Johnnie Walker, one of the biggest whisky brands in the world, originated back in 1820, when the man who gave the whisky his name opened a grocer’s shop in the bustling town of Kilmarnock, Scotland.
The son of a farmer, Johnnie Walker discovered he had a natural gift for business and an aptitude for whisky. While most grocers stocked a line of single malts, they were never that consistent, so John spotted a niche in the market and started blending them together, ultimately creating a whisky that tasted just as good every time.
When he passed away, after a full and prosperous life, he left his son, Alexander Walker, the very healthy whisky business. Like his father, Alexander knew a good opportunity when he saw one, and so, when Kilmarnock opened a railway carrying goods to ships that travelled across the world, he began selling Johnnie Walker whisky on a global scale.
Today, Johnnie Walker is one of the most well-known whiskies, and the brand continues to innovate and push boundaries.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a testament to this. In much the same way as the brand, the Blue Label has been on an extraordinary journey before reaching the dram glass.
By employing skills learned from his father, Alexander passionately crafted a blended whisky which he lovingly called ‘Old Highland Whisky’. Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a commemoration of his 1867 Old Highland Whisky.
The creation of every bottle is meticulous and painstaking: for example, each cask used to blend Johnnie Walker Blue Label is handpicked by master blender, Jim Beverage, chosen for their exceptional quality, character and flavour. Only 1 in 10,000 casks contain whisky of sufficient quality and character to be chosen to become part of Johnnie Walker Blue Label; these whiskies are then blended, selected from the four corners of Scotland. The result is a big, bold flavoured whisky with deep smoky tones layered in sweet honey and fruit. It’s rich yet wonderfully smooth.
We have partnered with Johnnie Walker Blue Label to launch their limited edition ‘Cities of the Future’ bottles, illustrated by digital artist Luke Halls with utopian visions of famous future cityscapes in the year 2220.
In celebration of the collaboration, our talented mixologists have created four cocktails showcasing the extraordinary whisky. The cocktails, inspired by the ‘Cities of the Future’, use innovative mixology techniques to bring a twist to classic recipes: the 2220 Royale is a modern interpretation of the traditional champagne cocktail, using flavours of banana, toffee and brown sugar alongside a dash of Johnnie Walker Blue Label topped with champagne, while the 23rd Century Sour breathes new life into the typical whisky sour, made with Johnnie Walker Black Label washed with butter and vanilla, Johnnie Walker Blue Label and grapefruit.
The Cocktails of the Future Johnnie Walker Blue Label collection will be available at Yauatcha City and Yauatcha Soho until Friday 6th January.
We are also hosting an exclusive and intimate whisky pairing dinner at Yauatcha City, pairing the new cocktail collection with dishes from Yauatcha’s menu. For more information, or to book tickets, visit our website. Â
