If you’re new to the world of Scotch whisky, you might not be totally sure what exactly Johnnie Walker is. Is it a single-malt whisky? While it’s highly lauded in the whisky world and ranges from bargain-priced gems to highly coveted bottles that can fetch hundreds (and thousands) of dollars, it’s not single malt whisky. In fact, it’s actually blended Scotch whisky.
Table of Contents
- Most Expensive Johnnie Walker Whiskies
- 1. Johnnie Walker & Sons Diamond Jubilee – USD$200,000
- 2. ’The John Walker’ Master’s Edition 50-Year-Old – USD$25,000
- 3. Masters of Flavour 48-Year-Old – USD$17,000
- 4. Master’s Ruby Reserve 40-Year-Old – USD$15,000
- 5. Epic Dates 1920 Edition – USD$6,998
- 6. Master Blenders 30 Year – USD$5,000
- 7. John Walker & Sons King George V – USD$4,500
- 8. Blue Label Ghost & Rare – Port Ellen – USD$3,650
- 9. King George V Lunar New Year Limited Edition Design – USD$1,000
- 10. Blue Label Ghost and Rare Glenury Royal Edition – USD$599
- Things to Consider for Expensive Johnnie Walker Whisky
- Alternatives to Johnnie Walker Whisky
- Most Expensive Johnnie Walker FAQs
Most Expensive Johnnie Walker Whiskies
While all of Johnnie Walker’s core is reasonably priced (even the $200 plus Johnnie Walker Blue Label), the brand also makes myriad limited-edition, hard-to-find, and downright expensive expressions. Below, you’ll find 10 of the most sought-after, ridiculous Johnnie Walker blends. Now, we understand that this isn’t a definitive list and that you are likely to find one-off releases here and there that inflate the figures.
That being said, we targeted the price of those upon release and that were readily available at the time, and we’re not kidding about expensive either. They range from around USD$600 to the uncomfortable sum of more than USD$200,000. Keep scrolling to see them all.
1. Johnnie Walker & Sons Diamond Jubilee – USD$200,000
- ABV: 42.5%
- Range: John Walker & Sons
- Size: 70cl
- Contains: Blend of grain and malt varieties, all of which were distilled in 1952
Potentially the most expensive blended whisky (if not whisky in general) to ever go on sale, Johnnie Walker & Sons Diamond Jubilee was made to pay homage to the 60th anniversary of England’s Queen Elizabeth taking the throne in 2012. Strangely, it’s not even available in the United Kingdom.
To get your hands on a bottle of this blend of single malt and single grain whiskies all distilled in 1952 you’ll have to find one in Singapore because that’s where it’s sold. Not only is the whisky inside more than ridiculously old, but it also comes in a diamond-shaped Baccarat crystal decanter that’s set with a half-carat diamond and Britannia silver collar.
Importantly, the Johnnie Walker & Sons Diamond Jubilee release wasn’t just a celebration of royalty. Profits from the sale of the whisky were donated to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, which funds world-class training of craftsmen and women in traditional skills, with John Walker & Sons pledging a minimum of £1 million to the charity.
2. ’The John Walker’ Master’s Edition 50-Year-Old – USD$25,000
- ABV: 43.3%
- Range: Master’s Edition Collection
- Size: 70cl
- Contains: Whisky from the ‘ghost’ distilleries of Glen Albyn and Glenury Royal
Released in 2018, ’The John Walker’ Master’s Edition 50-Year-Old is a blend of six, specifically selected rare whiskies from distilleries that all were already up and running when Johnnie Walker was still alive. All of which matured for at least fifty years. Only 100 bottles were ever made. Bottled in bespoke, numbered double-cased black crystal Baccarat it’s known for its complex, rich flavours of dried fruits, candied orange peels, dark chocolate, mint, and just a wisp of gentle smoke at the very finish.
According to Johnnie Walker master blender Jim Beveridge, each drop of this whisky has been hand-selected from some of the most valuable and precious casks of malt and grain whiskies in the label’s reserves.
“About 20 years ago, Johnnie Walker blenders recognised that these individual whiskies were very special and the decision was made to put them aside for special use, allowing each of them to continue to mature in their casks, knowing that, in time, something even more remarkable would emerge,” Beveridge said. “Our goal was to pay tribute to the whisky masters who worked with these whiskies such a long time ago and, with the creation of The Masters’ Edition, I believe we’ve done that.”
