How liquor brands are turning to experience to engage a new generation of drinkers

Later this year, Diageo will open the doors to its Edinburgh based Johnnie Walker Whisky Experience. This flagship destination for the brand teases a wider trend in the premium drinks market, with a number of brands developing new ways to entice and inspire a new generation of liquor connoisseurs. Guests visiting the Whisky Experience on Princes Street in Edinburgh will encounter a raft of immersive spaces dedicated to tasting, storytelling and discovery. The space even includes a space for live performances. Whisky enthusiasts will move through 8 different floors, each dedicated to a different type of experience. There’s a space for personalised bottle engravings, where one can literally bottle their own Johnny Walker Whisky. Then there’s zones for homewares and merchandise. On the top floors, the Whiskies can be consumed across a number of flagship bars and restaurants.

According to Greg Klingman, global retail director at Diageo ‘At Johnnie Walker Princes Street, we want our visitors to begin their immersive storytelling experience from the moment they walk through our doors,’  ‘Our whisky emporium will be the first and last point of their journey with us, which is why we’ve taken so much care and attention to the design of the space. This is whisky retail like you’ve never seen it before.’

Meanwhile, British Beer provocateur Brewdog has been rolling out its bars and hotels across the UK and the USA, giving aficionados new ways to consume and experience its products. It’s not everyday you get to pull a pint in your own hotel room.