Johnnie Walker is the world's leading scotch whisky
Results 2007
- 15.4 million 9-litre cases
- 14% volume growth
- 16% net sales growth
Top 5 markets
- US
- Global Travel
- Greece
- Middle East
- Thailand
How we produce Johnnie Walker
Every Johnnie Walker blend starts with the selection and malting of the finest barley crops. At the distillery, the malted barley is ground into rough flour before being ‘mashed’. This involves passing hot water through the barley to extract a sweet liquid. The liquid is cooled, yeast is added and the mixture is left to ferment.
From this rough form, the liquid is pot distilled. The alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water, releasing the alcohol vapors first. These produce a strong liquid, called ‘low wine’, which is distilled again and put into oak casks to mature.
Maturation is an essential element in the product’s quality. Newly made whisky must, by law, be matured for at least three years. Johnnie Walker Black Label whiskies mature for a minimum of 12 years. Once sufficiently matured, Johnnie Walker is created by blending up to 40 of the finest aged single malts and grain whiskies. The time-honoured tradition of creating these renowned whiskies is carried out by trained blenders, the only ones to know exactly what goes into each bottle of Johnnie Walker.
The history behind Johnnie Walker
|
1805 |
Birth of John Walker at Toddriggs Farm, Ayrshire, Scotland |
|
1820 |
John Walker’s business opens in Kilmarnock, Scotland |
|
1870 |
Square bottle introduced |
|
1886 |
John Walker & Sons converted to a limited
liability business |
|
1893 |
Walkers acquire Cardow Distillery |
|
1909 |
Johnnie Walker Red and Black label introduced |
|
1909 |
Tom Browne draws the first Striding Man figure |
|
1920 |
Amidst post war austerity the business celebrates its centenary |
|
1970 |
John Walker & Sons celebrate 150th Anniversary |
|
1996 |
Johnnie Walker Red Label and Black Label win gold medals at the International Wine and Spirits Competition |
|
1999 |
Launch of the ‘Keep Walking’ advertising campaign, the first global campaign for the brand |
|
2003 |
Re-launch of Johnnie Walker Red Label |
Did you know?
- Johnnie Walker has been winning international quality awards since 1879.
- King George V granted a Royal Warrant to John Walker & Sons in 1934 and is still an official purveyor to the Royal Household today.
- 2007 heralded the introduction of a new Johnnie Walker Blue Label variant. The ultra premium King George V, selling at an average price of $400 per bottle, comes in a numbered crystal decanter. The whisky is made using the same techniques employed during the monarch’s reign and features only whiskies from distilleries operating during the era.
- In 2005, two special blends, ‘1805’ and ‘Anniversary’, were created to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Walker. Only 200 bottles of the unique 1805 blend exist and experts estimate the value of the whisky alone to be well over £10,000.
- Johnnie Walker is a pioneering sponsor of the Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 racing team and a host of prestigious sporting events including the Johnnie Walker Classic, Asia Pacific’s longest running luxury golf event and the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
Brand variants
Several variants of Johnnie Walker are available today. The original Johnnie Walker Red Label is a rich, full-bodied blend of up to 35 of the finest single malt and grain whiskies. Johnnie Walker Black Label, Winston Churchill’s whisky of choice, is a rich, smooth blend of over 40 whiskies. Johnnie Walker Blue Label has an array of awards to its name and is a blend of the rarest malts. Johnnie Walker Green Label is a harmonious blend of the finest single malts with a unique flavour. Johnnie Walker Gold Label is a celebratory, honeyed blend of hand picked whiskies, all which are aged for at least 18 years.