Johnnie Walker

Johnnie Walker started at John Walker’s grocery. Most whiskies at the time were found in general groceries, meaning you could buy stuff like flour and hard liquor in the same trip. Johnnie Walker was no different, sold in its first years out of the family grocery store in Kilmarnock, a town in Scotland not too far from its western coast. Johnnie Walker whisky began as a reaction to single malt. Single malt may be prized for good reason today, but back in the 19th century, consistency was more of a tricky issue. John Walker wanted a consistent Scotch and so he turned his store brand into a blend. (Just a quick reminder, single malts are the product of one distillery, blends are blends from many distilleries.) The overall flavor profile is intriguingly contradictory. Johnnie Walker is a smooth whisky, no doubt, but that doesn’t mean it lacks staggeringly awesome/annoying/sit-down-for-a-long-thoughtful-sip complexity. In the 12 Year, for instance, you’ll get dark chewy toffee and spice

Johnnie Walker started at John Walker’s grocery. Most whiskies at the time were found in general groceries, meaning you could buy stuff like flour and hard liquor in the same trip. Johnnie Walker was no different, sold in its first years out of the family grocery store in Kilmarnock, a town in Scotland not too far from its western coast. Johnnie Walker whisky began as a reaction to single malt. Single malt may be prized for good reason today, but back in the 19th century, consistency was more of a tricky issue. John Walker wanted a consistent Scotch and so he turned his store brand into a blend. (Just a quick reminder, single malts are the product of one distillery, blends are blends from many distilleries.) The overall flavor profile is intriguingly contradictory. Johnnie Walker is a smooth whisky, no doubt, but that doesn’t mean it lacks staggeringly awesome/annoying/sit-down-for-a-long-thoughtful-sip complexity. In the 12 Year, for instance, you’ll get dark chewy toffee and spice