Johnnie Walker, the the biggest-selling spirits brand in travel retail, will launch a new malt
whisky blend as a travel retail exclusive from July 2016.
Retailing at $60 for a one-litre bottle, Johnnie Walker
Island Green showcases the same blended malt craftsmanship as Johnnie Walker
Green Label, but with a greater influence of smoky, maritime malt whisky, the
company said.
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| Johnnie Walker Island Green blended malt Scotch whisky |
Game-changing launch in travel retail
Doug Bagley, Managing Director of Diageo Global Travel
& Middle East, said: “The launch of Johnnie Walker Island Green is a true
game-changer for the Scotch whisky category in travel retail. For the first
time ever, we are able to offer our customers an exclusive blended malt whisky
from the biggest spirits brand in the channel, strongly supported with the
backing of Johnnie Walker investment and marketing activation.
“Malts is the fastest-growing category in travel retail,
growing at twice the rate of the overall Scotch category, but the scale of
variants, ages and flavours can be overwhelming to shoppers. Research shows
that seven out of 10 malt shoppers drank blended Scotch before entering into
malts, so we believe the launch of Johnnie Walker Island Green will act as an
incredible signpost for those shoppers who want to explore the category. As a
travel retail exclusive, Johnnie Walker Island Green also offers these
consumers access to something special which they cannot buy elsewhere.”
Intense flavour experience
Johnnie Walker Island Green is said to capture the distinctive style of individual mature malts from the four main whisky regions of Scotland with added prominence given to island malts. As with Johnnie Walker Green Label, it seeks to offer the character of single malt but with a wider flavour experience.
Jim Beveridge, Johnnie Walker Master Blender, said: “We
wanted to preserve the character of each of the malts in this whisky but at the
same time create a different, more intense flavour experience for travellers.”
Stuart Morrison, one of the Johnnie Walker blending team,
said this had been achieved by giving Caol Ila from the island of Islay a
greater influence in the blend. He said: “The added prominence of the smoky, maritime
nature of Caol Ila has been very carefully balanced with robust fruity Highland
malts including Clynelish, lighter Lowland malts represented by Glenkinchie and
the characteristically sweet and fragrant Speyside style of Cardhu.”
The full-bodied blend has flavours of peat-smoke combined
with a rich, fruity sweetness and the warmth of pepper and spice. It is best
explored either neat or on the rocks.
