The Johnnie Walker Vault is home to a selection of 500 whiskies from the distillery’s rare, aged and ghost casks, personally curated and rotated by Dr Emma Walker
It is official. As a way to pioneer the next chapter in luxury spirits, Johnnie Walker has announced the global launch of the Johnnie Walker Vault as its most ambitious expression of blending artistry to date.
At the heart of this vault is Dr Emma Walker, the master blender with a knack for telling a good story. Her mastery has been built on craft that’s been passed down through centuries, which continues to be nurtured in a creative atelier, hidden beneath Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh, Scotland. This atelier, or vault, is home to a selection of 500 whiskies from the distillery’s rare, aged and ghost casks, personally curated and rotated by Dr Walker, in a bid to showcase the crème de la crème of the 10 million casks available to her.
Creativity, brought to life
Though no longer a secret, the Johnnie Walker Vault will remain an invite-only space, bringing creativity and craftsmanship to life with rare products, experiences and collaborations. A new private blend experience will see Dr Walker turn vault-worthy expressions into unique blends, tailored to inspiration and individual palates. Offered to the public as part of a package starting at £50,000, the experience will include everything luxurious, from Michelin-starred dining and glamorous stays to an intimate blending session with Dr Walker. Each guest’s very own blend will also be chronicled in the Johnnie Walker Vault archive, alongside iconic whisky creations.
“The sessions will be very flexible,” Dr Walker told Robb Report. “We will have conversations about what works, and what doesn’t work. It’s all going to be very bespoke. The samples here will be continually rotated, and they will be a mix of ages. Some people want more aged whiskies, but some want younger whiskies that are more vibrant, more effervescent. We want to create a blend that is truly about flavour and storytelling.”
Johnnie Walker will also be inviting cultural leaders to co-create with Dr Walker, blending the arts with whisky-making. Its first creative partner, in fact, will hail from the haute couture department and collaborate on a limited-edition collection, soon to be revealed this spring.
“The Johnnie Walker Vault reflects our commitment to the evolving desires of the luxury consumer, and to transform luxury spirits through elevated personalisation, unique experiences and exceptional products,” says Julie Bramham, managing director of Diageo Luxury Group, in a statement. “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 [the] Johnnie Walker Vault will now continue this legacy.”
Featured photo by Johnnie Walker
