The John Walker, The Last Cask Wraps Up A Johnnie Walker Line

The John Walker bottlings for Diageo owned Johnnie Walker have signified over time a higher end bottling of this popular blended Scotch that typically prices top end and comes in a fancy decanter. It is now a series the brand is wrapping up, taking the form of one last release dubbed The John Walker, The Last Cask.

The John Walker, The Last Cask, according to those behind it, is a rather fascinating blend that was put together from just nine distilleries that were in existence during the lifetime of Johnnie Walker founder John Walker (1805 – 1857). The whiskies were then matured with a special triple maturation technique, which includes a final marrying in a bespoke cask made from 100 year old oak staves.

“We combine extremely rare grain expressions from Cambus, Port Dundas and Cameronbridge, which creates delicate flavours including notes of honey sweetness, subtle spice and soft fruit character,” said Johnnie Walker Master Blender Jim Beveridge, in a prepared statement. “A vatting of exceptional single malt whiskies offers deeper, more robust aromas of dried fruits, with waves of citrus fruits unfolding from the distilleries of Glen Albyn, Cardhu, Mortlach, Clynelish and Dailuaine before culminating in the unmistakably warm and peppery smokiness of Talisker.”

With regards to the previously mentioned maturation, the process begins with a long, first maturation in individual casks allowing the specific flavors unique to each distillery to develop. A second maturation step then brings the single malts and grains together in two separate vattings, before the final marrying step in the special cask.

Just 330 bottles of this Scotch are being released, each presented in a hand-blown Baccarat crystal decanter, with a bespoke design by Hand Engraver of Glass to Her Majesty the Queen, Philip Lawson Johnston. It is said images on the bottles are hand drawn, with no two engravings being the same.

The John Walker, Last Cask is bottled at an ABV of 40% and is available in selected markets from August onwards for a price point of close to $3,200 USD.