The John Walker and Sons Voyager, a glamorous yet elegant, modern yacht whose journey reimagines the epic ocean voyages that took Johnnie Walker from the four corners of Scotland to the four corners of the world, will make a stop in T&T during its tour through Latin America and the Caribbean next month.The Voyager will be docking in Trinidad on February 4, for two days filled with events on-board on February 6 and 7.
After completing the Asian leg of its journey, which retraced the original spice route, the yacht continued its voyage through historic ports of Europe from Cannes to Edinburgh. It now embarks on the third leg of the expedition, docking in Antigua, T&T, Venezuela, Aruba, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Miami, marking the end of the journey in the United States.
At each destination, the Voyager plays host to a series of high-profile Johnnie Walker Blue Label events and experiences that will celebrate each port's own story of progress and innovation and recognise national game changers who embody the pioneering spirit and vision of the Walker family. Raising a glass to those who have faced their own personal odyssey and carved new paths for those around them, Voyager will bring together the region's most important influencers to engage a new generation of whisky drinkers and luxury aficionados in a world of quality craftsmanship, heritage and modern innovation.
Commenting on the announcement, Chris Copeland, Diageo VP of marketing and innovation for Latin America and the Caribbean, said: "John Walker and Sons became one of the first truly global brands by engaging ship captains to act as brand ambassadors when taking whisky from Scotland to the four corners of the world. Voyager creates an unparalleled opportunity to celebrate the vision of the Walker family who grew a small grocery store founded in 1820, into the world's number one blended scotch whisky brand."
A series of epic and luxurious Blue Label events will pay tribute to the Walker family and the modern Super Deluxe blended whiskies, including Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve and Johnnie Walker Platinum, while celebrating some of the Caribbean and Latin world's most contemporary influencers who embody the pioneering spirit of our brand.
Aboard Voyager for the duration of the Caribbean journey, will be Johnnie Walker global brand ambassador Tom Jones. A highly-regarded expert, Jones will be on hand throughout the Voyager journey to share and impart his passion and knowledge for whisky.
After completing the Asian leg of its journey, which retraced the original spice route, the yacht began its European voyage from the historic port of Portofino in early May 2012. It visited Cannes, Monaco, Athens, Barcelona, Amsterdam, London, Hamburg and Copenhagen, before finally docking in Edinburgh last August–returning to the brand home of Scotland, where the John Walker and Sons story began almost two centuries ago.
The journey can be followed on Twitter: twitter.com/whiskyexplorer. Facebook: facebook.com/whiskyexplorer and Instagram: @whiskyexplorer.Voyager will offer the perfect opportunity to celebrate the quality of Johnnie Walker Blue Label and the other exquisitely-blended whiskies in the luxury Johnnie Walker stable, including Johnnie Walker Platinum Label and Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve, against a multitude of stunning backdrops throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
This once-in-a-lifetime experience and series of celebratory events were inspired by the launch of a new blend, John Walker & Sons Odyssey, which commemorates one of Sir Alexander Walker's greatest innovations–the creation of a remarkable decanter for use on luxury cruise liners which moved to match the motion of the sea.
"I searched a number of distilleries in Scotland for the perfect three whiskies to blend for John Walker & Sons Odyssey. They needed to have the right provenance and pedigree to create the aromas, tastes, flavours and sensations that Sir Alexander was looking for when he created the original blend almost 100 years ago," said Jim Beveridge, master blender.
To punctuate the uniqueness of the blend, an exquisitely-crafted, crystal-grade glass decanter has been created to house John Walker & Sons Odyssey. This stunning work of art is a reflection of the nautical heritage of the Walker family that perfectly captures the motion and emotion of the sea.
When gently pushed, the bottle swings elegantly to and fro and as the case is turned, rotates fluidly 360 degrees. When at rest, it will always point due north, paying homage to the steadfast and progressive direction shown by Sir Alexander himself.
Johnnie Walker is the world's number-one selling scotch whisky brand, representing the concept of personal progress for the many people who enjoy it in more than 200 countries worldwide, just as it did to John Walker, who founded the business in 1820.
A combination of consumer insight, determination and commercial astuteness enabled three pioneering generations of Walkers to grow a small grocery store into an international Scotch whisky business selling stylish, globally-recognised brands that today define the scotch whisky category.
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. It is a global company, with products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange.