Imperial 19 Quantum steers innovation

Imperial 19 Quantum, a leading premium whiskey brand by Pernod Ricard Korea, has won a 2011 Korea Herald Best Brand Award.

The local unit of the French drinks group launched the 19-year-old whisky in November, seeking to bring change and innovation to the local market.

With the name borrowed from physics ― quantum leap ― the “ultra super premium” edition targets “premiumizing” Korean consumers, shifting to older and more expensive whiskies.

A combination of a gentle floral aroma, sweet licorice taste and orange flavor added to the well-aged beverage has evoked good responses from Korean whisky aficionados.

Pernod Ricard, a leader in innovative packaging, has anti-counterfeit devices, including Treeple Keeper, the world's first triple tamper-proof cap. 

The unique designs led the company to win the top title in the 2011 Korea Star Awards last month, which the Ministry of Knowledge Economy established to honor future packaging technologies.

“Imperial Quantum is like a concept car,” Franck Lapeyre, chief executive of Pernod Ricard Korea, said last year at a launching event in Seoul. “Through a concept car, you can see an idea where the brand wants to go. It’s exactly the same thing. Imperial Quantum shows our style of sophistication that we want to achieve with Imperial Quantum in the future.”

Debuted in 1994, Imperial has been a top seller for the last 17 years with its accumulated sales volume surpassing 200 million bottles in March.

Despite a slump in overall whisky sales for the past couple years following a global economic crisis, Imperial has retained robust growth.

Sales of its 21-year-old edition skyrocketed more than 270 percent since Pernod Ricard unveiled its new package design at the end of 2009.

“Imperial is a fantastic brand, doing extremely well in fighting international brands,” Lapeyre said. “This company was built for Imperial. It’s the mother brand of the company so we have an emotional bond to it.”

Pernod Ricard is one the world’s largest spirits and wine makers. In Korea, it supplies brands including Ballantine’s whisky, Chivas Regal Scotch, Absolut Vodka and Jacob’s Creek wines, as well as Imperial 12, 17, 19 and 21 years old.