Festival Fringe’s official whisky is unveiled

Johnnie Walker has been unveiled as the official whisky of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The partnership brings together two of Scotland’s famous brands in a celebration of all that is great about Scottish culture.

Johnnie Walker is Scotland’s most successful global consumer brand, exporting seven bottles every second around the world, while the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the greatest celebration of arts and culture on the planet, with more than 50,000 performances and 3,400 shows across more than 300 venues. 2.84m tickets were issued to Fringe-goers in 2018, making the festival second only to the Olympics in terms of global ticketed events.

Throughout the Fringe, which runs from 2-26 August, Johnnie Walker striding man statues will be positioned in key locations across the city signposting the way to the eclectic mix of shows and events including theatre, comedy, dance, circus, cabaret, musicals and opera. There will also be a Fringe Club month long Johnnie Walker bar open to visitors and locals.

Venues across the city will also have their own top hat design – a nod to the brand’s iconic Johnnie Walker logo – and the brand will be offering some fantastic whisky experiences throughout the month, appealing to new and existing whisky fans.

The partnership follows the announcement of Johnnie Walker’s investment into Edinburgh – with the development of a global visitor attraction in the city. In the last year, Johnnie Walker has been at the heart of cultural events in the city partnering with Edinburgh’s Christmas, hosts of the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party, and the impending Edinburgh International Film Festival.

John Williams, global brand director at Johnnie Walker said: ‘The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the most famous and respected cultural festival in the world and we’re honoured to be part of it. One of the charms of the festival is how visitors are encouraged to explore new shows and acts and discover new parts of the city, and we’re looking forward to making Johnnie Walker a part of their experience in the heart of Edinburgh this summer.’

Shona McCarthy, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society are delighted to welcome Johnnie Walker as the official whisky of the Fringe and sponsor of our Fringe Friends programme. It’s fitting to see two iconic Scottish brands coming together to celebrate the very best of culture and creativity on a global stage.

‘This partnership will provide essential support to the Fringe Society in our work assisting participants and audiences from around the world, and will help ensure our Fringe Friends have the best possible festival experience.’