Johnnie Walker

Johnnie Walker's story begins with the man who gives his name to our whiskey.

The year is 1819 and John Walker's father has just died. A difficult start for a humble farmer's son, you might think, but there was something special about John. Glitter in the eyes, fire in the heart, even steps more energetic than others. The world in those days was not one of the friendliest places, and John knew it. There was no time for sadness. We had to work for a living. Within a year, the family farm was sold and the money used to open its own grocery store in the bustling local town of Kilmernock. That was a smart decision. John had a natural flair for business. He also had an ingenious understanding of whiskey. These days, most groceries offer a selection of single malts, but they have never been of constant taste and quality. That wasn't good enough for John, and he started mixing them, so his whiskey tasted the same good every time. This turned out to be an extremely popular product.

When John died in 1857 after a full life, his son Alexander took over the successful business. These were dynamic times. Britain was the pulsating heart of the Industrial Revolution, which was about to change everything. The first train arrived in Kilmernock, carrying goods to the large ships that regularly traveled to the four corners of the world. Alexander knew the golden possibilities when he saw them. In 1867, he began producing the first commercial blend and named it Old Highland Whiskey. He then made the cunning decision to make the captains of his ships his agents to distribute his whiskey as far as their routes could go. It wasn't long before his unique blend was available worldwide. Soon after, Alexander began using his famous square bottle to reduce breakage losses and make sure more of his whiskey reached his destination unscathed. He also adds the familiar iconic label, tilted exactly 20 degrees, to stand out even more among the others.

In 1889, it was Alexander's turn to pass on the family name, leaving the company to his two sons, Alexander II and George, one a master blender and the other a businessman.

In 1909, Alexander and George renamed their successful new series of whiskeys according to the colors of their distinctive labels. Johnnie Walker Red Label and Johnnie Walker Black Label are born. At the same time, one of the leading young illustrators of the era, Tom Brown, sketched the idea of a logo on the back of a lunch menu. Alexander and George began using the Walking Man immediately. For a moment, Victorian grocer John Walker became Johnny Walker's dandy.

In 1920, Johnnie Walker whiskey was in 120 countries. As the century progressed, it became part of world culture: immortalized by singers and in movies, adored by high society and the stars, loved by statesmen, and moved alongside the great athletes of the time. From January 1, 1934, John Walker & Sons received the Royal Warrant from King George V to supply whiskey to the royal family. This order is still valid today.

At the end of the 20th century, the pioneer Johnnie Walker Red Label and the iconic Johnnie Walker Black Label joined the blend and the top of the blending art - Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Our award-winning range continues to grow to this day with the addition of Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve and Johnnie Walker Platinum Label.