3. Masters of Flavour 48-Year-Old – USD$17,000
- ABV: 41.8%
- Range: Master of Flavour Collection
- Size: 70cl
- Contains: Whisky from the ‘ghost’ distilleries of Cambus, Carsebridge, Pittyvaich and Port Ellen
Another special release from Johnnie Walker, this hard-to-find expression is a blend of “ghost” distilleries Bora, Glen Albyn, Port Dundas, and Glenury Royal. Each and every specially selected whisky spent a minimum of forty-eight years aging. Only 288 bottles were released of this smoky, sweet, aromatic whisky. As Johnnie Walker ambassador, Katie Nagar, told us upon its release, the Masters of Flavour 48-year-old was the perfect toast to an incredible career.
“To begin with, any Scotch at the advanced age of 48 years is rare in of itself,” she told us. “But perhaps what makes Johnnie Walker Master of Flavour even rarer is that four out of the seven whiskies that go into the blend are drawn from reserves from ghost distilleries. Ghost distilleries are distilleries that have long since closed their doors and ceased operations, making their limited remaining whisky all the more precious.”
If you’re lucky enough to enjoy a dram, you’ll be treated to flavours of caramel apples, cinnamon, dried fruits, toffee, wintry spices, and gentle, peaty smoky. It’s a treasure that deserves to be sipped slowly on an unseasonably cool evening.
4. Master’s Ruby Reserve 40-Year-Old – USD$15,000
- ABV: 43%
- Range: Master Blenders Collection
- Size: 70cl
- Contains: Whisky from the ‘ghost’ distilleries of Cambus, Carsebridge, Pittyvaich and Port Ellen
Now retired master blender Jim Beveridge selected eight whiskies, some from now-shuttered distilleries (including Carsebridge, Pittyvaich, and Cambus) to make up this special, limited-edition blend. Each of the whiskies included spent a minimum of forty years maturing. This creates an impeccable whisky released to honour the forty years Beveridge spent in the alcohol world. It’s loved for its nose of dried cherries, toffee, orange peel, and salted caramel and palate of caramel apples, candied orange peels, sea salt, dried cherries, and rich spices.
5. Epic Dates 1920 Edition – USD$6,998
- ABV: 48%
- Range: Epic Dates Collection
- Size: 70cl
- Contains: Whisky from the closed distilleries of Diageo
Only 540 bottles of this “epic” blended whisky were ever released. It’s named to pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of Johnnie Walker & Sons. Only available to guests of the Johnnie Walker House locations (places like Singapore, Taiwan, Mumbai, Schiphol, Israel, and Korea), this no-age-statement whisky contains select rare whiskies from various distilleries hand-selected by now retired master blender Jim Beveridge, including a few that closed their doors long ago.
It comes in a handmade, lockable wooden box and carries aromas of honey, heather, and toasted vanilla beans. A dash or two of water will unlock the rich, velvety flavours of dark chocolate, caramel candy, orange peels, and gentle, nutty sweetness.
6. Master Blenders 30 Year – USD$5,000
- ABV: 40%
- Range: Master Blenders Collection
- Size: 70cl
- Contains: Whiskies that are at least 30 years old
Made to honour Alexander Walker (the son of Johnnie Walker), Johnnie Walker Master Blenders 30 Year is the first edition of the John Walker & Sons Master Blenders Collection. Only 1,438 bottles of this rare whisky were ever produced. A blend of single malt and grain whiskies that are all a minimum of thirty years old, it’s sold in a Victorian-inspired Baccarat crystal decanter. It’s known for its complex, rich flavour profile featuring a nose of orchard fruits, treacle, and spices and a palate of toffee, cinnamon, chocolate, oak, and dried fruits.
7. John Walker & Sons King George V – USD$4,500
- ABV: 43%
- Range: King George V
- Size: 75cl
- Contains: Whiskies from now-closed distilleries that operated during King George V’s reign
This rare expression was created to be attributed to Johnnie Walker & Sons first Royal Warrant in 1934. It’s named because the British monarch at that time was King George V. The expression itself is a blend of single malt and single grain whiskies that all were in production while he was still king. It includes many well-known distilleries and even a few that have long since shuttered their doors, including Port Ellen (closed since 1983 but will soon be reopened this year). It’s known for its nose of raisins, orange peels, cinnamon, and caramel and a palate of toasted vanilla beans, sticky toffee pudding, dark chocolate, and candied nuts.
