Diageo is to take the “fruit-forward” Johnnie Walker Black Ruby whisky into more markets.
The company tested the Scotch in cities including Mexico City and Sydney last year.
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Diageo said the blended whisky would be rolled out “globally over the coming months”, targeted at the off- and on-trade.
Prices will vary by market but the whisky will be pitched at around £35 ($45.30) and €40, the group said.
“As Scotch embraces more creativity in mixology, we see an opportunity to offer a bold, versatile flavour,” Johnnie Walker global brand director Jennifer English said.
Dr. Emma Walker, who became the master blender for Johnnie Walker in 2022, added: “This experimental whisky-making involved running fermentation for longer than usual to create amplified fruity notes. We also experimented with a longer distillation period for more copper contact in the whisky-making process, which allowed the team to remove some heavier notes in the expression.”
Diageo reported a 5% decline in volumes from Johnnie Walker on an organic basis in the year to the end of June. Net sales fell 6% organically and by 2% on a reported basis. Sales declined in North America but rose in Europe and were up organically in Asia Pacific.
In the six months to the end of December, Johnnie Walker’s net sales dropped 7% amid pressure on sales in North America and Asia Pacific.
Net sales fell 6% organically. Volumes decreased 3% on an organic basis.
Earlier this month, Diageo said it was halting new investment through the Distill Ventures accelerator programme. Diageo helped set up London-based Distill Ventures in 2013 to back early-stage spirits companies.
A clutch of Distill Ventures’ previous investments led to Diageo making full acquisitions. In 2020, the accelerator took a minority stake in non-alcoholic spirits producer Ritual Zero Proof. Diageo then snapped up the brand for an undisclosed amount in September.
Denmark-based Stauning Whisky received the largest single investment by Distill Ventures in 2015, with £10m allocated to build a new distillery.
Stauning told Just Drinks today (28 March) it had axed about 25% of its workforce and cut production by 50% after Diageo announced that it was withdrawing support for the Distill Ventures incubator programme.
