John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend

The Celebratory Blend is one of three special bottlings released by Johnnie Walker, the world's best selling Scotch whisky, for its 200th anniversary. This Scotch Whisky blend is a limited edition created by the aptly-named Jim Beveridge OBE (should be spelled beverage no?) aka the Master Blender for Johnnie Walker. The John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend is inspired by the launch of Old Highland Whisky, a key moment in the history of the Johnnie Walker brand when first released in the 1860s, and features whiskies from distilleries (supposedly 8 total) that were producing at that time (quite a few in the Diageo family that were around and producing then). The Old Highland Whisky was the first from the company to be created purely for export and also the first to feature the now famous square bottle and slanted label. It helped to catapult Johnnie Walker to become a global brand as it spread around the British Empire and beyond. John Walker opened his grocery shop on King Street, Kilmarnock in 1820 and began blending his own whiskies in the cellar. Interesting fact: John Walker did not drink alcohol. LOL. Classic enabler... The Celebratory Blend's packaging draws inspiration from that original bottling of Old Highland Whisky and also features a fold-out cardboard box that includes the only known photograph of John Walker's grocery store in Kilmarnock. It is also bottled at 51% ABV to mirror the strength that whiskies were sold at during the 1860s to 1890s. A high ABV Johnnie Walker featuring the original distilleries from the 1800s? Sign me up! "The Celebratory Blend is inspired by flavours found in the stocktaking books from Walker's store, which were housed in Diageo's archive. We wanted to use only whiskies that would have been available to the family in the 1860s and to create a sense of the aromas and flavours of the shop." -Jim Beveridge OBE, speaking during the media launch in October 2020. Nose: baking spices, cinnamon, green apple, pear, dried fruit Palate: Sweet at first, very thick for a blend, coating with nice mouthfeel. Spicy next and maybe a tiny wisp of smoke. Vanilla and dried fruits. Finish: Long, wood spice, peppery and wispy smoke Wow, take high abv Johnnie Walker made from modern distilleries that were around in the 1860s and add in a very unique and classy package. This one is a winner. Water brings out the fruit more but it doesn't need it. It is different from all the others I have tried (Blue, Green, Platinum/18, XR). It is like the 18 year ultimate supercharged. When I started drinking, I really looked down on JW for no good reason but I am learning to appreciate good grain and blended whisky. There is a lot of hate for Diageo around marketing, etc. but they have some of my favorite distilleries in their portfolio and I love the JW blended whiskies (and the Green vatted malt). This may be the best value and highest quality blended whisky that I have tried. It's like what Compass Box might do if they had access to the whole Diageo stock. Good on you Diageo! Slàinte.

What a surprise! This is a bold John Walker 51% and big flavour. This is not for the faint of heart or entry into whiskey but after enjoying cask strength whiskey this is amazing straight. Big Apple orchard flavour that evolves to this sweet but ashy end note more ash than smoke but in a good way. Really enjoyed this one thought from reviews it would be more sherry like chocolatey but definitely more a crisp apple flavours

My initial impression of this was they took black label, blended it with gold label and said here ya go. Three weeks and a quarter bottle later this whiskey has really blossomed. Dried red fruits, malt, vanilla, baking spices and a little peat smoke on the nose and the soft, creamy palate. The palate adds some marzipan, milky tea, chocolaty and caramel notes with pepper arriving late. The pepper, milky tea and chocolate notes continue through the medium finish.

Decent, clean tastes for a 51%