How did Glencairn begin as a business? Glencairn Crystal was founded by my father, Raymond Davidson, in 1981. He had previously worked for Edinburgh Crystal setting up a new division to manage their new corporate business. During his time there he came to realise that a gap existed in the crystal glassware market for this new range of customers. The company is now run by myself and my brother Paul (Managing Director). Four decades on we have three generations of the Davidson family in the company, including Paul’s daughter Jasmin Davidson, and along with our valued team of over 70 staff, our focus on family values remain at the heart of everything we do.
How and why did Glencairn move into the industry of glassware for spirits? Glencairn Crystal was established from the start as a high-quality decanter and glassware business for the drinks industry. My father had discovered that corporate customers had very different demands to consumer customers, often looking for faster lead times and innovative design ideas. Their technical product demands were identified by my father as an opportunity to establish a business that could better meet these requirements. He believed that decanters had an important role to play in the whisky and spirit world. His vision was to use pioneering innovation and craftsmanship to enhance the presentation of his customers’ brands, adding value to any spirit contained within a Glencairn Crystal decanter. Then over the years the business has expanded in to all types of glassware, personalised awards and trophies. Have you seen changes over time in how spirits drinkers approach glassware and serving their spirits? In terms of how drinkers approach glassware, people have definitely become more aware of the importance of using good quality glassware to enhance the drinking experience and enjoyment of their favourite spirits. Back before the year 2000, the whisky industry had no singular glass it could call its own, unlike champagne, brandy or wine. So my father created the Glencairn Glass for whisky – it was his vision to create a glass that would encourage the user to fully appreciate the nose and palate of their dram. Its tapering mouth captures those all-important aromas, and the wide bowl allows the fullest appreciation of the whisky colour. 25 years later it is now the official glass for whisky within the industry and we sell millions of these glasses each year in every corner of the world. Over the years we’ve developed a whole range or glassware for wines and spirits including the Glencairn mixer, copita, and gin glasses – you can find our whole range at: www.glencairn.co.uk
Can you tell us more about your Gin Goblet and the design of this? Our Glencairn Gin Goblet is the definitive crystal glassware for your favourite gin serve, whether it be over ice with tonic and the garnish of your choice, or a twist on a gin cocktail. Up until now, most stemmed gin glasses tended to be just Burgundy wine glasses that are ideal for a big serve, with the capacity for lots of ice, a mixer and fruit. Nobody seemed to have put thorough consideration into the actual purpose of the glass. For example, the hard edge of most goblets does not work well with lots of stacked ice as you are at risk of spilling your drink when trying to finish it. This is why our Gin Goblet has a unique lip for easy drinking and it’s also shaped to a curve at the top to help focus and enhance the aroma. We designed this glass also with careful consideration in terms of it’s capacity and weighting. It was developed from our experience and learnings in creating our Glencairn Mixer glass - to enhance the drinking experience and to require less ice to make the glass look full, meaning that your gin doesn’t become too diluted. What makes Glencairn glassware different to other glassware? Great glassware, as opposed to good glassware, needs to be high quality, robust and have aesthetic appeal and this is where we stand out from many of our competitors. On a practical level good quality glassware is cost saving and reduces wastage. It’s important to be careful when buying cheaper alternatives as these are often a false saving. Thin and flimsy glasses are easily broken and unable to withstand being washed in a dishwasher. We always say ‘You wouldn’t serve gourmet food on a paper plate so why would you serve your favourite drinks in unsuitable glassware?’
What have been the biggest highlights or milestones for Glencairn?
Winning the Queens Award for innovation in 2006 was a great honour and marked the pivotal change in pace and direction for our business. Since then, we have been named Whisky Advocate's 'Industry Leader of the Year' in the US in 2011 and won The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2012 and 2017. We were also one of seven Scottish companies to join ELITE in 2019 (the London Stock Exchange Group's programme for fast-growing companies), and last year we were one of the top 20 shortlisted Scottish companies recognised for exporting excellence to feature in the Scottish Export Index (formally the Scottish Export Awards). What's next for Glencairn in the years to come - any exciting plans? We’re passionate about delivering a long-term sustainability strategy to meet the climate demands of the future. This has so far included a conversion to solar energy to allow the company to generate enough electricity to meet all on-site demand, a 75% reduction in gas usage, conversion to an electric car fleet and a focus on re-use and recycling - all working towards carbon neutral standards. We’re also confident in the continued success of our range of glassware. We have great ambitions to see our glasses used across as many of the world’s bars and restaurants as possible! Learn more and view the Glencairn Crystal product range at: www.glencairn.co.uk Comments are closed.
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