Johnnie Walker has unveiled its Blue Label Cities of the Future 2220. (Photo: Johnnie Walker)

Two years after its 200th anniversary in 2020, scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker has launched its Blue Label Cities of the Future 2220 series, in which it looks 200 years into the future with the branding of the bottles, imagining a futuristic world.

Johnnie Walker collaborated on the launch with digital artist Luke Halls, who has created 10 limited edition designs for Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

“The Johnnie Walker journey is 200 years in the making, since those early days when our founder John Walker first threw open the doors to a small grocery shop in rural Scotland in 1820, we’ve always looked to the future with a defiant optimism and a firm belief in progress,” Johnnie Walker master blender Emma Walker said, according to The Spirits Business.

“Like those who came before us, we stride forward with eyes firmly on the horizon, moving toward a future teeming with endless possibilities and a belief that we can, together, create a better tomorrow. Luke’s illustrations are the exciting embodiment of this ideal.”

The collection features several editions, each with a label depicting a different city in 2220: London, Hainan, Taipei, Mexico City, Seoul, Sydney, Bangkok, Berlin and Singapore, as well as the planet Mars.

Halls’ imagining of Mars in 2220 sees humans having built colonies on the planet.

“The idea of continued collective progress in the world really fires my imagination – I love that Johnnie Walker is so forward-looking in its approach,” Halls said. “That’s why thinking about how these cities might look in the future is so interesting to me. What excites me is the chance to bring this to life with the same dedication to craft that the team bring to Johnnie Walker Blue Label.

“Part of the beauty of Johnnie Walker Blue Label is that the whiskies used to craft this exceptional Scotch have been laid down many years ago, so whisky makers have to look into the future and create a picture of the flavour that people will be enjoying in several decades time – this is an extraordinary skill. I hope my glimpse of the future pays tribute to this expertise.”

Each bottle features a QR code, which consumers can scan to “immerse yourself in the future.”

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Cities of the Future 2220 London Edition is available from Malts.com for £214.99 ($260). It is bottled at 80 proof and does not include an age statement.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Cities of the Future 2220 London Edition Tasting Notes, via the Brand

Nose: Take in the wonderfully mellow, rounded nose – replete with dry smokiness artfully mixed with the sweetness of raisins.

Taste: Layers of dried fruits, citrus smoke, which then evolves into notes of honey, sweet spice, and vanilla.

Finish: You’re rewarded with velvety chocolate and a rounded smoky finish.

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