ONE THING YOU can say about Johnnie Walker – he never gets boring. And, quite apart from the dependable kick of the booze itself, Black Label and Blue Label now come in cool new limited edition bottles available only in Thailand (and, okay, Lebanon).

Johnnie Walker Black Label Limited Edition is the same full-bodied, oaky and smoky whisky, but now it’s swapped its usual black attire for an all-white look in a bottle conceived by Italian designer Mattia Biagi.

Dubbed “White Eclipse”, the exterior is pure white, “camouflaging the essence of the ‘Black’ whisky”, the whisky maker says.

“Johnnie Walker is always processing and invests in new innovations to introduce new products,” says Paul Sirisant, marketing director at Diageo Moet Hennessy (Thailand). “And now we’ve made the classic Black bottle white for the first time, in a limited edition for collectors and those who enjoy the fine taste of Johnnie Walker.”

Born in Italy and based in Los Angeles, Biagi has done several designs for Johnnie Walker in the past that had “great feedback”, Paul says.

“His creative inspiration – in the human emotional reaction to physical objects that have superstitious associations – was a perfect match for us.”

“Only” 94,500 bottles of the new white Black are being sold in Thailand, at the usual price.

Meanwhile the premier Johnnie Walker Blue Label still looks the same as always, but now it’s in direct “communication” with tipplers thanks to NFC technology. If your phone or any other device is equipped with Near Field Communication, you can download the “Johnnie Walker Interactive” application from Android Play, buy this special bottle of Blue (a mere 500 are on sale), scan the cap, and prepare for some interesting stories.

“This is Johnnie Walker Blue Label’s way of showing its gratitude to its loyal customers,” Paul explains. “They’ll be able to access captivating stories about the brand, such as the Johnnie Walker legacy and history, and read about unique experiences that reflect the progressive luxury the brand stands for.

“It’s specially curated direct communication from the brand to the consumer. Johnnie Walker wants to bring to life the Johnnie Walker experience, matched to the convenience of your smartphone. It helps bring the brand and the consumer closer.”

Each “smart bottle” has its own unique ID and specific digital content, he says, so presumable if you were able to buy all 500 bottles available, you’d get 500 different sets of information.

And, in markets where counterfeit bottles pose an issue, the buyer will be able to detect if the bottle’s been opened or is still in its original condition.

Blue Label is pioneering this hi-tech approach – and to begin with only in Thailand. It too costs the same as the classic version.

Find out more at http://www.Facebook.com/ JohnnieWalker.