ROYAL DEESIDE, Scotland, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ --
The Bottling of Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons, a Blend
of Rare Scotch Whiskies Distilled in 1952
Sixty years to the day since The Queen's accession, John Walker
& Sons, Scotch Whisky Distillers By Appointment to Her Majesty
The Queen, celebrates the occasion with the bottling of Diamond
Jubilee By John Walker & Sons; a specially crafted blend of
rare malt and grain Scotch Whiskies distilled in and maturing since
1952, the year she acceded to the throne.
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http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53755-johnwalker
At Royal Lochnagar Distillery, on the edge of Her Majesty The
Queen's Balmoral Estate, David Gates, Grantee of John Walker &
Sons' Royal Warrant, will oversee the filling of The Queen's
decanter, as well as 60 further editions for sale around the world.
The profits from the sale of these editions are being donated to
the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) with a guaranteed
amount of at least GBP 1million and will support the excellence of
craftsmanship as symbolised by the Royal Warrant of
Appointment.
David Gates commented: "John Walker & Sons was first awarded a
Royal Warrant in 1934 by King George V. We are extremely honoured
that the quality of our whiskies is recognised by this symbol and
our commitment to this calibre of quality and service is
unwavering. Today in 2012, we are privileged to be able to
celebrate The Queen's remarkable achievement with this fitting
tribute, Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons, the sales of
which will help to create an enduring legacy for the supreme
craftsmanship that it represents."
The creation of Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons has been
a once-in-a-lifetime privilege for Master Blender Jim Beveridge and
his apprentice Matthew Crow who have overseen the search, selection
and expert blending of the whiskies. The final step of marrying has
been carried out in casks made by the John Walker & Sons
coopers using oak provided by kind permission of The Queen from her
private Sandringham Estate.
Master Blender Jim Beveridge said: "An extraordinary amount of care
and attention has gone into every stage of crafting this Scotch
Whisky and there has been a great sense of excitement building
towards today, when the full character and flavours of Diamond
Jubilee by John Walker & Sons will be revealed for the first
time."
John Walker & Sons has harnessed the skills of more than 60
fine artisans, including fellow Royal Warrant Holders and QEST
Scholars to present and accompany the whisky.
The diamond shaped Baccarat crystal decanters stand on a crystal
base with six radial legs to reflect the decades of The Queen's
enduring reign, and are adorned with Britannia silver. Leading
Scottish silversmiths, Hamilton & Inches, has fashioned the
collars set with a half-carat diamond, the Royal Arms, John Walker
& Sons monogram and individually numbered seals.
Each edition also includes a pair of lead Cumbria Crystal glasses
engraved by Philip Lawson Johnston and a commemorative artefact
book, hand bound by Laura West at her Isle of Skye bindery and
personalised for each owner by Sally Mangum, Calligrapher By
Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen. All the elements will be
housed in a chest made by cabinet makers N.E.J. Stevenson,
incorporating oak from Sandringham and Caledonian pine from The
Queen's Balmoral Estate.
Chairman of QEST, Richard Watling, commented: "The creation of this
beautiful work, a monument to the skills of its craftspeople and
the definitive tribute to 60 years of Her Majesty's reign is of
enormous significance to QEST. The donation will enable us to
significantly increase the number of scholarships we award, helping
to secure the preservation of vital craft skills for generations to
come."
NOTES TO EDITORS
ASSETS AVAILABLE
-- 'Making of' b-roll and short film
-- Photography of The Queen's decanter
-- The making of and studio photography of Diamond Jubilee by John
Walker & Sons
ABOUT DIAMOND JUBILEE BY JOHN WALKER & SONS
John Walker & Sons is part of the Diageo Group.
It is the founding company behind Johnnie Walker(R), the world's
number one selling Scotch Whisky brand, enjoyed by people in almost
200 countries around the world.
The 60 editions of Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons will
be released by John Walker & Sons for sale at GBP 100,000
(excluding UK VAT).
A minimum donation of GBP 1,000,000 from the sales of Diamond
Jubilee by John Walker & Sons will be given to the Queen
Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), a registered charity in England
(number 802557). 10% will be paid to the charity through QEST
Enterprises Ltd (which donates all its profits to the charity) and
90% will be paid to the charity direct.
ABOUT DIAGEO
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business with an
outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits,
beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker(R),
Guinness(TM), Smirnoff(TM), JEB(TM), Baileys(TM), Cuervo(TM),
Tanqueray(TM) and Captain Morgan(TM).
Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180
countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New
York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For
more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance,
visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes
responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools,
information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
SOURCE﹛John Walker & Sons