Johnnie Walker Experience Opens!
Way back in December 2018, when a global pandemic was really only occupying thoughts of science fiction writers and film makers, the Quaichshop Blog noted Diageo’s ambitious plans to build a Johnny Walker immersive visitor experience in Edinburgh. We anticipated that this development would significantly enhance the successful whisky tourism scene in Scotland’s capital city.
Tourism here, and worldwide, has obviously taken huge hits because of the travel and social restrictions put in place to control the spread of Covid-19. However, we are tentatively emerging into a new normal, and one further step along the road is the welcome announcement that the spectacular new Johnny Walker experience is set to open on Monday 6th September 2021.
Members of the general public can now book their experiences – attractions include the Johnny Walker Journey of Flavour, specialist led sensory tastings in the Whisky Explorers’ Bothy, and the Whisky Makers’ Cellar – a veritable paradise for the connoisseur. The experience is still a slightly modified one, as we are not out of the Covid woods yet.
Whisky from Diageo’s distilleries all over Scotland contributes to the Johnnie Walker blend. Four distilleries, Glenkinchie, Cardhu, Caol Ila and Clynelish, are directly linked to the Johnnie Walker venue in Edinburgh. These four distilleries represent the regional flavour variations of Lowland (Glenkinchie), Speyside (Cardhu), Island (Caol Ila) and Highland (Clynelish), which are crucial to the art of whisky blending.
As we noted in that previous blog post, the Company’s aim is for the centre in Edinburgh, together with these four distilleries, to create a “unique Johnnie Walker tour of Scotland”, which encourages visitors to the capital to also “travel to the country’s extraordinary rural communities”.
The venue promises to be a great addition to Edinburgh’s day life and nightlife. We are particularly fond of a nice rooftop bar – the Johnnie Walker experience includes two such bars and a rooftop terrace.
Definitely bodes well for a quaichshop outing in the not-too-distant future!