Elegance, bar none
This cool box will not only look elegant in your living space but will provide a useful service too.
AT first glance, it looked just like a large, unassumingly plain silver box. But at a touch of a button, the two halves of the “box” magically swivelled apart, and smoothly transformed into a magnificently elegant mini bar, complete with a centrepiece that rose majestically to reveal bottles of arguably one of the best blended Scotch whiskies ever made, the Johnnie Walker Blue Label.
This deceptively simple-looking yet ultimately magnificent little private bar is the crown jewel of he Johnnie Walker Blue Label Collection by he Porsche Design Studio, a series of pieces designed to celebrate the perfect serve of Blue Label.
Crafted from fine materials, such as leather and brushed titanium, the bar also utilises state-of-theart motion sensors to activate its opening sequence, and is made only to order at a whopping cost of £100,000 (RM480,000).
The three other pieces in the collection are the Cube, the Mini Cube, and the Chiller pack; and they all adhere to the same blend of beauty and functionality epitomised by the Private Bar.
According to Andy Gaunt, regional brand director for Johnnie Walker Blue Label, the collection is the second stage in Blue Label’s journey of rediscovery, after the launch of its brand new bottle last year.
“Blue Label had not changed since it was launched in 1992. Hence, although we knew it was the pinnacle of the blending industry, it had started to feel a little bit oldfashioned in recent years. So last year, we decided to re-launch Blue Label in a new bottle,” he said.
After that, the company wanted a way to bring to life what Blue Label is ultimately about: the whisky and the ultimate way of drinking it, the Perfect Serve, which involves first cooling your palate with a glass of ice-cold spring water, and then taking a slight sip of the whisky from a snifter glass.
With that in mind, Johnnie Walker searched for a design company that could come up with a classic yet contemporary design that was also supremely functional – and that is something that Porsche Design Studios is renowned for.
Founded in 1972 by Prof F.A. Porsche, best known as the designer of the classic Porsche 911 sports car, Porsche Design Studios is celebrated for its functional yet timeless and its impressive technical innovations. “Their whole principle of design is about form and function, where the form and shape of a product is influenced by what the function of the product actually is,” said Gaunt.
All the pieces in the collection do more than just look good. Even the smallest piece, the Chiller
pack, incorporates both form and function – the lid of the box can be used as an ice bucket. Mini Cube was initially designed for the duty free market, and designed to fit perfectly into an overhead locker in an airplane; while in a party at a club or a home, the lighted Cube makes for a dramatic and exciting display on the table.
According to Gaunt, the deceptively simple and clean look of the Private Bar is the result of Porsche Design principles, incorporating a simple, elegant and timeless design with the iconic elements of the Johnnie Walker bottle (including the 23° slant of the label, as well as the iconic square shape).
“A lot of the technology had to be created in order for the bar to exist.
“There is a hidden chilling compartment that rises to the top of the bar at the touch of a button; and to make that happen, they had to create a bespoke chilling unit that is one of the smallest ones in the world,” he said, adding that the biggest problem with having a private bar at home is probably the ice.
“I always seem to run out of ice at home! Ice is equally important to a whisky as anything else, but unfortunately, most people don’t have good ice at home, or if they do, the ice doesn’t taste right. That’s why we incorporate the chilled section for the bar,” he said.
“We stopped short of adding an actual ice dispenser, though, because we didn’t want to turn it into a multi-functional refrigerator instead!”
If you plan to have a private bar at home, though, Gaunt suggests that you first think about what you want out of the bar.
“It all comes down to what you love to drink, what sort of friends you have over, whether you like cocktails or sipping drinks.
“You’ll also need to make sure you integrate the bar into the environment of your house, so it doesn’t look like a piece of furniture that doesn’t fit into the overall decor.”
Being a fan of classic whisky cocktails such as the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned (which he recommends making with Blue Label for a fantastic drink), Gaunt’s personal perfect bar would have space for making cocktails, and would be equipped with a shaker, strainer, and a few bottles of different spirits.
“You’ll need one great gin, one great vodka, a couple of good aged rums, a white and aged tequila, and of course, two or three different whiskies because of the different flavours in the world of whisky,” he said.
“Throw in a couple of different bitters, a shaker, a strainer and a few different types of glasses, and your bar should be in pretty good shape.
“If you just want a simple and effective range of sipping drinks, then you should have one or two different whiskies, a cognac, gin, an aged tequila, perhaps, and a space to put some beautiful glasses.
“Good glassware is also essential for any bar, as is access to good ice.”
According to Gaunt, the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Private Bar was made with great quality sipping drinks in mind: “This is why the design incorporates space for the bottles, the crystal glasses, for a crystal ice bucket, and water as well. That’s the whole beauty of the design – it is elegant and classy, but is extremely functional as well.”
The Johnnie Walker Blue Label Private Bar is being showcased in trade outlets and Porsche Design Studio Stores, as well as at exclusive launch events, private dinners and in high-end retail outlets.
For further information and enquiries, contact Daphene Dunn at daphene.dunn@mhdm.com.my.