Johnnie Walker renews Lunar New Year partnership with James Jean

New Johnnie Walker Blue Label Limited Edition design for Year of the Snake is second created by influential visual artist

Significant investment to bring approximately 100 jobs to the City of Montgomery when facility is operational, and an additional 750 jobs during construction

Montgomery, AL – [January, 2025] – As part of its efforts to build an increasingly resilient and efficient supply network, premium drinks company Diageo North America announced plans to open a new manufacturing and warehousing facility in Montgomery, Alabama. The 360,000 square foot facility will have a multi-million case annual production capacity for Diageo’s leading beverage alcohol brands. This site will enhance the company’s North America supply chain operations and support future growth for the company’s export business.

The new facility, which will be referred to as ‘Diageo Montgomery,’ will provide a new point of operations closer to the company’s beverage distributors in the southern region. The site’s strategic location is expected to reduce required road travel, significantly helping to further mitigate carbon emissions associated with logistics operations. The new facility will also employ state-of-the-art technology for more efficient water and energy usage across the site.

“We are proud to contribute to the economic development of Montgomery, and deeply grateful to the city, state, and community leaders for their continued support,” said Marsha McIntosh, President of North America Supply at Diageo. “The new facility will not only bring our business closer to our customers and distributors in the south, but also enable our broader supply network to operate more efficiently and sustainably. This investment underscores our commitment to building greater resiliency into our supply chain across North America.”

“Diageo’s decision to open a state-of-the-art facility in Montgomery is a testament to Alabama’s ability to attract world-class companies and foster meaningful economic growth,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “This production and distribution hub not only brings high-quality jobs to our state but also reinforces Alabama’s reputation as a premier location for global investment. We are proud to welcome Diageo to Alabama and look forward to the positive impact this project will have on Montgomery and beyond.”

This project is part of a broader multi-year program across multiple geographies to strengthen the company’s global supply chain by improving its resilience and agility, delivering additional productivity savings and making its operations more sustainable.

Investing in Alabama

With an investment of approximately $415 million, development of Diageo Montgomery is currently underway, and the site is expected to be fully operational in the second half of calendar year 2025. Approximately 750 jobs will be created during the construction phase and, once operational, the facility will employ approximately 100 full-time personnel.

“Diageo’s investment in a new production facility is a significant step forward for Montgomery, Montgomery County, and the state, reinforcing our position as a leader in industrial and logistics growth. This new facility will create valuable jobs and further enhance economic opportunities throughout our region,” said Mayor Steven L. Reed of the City of Montgomery. “We are proud to work alongside Diageo, the Montgomery Chamber, Montgomery County, and our other partners to ensure the success of this facility and the lasting positive impact it will have on our citizens. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to building a stronger future for our community.”

“We are honored to have Diageo choose Montgomery County for their new production facility,” said Doug Singleton, Chairman of the Montgomery County Commission. “This is a significant investment in our community, further strengthening the growing concentration of food and beverage businesses in the region. Montgomery County’s position as a logistics hub makes it an ideal location for companies like Diageo, whose presence here will create valuable synergies with other businesses. We are excited for the future and the lasting economic impact this investment will bring to our region.”

As part of a broader initiative to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), Diageo has invested $750,000 across three Alabama institutions: Alabama A&M, Alabama State University, and Tuskegee University. The company has provided scholarships and financial support to future leaders at the institutions.

About Diageo North America

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness. Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow on Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

GreatDrams Officially… WORLD’S BEST !

GreatDrams’ Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky Crowned World’s Best Blended Malt at 2025 World Whiskies Awards

In a triumph that has the whisky world raising its glasses, GreatDrams’ Campbeltown Blended Malt Scotch Whisky has been named the World’s Best Blended Malt at the prestigious 2025 World Whiskies Awards. This accolade cements GreatDrams’ reputation for crafting exceptional, sought-after whiskies.

The award-winning expression is a harmonious blend of single malts from distilleries within Scotland’s renowned Campbeltown region. Limited to just 157 bottles in batch one, this rare release has captivated whisky enthusiasts with its subtle smoke, vanilla, and toffee notes. The whisky’s profile has been described as having “marshmallow, cream soda, and sugar syrup aromas,” leading to “a lovely mouthfeel, with flavours of vanilla, soft fudge, and a hint of lemon zest alongside malty cereals,” culminating in “a big, peppery finish.”

Greg Dillon, co-founder of GreatDrams, expressed his delight: “Winning this award is like finding the perfect harmony in a dram—it’s music to our palates and a testament to our dedication to quality and innovation.”

Kirsty Dillon, co-founder, added: “We’re over the moon! This recognition not only honours our passion but also shines a spotlight on the rich heritage of Campbeltown whisky. Time to crack open a bottle and celebrate!”

Whisky aficionados eager to experience this award-winning dram can find more details and secure their bottle at the links below.

We have been asked to release a Campbeltown for YEARS so to be finally able to and to have already won two of the biggest awards at the World Whiskies Awards with it… well… that’s a solid result eh?!

We have to call this a blended malt as it has been Teaspooned with another malt whisky so it cannot be called a Single Malt but it is in fact 99.9999999% from one distillery… which asked not to be named… Think Campbeltown… think iconic… think cult status… think anagrams of (a) legion (of) cats. Did we say too much? Uh oh.

Thanks as always for your support, kind messages and all the time you take to talk whisky with us online and at events, it means a lot and we will never take it for granted,

Slàinte, cheers!

