FOUR NEW JOHNNIE WALKER RELEASES TO CELEBRATE 200 YEARS

 Johnnie Walker Celebrates 200-year Sojourn

Iconic Scotch brand Johnnie Walker is celebrating 200 years since founder John Walker first threw open the doors to a small grocery store in rural Scotland in 1820, beginning a journey that took Johnnie Walker whiskies to the four corners of the world.

John’s spark, vision and entrepreneurial fire were the impetus to a hugely successful business and ultimately a new future for Scotch whisky. Today, Johnnie Walker whisky is sold in over 180 countries and is the best-selling Scotch whisky in the world. Over the last 200 years Johnnie Walker has been defined by its dedication to quality and its commitment to progress - symbolised by the famous Striding Man logo.

This year and into 2021, Johnnie Walker will be marking this incredible milestone with a series of exciting cultural events, exclusive limited-edition product releases and the opening of a new multi-sensory, immersive Johnnie Walker visitor experience in Edinburgh.

The new Johnnie Walker experience, which is part of a wider £185 million Diageo investment into Scotch whisky tourism, will guide visitors through the 200-year history of Johnnie Walker and take them on a journey through the flavours of Scotland. Rooftop bars will provide visitors with stunning views of Edinburgh Castle and across the city skyline.

Johnnie Walker also welcomed the release of four exclusive new Johnnie Walker limited editions hitting shelves globally. Each exclusive release - a new bottle design and three newly crafted whiskies - is a celebration of the incredible journey, pioneering spirit and dedication to quality that was started by John back in those early days.

The Johnnie Walker 200th Anniversary Releases

     

Johnnie Walker Blue Label 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Design

The new 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Design for the iconic Johnnie Walker Blue Label features bespoke illustrations that bring to life the bold journey and pay homage to some of the great cities and countries that have been part of the Johnnie Walker story. There are also incredible illustrations of geographical landmarks and cultural symbols which represent progress in our time in each of their respective countries.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Legendary Eight

An exclusive release celebrating 200 years of bold and passionate craft. It is a smooth, mellow Scotch crafted using some of the very rarest whiskies in the unparalleled Johnnie Walker reserves. Each whisky is hand selected from only eight legendary distilleries that all existed when John Walker made the first steps on his journey, including some very rare expressions from long-closed “ghost” distilleries.

John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend

This exclusive release is inspired by a breakthrough moment in John Walker & Sons’ history - the launch of Old Highland Whisky in the 1860s, the company’s first commercial blend to travel from Scotland to the four corners of the world. This rich and complex whisky is inspired by the flavours found in the Walker family’s grocery store in the 1860s and uses whiskies from distilleries which were operating at that time. The exclusive pack design reveals the only existing image of the Kilmarnock grocery store 200 years ago.

John Walker & Sons Bicentenary Blend

A celebration of where it all began; this exceptional whisky is a sensorial journey down the fragrant aisles of John Walker’s original grocery store in Scotland. Master Blender Jim Beveridge and his team have drawn inspiration from John’s store and meticulously crafted a whisky with rich layers that re-imagines the exotic flavours that shaped his imagination. It is crafted with rare and exceptional whiskies, all aged for at least 28 years, including whiskies from long-closed “ghost” distilleries such as Pittyvaich, Cambus and Port Ellen.

The Old Faithfuls

Johnnie Walker has also unveiled three new limited-edition bottles for its iconic Johnnie Walker Red Label, Johnnie Walker Black Label and Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve whiskies. Each one is a bold and eye-catching reimagining of the classic Johnnie Walker square bottle, fit for the 200th Anniversary. 

Each bottle was named after the colour of its slanted label, but this has now been upgraded to an opaque wrap for the limited edition designs.

This year and into 2021, Johnnie Walker will be marking this incredible milestone with a series of exciting cultural events, exclusive limited-edition product releases and the opening of a new multi-sensory, immersive Johnnie Walker visitor experience in Edinburgh.

The new Johnnie Walker experience, which is part of a wider £185 million Diageo investment into Scotch whisky tourism, will guide visitors through the 200-year history of Johnnie Walker and take them on a journey through the flavours of Scotland. Rooftop bars will provide visitors with stunning views of Edinburgh Castle and across the city skyline.

More About The Legendary Eight

Nose: The blend is rich with layers of brown sugars, soft fruit and sweet wood. These flavors evolve to reveal hints of green apple and a subtle zest; complementing the gentle peat unfolding in the background to give an overarching warming sensation.

Palate: A wonderful sweetness envelops the taste buds, through which notes of stone fruits, stewing apples and cocoa emerge.

Finish: A wisp of smoke comes through to deepen the flavour resulting in a soft and lightly peppered finish.