‘Pushing boldly into the future of whisky experiences’, Johnnie Walker Princes Street is introducing Artificial Intelligence technology that will enable customers to co-design their own unique bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label with artist Scott Naismith.
Naismith, who is known for his ‘bold, colourful abstractions of Scottish skies, coasts and landscapes’, has a long-standing relationship with Diageo, having created works for its ‘Four Corners’ distilleries and Johnnie Walker Princes Street itself.
The new AI system has been trained to use prompts inputted by each customer to generate a unique label design based on Naismith’s work and style, which will then be made reality by digital direct-to-bottle print technology.
Only available at the Edinburgh venue, the experience is set to run from August 1st to 31st this year, and is being described as the first ever to combine world-class Scotch whisky, art, and AI.
Naismith’s artwork showcased at the Princes St venue includes renderings of the landscapes surrounding the four key distilleries which contribute to the Johnnie Walker brand; Cardhu in Speyside, Clynelish in the Highlands, Glenkinchie in the Lowlands and Caol Ila on Islay.
Head of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, Rob Maxwell, said: “Since opening, Johnnie Walker Princes Street has striven to become a leader in using the power of AI to personalise guests’ experiences. Johnnie Walker x Scott Naismith is an exciting new step in our commitment to offering those with various tastes and interests something completely different to what’s available in the whisky experience market.
“This partnership is a true one-of-a-kind, and we can’t wait to see the designs our guests will print on their bottles.”
Senior global innovation manager at Diageo, Will Harvey, added: “This is the first pilot in a wider platform that the Breakthrough Innovation team is exploring, looking at how we can use AI responsibly to enable co-collaboration between fans and artists.
“Demand for personalisation shows no signs of slowing down, so we’re delighted to offer the chance to create one-of-a-kind AI-enabled designs with Scott. With Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s previous experience of using AI to enhance customer experiences, it’s the perfect place for us to launch this innovative offer to the world.”
Naismith himself commented: “‘I believe creativity takes courage and boldness in risk taking. The project at Johnnie Walker Princes Street shows this throughout and as a consequence has been an honour to be a part of.
“With a brave exploration into the cutting-edge world of AI, this latest project is bound to surprise and impress in equal measure. I am excited to be part of it and am again impressed at the continued creative vision from the team at Johnnie Walker.”