Greg and Kirsty Dillon, Founders of GreatDrams.com

Top tasters 🥃

Nose, palate, finish… what? If tasting whisky feels more confusing than amusing, this is how to taste like a pro

Did you know that there’s a difference between drinking and tasting? We’re strong advocates for both here at Milroy’s. The difference: how much you’re analysing your whisky. Drinking is just kicking back and enjoying. Tasting is delving into a whisky’s appearance, nose palate, finish to assess and describe what’s going on in the glass.

While you don’t need to write tasting notes or examine your dram to savour it, it can be useful to know how. Here are our team’s top tips if you want to really taste your whisky:

🥃 Take it slowly. Don’t overwhelm your nose or palate by sticking your nose right in the glass or taking a huge sip straight away!

🥃 A whisky’s appearance doesn’t actually mean all that much. Don’t get caught up in it.

🥃 Finding it hard? Like almost everything in life, tasting gets easier with practice. And if you really aren’t vibing with it, it doesn’t matter. Just enjoy your whisky!

Looking for a dram to practice with? This red wine cask-finished Tomatin 8 Year Old from independent bottler Finn Thomson is a vibrant delight.

Scroll on for more top tasting tips – and check out more of our flavoursome favourites for tasting practice below!

Explore all how to taste tips

Speyburn 15 Year Old

A recent addition to the core range from Speyburn distillery, this 15 year old Speyside single malt is matured in a combination of American and Spanish oak, giving it a rich, vibrant character that was awarded a silver medal at the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2017.The nose opens with rich dark chocolate and spicy raisins, before zesty citrus and vanilla emerge. The palate brings oranges, toffee, vanilla and leather amidst a gentle spice. The finish is creamy and long lasting with a warming spice.

£68.00

 Gold — International Spirits Challenge 2022

Taste Profile vanilla citrus spicy orange creamy toffee apple leather raisins dark chocolate

Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯

Gordon & MacPhail

Glentauchers 29 Years Old 1995 Connoisseurs Choice

ABV: 56.7% 70 cL

One of the most surprising aspects of whisky is that no two experiences with one bottle will ever be the same. The time of day, the environment and what you’ve eaten will all affect your perception of flavour and can result in a completely different flavour journey.

It seems straightforward enough – but what happens when you try a bottle of Society whisky you’ve already tried? It’s a rare thing for us to be able to offer re-releases but we’ve managed to find a few old favourites from some beloved distilleries and flavour profiles. So whether you missed them the first time, or want to try an old favourite with a new experience, now’s the time!

READ MORE

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Sagaland Series – Killowen Barántúil

The day is almost upon us for the release of the next generation of Killowen Barántúil Irish Whiskey. These bottlings are a contemporary statement of the shared identity of this land. A true exploration of culture in its finest forms: our storytelling, art, and culinary heritage. So who better to work with than the best this island has to offer?

Irish Mythology Podcast is not your run-of-the-mill historian duo. This independent research team runs a hugely respected podcast and are recently celebrated authors. They are currently a hidden gem on the cusp of a huge future within their space, so if you haven’t tuned in yet—remember, you heard of them here first. Each whiskey release will contain a short story of their work along with a scannable QR code, where you can tune into a relevant podcast related to the short script within each packaging and follow this new saga as it unfolds.

Fab Cow is a mixed-media art studio based in Temple Bar, Dublin, with a vast portfolio illustrating the best of what this island has to offer. This studio captures emotions like no other, and we are honoured to work with them once again. The process and evolution of this artwork style were just as stimulating, resulting in the beautiful imagery we have today. The success lies in bringing to life old oral and written traditions that evolved over millennia to be presented to you today, alongside written and audible language.

The whiskey itself is a recognition of the quality of Killowen Barántúil. The first one is a 5-year-old Mixed Mash Bill with a high proportion of rye and a touch of peat. It is a thick spirit, double distilled with flame-fed stills and worm-tub condensers. The fermentations are wild, and the spirit sings of all the components of the Killowen DNA that whiskey enthusiasts anywhere would love.

Going forward, our bottles will increase from 500ml to 700ml and will be bottled with the same principles: no added colour, no chill filtration, and no nonsense. Instead, we will empower the consumer with full transparency of all our detailed, geeky processes, as usual. The difference is, this time, you will share the immersive experience with art, history, and mythology.

The Book Cover

At this point, we must mention our long-standing design partner, by Gymnasium, who brilliantly understood our madness throughout. This leather cover was chosen so that participants of the series could collect the insert leaflets as chapters and compile them into one overall epic story. Leather was chosen in its rawest form so that it immediately becomes unique to the owner and begins to change with every tiny fingerprint, scratch, or crease. Drinking good whiskey is always a personal experience, and now it has become even more intimate and immersive.

Release date: 31st March – 4.30PM Irish Time

Bottle Price: £120.00

Killowen Distillery Website Exclusive – More information to follow in a later press release.

Sláinte

The Killowen Distillery Team

This single malt Irish whiskey is distilled at Northern Ireland’s Bushmills, claimed to be the world’s oldest licensed distillery. This 21-year-old is matured in Oloroso sherry casks and bourbon seasoned casks for more than 18 years before being finished in Madeira wine casks for two years.

The nose is sweet with notes of honey, toffee, spiced fruits and espresso. The palate is rich and mouth-coating with dates, pecans, mango and grape. The finish is sweet and smooth with a hint of tobacco leaf and cooling mint.

Taste Profile toffee honey spicy fruity coffee dates pecan mango tobacco mint

 Single Malt Over 18 Years Category Winner — The W Club Members’ Choice Awards 2024

 Gold — International Spirits Challenge 2022

 Gold — International Wine & Spirits Competition 2022

£194.00

Bushmills claims to be the oldest licensed distillery in the world, having received its original grant to distil in 1608.

Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