Johnnie Walker

The world’s number one Scotch whisky

The world’s number one scotch whisky began with the man who gave our whisky his name.

In 1820, the year after his father died and their family farm was sold, John Walker, opened a humble grocer’s shop. It was a tough start in life, but there was always something special about John. A glint in his eye. A fire in his belly.

Flavour and quality above all else

Soon after, John began experimenting with whisky blending techniques, laying the foundation for the Johnnie Walker family business. It was John’s son, Alexander, who introduced the iconic slanted label to stand out on the shelf. In 1908, Alexander’s own son commissioned Tom Brown to sketch the Striding Man figure to represent their energetic brand.

By 1920, Johnnie Walker was available in 120 countries. Today, Johnnie Walker is the biggest whisky brand in the world, enjoyed by people in over 180 countries and referenced by songwriters and statesman alike, its slogan adopted and embraced everywhere as a rallying cry to ‘Keep Walking‘ to progress.

Visit Johnnie Walker

Princes Street

Standing within the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, Johnnie Walker Princes Street opened in 2021. A haven for whisky lovers and connoisseurs, at the end of 2024 Johnnie Walker Princess Street celebrated welcoming 1 million visitors from 141 countries.

Visit Johnnie Walker Princes Street

Explore 200+ years of Johnnie Walker’s History in the Diageo Archives

Through unseen documents and images that trace the timeline of Scotch whisky history, follow Christine as she outlines the legacy of Johnnie Walker, from John’s original grocery shop to the proceeding generations that brought the Scotch whisky brand to a global stage.

Paper bottle trial

In 2024, we announced a first-of-its-kind 90% paper-based bottle trial for Johnnie Walker Black Label. A total of 250 bottles were trailed exclusively for Johnnie Walker Princes Street's 1820 bar to see how more sustainable packaging performs in the high intensity environment.