Johnnie Walker (Diageo) announced four 200th anniversary releases – a new bottle design and three newly crafted whiskies. They will be available beginning in October.
Diageo Global Scotch Director, John Williams, said: “We wanted to mark our 200-year journey with the launch of these four exclusive limited editions – they’re a celebration of where we’ve come from but, more than that, they are each expressions of what’s possible today and into tomorrow, and that’s exciting.
“John’s spark, vision and entrepreneurial fire were the impetus to growing the John Walker name, our business and ultimately a new future for Scotch whisky. This year we’re celebrating the steps he first took – steps that have inspired generations of our whisky makers and are at the heart of everything we do today and will do tomorrow.”
Each anniversary release celebrates a unique part of this 200 year journey:
Johnnie Walker Blue Label 200TH Anniversary Limited Edition Design: This new limited edition design features stunning illustrations that bring to life the 200-year journey of John Walker & Sons and Johnnie Walker, paying homage to some of the great cities and countries that have been part of this inspiring story since 1820.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Legendary Eight: This exclusive release celebrates 200 years of craft. It is a smooth, mellow Scotch crafted using whisky hand selected from only eight legendary distilleries that all existed in 1820, including some very rare expressions from long-closed “ghost” distilleries.
John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend is inspired by a rough moment in John Walker & Sons’ history – the launch of Old Highland Whisky in the 1860s. This rich and complex Scotch is inspired by the flavors found in the Walker family’s grocery store during that period and is crafted with whiskies from distilleries operating at the time.
John Walker & Sons Bicentary Blend: This exceptional whisky is a sensorial journey down the fragrant aisles of John Walker’s original grocery store in Scotland with rich layers that re-imagine the exotic flavors that shaped John Walker’s 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 soon to be re-opened Port Ellen.
2020 marks 200 years since Johnnie Walker founder, John Walker, first threw open the doors to a grocer’s shop in Scotland and began a journey that brought the brand from the four corners of Scotland to the four corners of the world.
Today, Johnnie Walker is the world’s number one Scotch whisky brand (IWSR 2019) enjoyed by people in over 180 countries. Since the time of its founder, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavour and quality above else.
In those early days of John Walker, the business that became Johnnie Walker carried the name of the founder and during the 19th century the business was selling whiskies under the name of John Walker & Sons. Consumers began using Johnnie Walker and the name was adopted in 1908. Today the brand sells more than 19 million cases a year, making it the No. 1 Scotch Whisky brand in the world.