The Scotch whisky maker has long used the giraffe as the symbol of its Highland distillery, believing the animal to perfectly illustrate its towering stills, which are the tallest in Scotland and boast necks that are about the same height as an adult male giraffe.
But now the distiller is going further to demonstrate its commitment to the threatened animal, the numbers of which in the wild have fallen by 30 per cent in the past 30 years, by entering a pioneering three-year partnership with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS).
The two-pronged initiative will see Glenmorangie support efforts by the GCF – the world's only organisation dedicated solely to giraffe conservation and management – to protect giraffes in the wild in Africa, with a focus on Uganda, as well as supporting the RZSS to provide a specially designed habitat for the animal at Edinburgh Zoo – due to open in summer 2020 – to help conservation efforts.
Thomas Moradpour, president and CEO of The Glenmorangie Company, said: "For 175 years we have created whisky in stills as high as an adult giraffe, the tallest in Scotland. Over time, this majestic animal has become a beloved symbol of our brand. It seems only right that we should channel our passion for this animal into our new global conservation partnership with GCF and RZSS. Together, we will work to protect giraffes in the wild and shine a light on their predicament before it's too late."