Johnnie Walker Select Cask Rye Finish

Johnnie goes to finishing school...

Johnnie Walker is one of the most recognized Whisky names in the World. The brand was established in 1860 by John “Johnnie” Walker, when he started blending Whisky from his grocery shop in Ayrshire, Scotland. During the Victorian Era, success came when his son Alexander exported around the British Empire, establishing the Whisky early as one of the first truly global brands.

Today, Johnnie Walker’s famous square-shaped bottle—with the label set at a jaunty 24 degrees—is THE most popular blended Whisky in the world, selling more than 130 million bottles per year in nearly every country on the planet across their wide range of ages, special editions, and finishes.

It is fairly common to talk about “finished” Whisky in the single malt universe, but it is pretty rare in the world of blended Scotch. So when a major producer with the market power and dedicated following of Johnnie Walker does it, the entire population of spirit-loving blokes stands up to take notice.

Released to the world just a few months ago, the Johnnie Walker Select Cask Rye Finish is their classic Johnnie Walker signature blend aged a minimum of ten years before being finished in American oak Rye Whiskey casks. That and the fact that it’s bottled at a full 46% ABV means that the result is a more flavorful, richer dram with a Rye spice on the finish that makes it the best Johnnie Walker we’ve had this year.