Limited Edition
The result of five years of experimentation Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra is here to move the spirits industry forward with its innovative, light-weight glass bottle.
SPIRIT OF PROGRESS
Johnnie Walker set out to advance the spirits industry by experimenting with lightweight glass for its luxury whiskies, inspired by the trend towards 'delicate' rather than 'heavy' luxury. The result was the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra bottle, weighing just 180g without the closure. Created through a test-and-learn model with external glass makers, this light-weight bottle features a handblown teardrop shape that reimagines Johnnie Walker's iconic square design, exemplifies the future of lightweight, and helps discover new possibilities for lighter, lower carbon packaging alternatives.
In our quest for the lightest bottle possible, we took our vision to a team of expert glassmakers. Exploring shapes and glassblowing techniques to minimise glass usage without compromising durability. We learned that the lightest, strongest glass bottle you can make without compromising durability is a teardrop shape.
This is a one-off bottle for now illustrating the art of the possible, as a design experiment and redefining lightweight as luxury. We will continue to apply these learnings across the wider Diageo range. As well as this, for the first time in Diageo’s history, a license to our patent for light-weight glass beverage containers will be offered on a royalty-free basis to all as a way to encourage progress in the wider industry.
To celebrate this technological breakthrough, only 888 limited edition bottles will be produced making this an unmissable piece of history for collectors.
During last year's London Design Festival, Johnnie Walker partnered with Marshmallow Laser Feast to create a landmark installation at the Old Selfridges Hotel. Liquid Light enveloped visitors in a mesmerizing interplay of light and shadow, with moving light passing through glass forms and projecting elegant patterns onto white walls.
A new Johnnie Walker Blue Label expression has been blended for this exquisite bottle by Master Blender Dr. Emma Walker, and each of the 888 bottles carries her signature: a seal of approval of her craftsmanship and care.
Dr. Walker sought out liquids from distilleries such as Oban, Brora and Royal Lochnagar, as well as a number of ghost whiskies, first made in distilleries that have since closed. These are rare, never-to-be-seen-again and long-matured; offering a precious, pre-loved element to the blend. Ghost whiskies from the legendary Port Ellen (once a ghost, now reopened), Port Dundas and Caledonian also feature in this iconic blend.
With our dedicated focus on presenting lightness across every design element, we introduced a precise lattice stopper, a bamboo frame and a protective transportation box.
The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra cradle is crafted to hero, store, and safeguard the lightest 70cl Scotch Whisky glass bottle we’ve made to date. To release the bottle, simply slide the neck clip gently toward you. This will create a discreet opening through which the bottle can be removed. After pouring a glass of this rare, specially blended whisky, we invite you to return the bottle to its cradle—its natural resting place and a testament to purposeful design.
