Johnnie Walker has introduced the first permanent prestige release from its Vault collection, a rare blended Scotch that brings together exceptional whiskies from across Scotland including spirit from the restored Brora Distillery.
Created by Master Blender Dr Emma Walker, Johnnie Walker Vault is conceived as a personal tribute to Scotland’s remarkable whisky landscape. The blend draws upon a tightly curated reserve of aged, rare and long-lost casks, incorporating single malts from closed distilleries alongside contemporary expressions never previously used in a Johnnie Walker blend.
Brora provides a particularly compelling chapter in the whisky’s story. One component was laid down before the Highland distillery ceased production in 1983; another was filled after Brora returned to life in 2021, 38 years later. Their meeting in one bottle bridges two very different eras of one of Scotch whisky’s most revered names.
“Johnnie Walker Vault is what I’ve called my love letter to Scotland,” says Dr Walker. “The creation of this whisky a hand-selected blend of our extraordinary whiskies from across Scotland is my way to express that.”
The aromatic profile begins with butterscotch and salted caramel, before opening into meadow-like Highland notes of wildflowers, barley and green hills. Toasted oak and the suggestion of a driftwood bonfire add further depth. On the palate, vanilla, almond, frangipane tart and Scottish raspberry are joined by tropical fruit, gentle incense, charred oak and malted sweetness, with touches of aged leather and tobacco.
Its finish is poised yet complex, bringing together apricot, sweet raspberry and crème anglaise with softly warming spice.
Bottled at 43.8% ABV, Johnnie Walker Vault is priced at £1,100 per bottle and is available exclusively through Harrods in London, the Johnnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh and online at Justerini & Brooks.
Launched in March 2025, Johnnie Walker Vault represents the house’s most ambitious exploration of blending artistry to date. The programme is built around 500 rare, mature and ghost casks, personally selected and continually refreshed by Dr Walker. Its earlier releases have included a couture-inspired collection created with Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing.
The inclusion of Brora is especially significant. Diageo committed £35 million in 2017 to revive the historic Sutherland distillery, alongside Islay’s Port Ellen restoring two celebrated names to active production while preserving their enduring place in whisky history.
