Johnnie Walker Whisky

There isn’t a straightforward answer to this question so we’ll start with a little explanation of how Scotch Whisky is classified. We’ve all seen terms like Single Malt Scotch Whisky or Blended Scotch whisky on the labels of whisky bottles but what do they actually mean?

Malt whisky is made from a base ingredient of malted barley, when you see the term Malt Whisky paired with the word “Single”, it means it is Malt Whisky from a single distillery. Add in the word Scotch and you know that it is malt whisky from a single distillery in Scotland.

When you see the term Blended Scotch Whisky - with you no use of the term “Malt” - the label is telling you that the whisky in the bottle is a mixture of malt whisky and whisky made from other grains which has been made in Scotland but at multiple distilleries.

Most of the common expressions of Johnnie Walker - Black Label, Red Label, Blue Label - have “Blended Scotch Whisky” on the label. So the short answer to the question “Where is Johnnie Walker made?” is Scotland. But you didn’t come here for that answer!

The question we should be asking is “at which distilleries is Johnnie Walker made?”

There are four key distilleries which contribute to Johnnie Walker and they are:

• Glenkinchie
• Clynelish
• Cardhu
• Caol Ila

In recent years the brand has opened a “home” at the Johnnie Walker Experience on Princes Street in Edinburgh. So perhaps that’s the true answer!

Terms like “best” are very subjective. The best whisky is the one you enjoy the most. The Johnnie Walker brand has a range of whiskies which are sold at different price points and are often differentiated by the colour of their label. The core range starts with Red Label, moves on to the slightly more expensive Black Label and gets significantly more expensive with Blue Label.

Most people would consider the Blue Label to be the “best” of the core range however Johnnie Walker Black Label has a devoted following.

Beyond that core range there are a number of premium and limited editions.

If you’re buying a bottle as a gift, Black Label is a reliable blend that many whisky drinkers will enjoy. If it’s a special occasion you certainly won’t get any complaints if you offer a bottle Blue Label or any of the more exclusive bottlings.

In recent years the core range has been augmented with Double Black which has a stronger thread of peated whisky for those who enjoy that flavour profile.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a Blended Scotch Whisky containing a variety of whiskies of different ages from different Scottish distilleries.

The recipe is a closely guarded secret but many experts believe the component parts are aged anywhere from 25 to 60 years.

However, the label doesn’t have an age statement, so in truth we can only speculate.