8. Blue Label Ghost & Rare – Port Ellen – USD$3,650
- ABV: 43.8%
- Range: Blue Label
- Size: 75cl
- Contains: Single malt and single grain whiskies from Port Ellen
Another whisky from the now closed (but soon to reopen) Port Ellen distillery on Islay, Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare – Port Ellen is made up exclusively of single malt and single grain whiskies from the distillery that closed its door back in 1983. It’s sought after for its nose of candied orange peels, salted caramel, dried fruits, and light peat. Sipping it brings forth notes of raisins, orange peels, toffee, vanilla, sea salt, and robust peat smoke. It’s a sweet, smoky sipper for the Islay whisky fans.
9. King George V Lunar New Year Limited Edition Design – USD$1,000
- ABV: 43%
- Range: King George V
- Size: 70cl
- Contains: Whiskies from now-closed distilleries that operated during King George V’s reign
This special, limited-edition expression from the folks at Johnnie Walker was made to honour the Lunar New Year. A blend of rare whiskies from the now-closed (and soon-to-reopen) Port Ellen Distillery, its bottle was designed by fashion designer Angel Chen. The nose is all candied orange peels, cinnamon sugar, dried fruits, and toasted vanilla beans. The palate is candied nuts, honey, vanilla, plums, and dark chocolate.
10. Blue Label Ghost and Rare Glenury Royal Edition – USD$599
- ABV: 43.8%
- Range: Blue Label
- Size: 70cl
- Contains: Rare malts from Glen Elgin, Inchgower, Glenlossie, Cameronbridge and Glenkinchie
The third expression released in the Blue Label Ghost and Rare range of whiskies, Glenury Royal Edition is a blend of single malt and single grain whiskies sourced from the Glenury Royal Distillery that closed in 1985. It’s known for its caramel, vanilla, and candy apple-forward nose and palate of heather, honey, dried fruits, and vanilla beans. It’s floral, sweet, warming, and well worth the price tag if you can find it.
Things to Consider for Expensive Johnnie Walker Whisky
While some cheaper blended Scotch whiskies give the style a bad name, Johnnie Walker does exactly the opposite. Named for a former grocer, turned whisky distiller, each expression is a blend of single malt and single grain whiskies.
Range
The award-winning Johnnie Walker range begins with the incredibly inexpensive Red Label. One of the highest-selling Scotch whiskies in the world, this no-age statement blend is most often used as a cocktail base but works fine as a low-budget sipper. Another popular choice is its Black Label. A blend of whiskies matured for at least twelve years; this nuanced, complex blend is arguably one of the best bargains in the whisky world.
Johnnie Walker also sells a peatier, smokier Double Black Label, a Green Label that’s matured for a minimum of fifteen years, and the wildly coveted Blue Label (and a few other lesser available expressions). Johnnie Walker’s premium blend doesn’t carry an age statement, but drinkers say that it’s on par with any single malt on the market. Known for its sublime aromas of toasted vanilla beans, winter spices, sweet honey, and a palate of candied nuts, orange peels, sticky toffee pudding, and chocolate fudge. All with a warming, mellow, memorable finish.
Availability
While many of these whiskies have specific price points listed, it should be noted that depending on the availability (some were released in very small quantities) prices on the secondary market can be heavily inflated. If you want to grab a bottle of any of these rare whiskies (even the less expensive ones), you had better be prepared to get out your chequebook.
Age-Statements
Some of these whiskies carry age statements and some don’t. Even the ones that don’t are made up of rare, hard-to-find, and sometimes long-closed whisky brands.
Inflation Over Time
Like with anything, as inflation increases so does the price of these rare whiskies. There’s a good chance you won’t be able to find any at the listed price. But, if you manage to get one, it will likely increase in value.
Alternatives to Johnnie Walker Whisky
If you’re not quite aboard the Johnnie Walker train or looking for something a little different in the whisky scene, why not check out our articles on some of the other great drams from across the world?
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Most Expensive Johnnie Walker FAQs
Johnnie Walker & Sons Diamond Jubilee, a whisky created to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth’s sixtieth year sitting on the British throne is the most expensive. Being a blend of whiskies from 1952 tends to do that.
Of the general range, the lowest is Red Label and it moves up to Black Label, Double Black, Green Label, Gold Label, Platinum Label, Blue Label, and beyond.
