As Diageo builds towards the 200th Anniversary of the Johnnie Walker brand in 2020 they are investing heavily in their collection of distilleries that work together to make their world famous Scotch. The company has announced a £150 million investment over the next three years to transform its Scotch whisky visitor experiences. They say it’s, “The biggest concerted programme ever seen in Scotland’s whisky tourism sector.”
The center-piece of the investment will be a new state-of-the-art Johnnie Walker immersive visitor experience based in Edinburgh, bringing to life the story of the world’s most popular Scotch whisky and creating a unique welcome for millions of Scotch fans from around the world.
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The company will also upgrade its existing network of 12 distillery visitor centers to create a new generation of Scotch attractions where people can meet the people who make the spirit and putting Scotland at the cutting edge of the global boom in food and drink tourism.
The Four Corners of Johnnie Walker Scotch
Whisky from Diageo’s distilleries all over Scotland contribute to Johnnie Walker, but four distilleries hold the keys to the liquid.
Each will be linked directly to the Johnnie Walker venue in Edinburgh, representing the ‘Four Corners of Scotland’ and the regional flavor variations of Lowland (Glenkinchie), Speyside (Cardhu), Island (Caol Ila) and Highland (Clynelish) crucial to the art of whisky blending. Together this will create a unique Johnnie Walker tour of Scotland, encouraging visitors to the capital city to also travel to the country’s extraordinary rural communities.
Diageo’s other distilleries: Lagavulin, Talisker, Glen Ord, Oban, Dalwhinnie, Blair Athol, Cragganmore and Royal Lochnagar, will also see investment to support the growth of single malt Scotch whisky. This is in addition to the £35 million already committed to re-open the ‘lost distilleries’ of Port Ellen and Brora, taking Diageo’s network of distilleries with specialist visitor experiences in Scotland to a total of 14.
Scotland – A Distilled Spirits Tourist Destination
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Edinburgh Chosen as the Heart of Distillery Tourism
Edinburgh has been chosen as the preferred location for the Johnnie Walker investment because of the capital’s particularly strong tourism growth, with the city already being home to some of the most popular visitor attractions in the UK.
The building in Edinburgh will become a new hub for Diageo’s business in Scotland linking to wider social investment and creating opportunities in the hospitality sector for young unemployed people, through increased investment in the company’s Learning for Life program. Diageo will also leverage its export and innovation expertise with the venue becoming a destination to mentor Scotland’s next generation of entrepreneurs and exporters.
Diageo chief executive, Ivan Menezes said, “Scotch is at the heart of Diageo, and this new investment reinforces our ongoing commitment to growing our Scotch whisky brands and supporting Scotland’s tourism industry. For decades to come our distilleries will play a big role in attracting more international visitors to Scotland. I am also delighted we will be able to bring our knowledge and expertise to help the next generation, through mentor programs and skills training.”
Welcoming the investment, First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, said: “This significant investment will not only help attract more tourists to Scotland, offering world class visitor experiences, but it also underlines the fundamental importance of the whisky sector to Scotland’s economy. Last week, I launched Scotland is Now, a new campaign that will put Scotland in the international spotlight and showcase the country’s world-leading assets, such as whisky, to a global audience. Today’s announcement highlights to the world that Scotland is a leading destination for tourists and business investors.”
David Cutter, Chairman of Diageo in Scotland said, “Over the past six years we have invested over £1billion in building our Scotch whisky production infrastructure to grow exports of Scotch around the world. With this new investment, we turn our focus to bringing the world to Scotland. This will not only build the Scotch whisky industry it will bring economic benefits to communities throughout Scotland.”
As Diageo builds towards the 200th Anniversary of the Johnnie Walker brand in 2020, the company plans to celebrate the brand’s founder John Walker, by establishing a scholarship and mentoring programme for young entrepreneurs to encourage a new generation of John Walkers to develop their ideas into global exporting businesses, with a specific focus on supporting young entrepreneurs from John Walker’s home town of Kilmarnock. This will be developed in partnership with local stakeholders.
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