We also own the number four Blended Scotch Whisky in the world* – the iconic J&B and the award winning Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Isle of Skye. In Ireland's County Antrim we have Ireland's oldest whiskey distillery, Bushmills and across the Atlantic, Diageo produces award-winning American Bourbon whiskies such as IW Harper and Bulleit, and Canadian whiskey brands including Crown Royal and Seagram's 7 Crown and Seagram's VO. Although distilled and aged using a fundamentally similar process, key and sometimes tiny differences in ingredients and production give each of our whiskies a unique and distinctive style and signature. Below is a selection of our Whisk(e)y brands, listed in alphabetical order.
*Source: Impact Databank, Feb 2012
Scotch Whisky
Bell's Original Blended Scotch Whisky
Top markets: GB, South Africa, Nordics, Spain, Brazil
Launch: The company which later became Arthur Bell & Sons was established in 1825.
Up to 40 of the finest malt and grain whiskies are matured in oak casks before being skilfully blended to give Bell's Blended Scotch Whisky its rich nose, warm taste and lingering finish.
Variants: Bell's Original, Bell's Special Reserve (GB market only), and Bell's Decanter which is produced each year.
Fact: The now famous Bell's Decanters are collectable. They were first produced in the 1930s and since 1988 a decanter has been produced each Christmas.
Back to top
Buchanan's Blended Scotch Whisky
Top markets: Venezuela, United States, Mexico, Colombia
Launch: 1884
Buchanan's Blended Scotch Whisky is an excellent example of quality with a house style given by James Buchanan. The brand now stands for prestige and tradition that suits the taste and values of the Latin community.
Variants: Buchanan's Red Seal, Buchanan's Deluxe 12 year old, Buchanan's Special Reserve 18 year old.
Fact: In 1879 James Buchanan moved to London to work as a sales agent for another whisky firm. In 1884 he set up James Buchanan & Co.and set out to create the perfect blended Scotch Whisky - a blend which had the perfect balance of body and flavour and he used his name as a personal guarantee. As a result 'the Buchanan's blend' was born.
Back to top
Dimple/Pinch Blended Scotch Whisky
Top markets: Korea, Greece, Germany, United States, Mexico
Launch: c. 1890
Dimple Blended Scotch Whisky consisting of over thirty malt and grain whiskies, is produced by Haig , Scotland's oldest surviving Scotch Whisky distiller Over 300 years of distilling and blending experience ensures a smooth and mellow taste.
Variants: 12 year old, 15 year old, 18 year old.
Fact: The unique three-sided pinched decanter was the first three-sided bottle to be registered as a trade mark in the US.
Back to top
J&B Blended Scotch Whisky
Markets: Spain, France, South Africa, United States, Portugal
Launch: Justerini and Brooks founded 1749
The number four Blended Scotch Whisky in the world, J&B has an unconventional heritage, involving love, opera and both English and Italian influences which may explain its international success. A mix of over 40 whiskies carefully blended together produce a smooth and complex flavour. Its unique taste and distinctive character, and the world's 'party whisky', are its predominant brand characteristics.
Variants:
- J&B Rare – brand adorers in the 1960s included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr
- J&B Jet – an extraordinarily smooth whisky in an extraordinarily distinctive pack
- J&B Reserve – a smooth and elegant blend of the finest Scotch malt and grain whiskies aged to a minimum of 15 years
Fact: A Blended Scotch whisky, J&B's story dates back to 1749 when a young Italian by the name of Giacomo Justerini fell madly in love with an opera singer, Margherita Bellino and followed her to London. Although the love affair came to nothing he made use of a number of recipes he brought with him, created by his uncle, a distiller.
Visit: www.jbscotch.com
Back to top
Johnnie Walker Blended Scotch Whisky
Markets: United States, Global Travel, Greece, Middle East, Thailand
Launch: Johnnie Walker was established in 1820.
The world's leading Scotch Whisky brand and most valuable premium spirit brand according to Impact Databank, Johnnie Walker Blended Scotch Whisky was one of the first truly global brands. In 1920, 100 years after origination, the brand was distributed in 120 countries. Today it is found in almost 200 countries. Six bottles of Johnnie Walker Blended Scotch Whisky are sold every second.
Variants:
- Johnnie Walker Red Label – a vibrant, deep whisky that delivers big flavour for a sociable moment. The biggest selling Scotch worldwide.
- Johnnie Walker Black Label – Winston Churchill's whisky of choice, a rich, smooth blend of over 40 whiskies.
- Johnnie Walker Double Black Label – a deeper, smokier and more intense whisky with an essence all its own.
- Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve – a celebratory, honeyed blend of hand picked Scotch Whiskies, all of which are aged for at least 18 years.
- Johnnie Walker Platinum Label – a rich and contemporary blend inspired by the Walker family's tradition of private blends. It is crafted from single malt and grain whiskies, matured for a minimum of 18 years.
- Johnnie Walker Blue Label – a blend of the rarest malts and has an array of awards to its name. This whisky is a commemoration of the original 1867 Old Highland Whisky.
Fact: Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky has been winning international quality awards since 1879.
