JOHNNIE WALKER ANNOUNCES FIFTH RELEASE IN JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL GHOST AND RARE SERIES WITH EXCLUSIVE NFT DROP
New Scotch celebrates the famous Glasgow distillery of Port Dundas, launching with the release of 75 limited edition Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare available on BlockBar.com
NEW YORK, September 3, 2022 – Johnnie Walker, the world’s number one Scotch Whisky[1] , is excited to offer whisky lovers the opportunity to own an extremely limited edition Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Port Dundas Master Set. To bring the Master Set to collectors globally, Johnnie Walker partners with BlockBar.com (the world’s first direct to consumer NFT marketplace for luxury wine and spirits) and Vayner3 (the Web3 consultancy under the umbrella VaynerX, founded by serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk).
The limited edition Johnnie Walker Ghost and Rare series is crafted using irreplaceable “ghost” whiskies and other incredibly rare expressions from the unparalleled Johnnie Walker reserves used to create the award-winning Johnnie Walker Blue Label. This latest release explores the character of exceptional and rare whiskies from one of world’s most famous Grain Whisky distilleries, the Glasgow “ghost” distillery of Port Dundas.
This renowned distillery, nestled on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal, shipped its distinct scotch from Glasgow to ports across the world for nearly 200 years. Built in 1811, Port Dundas became a whisky blending powerhouse known for its distinctive sweet and delicate grain character before it closed in 2010.
In commemoration of the fifth installment and first Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare release from Master Blender Emma Walker, collectors can secure 1 of 75 limited edition Ghost and Rare Port Dundas Master Sets exclusively available on BlockBar.com. The Master Sets feature a physical 1L bottle with signature by Emma Walker; the NFT bottle (digital version of the bottle); a unique digital art piece by award-winning generative AI artist and photographer, Ivona Tau; and access to an exclusive virtual storytelling experience with Emma Walker and Ivona Tau where they will share their inspiration behind their respective masterpieces. Those who burn their NFT will have priority access to the next Diageo drop on BlockBar.com.
Ivona’s NFT art in this Master Set draws inspiration from the vital element and force of nature, water, and builds upon her “Under the Waves” project. Her process consisted of multiple stages of AI to create 75 unique NFTs that capture the juxtaposition between the constant flow of water and the water tamed within each bottle of Ghost and Rare Port Dundas. Each of the 75 NFTs will differ, making them as rare as the whisky itself.
Ivona Tau says: “It’s incredible to see global brands like Johnnie Walker investing in digital creators to bring visibility to our work. I am proud to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Johnnie Walker and share my artistic vision of this limited-edition whisky release with communities in Web3.”
The exclusive Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Master Sets are a celebration of Port Dundas’ legacy, the incredible craftsmanship of Johnnie Walker Master Blender Emma Walker and the Web3 cultural revolution.
The Johnnie Walker team of expert whisky makers, led by Johnnie Walker Master Blender Emma Walker, handpicked the most distinctive expressions of maturing whisky from Port Dundas for this new limited edition. Walker chose a small number of distinctive, aged whiskies from the Johnnie Walker reserves, all matured in two different wood types to add depth and layers to the blend. Ghost and Rare Port Dundas features a touch of creamy vanilla notes from whiskies aged in second fill American oak casks and subtle wood spice from scotch matured in first fill highly charred American oak casks.
“Port Dundas was, in its day, one of the finest Grain Whisky distilleries in the world and the rare expressions that we have chosen from our reserves are some of the most distinctive it has ever produced. Their slow maturation allows the sweet and delicate Grain character to blossom,” Emma says. “These rare whiskies highlight the distillery character of Port Dundas, perfectly showcasing the wonderful depth of flavor that this Grain Whisky brings to Johnnie Walker Blue Label. It’s incredible character inspired us to create something truly extraordinary that pays proper tribute to the whisky makers of this storied Glasgow distillery.”
To complement the fragrant wood spice character of Port Dundas, Emma and her team hand-selected two other “ghost” whiskies from the distilleries of Cambus and Brora[2] before combining these with other very rare scotch from five iconic distilleries. Creamy, wood notes from Port Dundas embrace the vanilla and soft smoke from the “ghost” whiskies of Cambus and original stocks of Brora. Other very rare whiskies from Cameronbridge and Glenkinchie reveal notes of spiced apples alongside Clynelish, Dailuaine and Auchroisk, bringing aromas of peaches and berries.
This exclusive NFT opportunity follows the successful Web3 campaigns for the launch of Johnnie Walker Masters of Flavour 48-Year-Old and the Johnnie Walker VeeFriends Gift Goat collaboration earlier this year.
