Johnnie Walker Whisky and Harris Tweed Hebrides, two of Scotland’s most iconic brands, teamed up with Heriot Watt University to create a new smart fabric that permanently smells like whisky. Because who doesn’t want their clothes smelling like booze all the time, right?

Recently launched in Berlin, the smelly fabric is said to have key notes of malt, vanilla, red fruits and dark chocolate tones, which closely resemble the aroma of Johnnie Walker Black Label.  “The unique scent, inspired by the nose of our liquid, echoes the masterful whisky production process. The key notes of rich malt, golden vanilla, red fruit and the trademark dark chocolate tones have been layered onto the fabric to achieve the unique final nose and finish of the Johnnie Walker Fabric of Flavour”, the famous spirit maker declared in a press release.  The colors of the fabric match the colors of the Johnnie Walker label (that is, black, gold, and off-white).

But what makes the new fabric special is that its aroma can withstand washing and dry-cleaning. Donald Mackay, head of the finishing department at the Harris Tweed Hebrides mill, said the clothing company had worked with aromas in the past, but they were only meant to withstand one dry-clean. However, with the help of scientists from Heriot Watt University, they were able to make the whisky fragrance permanent. “The process we have devised for Johnnie Walker means that this scent is layered into the fabric throughout the finishing process and is permanently imbued in the tweed,” Mackay added.

As strange as it sounds, Both companies involved in the project claim that “early indications are that the finished products are creating a high level of interest in the target markets”. A range of Harris Tweed clothing items imbued with the Johnnie Walker Black aroma have already been produced and are ready to be marketed across Europe, starting with Germany, Greece and Belgium.

via BBC