"blue label" news and stories

Over at NYC-based blog Eater, they've started a new series inviting local restaurant and bar owners to write a column. This week, William Tigertt from Freemans walks readers through the math that determines the markup on an order of Johnnie Walker Blue, a premium whiskey. According to his calculations, a place like the SoHo Grand is marking up that drink by 441%!! Tigertt creates the JWBI, the Johnnie Walker Blue Index, and determines that the average markup is 275% around the downtown hotels.

Wow. You're better off laying down a good 200 dollars for the whole bottle yourself.

Over in Hawaii, the Halekulani resort (think luxury) is giving whisky  aficionados an opportunity to sip a bit of history. The hotel’s La Mer restaurant is offering the exceedingly rare Johnnie Walker Blue Label 1805 Anniversary Pack at $325 for a 1½ ounce pour.

Halekulani is the only hotel in Hawaii featuring this unique spirit, of which only 200 bottles are available worldwide. The whisky - a cask-strength blend - is a mix of nine whiskies, most of which are from distilleries that no longer exist. Each whisky is between 45 and 70 years old, adding to the 1805 Anniversary Pack’s distinct allure. The scotch whisky was created to celebrate the 200 year anniversary of Johnnie Walker.

“Halekulani attracts the world’s most discriminating clientele, and part of what makes these travelers return year after year is the ability to have experiences that can be had nowhere else,” they said - which probably means I won't be allowed through the door; being a tad scruffy an' all.