Singapore’s Changi Airport has made ambitious access to the rare wine and spirits market by manufacturing more than two hundred of the world’s highest quality duty- and tariff-free wines and spirits on a short-lived new online portal. Valuable items, two have recently been submitted in a silent online auction, no bids have been made in the first 3 days.
Called World of Wine and Spirits (WOWS), transitority’s online page features exclusive and world-famous alcoholic products including champagne, wine, pure malt, sake and many other categories, all designed to appeal to creditors and connoisseurs alike.
The portal was launched through Changi Airport Group, Singapore’s Changi operator, in partnership with its wine and spirits broker Lotte Duty Free, which has strong relationships with premium suppliers.
Lotte took over Singapore’s Changi concession at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead of opening physical retail outlets at a time when there were virtually no passengers passing through the airport, the South Korean store introduced itself with an online presence. Two years later, Lotte strengthened its reputation in the e-commerce channel.
Changi says the resolve to sell those collections online is to “meet one of the main demands of the most demanding customers. “, which still has seven days left.
They are Paradis x Lorencz Bäumer of Hennessy, whose minimum bid starts at 225,000 S$225,000 ($158,250) and The Art Edition of Royal Salute, which starts at 130,000 Singapore dollars ($91,400).
The bid is set to accumulate in increments of around $700, but so far the threshold remains at the opening minimum. Changi Rewards loyalty program VIPs, Lotte and other partners won invitations to auctions before their midnight launch on October 14, but there were no buyers in 3 days. A stampede is imaginable at the end, but there is also the threat that the pieces will not sell.
To celebrate 75 years of the NBA, Hennessy partnered with designer Lorenz Bäumer to create a new Hennessy Paradis magnum (1. 75 liters) that was made in the shape of a crystal basketball to pay homage to the basketball league.
The Art Edition of Royal Salute is also a new collection celebrating “the shared wonder of art and whisky. “British sculptor Kate MccGwire worked on the inaugural edition, which features 21 bespoke sculptures made from amber pheasant feathers. Each sculpture is paired with 53 rare year-old whisky in a hand-blown Dartington glass jug in homage to Royal Salute’s founding year: 1953, the same year as Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
Other highlights of this great premium online pop-up show come with 6-liter Penfolds Super Blend 802-B Imperial ($14,270); Singleton, 54 ($40,000); Tales of the Macallans ($84,400); and The Platinum Jubilee Edition of seven bottles of Royal Salute ($137,150). Buyers can place orders until New Year 2022.