Johnnie Walker has unveiled Blue Label Elusive Umami – a pioneering expression inspired by the enigmatic flavour also known as the fifth taste.
The limited-edition release was crafted by Master Blender Emma Walker and renowned Japanese Chef Kei Kobayashi of Paris’ three Michelin Star restaurant Kei, joining forces to create a Scotch that ‘encapsulates the inscrutable taste of umami’.
Highlighting the arrival of this new bottling at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, ahead of its worldwide launch mid-October, the company this week switched on a striking new projection on the side of its building, taking inspiration from Japanese Zen Calligraphy and elements from the Umami Blue Label packaging.
Ms Walker commented: “When Chef Kei and I set out to capture the essence of umami, we wanted to push the boundaries of what Scotch could be and bring a truly innovative offering to the world of whisky and flavour.
“For Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami, only one in 25,000 casks in our unparalleled reserves of more than 10 million maturing casks made the cut in our painstaking search for that elusive flavour profile – each expression of whisky was hand-picked to create an umami profile, just like ingredients for a recipe, allowing us to bring the unique character of this innovative whisky to life.”
Chef Kei added: “Umami possesses a mysterious quality that ignites our senses, revealing sumptuous taste, complexity, and depth. Encapsulating that alluring flavour through Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami allows you to immerse your palate in an exquisite Scotch Whisky of subtle richness.”
Head of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, Rob Maxwell, said: “Johnnie Walker is renowned for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in whisky, and Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami does just that. This collaboration is an expression of taste that’s rarely seen in the world of whisky, and one that is set to inspire a new generation of whisky lovers. It’s exciting that we are the world’s first location to stock this exclusive dram at Johnnie Walker Princes Street. We can’t wait for you to taste it.”
