National drinks wholesaler Inverarity Morton has rebranded its Bonnie & Wild bottle shop following ‘a successful two years of trade and collaboration’ within the Edinburgh Food Hall.
The wholesaler has been a key partner within Bonnie & Wild since it opened in July 2021, supplying all of its three bars and bottle shop. That shop now has a new look and a new name – Rarity.
IM sales and marketing director, Steve Annand, said: “Rarity is an exciting and natural evolution of the boutique bottle shop and builds on a successful two years of trade and collaboration within Bonnie & Wild’s Scottish Marketplace.”
Rarity will benefit from Inverarity Morton’s access to niche and rare products, representing drinks producers from across the country while also making full use of Bonnie & Wild’s events spaces and strong footfall as one of the St James Quarter’s most popular destinations.
Steve added: “The reimagined shop will enable visitors to B&W to better access some very special whiskies, wines and craft spirits, as well as a packed programme of events. The premium position within St James Quarter means that many of the smaller and less well-known distilleries and drinks brands will be able to enjoy an attractive shelf presence alongside some big-hitters within one of the country’s most high-profile and attractive shopping destinations. This is especially important as we look ahead to the busy festive season.”
Rarity has also unveiled its first wave of events in the run-up for Christmas, with distillers and producers from across the country coming to the venue for tastings, talks and meet the makers.
It is promising that ‘a string of high-profile and highly sought-after releases’ will be available in store in the coming months, including rare and sought-after whiskies like the Macallan Harmony, and both the Hibiki Harmony and the Hibiki 21 Mizunara, plus expressions from Bowmore, GlenAllachie, Springbank, Longrow, Hazelburn, Isle of Raasay, and Lochlea.
Managing director at Bonnie & Wild, Ryan Barrie, said: “As well as a consumer-friendly and market-leading retail element, Rarity is all about the experience and engagement, and it will fully utilise the beautiful events spaces within Bonnie & Wild through exclusive tastings, talks, training, launches and meet the makers.
“Like everyone within the Bonnie & Wild marketplace, Rarity is all about celebrating Scottish produce, and getting close to the people behind the food and drink our guests are enjoying.
“More niche and sought-after whiskies will now have a broader access to market and an audience way beyond your traditional whisky shop, while that same audience will be able to access events more often put on inside those same shops. It’s a win-win for all involved.”
Bonnie & Wild has already hosted a series of high-profile whisky events, including the launch of the Bowmore Aston Martin Masters’ Selection whisky. Ron Welsh, whisky consultant and former Master Blender at Bowmore said: “Having conducted three Bowmore Aston Martin Masters’ Selection tastings at Bonnie & Wild, this is now a compelling example of a great collaboration that champions Scotland’s distilling industry.
“By way of the events and its product offer, Rarity really puts the customer experience at its heart, but also has great storytelling and beautiful branding, with clear benefits to the distilleries involved. It’s a terrific example of joined-up thinking between two businesses that share similar values and outlook, and who are passionate about showcasing the best of Scotland.”