In celebration of the pioneering achievements of Emma Walker and Ivona Tau, Johnnie Walker is creating more opportunities for women to achieve their goals with a dedicated business grant through IFundWomen – the go-to funding marketplace for women-owned businesses. IFundWomen is an ongoing partner in the Johnnie Walker ‘First Strides’ initiative, which aims to celebrate and enable people and organizations moving culture forward.
“For our second NFT release, we chose to create the Ghost and Rare Port Dundas Master Set because it allows us to take the consumer into the Johnnie Walker world, beyond the tasting of whisky, and explore our iconic, rare reserves,” says Sophie Kelly, Senior Vice President of Whiskies, DIAGEO North America. “As a leader in whisky innovation and a champion of collective progress, Johnnie Walker will continue to foster meaningful relationships with consumers by championing the creators and community leaders in Web3. Stay tuned for more exciting collaborations on the horizon.”
“BlockBar unlocks exclusive access to some of the scarcest liquids in the world and we’re proud to be partnering with one of the most iconic whisky brands for the launch of its Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Port Dundas,” says Dov Falic, BlockBar co-founder & CEO. “One of our missions at BlockBar is to support women in wine, spirits and web3 so we’re also delighted to support IFundWomen through this collaboration.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Johnnie Walker and the broader Diageo portfolio, as the company continues their journey in Web3, focusing on empowering creators and building exclusive community experiences that speak to their heritage, craftsmanship, and authenticity,” said Avery Akkineni, President of Vayner3. “The latest Johnnie Walker Ghost and Rare x Ivona Tau collaborative launch on Blockbar.com will be an opportunity to deliver new and exciting experiences for both spirit collectors and the Web3 community.”
The 75 limited edition Ghost and Rare Port Dundas Master Sets will drop on BlockBar.com at 10AM EST on Friday, September 9. The NFT priced at $775 USD (approx. 0.51 ETH) may be purchased from BlockBar.com with ETH or credit card. At 10AM, the first users to reserve the bottle will then have 10 minutes to checkout. Users who successfully check out will receive an NFT (digital version) representing a proof of authenticity and ownership of the physical bottle, which is stored with BlockBar until the bottle owner is ready to “burn” the NFT to redeem. Bottle owners can gift or resell this NFT on the BlockBar.com marketplace.
About Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a remarkable Scotch Whisky, crafted by our small team of expert blenders, who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of excellence. Led by Master Blender Emma Walker, they handpick the rarest whiskies from across the four corners of Scotland including some irreplaceable whiskies from distilleries long since closed.
Only 1 in 10,000 casks in our unparalleled reserves of over 10 million maturing Scotch whiskies has the richness and character required to intricately craft Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Inside every bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a velvety smooth and vibrant Scotch Whisky with layers of fruit, spice and smoky flavours.
About Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker is the world’s number one Scotch Whisky brand, enjoyed by people in over 180 countries around the world. Since the time of its founder, John Walker, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavor and quality above else.
Six generations of skilled Master Blenders have pioneered and crafted bold new flavors that have transformed a small Scottish grocery store business, founded in 1820, into an international whisky business selling stylish, authentic, and iconic blends.
Today’s range of award-winning whiskies includes Johnnie Walker Red Label, Black Label, Double Black, Green Label, Johnnie Walker High Rye Blended Scotch Whisky, Gold Label Reserve, Aged 18 Years and Blue Label. Together they account for nearly 19 million cases sold annually (IWSR, 2019), making Johnnie Walker the most popular Scotch Whisky brand in the world.
About Diageo North America
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.
For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow at Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.
About BlockBar
Founded in October 2021, BlockBar sells NFTs directly from luxury wines and spirits brands. Each NFT corresponds to an actual physical bottle, exclusive to BlockBar, available to purchase with ETH, credit card or wire transfer. Owners can resell, collect, gift, or at any point «burn» their NFT in exchange for the physical bottle, shipped from BlockBar’s secure facility in Singapore with 24/7 security, motion sensors, and temperature control. BlockBar only partners directly with brand owners including LVMH, Diageo, Bacardi, Pernod Ricard, Sazerac, William Grant & Sons and more, and does not take collections from third parties or collectors. BlockBar is democratizing access to luxury wines and spirits allowing anyone, anywhere in the world to participate, whilst offering bottle owners storage, insurance and a marketplace to re-sell their bottles purchased on BlockBar’s platform. BlockBar’s proprietary smart contracts verify authenticity tracing every transaction directly back to the partnering brand, and its partnership with top cyber- and crypto-security firms ensures that transactions are fully protected and transparent.
About Vayner3
Vayner3 is a consultancy under the umbrella of VaynerX exclusively focused on guiding the world’s leading enterprises and intellectual property owners in the next iteration of consumer behavior, and navigating the ground-breaking and ever-evolving world of Web3. For more information, you can visit: www.vayner3.com.