Johnnie Walker unveils utopian collection

Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker has launched its Blue Label Cities of the Future 2220 series.

Having celebrated its bicentenary in 2020, Johnnie Walker has now looked 200 years into the future to create an ‘inspired vision of tomorrow’, with a ‘mind-expanding’ utopian visualisation of world cities two centuries years from now.

The launch is in collaboration with renowned digital artist Luke Halls who has created 10 limited edition designs for Johnnie Walker Blue Label. The designs reimagine a ‘thriving and vibrant’ future society that has transformed cityscapes and skylines by embracing new scientific developments.

Emma Walker, Johnnie Walker master blender, said: “The Johnnie Walker journey is 200 years in the making, since those early days when our founder John Walker first threw open the doors to a small grocery shop in rural Scotland in 1820, we’ve always looked to the future with a defiant optimism and a firm belief in progress.

“Like those who came before us, we stride forward with eyes firmly on the horizon, moving toward a future teeming with endless possibilities and a belief that we can, together, create a better tomorrow. Luke’s illustrations are the exciting embodiment of this ideal.”

The collection features cities including London, Hainan, Taipei, Mexico City, Seoul, Sydney, Bangkok, Berlin, and Singapore, as well as the planet Mars.

Halls’ interpretation of Mars 2220 envisions humanity as a multi-planetary civilisation with bustling colonies on the red planet.

He explained: “The idea of continued collective progress in the world really fires my imagination – I love that Johnnie Walker is so forward-looking in its approach. That’s why thinking about how these cities might look in the future is so interesting to me. What excites me is the chance to bring this to life with the same dedication to craft that the team bring to Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

“Part of the beauty of Johnnie Walker Blue Label is that the whiskies used to craft this exceptional Scotch have been laid down many years ago, so whisky makers have to look into the future and create a picture of the flavour that people will be enjoying in several decades time – this is an extraordinary skill. I hope my glimpse of the future pays tribute to this expertise.”

Consumers can discover the world of 2220 by scanning a near-field communication tag on the front of the bottle using a smartphone.

In June, Johnnie Walker unveiled six limited edition bottles for its Black Label series, created using an ink made from air pollution.