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Blue Label King George V Edition is presented in an exclusive crystal decanter and comes with an individually numbered certificate of authenticity |
US. Johnnie Walker Blue Label King George V Edition – the latest addition to the award-winning family of Scotch whiskies – has been launched across global duty free outlets in London Heathrow, marking the start of its global availability.
The duty free channels in Europe, the Americas and the Middle East will be the first to receive an allocation, with Paris and the Americas launching during April. The product will be formally presented to key duty free customers in the Americas at the IAADFS show in Fort Lauderdale.
With its distinctive blend, Blue Label King George V Edition is described as the “crown jewel” in the brand’s Scotch whisky family, handcrafted using the original techniques practised during the reign of King George V and featuring only whiskies from distilleries operating during that era.
It celebrates the first Royal Warrant granted in 1934 to John Walker and Sons Ltd to supply Scotch whisky to the British royal household.
Said Jonathan Driver, Johnnie Walker Blue Label King George V Brand Ambassador: “Johnnie Walker has access to an unrivalled collection of fine whiskies that date back to the early 20th Century. This stock of whiskies has been carefully maintained for generations and is the diamond mine of the industry. Some of the rarest whiskies – many from distilleries that no longer exist – have gone into the creation of this extraordinary blend of Johnnie Walker Blue Label King George V Edition. The blend is thus so rare that it is available only upon strict allocation.”
King George V Edition is handmade in the same tradition of Johnnie Walker Blue Label – “a masterpiece which captures the delicate balance of the peatiness, smoke and power of west coast whiskies with the lighter fruit and aromatic qualities from Speyside whiskies and European oak casks.”
Inspired by the “golden” 1930s era of whisky, the new addition is said to similarly capture a fine balance of whiskies from distilleries located in the four corners of Scotland – from the Mountains, the Valleys and the Great Glen.
The use of the highly-prized Port Ellen Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – a distillery which no longer exists and whose carefully preserved remaining stock has steadily appreciated in value due to its scarcity – is crucial in producing the special blend.
“Port Ellen provides a smokiness and peatiness that is more profound than any other Islay whisky, giving Johnnie Blue Label King George V Edition a distinctive taste from Johnnie Walker Blue Label, which uses Caol IIa,” explained Driver.
“The result is a very individual flavour, mellow with age without the tannin associated with younger oak casks. Johnnie Walker King George V Edition possesses a rich, profound smoky signature and a complex taste with a mouth-warming and lingering peaty finish. An exquisite and exceptional whisky.”
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King George V Edition possesses “a rich, profound smoky signature and a complex taste with a mouth-warming and lingering peaty finish” |
“Johnnie Walker Blue Label King George V Edition is particularly suited to travel retail where luxury items play an important role for consumers, many of whom are looking for the ideal premium gift!” said Diageo Global Travel & Middle East Marketing Director Nick Robinson. “Customers are very excited about the launch and we at Diageo Global Travel are also pleased to be the first to introduce this product.”
The edition is presented in an exclusive crystal decanter. The bottle is placed in a special silk-lined presentation box where it sits on a removable display holder, specially designed so consumers can show the bottle in their whisky cabinets – a particularly common practice in Asia. Each edition also comes with a certificate of authenticity which is individually numbered.
For details, contact:
US: Jesse Peña, Diageo Global Travel & Middle East, tel: +1 305 269 5069, e-mail: jesse.pena@diageo.com.
Europe: Alicia Tetlow, Diageo Plc, tel: +44 207 927 5369, e-mail: alicia.tetlow@diageo.com.
How to enjoy Johnnie Walker Blue Label King George V Edition
An excellent and simple way to appreciate King George V Edition Scotch whisky is to drink it neat, with a separate glass of iced mineral water. Drinking the iced water first refreshes, cleanses and cools the mouth. This allows the flavours to explode while warming in the mouth and enables a small amount of water to combine with the whisky on the palate to bring out the best in the whisky. The rare whiskies are best appreciated at full strength.
About Johnnie Walker
Founded by John Walker in 1820, Johnnie Walker grew from a small grocery store, through three pioneering generations of Walkers, to now being the world’s number one whisky brand, available in more than 200 countries.
The company’s progressive and innovative approach continues today, a partnering agreement with one of the world’s most successful Formula 1 racing teams – Team McLaren Mercedes – having been announced in 2005. The sport, says the company, provides a unique international platform for engaging with the modern consumer.
Throughout almost 200 years of trading, John Walker’s original values of quality and consistency have been rigorously applied to the blending process. Like John’s grandson, Alexander, a master of the art of blending, today’s specialists combine a first-class training, natural talent and a Master Blender’s perceptive nose; all crucial when creating complex blends.
In 1908, “Born 1820 – Still Going Strong” appeared on Johnnie Walker advertising material. And the range now includes: Red Label, Black Label, Green Label, Gold Label, Blue Label, Premier and Swing. Together they account for 12.4 million cases annually, making Johnnie Walker the most popular whisky in the world.
MORE STORIES ON JOHNNIE WALKER SCOTCH WHISKY
Johnnie Walker and Baileys add spirit to Diageo first-half travel retail performance – 15/02/07
Johnnie Walker strides out on his most ambitious journey with Blue Label King George V – 29/11/06
Johnnie Walker races into full stride in Asia as global duty free shines for Diageo – 02/09/04
