Johnnie Walker Vault x Olivier Rousteing: When the art of couture meets the art of blending – Scotch Whisky News
Johnnie Walker Vault x Olivier Rousteing: When the art of couture meets the art of blending
Acclaimed French creative director Olivier Rousteing announced as first cultural collaborator invited within Johnnie Walker Vault
In the first release of a two-part collaboration, Couture Expression is a collection of four couture blends inspired by a sensorial journey through the seasons
The world’s leading Scotch Whisky1, Johnnie Walker, has announced acclaimed French couture designer Olivier Rousteing as the first cultural partner under the Johnnie Walker Vault platform. Launched earlier this year, Johnnie Walker Vault is a new global luxury platform grounded in blending artistry – uniting bespoke blends, luxurious experiences and collaborations with cultural icons all under one visionary banner.
First Unveiling: Couture Expression
Couture Expression is the inaugural limited-edition release from the Johnnie Walker Vault, co-created by Johnnie Walker Master Blender Dr Emma Walker and Olivier Rousteing. Drawing inspiration from the world of high fashion, the collection elevates blending artistry into new dimensions through a seasonal interpretation, setting a new standard of luxury whisky creation.
Julie Bramham, Managing Director of Diageo Luxury Group, says, “Johnnie Walker Vault is allowing us to make our mark on the world of luxury spirits in an exciting new way, as well as opening the door to a new era of progress for the brand. Through colliding the blending artistry of Dr Emma Walker with the creative genius of Olivier Rousteing we are pushing the boundaries of what a luxury Scotch whisky can look, taste and feel like.”
“This has been an emotional journey,” says Rousteing. “What started as a collaboration to create one special release became a creative exploration of four seasons, just like a couture collection. For me, the seasons bring different energy and emotions – the feeling of rebirth in Spring, the hazy freedom of Summer, the self-reflection of Fall and the coziness of home and family in Winter – that Emma so beautifully captured in the collection.”
Couture Expression Blends
Each of the four blends in the collection begins with the same luxurious ‘heart’, including ghost whiskies from Brora and Port Dundas, setting a marker for the rarity of the collection. Dr. Walker then layered hand-selected whiskies from the Johnnie Walker Vault – a library of 500 rare, aged and ghost whiskies, personally curated and rotated from the very best of the 10 million casks of Scotch available to her as Master Blender. In an innovative fusion of creative minds, over the course of 12 months, Dr Walker translated Rousteing’s personal narrative into four sensorial journeys through flavour and time.
Dr Emma Walker says, “Olivier brought an emotional language to the blending creation, and we worked together to explore what whisky can express – technically, sensorially and artistically. We deliberately chose to use the same whiskies across several of the seasons, playing with proportions, textures and seasonal notes to create four distinct expressions of whiskies.”
The Couture Expression blends encompass:
- Spring – Refreshing and floral. A celebration of renewal and transformation, with brightness drawn from a selection of rare whiskies including a 1985 Cragganmore, a rarely seen 1977 Caledonian and minerality from a treasured 1978 Port Ellen.
- Summer – Vibrant. An ode to summer with tropical fruit notes from a selection of rare whiskies including an experimental Cardhu Wine Cask Finish, and a 1990 Clynelish wrapped in the richness of 1988 Benrinnes.
- Fall – Textured and bold. A time of self-reflection and the relentless pursuit of excellence, this expression features an experimental Teaninich chocolate malt, layered with smoke from the 1978 Port Ellen.
- Winter – Deep and contemplative. Reflecting ‘coming home’ and the warmth of sharing time and moments with family and friends. The richest of the four, dialling up Islay malts from Port Ellen and Brora with a mulled wine, sweetness from the 1988 Benrinnes.
Couture Expression Design
Each Couture Expression blend is treasured in a square crystal decanter handcrafted by artisans from the renowned French luxury house Baccarat, in homage to the iconic square bottle created by Alexander Walker in the late 1800s. The decanters have been draped in four different metallic shades, each inspired by the seasons, creating a nod to the past and a desire for an iconic and timeless progressive silhouette.
