Johnnie Walker has launched a new visitor experience at its Princes Street venue in Edinburgh. The Johnnie Walker x Scott Naismith experience uses AI technology to allow guests to ‘co-design’ a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label with visual artist Scott Naismith.
Naismith’s artworks for Johnnie Walker represent the Scottish landscapes around the distilleries which supply liquid for Johnnie Walker’s iconic blends. The distilleries traverse various Scotch whisky regions: Cardhu (Speyside), Clynelish (Highlands), Glenkinchie (Lowlands), and Caol Ila (Islay).
To create their own label, visitors will be prompted with questions that will affect the colour, location, artistic style, and time of day represented in the label’s artwork. The label will be printed onsite and the personalised bottle ready to take home.
Naismith said: “I believe creativity takes courage and boldness in risk taking. The project at Johnnie Walker Princes Street shows this throughout and as a consequence has been an honour to be a part of. With a brave exploration into the cutting-edge world of AI, this latest project is bound to surprise and impress in equal measure.”
Johnnie Walker Princes Street opened in 2021, and from its inception the venue has used technology to enhance its offering. Its signature Journey of Flavour visitor experience also uses AI, in this case to create a personalised flavour preference profile for guests.
Will Harvey, senior global innovation manager at Diageo, Johnnie Walker’s parent company, added: “This is the first pilot in a wider platform that the Breakthrough Innovation team is exploring, looking at how we can use AI responsibly to enable co-collaboration between fans and artists. Demand for personalisation shows no signs of slowing down, so we’re delighted to offer the chance to create one-of-a-kind AI-enabled designs with Scott. With Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s previous experience of using AI to enhance customer experiences, it’s the perfect place for us to launch this innovative offer to the world.”
The Johnnie Walker x Scott Naismith experience will run from 1–31 August 2024 only. The experience and guided tasting can be booked online now via Johnnie Walker. The Johnnie Walker x Scott Naismith label can also be created as a standalone experience with every purchase of Johnnie Walker Blue Label from the Princes Street venue during August.
