Tag: Scotch whisky

Johnnie Walker Blue Label: 1 in 10,000 Casks – Holiday Indulgence in a Glass

 Few luxury spirits occupy the cultural and commercial space that Johnnie Walker does – instantly recognizable, rigorously consistent, and deeply rooted in Scotch whisky tradition. Johnnie Walker stands as a case study in how heritage and innovation can move in step. Within its portfolio, Johnnie Walker Blue Label represents the pinnacle: a deliberately rare, meticulously blended Scotch whisky designed not for haste, but for contemplation. During the holiday season, it offers both academic intrigue and unapologetic pleasure – this remains one of my favourite whiskies for this time of year!

Johnnie Walker Blue Label: Rarity by Design

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is not defined by age statements, but by selection. It is composed of some of the rarest and most exceptional Scotch whiskies from the house’s extensive reserves. Only one in 10,000 casks – including selections from long-closed “ghost” distilleries is deemed suitable for Blue Label, underscoring its intentional scarcity. The result is a whisky engineered for harmony and depth, with a lingering sense of quiet luxury.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label: Tasting Notes (Neat)

Blue Label opens with a restrained aromatic profile of soft dried fruits, honey, gentle floral notes, and hints of spice. On the palate, layers unfold gradually: dark chocolate, hazelnut, toffee, orange peel, and subtle touches of chilli and smoke. The texture is notably velvety, with seamless integration between sweetness and peat. The finish is long, warming, and elegantly smoky, with echoes of spice and cocoa that linger well beyond the final sip.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label: Pairing Exploration – Lindt Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut

When paired with Lindt Dark Chocolate, the whisky’s natural cocoa and dried fruit notes are amplified, while the chocolate’s bitterness sharpens Blue Label’s underlying sweetness and spice. The interaction is linear and refined – an ideal pairing for purists.

Paired with Lindt Dark Chocolate with Hazelnuts, the experience becomes more playful and textural. The nutty richness mirrors Blue Label’s hazelnut and toffee nuances, creating a rounder, more indulgent mouthfeel. This pairing feels particularly well-suited to festive occasions.

Whisky Tourism and Place

Johnnie Walker’s whisky tourism footprint is anchored in Scotland, with immersive visitor experiences in Edinburgh’s Princes Street, Kilmarnock, its spiritual home, with distilleries dispersed across the Highlands, Speyside, and Islay. The Johnnie Walker Princes Street experience in Edinburgh serves as a contemporary gateway to Scotch whisky culture, blending education, sensory exploration, and panoramic city views. For travellers, it reinforces the idea that Scotch whisky is not merely a drink, but a destination, rooted in landscape, history, and community.

Final Thoughts

Johnnie Walker Blue Label occupies a rare intersection of scholarship and celebration. It is a whisky that rewards analytical tasting while remaining deeply accessible as a symbol of holiday generosity and shared ritual. In a season defined by gathering and reflection, Blue Label offers a moment of stillness, proof that sometimes the most meaningful luxury is time well spent.

Global Exports of Scotch Whisky Reached £5.6 billion in 2023

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has released its annual report showing global export figures for the value and volume of Scotch whisky. The 2023 figures reveal that the value of Scotch exports reached £5.6 billion in 2023, while the equivalent volume of 1.35 billion 70cl bottles of Scotch were exported.

2022 has been described as a “bumper year” for Scotch whisky global exports. Last year’s report showed global Scotch exports topping £6 billion for the first time, attributed to the post-pandemic re-opening, and restocking of markets and full return of global travel retail in 2022. In comparison, the SWA says the 2023 numbers are a “more normalised depiction” of the current market.

The largest region by value in 2023 remained Asia-Pacific, which climbed above the EU in 2022. The figure was supported by record exports to China, where the market is up 165 per cent on 2019. Despite a fall of 7 per cent on its 2022 global export value, and a fall of 9 per cent on the figure from 2019, the United States remained the most valuable individual market for Scotch exports.

The biggest market by volume was France, which overtook India despite falling behind the other country in 2022. India is a “priority growth market” according to the SWA, which has called for a trade agreement to lower the tariff on Scotch imports into India.

Mark Kent, chief executive of the SWA, said: “Scotch whisky has once again shown its export strength despite significant challenges across a volatile global trading environment. The figures demonstrate that Scotch whisky brands and distilleries are investing in their teams, their tourism offering, their long-term sustainability, and their global presence to ensure that Scotch continues to be the world’s favourite whisky.

