Bartender's Notes
Discover your perfect Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker whisky explained
We caught up with Johnnie Walker expert, Tim Philips-Johansson, to chat all things blended whisky.
Johnnie Walker Red
Made for mixing with cocktails or for sipping on (neat) with your favourite people. The Johnnie Walker Red is the perfect balance of soft vanilla with a gentle spice. Guaranteed to add a soft lick of smoke and character to any cocktail, shake with fresh lemon, honey and aquafaba (or egg white) for the perfect whisky sour. Let the mixing begin.
Whisky Sour
INGREDIENTS
50ml Johnnie Walker Red
25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
15ml-25ml simple syrup, to taste
1 egg white (optional)
Ice
GARNISH
Add 1 cherry and an orange slice
METHOD
Put ice and all the ingredients into a shaker and shake hard for 20 seconds to chill the liquid. Strain the mix into a glass filled with ice and garnish.
“The great thing about Johnnie Walker is there's a blend and a cocktail for everyone.”
Tim Philips-Johansson
@timdphillips
Johnnie Walker Brand Ambassador
Johnnie Walker Black
The blended whisky all the others aspire to. Sip to good times and great memories with the Johnnie Walker Black Label – it's like sweetness wrapped in smoke. A masterful blend of up to 30 different whiskies from all four corners of Scotland and aged for at least 12 years. The result? Whisky with depth and balance of flavour.
Made for drinking in a Highball. Serve along with your choice of flavoured sparkling mineral water or simply with soda water. Garnish with what's in season or what's in your garden.
Johnnie Ginger
INGREDIENTS
45ml Johnnie Walker Black Label
180ml ginger ale
A squeeze of lime juice
Ice
GARNISH
Lime wedge
METHOD
Pour Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky into a highball glass with ice, top it up with ginger ale and add a squeeze of lime. Give it a light stir lightly, and then garnish. Cheers!
“Johnnie Walker Black Label and ginger ale were made for each other!”
Tim Philips-Johansson
@timdphillips
Johnnie Walker Brand Ambassador
Johnnie Walker Green
The hidden gem. And crafted from a palette of single malt from the four corners of Scotland. It's perfectly balanced to bring together the distinct flavours of each landscape. This is a whisky that's in harmony with nature. The perfect whisky for an Old Fashioned.
Old Fashioned
INGREDIENTS
50ml Johnnie Walker Green Label
10ml simple syrup
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Lots of ice
GARNISH
Orange peel and a sprig of toasted rosemary
METHOD
Combine all the ingredients in an ice-filled mixing glass and stir well. Serve this cocktail in a tumbler, over one large cube or several small ones. Express the orange peel over the glass to release the aromatic oils. And don't forget to garnish with the orange peel and a sprig of toasted rosemary.
Top tip
“Johnnie Walker Green isn't just green by design. Its versatility matches equally as well with fresh and floral flavours you would normally associate with gin cocktails.”
Tim Philips-Johansson
@timdphilips
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve
The Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is made for unforgettable celebrations with great friends and family. It's made up of 18 different single malts and grain whiskies that are used in the blend – Distilleries like Cardhu, Glen Elgin and Blair Athol. The incredible depth of flavour means it mixes incredibly well with any fruits you would normally combine with honey. Perfect for a Penicillin cocktail with a Lagavulin float.
BARTENDER TIP: Experiment with different types of local honey to give a variety of subtle characters.
Penicillin Cocktail
INGREDIENTS
45ml Johnnie Walker Gold Label
15ml honey
10ml ginger syrup
20ml lemon juice
Ice
GARNISH
10ml Lagavulin (floated on top)
Candied ginger
METHOD
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker (except Lagavulin). Add ice to the shaker and shake for 10 seconds until cold. Strain mix onto fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with Lagavulin float and candied ginger.
Top tip
“Don't wait for an occasion to drink Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Blue Label is the occasion. Sip it with chocolate truffles for the ultimate after-dinner treat.”
Tim Philips-Johansson
@timdphilips
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
A celebration in every sip. The most exclusive blend in the family, using only 1 in 10,000 casks from Johnnie Walker's vast catalogue of whisky from around Scotland. The perfect whisky for a Rob Roy.
Rob Roy
INGREDIENTS
50ml Johnnie Walker Blue Label
30ml sweet vermouth
2 dashes aromatic bitters
GARNISH
Orange peel and a brandied cherry
METHOD
Combine all the ingredients in an ice-filled mixing glass and stir well. Strain and serve neat in a cocktail glass. Twist a piece of orange peel over the glass to release the aromatic oils. Garnish with the orange peel and a brandied cherry for the perfect Rob Roy.
Tim Philips-Johansson