Johnnie Walker Vault opens the door to a new era of luxury Scotch whisky

Pioneering the next chapter in luxury spirits, Johnnie Walker, the world’s leading Scotch Whisky, announces the global launch of Johnnie Walker Vault in the brand’s most ambitious expression of blending artistry yet.

At the heart of the new platform is the artistry of Johnnie Walker Master Blender, Dr. Emma Walker, and her craft of telling personal stories from a carefully curated selection of exceptionally rare whiskies. Her mastery builds on craft passed down through centuries, working from a hidden creative ‘atelier’ deep beneath Johnnie Walker Princes Street, the award-winning visitor experience in Edinburgh. The Johnnie Walker Vault holds, at any given time, a selection of 500 whiskies from our rare, aged and ghost casks, personally curated and rotated by Dr. Walker to showcase the very best of the 10 million casks of Scotch available to her as Master Blender.

Johnnie Walker Vault will bring its unparalleled creativity and craftsmanship to life through rare products, experiences and collaborations.

Bespoke Private Blend Experience 

Under a newly launched Private Blend experience, Dr. Walker will personally create unique made-to-measure blends for a select few, hand-selecting meaningful expressions from the invite-only Johnnie Walker Vault physical space, and crafting these into deeply layered blends. Each blend is tailored to the inspirations and individual palates of her guests.

For the first time, this experience will be launched and offered to the public with packages starting from £50,000, to include a luxurious agenda deeply rooted in Scottish heritage. From Michelin Star dining to a glamorous stay at the glorious Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, the programme is tailored to individual desires - culminating in the bespoke blending session with Dr. Walker. Following the experience, guests will be presented with their Private Blend in a crystal decanter handcrafted by artisans from the renowned French luxury house Baccarat. Their unique blend will also be chronicled in the Johnnie Walker Vault archive, leaving their own legacy alongside iconic whisky creations and allowing for future commissions.

Luxury Collaborations

Later this year, Johnnie Walker Vault will also invite its first creative partner within - a visionary artist in couture fashion - to co-create a limited-edition collection with Dr. Emma Walker, with further details to be revealed in Spring 2025.

Dr. Emma Walker, Johnnie Walker Master Blender, says: "Johnnie Walker Vault is our treasure trove. It’s where I can curate and share our rarest and most exceptional Scotch whiskies, and from these create unique blends which sing to my guest and showcase the blending artistry at the heart of Johnnie Walker. It is a very special place to me, but it’s also much more than just a physical space – it’s a platform through which I can take deeply personal stories and translate them into beautiful, one-of-a-kind blends. It’s a real privilege to be a part of capturing and bottling these wonderful stories.”

Julie Bramham, Managing Director of Diageo Luxury Group, adds: "The Johnnie Walker Vault reflects our commitment to the evolving desires of the luxury consumer and to transforming luxury spirits through elevated personalisation, unique experiences and exceptional products.”

She continues: “Building on more than 200 years of pioneering craftsmanship, Johnnie Walker has redefined quality whisky blending for the modern connoisseur. Iconic blends such as Johnnie Walker Blue Label and Johnnie Walker Black Label have consistently showcased the brand’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of Scotch whisky, and Johnnie Walker Vault will now continue this legacy. This is an exciting day for luxury Scotch whisky as we officially launch Johnnie Walker Vault to a global audience.”

Further information on Johnnie Walker Vault including registration for the bespoke private blending experience can be found at www.johnniewalker.com/en/vault. Registrations go live from 12^th March.

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Notes

Johnnie Walker Vault comprises three pillars centred around bespoke blending, luxurious experiences, and creative collaborations.

Private Blends

Dr. Emma Walker and her team have access to over 10 million casks from over 30 distilleries, approximately half of the total number of casks currently resting in Scotland. These casks include aged stock of over 50 years, ‘ghost’ stocks from Port Ellen and Brora, appointment-only, luxury distilleries, and icons of the whisky world which have been meticulously re-envisioned and restored to their former glory. Access to this incredible archive paired with blending artistry, sets Johnnie Walker Vault apart as a marker of luxury in Scotch whisky.

Johnnie Walker Vault is the doorway to this library of rare and exceptional whiskies through which Dr. Emma Walker can create visionary, bespoke blends for private clients or commercially available storied blends for cultural collaborators. Each blend will serve as a precious ode to heritage and artistry, with the continuous ambition to create whiskies of the future.

Luxurious Experiences

Johnnie Walker Vault launches its exclusive private blending offering, inviting a select few people each year to a made-to-measure experience in Edinburgh, Scotland. Starting from £50,000 and centered around a one-on-one private blending experience with Master Blender Dr. Emma Walker in the Johnnie Walker Vault, packages can include:

• Private, VIP travel
• A glamorous stay at the glorious Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire
• A private tour of the invite-only Diageo Archive
• Michelin Star dining throughout with locally curated menus
• Unique Scottish pursuits and experiences
• Private Blend presented in a crystal decanter handcrafted in France by the highly skilled artisans of the Baccarat House
• Private Blend recipe chronicled in the Johnnie Walker Vault archive allowing for future commissions (depending on availability of rare stocks)

Further information on Johnnie Walker Vault including registration for the bespoke private blending experience can be found at www.johnniewalker.com/en/vault with registrations going live from March 12^th.

Creative Collaborations

For the first time, Johnnie Walker Vault invites cultural leaders within to co-create with Dr. Emma Walker, blending the arts with whisky craftsmanship. In Spring 2025, Johnnie Walker Vault will debut its first collaboration in partnership with a globally renowned visionary artist in couture fashion.

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About Johnnie Walker: Johnnie Walker is the world’s number 1 Scotch Whisky brand* (IWSR 2024 & the world’s number one International Spirits Brand* (IWSR 2024 Relative Market Share), enjoyed by people in over 180 countries around the world. Since the time of its founder, John Walker, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavour and quality above all else.

Today’s range of award-winning whiskies includes Johnnie Walker Red Label, Blonde, Black Label, Double Black, Green Label, Gold Label Reserve, Aged 18 Years, and Blue Label. Together they account for over 22 million cases sold annually (IWSR, 2023). Johnnie Walker is also the number one best-selling Scotch and number one trending Scotch (Drinks International, 2024).   
*In value 2023

About Diageo:  Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s, Smirnoff and Cîroc vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.  

Diageo is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices.

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