The DFS Singapore Changi Airport store has received an award recognising its whisky prowess.

The DFS Group outlet was named Travel Retailer of the Year in the 2016 Icons of Whisky Awards – nominated by industry experts, shortlisted by the editorial panel of Whisky Magazine then finalised by online reader voting.

“We are particularly proud of DFS, Singapore Changi Airport, which over the past year has expanded to become Asia Pacific’s largest assortment of single malts,” says the group’s senior vice-president for wines, spirits and tobacco, Brooke Supernaw.

“From the design of the duplex to the on-site tastings, our customers have loved this new approach to travel retail, and we’re delighted the industry has fallen in love as well.”
This is the first year the awards have included a travel retail category, at both regional and global level. After beating out competitors in Ireland, England, Germany, the UAE and The Netherlands to top the rest-of-the-world regional category in January, DFS Group, Singapore Changi Airport went head-to-head with the America and Scotland regional winners to secure the global title at an awards ceremony in London.

This follows the store becoming the first travel retail venue worldwide to be awarded The Whisky Ambassador’s Venue Accreditation.

The DFS Terminal 3 duplex is the group’s worldwide flagship wines and spirits store. Opened in May last year, the store features more than 1400 products from 440-plus spirits, wine and tobacco brands. It covers 11,400 sqft (1059 sqm) over two floors.

For whisky aficionados, there are 110 single-malt products from 50 brands – the largest assortment of single malts available in travel retail in Asia Pacific. The store also features a Long Bar by Raffles, a tasting bar in collaboration with the landmark Raffles Hotel of Singapore. As well as guided tastings, there is a monthly program of activities such as master classes for cocktail mixology, bartending and hosting at home.