Diageo GTME Americas has launched two new products under the Johnnie Walker brand. Johnnie Walker Platinum Label and Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve will launch in the Americas first, followed by a global roll-out in travel retail in the first half of 2012.

Platinum Label is inspired by the Walker family’s historic tradition of creating exclusive ‘private blends’, for favoured customers, directors of the company and ‘select private gatherings’. It was created by master blender, Jim Beveridge, for ‘increasingly sophisticated global consumers’ – or the ‘new whisky set’ as Diageo has called them. It is described as a ‘delicate smoky blend that embodies the characteristic full flavours of Johnnie Walker blended scotch whiskies reflecting a strong, sweet and elegant Speyside style’.

Patinum Label has an RRP of $86 for 75cl and will sit towards the top end of the Johnnie Walker range.

Gregorio Gutierrez, regional director, Diageo GTME Americas said: “Johnnie Walker Platinum Label is the richest, most precious, crafted 18 year old Blended Scotch Whisky John Walker & Sons has ever created – its price point reflects this.

“It is a thoroughly modern interpretation of the ‘private blends’ that our company has produced from the very beginning and is a contemporary blended scotch whisky that is perfect for exclusive occasions.”

The product is available in 50cl / 70cl / 75cl and 1 litre formats.

Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is to be launched at IAADFS in Orlando this week. It is said to be inspired by the 190-year lineage of the Johnnie Walker story and created using Beveridge’s ‘favoured whiskies’, including casks of Clynelish malt whisky. The target audience is ‘up and coming affluent male and female consumers’ and it is thought it will have strong appeal in emerging markets.