Johnnie Walker

The commercial prototype DMF bottle will be unveiled at Johnnie Walker Princes Street’s 1820 bar in Edinburgh where the trial will test how bartenders interact with and pour from the bottle, and how the bottle fares in a high-paced bar environment.

Made from plant fibers, the bottle is 90 percent paper with a very thin plastic liner and a separate bottle closure made from a combination of cork and similar DMF paper technology as the bottle. The innovative technology makes the paper-based bottle approximately 60 percent lighter, with initial external life cycle analysis on the prototype showing a potential reduction in carbon emissions of up to 47 percent¹, compared to the Johnnie Walker Black Label glass bottle equivalent.

Building on a successful trial

Following the successful Baileys paper-based bottle mini format (80ml) trial at Timeout Festival in Barcelona earlier this year, our design team have built on technical learnings from the mini format to pioneer a larger and more complex shape for Johnnie Walker Black Label.

Aside from the technical challenge of creating a larger, asymmetric shaped bottle, we were tasked with designing a paper-based bottle that would communicate premium luxury and elegance replicating the user experience of its glass bottle equivalent.

Additionally, the bottle delivers at a scale, cost, and speed that could enable the Johnnie Walker paper-based bottle to be commercially viable in the future, as opposed to an artisanal one-off invention.

Retaining premium design features in more sustainable packaging

The equipment and techniques used to make the Johnnie Walker paper-based bottle were the same as was used for the Baileys mini format paper-based bottles, showcasing the versatility of the DMF bottle manufacturing process. Again, we relied on a team of material scientists, packaging designers, mechanical engineers, and process automation experts to deliver the distinctive square shape of a Johnnie Walker Black Label bottle.

We worked with Diageo’s designers to develop a bottle shape which captures the iconic Johnnie Walker shape in a new material. From final design to the bar trials, the project has taken just six months with first prototype parts made only three months ago.

A unique aspect of the bottle is the closure, made from a combination of cork and similar DMF technology as the bottle. The fiber top of the closure has the famous Johnnie Walker Striding Man logo embossed into the fiber, showing the decoration possibilities in DMF.

The paper-based bottle used in this test is designed considering recyclability among other aspects. The plastic liner is made to not require consumer or bartender disassembly, as it is not attached or bonded to the outer paper layer, assisting recycling facilities to separate without disrupting the recycling process.² The stopper used for trial purposes is not recyclable, however alternative solutions are in development.

Throughout the trial and further development of the paper-based bottle, the recycling capability will be a key factor for future versions of the bottle as we continue to test, learn, and develop.

At every step, we have shown that being more sustainable does not need to come at the expense of premium design, and key brand features can be retained in a paper-based bottle.

Putting the bottle to the test

The paper-based bottle being trialled is pushing the boundaries of paper packaging innovation. It retains the iconic square shape of a Johnnie Walker Black Label equivalent glass bottle, whilst enhancing the premium appeal with intricate embossing of the brand’s iconic Striding Man.

The trial at Johnnie Walker Princes Street begins in September 2024 and will test how bartenders interact with and pour from the bottle and how the bottle fares in a bar environment. Trialling is expected to run until mid-October with members of the public able to see the bottles in use behind the bar, however the bottles won’t be for sale.

The PA and PulPac Bottle Collective and Blister Pack Collective – which bring together world-leading food, drink, pharma, consumer health, and packaging businesses, including Diageo, Sanofi, Haleon, Bayer, and Logoplaste – continue to go from strength to strength. By pooling efforts and resources, our Collectives are working to radically reduce single-use bottles and blister packs on a global scale.

Read the full press release from Diageo.

¹ LCA report carried out by independent external specialist indicating potential Climate Change (kg CO2 eq.) savings of up to 47% compared to the 70cl glass Johnnie Walker Black Label bottle. Savings to be confirmed as we continue to test, learn, iterate, and refine the technology, post the trial and prior to scaled versions.

² Dry Molded Fiber bottle prototypes have been shown to be suitable for recycling in standard paper mills through the CEPI test method. We received some positive results from initial tests of prototypes from a large recycler in the UK, ongoing tests with leading waste management companies and recyclers are continuing in UK and other EU markets. Recyclability to be confirmed for future trials and any scaled launch of the bottles, as we continue to test, learn, and iterate, if need be and will remain a key design consideration.