Diageo has released a coastal summer-inspired version of Johnnie Walker Blue Label for global travel retail.
Titled Blue Label Azure, the travel-retail exclusive is designed to put whisky at ‘the heart of summer celebrations’, Diageo said, as holiday travel season approaches.
Johnnie Walker was the best-selling Scotch in travel retail in 2024, according to IWSR data, and Diageo highlighted the release as both a ‘differentiated expression that cannot be found at home’ and also ‘perfect for people travelling to warm, beach destinations’.
In considering the blend, Johnnie Walker’s master blender Dr Emma Walker looked to bring brighter, more coastal notes to Blue Label’s profile.
Drinkers will find notes of citrus, orchard fruits, gentle smoke and sweetness in the profile, which can be enjoyed neat and is also said to shine against the oily texture of seafood.
Walker said: “As it develops, the flavours settle into a smooth, balanced finish that lingers like sea air at the end of the day. It’s a whisky designed to be savoured slowly, revealing new notes with every sip.”
Blue Label Azure features an ocean-inspired bottle design from Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz, while the bottle itself was created using 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) glass.
In addition, the bottle is housed in an exclusive custom bottle bag, which Diageo called a ‘statement accessory’.
The 43% ABV expression will launch initially in May at London Heathrow in partnership with Avolta UK. It has SRP of £320 (US$432)
Duty free locations at major global travel hubs such as Changi, Incheon, Hong Kong, Bogota, Nice and Paris will then follow.
Various activations will also be held to support the launch, including at Heathrow where a Blue Label Azure pop-up tasting bar will be located at Terminal 4 and the British Airways corporate lounge.
Managing director at Diageo Global Travel Retail, Andrew Cowan, added: “This launch marks an exciting moment for global travel and for Scotch whisky. By introducing Johnnie Walker Blue Label Azure exclusively in travel retail, we are offering travellers something truly distinctive, an innovation they can only discover on their journey.
“It not only elevates the Blue Label experience for new, seasonal occasions, but also showcases the versatility of Scotch in a way that resonates with today’s luxury traveller seeking unique, memorable moments.”
So far this year, Walker and her team have created two new Johnnie Walker expressions: Red Soul and Black Cask.
Diageo CEO Dave Lewis has said the company will focus its strategy towards the mass market, following the reveal of its financial results for the first half of its 2026 fiscal year.
