New whisky-themed clothing sees Johnnie Walker go for ski-chalet chic, while cult distillery Benromach opts for authentic workwear
When you exit through the gift shop at most distilleries’ visitor centres you are offered an array of clothing that usually prompts you to think, hey, when it comes to fashion design, these whisky people are really good… at making whisky. Sure, fleeces and gilets are very practical items for the long Scottish winters, but they don’t really translate well to a Shoreditch bar. Especially when emblazoned with a logo bigger than the one on the bottle.
So, the occasional dash of style in whisky merch comes as a pleasant surprise – especially when two come along at once.
Johnnie Walker has joined forces with the extremely glam Perfect Moment, the current favourite skiwear brand of the rich and famous (Priyanka Chopra Jonas is a shareholder in the label, which originated in French ski town, Chamonix). Perfect Moment’s creative director, Jane Gottschalk, designed a special bottle bag that resembles the sleeve of a puffy ski jacket and transforms into a reversible crossbody bag – after removing the bottle, of course. The bottle for the new Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet expression (£345) is also adorned with Perfect Moment’s north star logo and houndstooth pattern.
This is not simply one of those collaborations where a bottle of an existing whisky has been rebadged. The Ice Chalet whisky itself is a new version of the oft-celebrated Blue Label. It has been created by master blender Emma Walker, and it’s a clever concept. She selected whiskies from Diageo’s northernmost (excitingly, including Brora!) and highest-altitude distilleries (specifically Dalwhinnie – at 1,164ft on the Drumochter Pass in the Cairngorms, it is Scotland’s highest distillery). What’s more, Walker looked through Met Office data to find the coldest winters in different parts of the country, to use in a winter warmer of a blend with baked apple, cinnamon and “alpine smoke”. You can see what they are doing here.
To amp up the idea of this being the luxury après whi-ski for winter 24/25, there is a related capsule collection of skiwear, including jackets, pants, jumpers, gloves and other accessories – with the same deep blue colour, the only clue that it’s part of a Johnnie Walker collaboration.
Johnnie Walker x Perfect Moment capsule collection
Subtle branding is a feature of another whisky and clothing collaboration – but this one is an expression of low-key artisanship. The cult Speyside distillery, revived in the 1990s by Gordon & MacPhail, has joined forces with Reworked 348, the “clothing company that doesn’t make clothes”. The Derby-based collective makes its utility and military-inspired clothing out of deadstock material and garments.
Benromach x Reworked 348 Distillers Jacket
The Benromach Distiller’s Jacket (£130, online at Reworked 348) is a chore jacket, inspired by the overalls worn by distillery staff.
It’s made from 100 per cent cotton in black with a muted herringbone pattern and a very subtle Benromach label on the breast pocket. As well as well-placed pockets, it has cuffs that can be both buttoned and rolled up, as well as cleverly concealed front buttons.
It’s in keeping with Benromach’s character that its merch should be authentic and understated. It is known, if at all, for its gently peated single malts, a rarity in Speyside for many years. More on Benromach whiskies here.
