Three Johnnie Walker House stores have opened their doors in
travel retail to showcase the world-leading Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky brand,
Diageo Travel Retail has announced. They include the first ever co-branded
luxury space between Johnnie Walker and Shui Jing Fang, China’s first distillery
of its favourite white spirit Baijiu, at Beijing Capital International Airport,
and the opening of two Johnnie Walker boutiques at Seoul Incheon Airport.
A range of exclusive and rare malts will also be available in all three stores.
Following the success of the Johnnie Walker House
launches in airports including Mumbai, Taipei, Singapore, Auckland and
Amsterdam, the new Houses in Beijing and Incheon are “multi-sensory embassies
for luxury blended Scotch whisky”, Diageo said.
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| The new Johnnie Walker House at Beijing Capital Airport |
Inviting travellers on a sensorial journey
There are now 15 Johnnie Walker Houses in travel retail and
five in the domestic channel, all designed to educate and inspire
travellers. Striking design features include a whisky scent bar, where
people can appreciate the liquid’s subtle flavours and aromas; a luxury
mentoring and engagement zone where brand ambassadors invite travellers on a sensorial
journey to touch, taste and smell the elements that make up Johnnie Walker and Shui
Jing Fang in the Beijing travel retail boutique; as well as a range of rare malts
releases available in both Beijing and Incheon.
At Beijing Airport, passengers can also immerse
themselves in a whisky constellation wall dedicated to the Johnnie Walker Art of Blending, and providing a comprehensive index for single
malt Scotch whiskies.
Dayalan Nayager, Managing Director of Diageo Global
Travel, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to extend the Johnnie Walker House
footprint in Asia Pacific and bring three Johnnie Walker Houses to life in
partnership with our customers in Beijing Capital International Airport and
Incheon International Airport. This reinforces our long-term commitment to the
travel retail channel, providing travellers with a luxurious and inspiring shopping
experience in one of the most exciting travel retail regions worldwide. Both
airports are key travel hubs, handling a combined 60m passengers a year, which
make them critically important in the Johnnie Walker House global expansion
strategy.”
Nayager continued: “We are also delighted to provide Shui
Jing Fang a collaborative platform in the travel retail environment in Beijing
Airport, as well as range of rare malts releases available in both Beijing and
Incheon. Travellers are looking for innovative luxury shopping experiences that
both educate and inspire them. The Johnnie Walker House encapsulates this for
the brand.”
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| The interior of the Johnnie Walker House at Bejing Capital Airport |
Johnnie Walker House at Beijing Capital Airport
The Johnnie Walker House at Beijing Capital Airport launches
in collaboration with Sunrise Duty Free and is located in the prestigious Terminal
3 Departures terminal. It is the first ever co-branded luxury space between Johnnie
Walker and Shui Jing Fang, China’s first distillery of its favourite white
spirit, Baijiu.
The 150sq m luxury standalone boutique is located in the
airport’s departures terminal, making it the largest boutique opening in global
travel in Asia, following the success of the Amsterdam Schiphol House – the flagship
for Europe.
To celebrate the launch, the Beijing Capital boutique offers
a number of limited editions only available at the House, including Johnnie
Walker House Zodiac Collection, Fu Lu Shou Limited Edition, Five Gods of Wealth
Series Limited Edition, Johnnie Walker House Exclusive Collection and 1920 Epic
Dates Collection. Also available are a wide range of offerings from Shui Jing
Fang and rare malts releases, including The Singleton of Glendullan.
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| Johnnie Walker House at Seoul Incheon Airport |
Johnnie Walker House
Seoul Incheon Airport
The Johnnie Walker Houses in Seoul Incheon Airport launch
in collaboration with Lotte Duty Free and are open to passengers departing from
the East Main: ICN Lotte L1 and Concourse Main: ICN Lotte L6 terminals.
The East Main standalone space is 16sq m and the Concourse
Main store spans 64sq m. The travel retail boutiques follow the opening of Johnnie
Walker House Seoul, which opened its doors in 2013 and is located in the luxury
retail district of Cheongdam, an area known for leading-edge fashion and
lifestyle trends.
To mark the openings, Johnnie Walker House Zodiac
Collection and Johnnie Walker House Exclusive Collection will available to
purchase in both East Main and Concourse Main boutiques. Among the rare malts
releases are The Singleton of Glendullan.
Andre Chong, Global Head of Johnnie Walker House, said:
“The Johnnie Walker Houses are our global embassies for luxury Scotch whisky.
Innovation and exclusivity is integral to the Houses, with a collection of
unique liquids displayed and a number of limited editions available to
purchase. We believe it’s important to educate consumers of our brand story,
heritage and craftsmanship, and these Houses will provide travellers with the
opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the history of the brand and enjoy
first-class retail experiences beyond Johnnie Walker Houses in Beijing and
Seoul."
