Keep Walking.

Johnnie Walker may not be the greatest whiskey maker of all time, but it is definitely in the running. If you have never had it before and have a taste for alcohol, you must give it a try.

Here is some history of the brand.

The company started in 1820 by a Scotsman named John Walker. It’s now owned by a British conglomerate Diageo. John was a grocer in the burgh of Kilmarnock Scotland. John started producing the whiskey with his son Alexander “Alec” Walker along with his grandson Alexander Walker ll. John ran the spirits and grocer business but soon found that the spirits business would be the better opportunity as The Excise Act of 1823 relaxed the previously strict laws n distillation and sale of whiskey. By 1825 Walker started exclusively selling spirts. Mostly rum, gin, brandy, and whisky.

In short order John Walker started to deal mainly in whiskey. Even though blending of whiskeys was still banned (grain with malt) he sold blended grain whiskey along with blended malt whiskey. He focused on made-to-order whiskey catering to customers with custom requests. It wasn’t until years later that the company put out their very own label. It was a blended malt that went by the name Walkers Kilmarnock Whisky.

By 1857 John Walker had died, and the company now moved into the hands of his son Alexander. The brand was popular at the time of the takeover however Alec was gearing up to take this brand to the next level. By 1860 The Spirits Act legalized the blending of malt and grain whiskies. This kickstarted the modern era or blended Scotch whisky. The light, sweet taste of a blended Scotch opened the market to a much bigger audience.

In 1860 Alexander Walker introduced the signature Johnnie Walker label. This was huge for the brand and still till this day is iconic on the bottles. He applied a label at a 24-degree angle upwards from left to right which allowed for larger text that could be read and recognized at a distance. With the help pf a new railroad which connected his town to merchant ships that traveled all around the world Alexander had reached sales of 100,000 gallons.

Alec introduced commercial blends calling it Old Highland Whisky which really helped boost his business. Under John Walker, the company sales of whisky came to about 8% of its revenue, by the time Alexander was ready to pass the company on to his sons it accounted for 90% or more. Bravo Alexander!

Company Growth

One key acquisition contributed significantly to the growth of this brand. In 1893, Johnnie Walker and Sons bought out a rival distillery in Scotland names Cardhu distillery. The deal was struck, and it took the Cardhu single malt out of the market making it the exclusive preserve of the Walkers. Basically, all the output of Cardhu would now become Johnnie Walker which ultimately would be rebranded in 1909 to be Johnnie Walker Red and Black labels. This was huge for the Walkers, it made them the most favored brand in Scotland.

At the same time from 1906 to 1909 Johns grandsons George and Alexander had opened up the line to three blended whiskies. Old Highland aged for 5 years, Special Old Highland aged for 9 years, and the Extra Special Old Highland at 12 years old. All these bottles were branded with the standard issue Johnnie walker label, but the grandsons put a new twist on the labels, color. White, red, and black. The public began to refer to the bottles by their respective color. The company ditched the Old Highland named and just went with the colors. An absolute beautiful rebrand. At the same time in 1909 the sons collaborated with a cartoonist named Tom Browne to create the Striding man. A mascot used still today which people recognize all over the world.

The rest of this companies’ growth can be summed up by one word. Acquisition. The company went on to buy out 3 more large distilleries to ensure its steady supply of single malt. They bought Coleburn Distillery in 1915, then Clyneslish Distillery Co. a couple months later, and then Dailuaine-Talisker Co. in 1916. These moves guaranteed a supply from all over Scotland that would ensure they could meet the demand the world gave them. By 1925 the Walkers had set themselves up for mergers and for buyers to be interested in them. They merged with Distillers company, a large Scottish conglomerate which then got acquired by Guinness many years late. By 1997 Guinness merged with Grand Metropolitan to form the company Diageo which is still running today and still own Johnnie Walker and Sons.

This growth set the company up to be a household name for years and years to come. Today it is carried all over the world in bars and still carries that favorable name that Alexander branded it to be 200 plus years before.

Blends on the market

Red label: This is the best-selling Scotch since World War 2 ended in 1945. Made for mixing this delivers intense and unforgettable taste. A mix of fresh citrus, black pepper and cinnamon, finished with a lingering smoke makes it easy to mix.

Blue Label: This is the absolute premium blend. The blend where velvety smooth flavors blossom when it meets the tongue. Blue tries to recreate the taste and character of some of the earliest bends created in the 19th century. They do this by hand selecting rare scotch whiskies that have a depth of flavor. Only one in 10,000 casks make the cut and make it into the market. Bottles come with serial numbers, and are sold in a silk-lined box which comes with a certificate of authenticity. Its one of the most expensive bottles of Scotch on the market selling from 180-500 USD. It smells of vanilla and honey yet taste of caramel and hazelnuts course though dark chocolate. It of course ends with a long, warming, smoky finish.

Black Label: This is my personal favorite and one of life’s true icons. Also, one of the best-selling whiskies in the world this label is aged for 12 years. The result is a timeless classic that balances depth with flavor. Best to drink this neat, on the rocks, or in a Highball.

Double Black: Similar to the Black label with a twist. The embodiment of rebellion in the world of whisky this is handpicked from the West coast of Scotland. It features naturally smoked whiskies matured in heavily charred old oak casks. Neat or the rocks is ideal.

Green Label: This first entered the market as Johnnie Walker Pure Malt 15-Year-Old and later got renamed Johnnie Walker Green label in 2004. This is a hidden gem despite the rename. Blended with single malts from all four corners of Scotland this 15-year-old aged whiskey achieves the perfect balance with nature. It smells of earthy aromas like garden fruits married with garden florals. The taste reminds me of rich woods like oak and cedar as it finishes with a smokey touch. I recommend neat or on some ice.

Gold Label: This blend stands on its own but does get along with others on the market. It blends overs 15 single malts together aged for 18 years. This award-winning Scotch is made from whiskeys chosen for their sweet and honeyed qualities. Although it does not have an age stated it is believed to be 18 as this was first introduced called “The Centenary blend” to commemorate Johnnie Walkers 100th year anniversary. It smells of honey and woodsy aromas, taste likes smooth tropical fruit with a touch of creamy vanilla. The finish is Johnnie Walker standard, smoky with a lingering sweet. Do not mix this with anything but a small splash of water!

Platinum Label: This label is inspired from Johnnie Walker & Sons tradition of giving private blends to their family and close friends. You get classic taste from whisky aged 18 years. Perfect for a special occasion. Best served on ice or with a splash of spring water.

Conclusion

John Walker along with his sons and grandsons simply keep walking. Day after day, year after year they just keep moving forward. This is the essence of their brand and I love it. Johnnie Walker is by far one of the greatest Scotch brands on the market today. From a single man and his sons dreams to create a whiskey that holds its weight around the world the company has come a long warming, way to where we are today. An estimated 41,400,000 gallons of this Scotch gets bought every single year! That’s quite the year compared to the success they thought 100,00 gallons was. Of course, that took hundreds of years perfecting the whisky lines and years of acquiring assets to be able to do those kinds of numbers. But still, to increase your business by 41,300% over its lifetime is absolutely mad.

So, congrats Johnnie Walker& Sons you guys keep doing what youre doing.

Shoutout to the men who keep walking.

The history of this brand after 220 years is still with us today and you can taste it every bottle they produce. From the iconic label to the iconic taste Johnnie Walker & Sons will go down in history as one of the best producers of whisky on the planet. As a consumer and fan of this Scotch I hope they thrive for the next 220 years as well.

Discover what I have here.