Johnnie Walker's first commercial blend, called Old Highland Whisky, was launched in 1867. Alexander Walker also introduced the brand's signature square bottle, and the distinctive slanted label. In 1893, the Walkers acquired the Cardhu distillery, and kept expanding through the early 20th century by buying interests in a number of distilleries. This ensured the company a steady supply of whiskies for its blends. By 1909, John's grandsons George and Alexander II had expanded the line, and sold three blended whiskies. In 1909, the company rebranded its whiskies, introducing the famous striding man logo and renaming the blends after the colors of their labels. By 1920, Johnnie Walker could be bought in 120 countries. The company joined Distillers Company in 1925, and, after its acquisition by Guinness, and Guinness's subsequent merger with Grand Metropolitan, the brand is now owned by Diageo, a British multinational beverage alcohol company. Johnnie Walker Red Label is the brand's pioneer blend. It is made by blending up to 30 malts and grains, combining light whiskies from Scotland's East Coast and more peaty whiskies from the West, all chosen specially for their bold, vibrant flavors. Johnnie Walker Red Label is the world's best-selling Scotch whisky.

A long and patiently aged whiskey is only as good as the grain it's born from. With our oldest expression to date, we're tapping into the time-honored techniques of the farmer distillers who invented the category in America's early days. To kick start fermentation they malted a small portion of their yearly harvest. This delicate heating process opens up the grain, allowing yeasts easier access to the sugars they'll soon convert to alcohol. It also imbues the resulting spirit with floral and earthy tonalities. Our mash bill 79% rye, 15% malted rye and 6% malted barley creates a sipping experience that evolves on the palate from soft and supple to rich and savory. A thrilling encounter accentuated by 18 years of maturation in virgin oak.