniversary,” said Jason Schladenhauffen, president & CEO of 375 Park Avenue, the U.S. importer for Cutty Sark. “As we travel the country hosting over a hundred tasting events, we raise our glasses with those who embody Cutty Sark’s “Spirit of Adventure”, honoring a century of exceptional craftsmanship and timeless taste.”
Sailing Down Cutty Sark Memory Lane
Cutty Sark was first conceived at No. 3 St James’s Street in London where the partners of Berry Bros. & Rudd met with Scottish artist James McBey for lunch. The conversation quickly turned to whisky and they realized that there was a need to create a new, smoother style of blended whisky that could be sold globally, starting with the United States.
The team created the brand starting with the iconic yellow label which featured the artwork of James MacBey, a famous Scottish artist and enthusiastic sailor. The color, which was supposed to be cream, ended up bright yellow as a result of a printing error. The label has stayed this way throughout the years, providing Cutty Sark with its signature color.
Despite Prohibition starting, the brand still made its way to American shores. Captain Bill McCoy started “sharing” Cutty Sark with smugglers in Rum Row, the name given to Atlantic waters just outside the United States maritime border. Captain McCoy’s reputation for dealing in only the finest liquor resulted in Cutty Sark being referred to as “The Real McCoy”. While Captain McCoy was caught in late 1923, Cutty Sark was already on its way to becoming a popular choice for cocktails in America. When Prohibition ended Cutty Sark sales shot up from 7,000 cases (1934) to over 80,872 cases (1936). The brand continued to grow thanks in part to ads featuring the Clipper Ship. By 1961, Cutty Sark was the most popular Scotch Whisky in America and the first Scotch Whisky to hit a million cases in the U.S.
Cutty Sark embodies the “Spirit of Adventure”, so it’s no surprise that in 1963 Gordon Cooper, an American astronaut, smuggled a small bottle of Cutty Sark for a midnight snack on the Mercury 9 mission. Cutty Sark has also made its way to the big screen including cameos in “Raging Bull” (1980), “Goodfellas” (1990), “The Sopranos” (1999) and “Mad Men” (2007). Over the years the brand has expanded to include Cutty Sark Prohibition and Cutty Sark 12 Year Old giving whisky fans more to cheers.
About Cutty Sark Scotch Whisky
Created in 1923, CUTTY SARK Blended Scotch Whisky was named after the legendary three-mast tea clipper, one of the fastest of her days. Launched at the height of the cocktail culture and smuggled into the U.S. during Prohibition, this iconic Whisky was an instant hit and pioneered a new smoother style of Scotch Whisky. With such a unique maritime and historical heritage, CUTTY SARK is an inspiring Whisky celebrating the Spirit of Adventure. Today, the brand is exported around the world, offering the best experiences for those with adventure in their DNA.
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For More Information:
https://cutty-sark.com/