Johnnie Walker is one of the most popular Scotch whisky brands in the world. The company offers a range of blended Scotch whiskies, each with its own distinctive flavor profile. The core range includes several ages, ranging from the no-age-statement Johnnie Walker Red Label to the highly coveted Johnnie Walker Blue Label.
History of Johnnie Walker
The Johnnie Walker story begins with John “Johnnie” Walker, who started selling whisky in his grocer’s shop in Kilmarnock, Scotland in 1820. In those early days, most whisky was sold as a single malt from one distillery. Johnnie had the innovative idea of blending whiskies from several distilleries to create a more consistent and palatable flavor profile. This blended Scotch proved popular and the Johnnie Walker name grew over the next century.
Johnnie Walker pioneered age statement whiskies in 1909 when it launched the 12-year-old Johnnie Walker Red Label. This set a precedent for designating whisky by age, as the longer maturation in oak casks contributes more flavor. Other ages joined the lineup in the ensuing decades. The current core range of Johnnie Walker expressions consists of several age statement blends:
Johnnie Walker Age Statement Whiskies
Johnnie Walker Red Label
Johnnie Walker Red Label is a global bestselling Scotch whisky, recognizable by its distinctive slanted bottle and red label. As the entry level Johnnie Walker blend, it brings together around 35 grain and malt whiskies aged for at least 3 years. Red Label offers notes of vanilla, raisins and caramel with a sweet, smoky flavor and a lingering finish.
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Originally known as Extra Special Old Highland Whisky, Johnnie Walker Black Label was reintroduced and renamed in 1909 as a 12-year-old Scotch. Still featuring whiskies aged for at least 12 years, Black Label has a more robust and complex flavor than Red Label. Expect aromas of toasted oak, peat smoke and sea salt leading to a smooth blend with flavors of vanilla, dark fruits and honey.
Johnnie Walker Double Black
Launched in 2011, Johnnie Walker Double Black builds on the Black Label profile by using more peaty whiskies from Islay. The increased peat smoke presence amps up the smoky, peaty flavors while maintaining the sweet oak notes. With a slightly higher ABV of 40%, Double Black offers a bigger, bolder take on the classic Black Label taste.
Johnnie Walker Green Label
Originally released in 1997, Green Label is a blended malt Scotch whisky rather than a blended Scotch. That means it contains only malt whiskies from single distilleries, with no grain whisky content. Green Label provides a rich, fruity and complex whisky with notes of raisins, nuts, spices and a subtle smoky undertone. It was discontinued between 2012-2016 but relaunched due to popular demand.
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve
Gold Label Reserve replaced Johnnie Walker Gold Label 18-year-old when that expression became limited edition in 2012. It blends malt and grain whiskies matured for at least 15 years in oak casks. On the palate, expect a smooth and creamy whisky with flavors of honey, vanilla, dark chocolate and fruits. The finish lingers with a touch of cinnamon spice.
Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years
As the name suggests, the whiskies in Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years are matured for at minimum 18 years. It delivers a rich gold color with robust oak, dark chocolate and dried fruit flavors, complemented by a wisp of peat smoke in the background. With decades of cask maturation, this expression displays excellent balance, complexity and character.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
The crown jewel of the range is Johnnie Walker Blue Label blended Scotch whisky. First released in 1992, it is crafted using some incredibly rare and old whiskies, including some aged over 50 years. Only one in ten thousand casks are selected for use in Blue Label. Bottled at 40-45% ABV, Blue Label gifts the drinker with indulgent layers of honeycomb, hazelnuts, berry fruits and signature smoke.
| Expression | Age | Flavor Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Johnnie Walker Red Label | 3+ years | Sweet, smoky, vanilla, raisins |
| Johnnie Walker Black Label | 12+ years | Oak, peat smoke, vanilla, fruits |
| Johnnie Walker Double Black | 12+ years | Peat smoke, oak, bigger and bolder |
| Johnnie Walker Green Label | NAS | Fruity, complex, peaty undertones |
| Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve | 15+ years | Honey, vanilla, fruits, cinnamon |
| Johnnie Walker Aged 18 Years | 18+ years | Oak, chocolate, dried fruits, peat |
| Johnnie Walker Blue Label | NAS (up to 50+ years) | Honeycomb, hazelnuts, fruits, smoke |
No Age Statement Johnnie Walkers
In addition to the core range of age statement whiskies, Johnnie Walker also produces several NAS (no age statement) blends. These include:
Johnnie Walker Black Label The Jane Walker Edition
Released in 2018, Jane Walker is a limited edition version of Black Label honoring Johnnie Walker’s female founder. It has the same 12+ year age statement but donates $1 for every bottle sold to organizations supporting women.
Johnnie Walker Swing
Johnnie Walker Swing blended Scotch whisky is infused with cherry and dark fruits to create a rich and fruity flavor profile. Released in 2015, it targets new generation drinkers.
Johnnie Walker White Walker
Produced as a Game of Thrones tie-in, Johnnie Walker White Walker has an icy blue and white design inspired by the TV show. The flavor features single malts from the chilly northern distilleries used in White Walkers.
Johnnie Walker Song of Ice
Building on the Game of Thrones partnership, Song of Ice pays tribute to the ice wall with frosted bottle and flavor notes of oak, vanilla and raisins.
Johnnie Walker Song of Fire
The fiery counterpart to Song of Ice, this bottle and liquid have fiery red and orange tones. The whisky brings sweet dried fruits and peat smoke intensity.
Limited Edition Johnnie Walkers
Johnnie Walker also issues highly collectible limited edition releases, usually focused on a particular region or flavor profile. Some of the most remarkable include:
Johnnie Walker Ghost and Rare Glenury Royal
This 2021 limited edition blended aged malt spotlighted the closed Glenury Royal distillery. Only 3000 bottles were made, combining this legendary ghost malt with great Highland malts.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Pittyvaich
Also honoring a ghost distillery, this special Blue Label featured the elegant Speyside single malt Pittyvaich as its star. Released in 2020, it offered hints of ripe banana and toasted oak.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Legendary Eight
Paying tribute to the eight legendary distilleries that have shaped Blue Label, this 2014 edition included irreplaceable malts from long-closed distilleries like Port Ellen.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label 200th Anniversary
Marking John Walker & Sons’ 200th anniversary in 2020, this exquisite Blue Label release included whiskies from both the “ghost” distilleries and active ones open during John Walker’s lifetime.
Conclusion
Over two centuries, Johnnie Walker has built an incredible range spanning affordable blends to exquisite aged expressions. While the age statement core releases like Black Label and Blue Label remain mainstays, experimental limited editions allow Master Blender Jim Beveridge to continue innovating and delighting whisky fans worldwide. With such a varied lineup of blends, there is a Johnnie Walker to suit any palate or occasion.