Visit: www.johnniewalker.com
Back to top
Old Parr Blended Scotch Whisky
Top markets: Japan, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela
Launch: 1909
Variants: Grand Old Parr (12 year old), Old Parr (15 year old) and Old Parr Superior (18 year old)
Old Parr is well known as a traditional blended Scotch whisky with its unique bottle design
Fact: Thomas Parr (known as "Old Par") was apparently Britain's oldest man. He lived for 152 years and at the age of 122 he married for the second time. He is buried in Westminster Abbey, London.
Back to top
VAT 69 Blended Scotch Whisky
Top markets: Venezuela, Spain, Australia
Launch: 1882 (first creation of the Vat 69 blend)
VAT 69 is a reliable and accessible Blended Scotch Whisky with a rugged but canny personality.
Fact: In 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton took supplies of VAT 69 on his Imperial Trans- Antarctic expedition, stating that it would be used for medicinal and celebratory purposes.
Back to top
White Horse Blended Scotch Whisky
Top markets: Japan, Brazil, Greece, Great Britain, Africa, United States
Launch: 1890 (this is the earliest reference; and is also the date that White Horse was registered as a trade mark in the UK by Peter Jeffrey Mackie).
Variants: White Horse Fine Old, White Horse Super Premium.
Fact: White Horse Blended Scotch Whisky is named after one of Scotland's famous coaching inns. The White Horse Cellar Inn in Edinburgh was the starting place for the eight-day coach trip to London.
Back to top
Windsor Premier Blended Scotch Whisky
Top market: Korea
Launch: 1996
Windsor is a premium Scotch Whisky which is recognised by its unique taste and bottle shape.
Variants: 12 year old and 17 year old
Fact: The Windsor 17 bottle has a luminous glow on the label which can be seen in the dark.
Back to top
Malt Scotch Whisky
Our Classic Malts are a selection of Single Scotch Whiskies from across the regions of Scotland. Each has been selected to represent the differing tastes and characteristics of Single Malt Whiskies. They include:
Caol Ila, Cardhu, Clynelish, Cragganmore, Dalwhinnie, Glen Elgin, Glenkinchie, Knockando, Lagavulin, Oban, Royal Lochnagar, Talisker, The Singleton
For more information visit www.malts.com
Caol Ila Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Caol Ila range: 12 year old, 18 year old, cask strength, Distillers Edition.
Caol Ila is the Gaelic name for the Sound of Islay, which separates the island from Jura in one of the most remote and beautiful parts of Scotland's West Coast.
Fact: The distillery was founded in 1846 and is situated on the shores of the Sound, a spot originally chosen partly because of the clean water from Loch Nam Ban which still provides its main supply.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Cardhu Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Launch: 2003
The Cardhu range: 12 year old
The malt whisky produced at the Cardhu distillery has a warmth and cleanliness of taste – often described as silky.
Fact: Cardhu Single Malt is Diageo's largest selling Single Malt Whisky and was also the first to be widely sold and marketed.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Clynelish Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Launch: 1819
The Clynelish range: 14 year old, Distillers Edition
You can almost taste the sea air in Clynelish, with its crisp, medium-bodied, mustard-fresh style.
Fact: When the original distillery was built in 1819 by the future Duke of Sutherland, the quality of Clynelish Single Malt Scotch Whisky was so prized that only private customers were supplied.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Cragganmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Launch: 1869 – when the distillery was established
The Cragganmore range: 12 year old, Distillers' Edition
Sweet floral fragrances with a firm body and malty taste, a long finish with delicate aromas and light smoke.
Fact: Cragganmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky is known as 'the most complex aroma of any malt - astonishingly fresh and delicate'.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Dalwhinnie Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Launch: 1897 – when the distillery was established
The Dalwhinnie range: 15 year old, Distillers Edition
A crisp, dry aromatic nose, then soft flavours of heather, honey-sweetness, malt and citrus-fruits lead to a lingering, sweet finish and finally more smoke, peat and malt.
Fact: Dalwhinnie is one of the highest operating distilleries in Scotland.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Glen Elgin Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Glen Elgin range: 12 year old
As a Speyside malt, its style is smooth mellow and sweetly honeyed.
Fact: Glen Elgin was for years most often tasted in the Blended Scotch Whisky, White Horse. Today, once again, it is available as a splendid single malt.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Glenkinchie Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Variants: 12 year old, Distillers' Edition
A light, sweet nose with fresh, slightly sweet flavours of grass, fruits and malt giving way to an intense smoky-dry, spice-filled finish.
Fact: Glenkinchie is Diageo's only producing lowland distillery.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Knockando Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Knockando range: 12 year old, 18 year old, 21 year old
Knockando is a subtle, fruity Single Malt Scotch Whisky which bears all the hall marks of the finest Speyside malts.
Fact: The pale, golden colour of Knockando Single Malt Scotch Whisky is entirely natural. It is derived solely from the casks in which it has matured. No colouring is ever added – it is for this reason that the depth of the colour in successive bottlings may vary.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Lagavulin range: 16 year old, Distillers' Edition, 12 year old, Special Releases
A powerful, peat-smoke nose with seaweed and some sweetness, salty and sweet flavours with hints of wood and a long peaty-salt finish.
