Ahead of its opening this summer, Diageo has shared a series of new images of its ‘state-of-the-art’ Johnnie Walker experiential whisky department store in Edinburgh.
Part of the Johnnie Walker Princes Street whisky visitor centre, and designed by brand innovation studio Dalziel and Pow, the store will span eight floors in total,
Guests to the attraction will be able immerse themselves in the Johnnie Walker brand through visual theatre, storytelling and experiential moments.
Key features of the Johnnie Walker Princes Street retail store include a personalisation area on the ground floor where visitors can customise their bottles with engravings and bespoke label printing services. They will also be able to bottle their own exclusive liquid at the store.
Part of the store will also stock some of Scotland’s ‘rarest and most exceptional’ whiskies from Johnnie Walker’s ‘four corner’ distilleries: Glenkinchie, Cardhu, Caol Ila and Clynelish.
Branded merchandise, including clothing and accessories, will also be available from the store. Guests will be able to purchase sustainably sourced clothing, home accessories and bar tools.
Furthermore, the site will offer guests an interactive flavour journey, which will match their preferred tastes and scents.
Speaking on the store’s concept, Greg Klingaman, Diageo global retail director, said: “At Johnnie Walker Princes Street, we want our visitors to begin their immersive storytelling experience from the moment they walk through our doors.
“Our whisky emporium will be the first and last point of their journey with us, which is why we’ve taken so much care and attention to the design of the space. This is whisky retail like you’ve never seen it before, and we can’t wait to share it with our visitors once we open the doors.
“As well as offering our visitors a truly memorable, immersive shopping experience, we’re also delighted to bring a new retail offering to the iconic Princes Street.
“There’s never been a shop, never mind a whisky store, like this in Edinburgh’s city centre, and we’re proud to introduce this new modern retail concept to the city.”
Diageo revealed plans for the Johnnie Walker experience in Edinburgh back in April 2018 as part of its £150 million (US$215m) upgrade on its Scotch whisky visitor centres.
Plans for the concept were submitted in February 2019, with permission granted in May that same year. After a pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, construction got back underway in June.
In January 2020, Diageo started restoring the dormant clock on the corner of Edinburgh’s Princes Street as part of the experience and released the first images of the coming design.