Johnnie Walker Toasts Knicks Championship With Limited-Edition NYC Whisky

(Photo: Johnnie Walker)

The Knicks’ finals win has swept the streets of New York City with a wave of hype, awe and once-in-a-lifetime camaraderie. So what better brand to throw its hat into the ring than a quintessentially Scottish whisky distiller?

On Thursday, Johnnie Walker unveiled a limited-edition reimagining of its Blue Label bottling, the most expensive offering in the brand’s core lineup. Since Johnnie Walker isn’t an official partner of the NBA, the bottle isn’t technically a collaboration with the team — no logos, no basketball players, no declarations of “Knicks in Five.” But that doesn’t mean that the brand’s influences aren’t clear as day.

The wraparound label is stuffed with easter eggs paying homage to the Big Apple. Keen-eyed fans will spot the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, a slice of pizza, a bacon, egg and cheese on a bagel and a floating “Bing Bong,” a reference to a popular meme that’s made the rounds in New York over the past few years. There’s also a sighting of the viral Knicks-themed subway station at 34th Street, which Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced will be kept intact through the end of next year’s NBA season.

Not to overstate the obvious, but it’s also worth noting that a blue label placed atop orangeish whisky draws some not-so-subtle parallels to the New York basketball champions.

The bottle is now available for purchase online exclusively through TheBar.com at a suggested retail price of $289. The liquid contained within is the same as ever. Originally launched in 1992, Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a non-age-stated whisky intended to recreate the character of Scottish spirits circa the 19th century.

Over 300 limited editions of Blue Label have been released since its inception, including a recent Year of the Snake bottling, a collaboration with Porsche and a particularly expensive King George V edition.