Johnnie Walker

The Man Who Walked Around The World

With over 200 years of walking under its belt Scotch whisky giant, Johnnie Walker, is a force to be reckoned with. Here's a look at what the Scottish brand has to offer

Just like the Mainland cheese guy said, good things take time. 

While this phrase rings true with cheesemaking, it also applies to crafting a world-class range of whisky. 

The Johnnie Walker story kicked off in 1805 with the birth of John 'Johnnie' Walker in the Scotish town of Kilmarnock. At 25, John was a successful businessman, selling everything from writing paper to his own distilled whiskies. After his passing in 1857, John's sons took over the business and launched it into a new era.

They introduced the iconic square bottle (which meant more bottles in one space and less breakages), the 24-degree angled label (larger, more visible text), and shipped the blends across the globe.

The rest, as they say, was history. Johnnie Walker whisky has been a firm favourite with everyone from Winston Churchill and the royal family to your average 21st century Joe. 

Red Label 

John's sons, George and Alexander, launched Red Label in 1909. It's a classic blend of light whiskies from Scotland's east coast and dark, peaty whiskies from the west. According to legend, it was Winston Churchill's favourite Scotch, which he often mixed with soda. 

Black Label

This drink's origins are in the 1870's Old Special Whisky, which was changed to Black Label in 1909. It's a blend of 40-odd whiskies, each of which are aged at least 12 years, making it a benchmark by which all other whiskies are measured. Enjoy it on its own or with ginger beer. 

Double Black Label

Double Black is a newbie in the Johnnie Walker family. It was born by taking Black Label and adding strong peated malts as well as a few aged in charred oak cases. The result is full bodied whisky with a smoky aroma and slightly zesty finish. 

Gold Label Reserve

Johnnie Walker's grandson, Alexander Walker ||, was responsible for this gem of a whisky. It was blended to commemorate Johnnie Walker's centenary. Unfortunately, his initial attempts were tricky due to a malt shortage after World War 1. This whisky is bottled at 15 or 18 years, giving it a multi-layered flavour element and deep honeyed tones. 

Blue Label 

This last one is Johnnie Walker's premium, top shelf label. It is blended to recreate the taste experience of the whiskies of the 19th century. Unlike the other blends, it has no age statement. 

"It's a big flavoured whisky that reflects the Walker family's belief that neither whisky age alone, nor whisky from a single location, is enough to achieve the creation of an unrivaled masterpiece today."

Blue Label is sold in a luxurious silk-lined box and is one of the most pricey blended Scotches available. It's a hefty price tag but Blue Label is the epitome of whisky so it's worth a try.

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