Johnnie Walker Blue “Smart” Whisky Bottle

via ThinFilm

via ThinFilm

You have to be kidding me.

I have about twenty different things I hate about this idea that Johnnie Walker will be doing with the Blue Label bottle. The gist is that they’ll be sticking a sensor tag on it that uses near field communications to talk to your smartphone (in reality, your phone is sending out signals and this label will respond).

They claim that this is good for the buyer because you can tell if the bottle has been opened, how long it’s been opened for, and, oh yeah, you can get personalized promotions, cocktails, and communicate with Diageo.

Personalized promotions, eh? Those are called ads. I don’t need more ads.

As for making sure my scotch has never been opened? I’ve never had that problem before. I’ve never purchased a bottle and discovered it was already opened!

via ThinFilm

via ThinFilm

And if you look at the image of the label, the “has it been opened” before test is whether the wire on the top part of the sensor has been broken (thus giving a different signal). It seems pretty easy to defeat since the wire doesn’t go over the top of the bottle.

And cocktails? If you use Johnnie Walker Blue Label in a cocktail… I’m not even going to say anything because I know you wouldn’t. 🙂

This reminds me of the dot com boom when every company decided to throw “dot com” at the end of their name because it tripled their valuation. Apps are hot right now, very hot, and it seems like everyone wants to figure out a way to use technology… even if it’s the wrong way.

I’ll tell you what though, I like the technology behind it, I like the innovation and the thinking that led to this (because it leads to more experimental ideas). I don’t think I’ll be installing an app but the sensor on the bottle itself doesn’t bother me.

Hat tip to Gary G. in our Facebook group for sharing this!

Diageo Opens New Distillery in Speyside

Did you know that there hasn’t been a new distiller in Scotland in over 30 years?

That’s why it’s such big news that Diageo has opened a new distillery in Speyside to produce more of their blended Scotch whiskies – Johnnie Walker, Buchanan’s, Old Parr, and J&B. I’m not myself as big a fan of blended whiskies as I am of single malts, though I do enjoy the occasional blend from time to time. The facility cost £40 million, three years, and is located at Roseisle on Speyside with fourteen copper stills and an annual product capacity of 10 million liters. It’ll be one of the most environmentally sustainable distillers with most of its by-products recycled on site. Expect the taste the whisky it produces in 2012.

Diageo's Classic Malts of Scotland

Diageo Six Classic Malts of Scotland

Diageo Six Classic Malts of Scotland


In 1988, the United Distillers and Vintners began marketing the “Classic Malts of Scotland” as a selection of six single malt scotch whiskies that were representative of the best Scotch whiskey available. The United Distillers and Vintners was later purchased by Diageo, who has continued the marketing campaign. The “regions” in the six classic malts of Scotland differ from the official Scotch Whiskey Association region classifications, most likely so that they could include other scotches to the list of classics.

It’s not an official designation, just a marketing one. That doesn’t stop the six from being fine scotches though.

The six Classic Malts of Scotland are:

  • Dalwhinnie 15 – Highland
  • Talisker 10 – Isle of Skye
  • Cragganmore 12 – Speyside
  • Oban 14 – West Highland
  • Lagavulin 16 – Islay
  • Glenkinchie 12 – Lowland

As you can see, Isle of Skye (part of the Island subregion of the Highlands in the SWA’s official regions) isn’t an officially recognized region and Campbeltown, where Diageo does not own a distillery, isn’t represented on the list.