Johnnie Walker Experience: Details and designs revealed for Diageo Edinburgh whisky shop

Johnnie Walker Princes Street has revealed details and design images of the modern whisky retail concept in Edinburgh – including visual theatre and sensory tasting rooms.
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Opening this summer, the Johnnie Walker retail store will be located on the ground floor of the eight-floor visitor experience, with a shop front on the corner of Princes Street and Hope Street.

Bosses have now revealed that the space will use visual theatre and storytelling to take shoppers ‘on a journey into the world of Johnnie Walker and whisky’.

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Staff will also be on hand to offer a unique interactive flavour activity which matches customer’s preferred tastes and scents to their perfect whisky profile.

A sensory tasting experience and a visual theatre will be on offer in the Prince Street store (Photo: Johnnie Walker).A sensory tasting experience and a visual theatre will be on offer in the Prince Street store (Photo: Johnnie Walker).
A sensory tasting experience and a visual theatre will be on offer in the Prince Street store (Photo: Johnnie Walker).

Guests will then be able to bottle their own exclusive liquid – a service only available at the Edinburgh shop.

Greg Klingaman, Diageo’s 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.”

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Shoppers will be able to customise bottles with engraving and bespoke label printing services at the personalisation area.

A cornucopia of whiskies will be on offer as well as the opportunity to create your own whisky based on your preferred scents and tastes (Photo: Johnnie Walker).A cornucopia of whiskies will be on offer as well as the opportunity to create your own whisky based on your preferred scents and tastes (Photo: Johnnie Walker).
A cornucopia of whiskies will be on offer as well as the opportunity to create your own whisky based on your preferred scents and tastes (Photo: Johnnie Walker).

The shop will feature bottlings from Johnnie Walker’s Four Corner distilleries – Glenkinchie, Cardhu, Caol Ila and Clynelish – as well as Diageo’s range of whiskies.

Highball ingredients and cocktail kits will also be offer to create Johnnie Walker serves at home.

Johnnie Walker Princes Street will offer shoppers a range of store-exclusive branded garments and accessories, such as sustainably sourced clothing, home accessories, and bar tools, as part of its lifestyle boutique.

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The store was designed in partnership with London-based brand innovation studio, Dalziel & Pow, who have worked with Diageo to develop the whisky emporium’s interactive retail concept.

Latest designs of the Princes Street store (Photo: Johnnie Walker).Latest designs of the Princes Street store (Photo: Johnnie Walker).
Latest designs of the Princes Street store (Photo: Johnnie Walker).

Johnnie Walker also welcomes new retail manager Alan Thomlinson, a previous manager of House of Fraser’s Jenners and West End stores.

Mr Thomlinson said: “The concept for the Johnnie Walker Princes Street whisky emporium is exactly what Edinburgh and the high street needs, that brings together a world-class shopping experience in an experiential format, and I’m ecstatic to be coming on board as the retail manager for this incredible space.”

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