Johnnie Walker Blue Label Legendary 8 Limited Edition

Description

This is one of four limited edition labels produced to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Johnnie Walker. The brand Johnnie Walker was first created in 1820 by John Walker, a green grocer from Kilmarnock in Scotland. The Excise Act was introduced in 1823 relaxing strict laws on distillation and reduced the heavy taxes on distillation and the sale of whisky. John Walker sold blended malt and grain whiskies from his grocery store and as he did not have a brand of his own started to use his own name on the labels selling the blended malt as ‘Walker’s Kilmarnock Whisky.

In 1860 the brand’s signature logo was introduced by Alexander Walker, a square bottle. This meant more bottles could fit into the same space and the bottles were less likely to break. The label was also introduced where it was applied at an angle of 24 degrees upwards left to right and allowed text to be made larger and more visible.

In 1893 the Cardhu Distillery was purchased and this meant a steady run of Johnnie Walker could be produced with thoughts and plans for expansion. The Walker brand purchased Coleburn Distillery, Clynelish Distillery, Dailuaine Distillery and Talisker Distillery. In 1923 Mortlach Distillery as purchased and shaped the Walker strategy.

In July 2009, the brand’s current owners, Diageo, decided to close all operations in Kilmarnock by 2012. This met with backlash from local people, local politicians, and then First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond.Despite petitions, public campaigns, and a large-scale march around Kilmarnock, Diageo proceeded with the closure. The Johnnie Walker plant in Kilmarnock closed its doors in March 2012 and the buildings were subsequently demolished a year later.

In July 2020 Johnnie Walker looked at plans to develop a new environmentally-friendly paper bottle set to debut in early 2021.

To celebrate the 200th Anniversary since John Walker established his whisky blending business in Kilmarnock the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Legendary Eight has been released. Eight distilleries have been celebrated some still open and some are now closed or ‘ghost’ distilleries. The single grain distilleries are Port Dundas (closed), Carsebridge (closed) and Cambus (closed, now a cooperage). The single malt whiskies include Brora (closed, now Clynelish), Blair Athol (open), Teaninich (open), Oban (open) and Lagavulin (open).

With a bottling strength of 43.8% abv and a very limited release for worldwide distribution.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Caramel sweetness, orchard  fruits and balanced oak.

Palate: Stewed orchard fruits of apple, peaches and nectarines, milk chocolate and soft spice.

Finish: Some soft peat smoke with fruits and freshly ground black pepper.