The next time you spin Elton John’s Rocketman or John Lennon’s Instant Karma, you might want to pair the listening session with a sip from Ballantine’s latest Scotch whisky releases.
Two brand new entries in the distillery’s True Music Icons collection, Ballantine's is celebrating the life and friendship of the two musical legends with new themed bottles for Elton and Lennon.
Kicking off with the John Lennon bottle, it’s styled with Lennon’s official logo and instantly-recognisable self portrait:
Elton’s 1975 Dodger Stadium performance is the inspiration for his bottle, complete with holographic ‘E’ logo:
As for the blend itself? Ballantine's is using its Finest for the True Music Icons collection, 70cl bottles with a 40% ABV — a rich and sweet palate with a touch of wood smoke and toffee on the tongue. Ballantine's has recipes for themed cocktails to go along with the releases, too — Elton’s ‘Showman’ or ‘Tiny Twister’, and Lennon’s ‘Dreamer’ or ‘NYC’.
“Ballantine's has a rich heritage in music and what better way to celebrate a decade of our True Music platform than by paying tribute to two of the 20th century's most revered music icons on our iconic Finest bottle,” said Paul-Andre Vacheron, Global Marketing Director for Ballantine’s at Chivas Brothers.
“Both Elton John and John Lennon are artists who are all about doing things their own way. They have not only contributed to music culture, but defined it, by staying true to who they are – a mindset that reflects the spirit of what Ballantine’s stands for, inspired by our pioneering founder George Ballantine. We look forward to seeing these collectable designs rock out on shelves around the world.”
The launch is timed to coincide with Lennon and Elton’s unforgettable Madison Square Gardens performance, which took place 50 years ago while the pair were promoting their ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’ collaboration.
It’s the second pair of releases in Ballantine’s True Music Icons range, following rocking roll outs of AC/DC and Queen bottles last year.
Each limited-edition bottle goes up for sale globally and on The Whisky Exchange from Tuesday 24th September 2024, priced at £24.75 each.
Looking for a new favorite dram? Check out our Shortlist of the best whisky in the world right now.
