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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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
ABOUT DIAMOND JUBILEE BY JOHN WALKER & SONS
John Walker & Sons is part of the Diageo Group.
It is the founding company behind Johnnie Walker®, 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®, Guinness™, Smirnoff™, JEB™, Baileys™, Cuervo™, Tanqueray™ and Captain Morgan™.
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.
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