Diageo’s Johnnie Walker in paper-based bottle

Diageo has launched a first-of-its-kind 90 percent paper-based bottle trial for Johnnie Walker Black Label exclusively at Johnnie Walker Princes Street's 1820 bar, in Edinburgh.

Created in partnership with PA Consulting, as part of the Bottle Collective with PA and PulPac, this is Diageo’s first paper-based 70cl bottle trial in the on-trade. The trial begins 23^rd September and will assess how bartenders interact with and pour from the bottle, and how the bottle fares in a bar environment.

A total of 250 paper-based bottles will be used with the trial expected to run until mid-October. Members of the public will be able to see the bottles in use behind the bar, however they cannot purchase the bottle.

This will be the second paper-based bottle trial from Diageo and PA, following the success of the Baileys paper-based bottle mini format (80ml) trial, using a similar Dry Molded Fiber innovation at the Time Out Festival in Barcelona earlier this year.

The trial bottle is made from 90 percent paper and a very thin plastic liner. The innovative technology makes the paper-based bottle approximately 60 percent lighter, with initial external life cycle analysis on the prototype showing an up to 47 percent potential reduction in carbon emissions (1), compared to the Johnnie Walker Black Label glass bottle equivalent.

The bottle closure was developed in collaboration with PulPac, Setop DIAM and PA and is made from a unique combination of cork and similar Dry Molded Fiber paper technology as the bottle. It is only intended for use during the trial and excluded from calculations.