Fact: Here, in the still mainly Gaelic speaking community around Port Ellen, on the island's south eastern shores, twelve men today craft pungent, dark Lagavulin, made on this historic site at least since 1816.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Oban Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Oban range: 14 year old, Distillers' Edition
A sweet peat and fruity nose with a spicy mouth-filling sweetness and a long drying finish with smoke and some salt.
Launch: 1794 – when the distillery was established
Fact: In 1890 a cave was discovered behind the Oban distillery containing Mesolithic human remains.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Royal Lochnagar Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Royal Lochnagar range: 12 year old, Selected Reserve, Distillers Edition
This fragrant Highland single malt has a delightful balance of fruit and spices
Launch: 1845 - when New Lochnagar was built by John Begg
Fact: Royal Lochnagar Distillery, just a mile or so along the banks of the River Dee from Balmoral Castle in the East Highlands, earned its royal warrant in 1848.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Singleton of Dufftown
Top markets: GB, European Duty Free
Variants: 12 year old, 15 year old
Launch: 2007
Produced in traditional way at the Dufftown distillery on Speyside, using a longer fermentation and a slower distillation regime to produce a high quality spirit.
Fact: The 12 year old single malt is matured in a high proportion of European oak casks to give it a smoother, richer flavour.
Back to top
Singleton of Glendullan
Top markets: USA
Launch: 2007
Smooth, Sweet richly fruity and rounded; just the right balance of complexity with plenty of rich, sweet flavour and a clean finish
Fact: 1902 the Glendullan single malt was supplied by royal request to King Edward VII.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
The Singleton
Top markets: Taiwan, China, Korea, Asia Duty Free
Variants: 12 year old, 18 year old, Special Releases
Launch: 2006
'Smooth and rounded… as good an example of this style as I have ever tasted' Charlie Maclean, author of Malt Whisky and leading whisky writer.
Fact: Local barley is still malted and carefully dried at the distillery. The distlillery is the only one in Scotland malting its own barley using its own on-site Saladin and drum maltings.
Back to top
Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky
The Talisker range: 10 year old, 18 year old, Distillers Edition, 57 North ,25 year old, and 30 year old Special Releases
A pungent peat and sea-salt nose, a smoky sweetness with malt-flavours and developing warmth with a huge peppery finish.
Launch: 1830 – when the distillery was established
Fact: Talisker distillery's process water is drawn from twenty-one underground springs that rise from Hawk Hill (Cnoc nan Speirag) beside the distillery. These same springs have fed the Talisker distillery from the beginning. As its name suggests, the hill is home to birds of prey, usually including Peregrines.
Visit: www.malts.com
Back to top
Whiskey
Bulleit Bourbon
Top market: United States
Launch: 1999 United States, 2000 Australia, United Kingdom and Germany
Bulleit Bourbon is russet in color with a rich, oaky aroma. The dry, clean flavour is mellow and smooth, not hot in the throat. This 90 proof Kentucky bourbon delivers a wonderfully complex taste with hints of vanilla and honey and a long smoky finish.
Fact: Bulleit Bourbon is distilled and aged in small batches and stored in a single-story warehouse which reduces inconsistencies in the maturation process. The final, 90 proof product is formulated by mingling, not blending, two and sometimes three of the distillates to ensure consistency in the nose and taste.
Visit: www.bulleitbourbon.com
Back to top
Bushmills Irish Whiskey
Top markets: US, Ireland, GB, France, Bulgaria and Duty Free
Launch: Bushmills was granted the rights to distil in 1608, and in 1784 the Old Bushmills Distillery officially registered as a company.
Whiskey making at Bushmills draws on centuries-old distilling history, including a royal licence to distil whiskey granted for the county of Antrim in 1608. At one time there were many hundreds of Irish whiskeys, over the years they have disappeared leaving only Bushmills and a handful of others which is why we say 'Bushmills – oldest because it is the best, not best because it is oldest.'
Variants: Bushmills Original, Black Bush, Bushmills Malt 10 year old, Bushmills Malt 16 year old, Bushmills Malt 21 year old
Facts: Bushmills Malt 21 year old Single Malt Irish Whiskey is an extremely rare Single Malt Irish Whiskey. Only a very limited number of bottles are available each year. It is matured in three different types of casks. The whiskey is first aged in American bourbon barrels and Spanish Oloroso sherry casks for 19 years and upwards. The malt whiskey is then vatted and married for another two years in Madeira drums
Visit: www.bushmills.com
Back to top
Crown Royal
Top markets: US, Canada, France, Japan, Korea
Launch: 1939
Crown Royal is the number one Canadian whisky in the world, and the sixth largest spirits brand in the United States.
Variants: Crown Royal Special Reserve, Crown Royal XR, Crown Royal Cask No. 16
Fact: The famous Crown Royal purple bag has been used to do a lot more than hold bottles of Crown Royal. For example, one customer is creating a car cover, and a nightclub is sewing vests together for its bartenders
Visit: www.crownroyal.com
Back to top
