Johnnie Walker enters ‘new era of luxury Scotch’
Diageo has unveiled the Johnnie Walker Vault, a new global luxury platform that unites bespoke collaborative blends with cultural icons and luxurious experiences under one ‘visionary’ banner.
Said to be pioneering the next chapter in luxury spirits, the global launch of Johnnie Walker Vault is the brand’s ‘most ambitious expression of blending artistry yet’.
At the heart of the new platform is the ‘artistry’ of Johnnie Walker master blender, Dr Emma Walker, and her craft of telling personal stories from a selection of ‘exceptionally rare’ whiskies, all taken from the brand’s hidden creative ‘atelier’ located deep beneath Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh.
At any given time, the Johnnie Walker Vault holds a selection of 500 whiskies from the brand’s rare, aged, and ghost casks, personally curated and rotated by Walker to showcase the ‘very best’ of the 10 million casks of Scotch available to her as master blender.
Walker said: “Johnnie Walker Vault is our treasure trove. It’s where I can curate and share our rarest and most exceptional Scotch whiskies, and from these create unique blends which sing to my guest and showcase the blending artistry at the heart of Johnnie Walker.
“It is a very special place to me, but it’s also much more than just a physical space – it’s a platform through which I can take deeply personal stories and translate them into beautiful, one-of-a-kind blends. It’s a real privilege to be a part of capturing and bottling these wonderful stories.”
Julie Bramham, managing director of Diageo Luxury Group, added: “The Johnnie Walker Vault reflects our commitment to the evolving desires of the luxury consumer and to transforming luxury spirits through elevated personalisation, unique experiences and exceptional products.
“Building on more than 200 years of pioneering craftsmanship, Johnnie Walker has redefined quality whisky blending for the modern connoisseur. Iconic blends such as Johnnie Walker Blue Label and Johnnie Walker Black Label have consistently showcased the brand’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of Scotch whisky, and Johnnie Walker Vault will now continue this legacy.
“This is an exciting day for luxury Scotch whisky as we officially launch Johnnie Walker Vault to a global audience.”
Pillars of luxury
The Johnnie Walker Vault comprises three pillars centred around bespoke blending, luxurious experiences, and creative collaborations.
Walker and her team have access to casks from more than 30 distilleries, approximately half of the total number of casks currently resting in Scotland. These casks include aged stock of over 50 years, ‘ghost’ stocks from Port Ellen and Brora, appointment-only, luxury distilleries, and ‘icons’ of the whisky world, which have been ‘meticulously re-envisioned and restored’ to their former glory.
As such, the opening of the vault also brings the launch of Johnnie Walker’s exclusive private blending offering, which invites a select few people each year to a made-to-measure experience in Edinburgh, Scotland.
With prices for the experience starting from £50,000 (US$64,600) and centred around a one-on-one private blending experience with Walker in the Johnnie Walker Vault, packages can include: private VIP travel; a stay at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire; a private tour of the invite-only Diageo Archive; Michelin-star dining throughout with locally curated menus; a private blend presented in a crystal decanter handcrafted in France by the artisans of the House of Baccarat; and a private blend recipe chronicled in the Johnnie Walker Vault archive allowing for future commissions (depending on availability of rare stocks).
Finally, the opening of Johnnie Walker Vault means for the first time cultural leaders will be invited to co-create with Walker – blending the arts with whisky craftsmanship.
In spring 2025, Johnnie Walker Vault will debut its first collaboration in partnership with a globally-renowned visionary artist in couture fashion.
Further information on Johnnie Walker Vault including registration for the bespoke private blending experience can be found at www.johnniewalker.com/en/vault, with registrations going live from 12 March.
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