“We know that the Scotch whisky industry is remarkably resilient as we look at these numbers against the backdrop of rising costs for consumers and businesses, but the figures are a reminder once again that the Scotch Whisky success story cannot be taken for granted. We need to see more tangible support from government both at home and in our priority markets in order to continue to grow our export numbers, and the resultant investment, employment and economic benefits that come with that.

“A cut to spirits duty in the Spring Budget would be a step in the right direction, giving the industry platform at home to push forward with international growth. Government must also do away with any notion of restricting the marketing of Scotch whisky in Scotland, which would have a significant and lasting impact on the industry’s ability to generate future growth.”

UK government minister for exports Lord Offord added: “Scotch whisky is a major UK exporting success story contributing billions of pounds to the economy and supporting thousands of jobs.

“We want the UK to be an export-led economy and reach a trillion pounds of exports a year by 2030. It’s fantastic to see whisky exports in 2023 continuing to outperform pre-pandemic levels as businesses take advantage of our free trade deals and expand into new markets around the world.”

Source: The Scotch Whisky Association

Whisky Sales Boosted by ‘Perceived Health Benefits’

Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey sales are set to soar, driven by “health benefits” perceived by consumers, a new study has claimed.

“Perceived health benefits of whiskey have made it a preferred drink among those aiming at weight management. Whiskey has no fat and minimum sodium content, which have made it a preferred alcohol for consumption among people with weight issues or obesity,” according to a whisky market study by Fact.MR.

“Prevalence of obesity across developed nations including the US, Canada, and the UK is high. This also has led to increased consumption of whiskey which contains no fat,” stated the report, predicting that “the demand for whiskey is set to rise at a consistent CAGR of 6% during the assessment period of 2021 and 2031,” and “the market will top the valuation of US$60Bn by 2021-end”.

As per the survey: “Revenues of Irish whiskey and single malt Scotch will grow at 19% and 13.5%, topping a valuation of US$664 million and US$732 million, respectively.”

Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). In recent research from Our World In Data, obesity was recorded by country and highlighted that “in most high-income countries, around two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese. In the US, 70% are. At the lowest end of the scale, across South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa around 1-in-5 adults have a BMI greater than 25”.

Website:
https://www.factmr.com/

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Glenfiddich Announces Canadian Artists in Residence Program for 2020

Glenfiddich celebrates 15 years of supporting Canadian art with the launch of its annual “Glenfiddich Artist in Residence Program” This program awards one artist a three-month residency in Dufftown, Scotland.

The award includes three-months income, travel costs, all-inclusive accommodations, materials and the opportunity to collaborate with globally celebrated artists.

“The Glenfiddich Artist in Residency program is dedicated to supporting and showcasing the extraordinary talent of Canadian artists on a global scale,” comments Rupy Singh, Senior National Brand Manager for Glenfiddich in Canada. “We are delighted to continue our support of the Canadian art community for the fifteenth year.”

Taking place for a consecutive three-months between May 1 and October 2020, the award provides the selected artist a monthly income of approximately $2,400 CAD per month, travel costs (with a set maximum), a materials allowance of approximately $9,850 CAD and a small, Scottish farmhouse and studio space on the Glenfiddich Distillery grounds in Scotland.

The selected artist is encouraged to use their time to create work that is directly influenced by the distillery and its surrounding environment, whether that be through the family history of Glenfiddich, the people and processes at the distillery, or some of the materials involved in the whisky distilling process, including copper, steam, water, malt, or barrels. The prize is valued at $20,000 CAD.

“The Glenfiddich Artist in Residence program encourages Canadian artists of all mediums to apply, and has historically hosted painters, sculptors, filmmakers, illustrators, animators, photographers, and performance artists,” comments Beth Havers, National Brand Ambassador for Glenfiddich in Canada.

Open to artists who live and work in Canada, the five-part application process requires artists to outline how they would like to use their residency, what kind of work they envision creating, and how they will draw inspiration from the distillery environment.

Applicants are to outline the exploratory prospects of their work, whether that includes the accumulation of family heritage, the community of craftsmen who have been employed at the distillery for decades, the materials employed by craftsmen, or the artist’s wider personal development that will come over the inspiring three-month residency.

Criteria for submission includes a short project proposal, a current CV, a short artist statement, 5 to 15 images (or a three-minute video highlighting their artistic practice), a required questionnaire supplied by Glenfiddich, and applicants must be of legal drinking age in their province of residence.

Completed applications must be received by midnight eastern standard time on January 31, 2020.

Candidates will be selected by a jury of eight prominent artists in the Canadian art community and the winner will be notified on February 28, 2020.

For more information about the program, please visit:

https://www.glenfiddich.com/ca/explore/artists-in-residence-canada/