JOHNNIE WALKER

The story of Johnnie Walker begins - naturally enough - with the man who gave our whisky his name. The year was 1819 and John Walker’s father had just died. The world in those days wasn’t the friendliest of places and John knew it. No time to grieve. There was a living to be made. Within the year, the family farm had been sold and the money used to set him with his own grocer’s shop in the thriving local town of Kilmarnock. It was a smart move. John had a natural gift for business.

He also had a genius for whisky. In those days, most grocers stocked a line of single malts, but they were never all that consistent. This wasn’t good enough for John, who started blending them together so his whisky tasted just as good every time. It proved an extremely popular addition to the inventory. By 1920, Johnnie Walker whisky was in 120 countries. As the century progressed, it became part of global culture: immortalised by songwriters and filmmakers, idolised by socialites and movie stars, enjoyed by statesmen and walking shoulder-to-shoulder with the great sportsmen and women of the age.

Today, Johnnie Walker is the biggest whisky brand in the world and its slogan has been adopted and embraced everywhere, as a rallying cry for progress, as encouragement in adversity, as a joyful expression of optimism, and as the best piece of advice you’re ever likely to hear.

Johnnie Walker opened his first store in 1820. Since then, more kings and queens have been seated on the English throne than Johnnie Walker's Whiskey Master Blender. Jim Beveridge is the last to win this prestigious position with a continuous 200-year tradition founded by Johnnie Walker himself.

Jim Beveridge loves whiskey. He spent many and many hours at the distilleries, where for years he discovered the complex ties of taste that make up the best Scotch whiskey. His deep understanding of whiskey made him the man who has the most valuable nose in the world.

As Master Blender, together with his students, Johnnie Walker's historical reference is maintained. He personally oversees the mixing of every batch of whiskey from the life of vibrant Red Label, through the distinctively smoked Double Black Label, to special editions, for example, to the diamond anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. His talent and excellent tasting skills have earned him the respect of colleagues, worldwide recognition and marble bust in the Whiskey Hall of Fame.