“I was really given the freedom to push boundaries with the bottle design, using the couture technique of drapé to capture the seasons in gold, silver, rose gold and metallic black. I wanted to create a structured armour reflecting strength and perseverance, but for it to be swathed like silk to bring softness and reveal the beautiful liquid inside. I hope these bottles will remain as pieces of art in the legacy of Johnnie Walker Vault,” said Rousteing.
Finally, each bottle is topped off with a sculptural wing stopper, the creative director’s articulation of the Johnnie Walker ‘Keep Walking’ ethos evolved into flight. All hallmarks which sing to Rousteing’s creative style, which he wanted to see live on as his contribution to the Johnnie Walker Vault and a future facing approach to whisky creation.
Couture Expression Launch
To celebrate the collaboration and the release of Johnnie Walker Vault x Olivier Rousteing Couture Expression, an exclusive launch event will be held in New York City on 3rd May, bringing together leading voices across the arts, fashion and whisky. Johnnie Walker Vault x Olivier Rousteing Couture Expression will be globally launched from 26th May with only 25 bottles of each season available worldwide.
Recommended retail price: $20,000
Further information can be found at https://www.johnniewalker.com/en-gb/vault.
About Johnnie Walker: Johnnie Walker is the world’s number 1 Scotch Whisky brand* (IWSR 2024 & the world’s number one International Spirits Brand* (IWSR 2024 Relative Market Share), enjoyed by people in over 180 countries around the world. Since the time of its founder, John Walker, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavour and quality above all else.
Today’s range of award-winning whiskies includes Johnnie Walker Red Label, Blonde, Black Label, Double Black, Green Label, Gold Label Reserve, Aged 18 Years, and Blue Label. Together they account for over 22 million cases sold annually (IWSR, 2023). Johnnie Walker is also the number one best-selling Scotch and number one trending Scotch (Drinks International, 2024).
*In value 2023
About Diageo: Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s, Smirnoff and Cîroc vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices.
About Olivier Rousteing: Olivier Rousteing was selected to head Balmain’s design team in 2011, at 25, he became one of the youngest talents ever named to lead an historic Parisian fashion house. Rousteing is very conscious of his unique background and position—as well as the exciting opportunities for change that this moment in time presents. Rousteing was adopted from a French orphanage at a young age and raised in Bordeaux. He studied fashion at Paris’ Ecole Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode (ESMOD). At 18, he moved to Italy, where he worked at Roberto Cavalli for five years, beginning as an intern and rising swiftly and steadily through the ranks to the position of Designer for the men’s and women’s ready-to- wear collections. When the opportunity arose for him to return to Paris to work at Balmain, Rousteing seized it, leading part of the house’s design team for two years before being named Creative Director in 2011.
For fourteen years, Olivier Rousteing has been the Creative Director of the house of Balmain guiding it forward in creativity and commerce. During these years, Rousteing has been carefully building upon the legacy of the house’s founder, Pierre Balmain, with inspirations directly pulled from the house’s rich archives and fully utilizing the Balmain atelier’s impressive mastery of intricate traditional couture techniques. Rousteing has been able to skilfully graft his own distinctive style upon the historic house —one which melds together an immediately recognizable singular silhouette and contemporary outlook.
Rousteing continues to evolve his personal innate sense of creative and vision to build his portfolio of creative projects including his current partnership, with Johnnie Walker Vault, and past lifestyle projects, as an individual, with Porsche, Jean Paul Gaultier and within the realm of film, with his documentary “Wonder Boy” as seen on Netflix.
About Baccarat: Founded in 1764, Baccarat, alchemist of joy and creator of enchanting worlds, is the fruit of a group of daring artisans who have transformed the four elements of nature – earth, air, fire and water – into crystal of unparalleled purity. By crafting true masterpieces, Baccarat has never ceased to surprise the world, garnering numerous awards at World Fairs and international exhibitions. This is how the name of a small town in eastern France, Baccarat, has over time become a symbol of the art of celebration and French joie de vivre. From Paris to Moscow, New York, Tokyo, Miami or Hong Kong, the unique experience of Baccarat’s art de vivre can be found within its Houses, boutiques, restaurants, bars, and hotels. Ahead of its 260th anniversary, Baccarat continues its international development, firmly anchored in its roots, and driven by the ambition to always fly higher. Discover the captivating world of Baccarat on www.baccarat.com and on www.instagram.com/baccarat
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