ON A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY WITH JOHNNIE WALKER BLENDERS’ BATCH  

World-renowned team of expert blenders’ unorthodox new range is result of hundreds of ongoing experiments into flavour 

The limited edition Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish is the first release from the highly anticipated and experimental Blenders’ Batch series, by the makers of the world’s No. 1 blended Scotch whisky[1].

The experimental blend has been created by the brand’s small team of expert blenders, led by master blender Jim Beveridge, and is one of the results of ongoing experiments into flavour that take place at the brand’s home in Scotland.

Guy Escolme, Global Brand Director at Johnnie Walker said: “Our blenders are constantly experimenting and this is an exciting time for the brand with the release of Red Rye Finish. The Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch range lifts the lid on the skill and never-ending pursuit of flavour that drives the blending team.”

At any one time, there are hundreds of experiments into flavour being carried out by the Johnnie Walker blenders which include the study of distillation conditions, the types of wood and grain used, cask finishes and other elements of whisky-making in the pursuit of exceptional new flavours.

Guy Escolme added: “Jim and his team have used the same skill and expertise in the creation of Red Rye Finish that underpins the creation of all our whiskies, every day, and this first release will be followed in time by Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask and Rye Finish and Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Triple Grain American Oak.”

To mark the release of the new blend, which can be enjoyed neat but also has a flavour profile designed to create perfect cocktails, Johnnie Walker blender Emma Walker journeyed from Edinburgh to the home of the Manhattan to see how Red Rye Finish stacks up against its American cousins. Her adventure can be seen in a new film from Johnnie Walker entitled: Blenders’ Batch – Emma’s Red Rye In New York.

Emma put Red Rye Finish before the eyes, noses and palates of some of New York’s most influential mixologists and taste-makers including Dave Arnold, founder and president of the Museum of Food and Drink and owner of the cutting edge Booker and Dax; legendary bartender-cum-philosopher Peter Napolitano of Brooklyn’s Melody Lanes Bowling Alley; and bitters and mixology expert Sother Teague, beverage director at Amor y Amargo in Manhattan’s East Village.

Emma said: “We’re proud of every blend we make and know that people choose Johnnie Walker because of its quality. This blend combines all the characteristics of Scotch, matured in first fill American Oak casks with a Rye Cask finish. That’s something I think people won’t expect and I wanted truthful, face-to-face feedback from the people in the know. I was a bit nervous – getting the approval of New York’s top mixology experts for a Manhattan featuring a Johnnie Walker blend instead of traditional American whiskey but, happily, it went really well.”

In the film, Dave Arnold – well known for his whip-smart commentary and opinion – is in no doubt: “There’s an old drink called a Rob Roy which is like a Manhattan but made using Scotch and I hate that drink. But this Red Rye Finish Manhattan drinks like a ‘real’ Manhattan. It’s delicious.” While Sother Teague added: “I’m really into this whisky.”

Blenders’ Batch – Emma’s Red Rye In New York has been made as part of the Storyline initiative from Johnnie Walker that sees the brand working with a global network of storytellers – including writers, directors, photographers and filmmakers – to give people a voice to tell inspiring stories of positivity and progress.

Filmmaker Oliver Würffell was fascinated by the film’s characters: “The richness of the personalities in the film revealed a completely new world for me. Like discovering the incredible complexity and craft that goes into creating a whisky like Red Rye Finish, or seeing how Emma thinks about how it will work in the hands of legends like Dave, Jack and Sother was amazing. It’s a great story to be able to tell.”

Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish includes malt and grain whiskies aged in first-fill bourbon casks and finished in rye casks. It took more than 50 experiments exploring 203 malt and grain whisky samples to hit upon Red Rye Finish and it was created using a blend of just four whiskies, including Cardhu single malt for its vibrant, fresh fruitiness, along with creamy, vanilla grain whisky from Port Dundas.

Jim Beveridge said: “Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish is inspired by my own fascination with the bold flavours of American whiskies which first developed while I was working with bourbons and ryes in Louisville, Kentucky over 25 years ago.

“When making blended Scotch whisky, we like to think ‘from the bar back’, ensuring bartenders have the perfect liquids at hand to serve neat, on the rocks, or as the foundation of a flawless Scotch-based cocktail – such as Emma’s Red Rye Finish Manhattan.

“In the case of Red Rye Finish, the end result is an incredibly contemporary whisky. It is smooth, sweet and deliberately light – to my mind the best of Scotch given an exciting twist inspired by the best of traditional American whiskey flavours.”

Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish is available from September in more than 50 countries with an RRP of €20.

You can watch the trailer of Emma’s make-or-break adventure in Manhattan here: https://youtu.be/7rm7t6RSW08

And the full film here: https://youtu.be/wq8lPbTKr08

[1] IWSR, 2016

IMAGE CAPTIONS:

#1: Johnnie Walker blender Emma Walker journeyed from Edinburgh to the home of the Manhattan to see how new experimental Scotch blend Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish stacks up against its American cousins in a new film from the Scotch whisky maker: Blenders’ Batch – Emma’s Red Rye In New York.

#2: Dave Arnold, founder and president of the Museum of Food and Drink and owner of the cutting edge Booker and Dax in New York, interviews Johnnie Walker blender Emma Walker about Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish in a new film from the Scotch whisky maker: Blenders’ Batch – Emma’s Red Rye In New York. 

#3: Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Red Rye Finish was given an enthusiastic thumbs up by some of New York’s most influential mixologists when it replaced traditional American rye whiskey in a classic Manhattan cocktail as can be seen in a new film from the Scotch whisky maker: Blenders’ Batch – Emma’s Red Rye In New York. 

Notes: 

About Johnnie Walker^®

Johnnie Walker^® is the world’s number one Scotch whisky brand, enjoyed by people in over 180 countries around the world. Since the time of its founder, John Walker, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavour and quality above else.

Six generations of skilled Master Blenders have pioneered and crafted bold new flavours that have transformed a small Scottish grocery store business, founded in 1820, into an international whisky business selling stylish, authentic, and iconic blends.

Today’s range of award-winning whiskies includes Johnnie Walker Red Label^®, Black Label^®, Double Black™, Green Label™, Gold Label Reserve™, Platinum Label™ and Blue Label™. Together they account for nearly 19 million cases sold annually (IWSR, 2016), making Johnnie Walker the most popular Scotch whisky in the world.

The Johnnie Walker, ‘Keep Walking’, Red Label, Black Label, Double Black, Green Label, Gold Label Reserve, Platinum Label and Blue Label words and associated logos are trademarks © John Walker & Sons 2016.

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff and Cîroc vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com/. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

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[1] IWSR, 2016

[1] IWSR, 2016