Iconic Scotch Whisky Ballantine's Toasts to Two Music Icons of the 20th Century: Elton John and John Lennon

Ballantine’s, the world’s second most popular Scotch whisky*, has revealed new additions to its True Music Icons collection, this year paying tribute to two of the most influential musicians of all time: Elton John and John Lennon.

The iconic artists, renowned for their unparalleled contributions to global music culture, inspired the collectable design for the iconic Ballantine’s Finest bottles, which will be available across the globe from this month.

This second release in the True Music Icons series follows the success of the inaugural collection last year, which paid homage to rock and roll legends AC/DC and Queen. This second edition comes hot on the heels of Ballantine’s celebrating a decade of its True Music platform, building on its rich heritage in music culture by celebrating artists who forge their own path, stay true to who they are, and do things their own way. 

The new duo of limited-edition bottle designs has been perfectly crafted to capture the essence of the legendary musicians. Whilst one honours Elton John as one of the most iconic solo artists in history, known for his chart-topping hits, exceptional songwriting, and significant influence on popular culture, the other equally stunning bottle celebrates John Lennon, a writer and musician who changed history with his music. Both with The Beatles and as a hugely innovative solo artist, he challenged what rock music could be by constantly exploring and reinventing musical genres, while introducing the idea that music could be a vehicle for social and political change.      

The editions also celebrate the friendship between Elton John and John Lennon, which culminated in John Lennon’s single release of ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’, featuring Elton John, and their legendary performance together at Madison Square Garden exactly 50 years ago, in 1974.

Each bottle showcases the unique personalities of these two music legends and is a testament to Ballantine’s ongoing commitment to championing global music culture, offering whisky lovers and music fans alike collectable products and unforgettable experiences. The True Music Icons John Lennon Edition bottle design incorporates Lennon’s official logo, famous self-portrait sketch and iconography, reflecting his multifaceted artistic legacy, whereas the Elton John Edition is inspired by his legendary live performance at Dodger Stadium in 1975, with the design featuring a holographic version of his ‘E’ star logo mirroring the artwork on his Diamonds Greatest Hits collection.

Paul-Andre Vacheron, Global Marketing Director for Ballantine’s at Chivas Brothers, commented: “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. 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 Ballantine’s True Music Icons: Elton John and John Lennon limited-editions bottles will be available for purchase in markets across the globe and on The Whisky Exchange from Monday 23rd September 2024.