10 November 2021

112th Whisky Insiders Interview - Emma Walker


Company:
Johnnie Walker

Job:
Master Blender

Website:



How long have you been working in the whisky industry?
I joined Diageo’s whisky specialist team as a project scientist in 2008, moving into whisky production roles in blending and distilling at Leven, Cameronbridge and Knockando distilleries. 

At the end of 2014, I then returned to the whisky specialist team as a blender, bringing acquired knowledge of whisky production back into the blending team. Before this, I completed a two-year apprenticeship at Imperial Chemical Industries in Teesside; a Masters’ in Chemistry at Edinburgh University and a PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Sheffield. 

While working as a process chemist at GlaxoSmithKline in Montrose, I applied for a project scientist role at the Diageo Technical Centre in Menstrie in 2008 and I haven’t looked back since. 

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?
There are so many. Recently though, it’s been amazing to work on the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare series of limited-edition whiskies, exploring the distinct flavours and character found in Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Each edition has given a fleeting opportunity to savour whiskies from irreplaceable “ghost” distilleries whose spirit lives on in their dwindling maturing stocks, alongside other rare whiskies from the unparalleled Johnnie Walker reserves. 

Our team have been fascinated by how whiskies from a small number of iconic, closed distilleries have a unique, inimitable character that lend something very special to Johnnie Walker Blue Label. We recently released Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Pittyvaich, so it is great to see that looking and tasting so well and the series still going strong. 

Can you remember your first dram, and indeed what it was?
I remember when I went to university in Edinburgh, my friends enjoyed Scotch and they introduced me to Talisker and Lagavulin, and I’ve journeyed on from there!

What does whisky mean to you?
Whisky means great flavours and great people. The different flavours, characters and textures of whiskies talk of the different places and people who have been involved in creating it and we as blenders get to work with this every day and create whiskies for people to enjoy now! 

Where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?
I want to continue the legacy that has been built over more than 200 years. Johnnie Walker founder John Walker sought out the finest whiskies from the four corners of Scotland to craft whisky for his customers and we will continue this, drawing from the largest selection of maturing Scotch stocks in the world, to continue our exploration of flavour while walking into the future through new innovations to create whiskies to continue to delight our customers. We’ve always explored new possibilities in whisky, with one eye on the future and now we are looking to craft whiskies for the next 200 years.

What was your last dram?
I’ve just come back from a holiday on Islay and alongside some wonderful smoky single malts, we enjoyed some Johnnie Walker Blue Label while enjoying the scenery!

Do you have a favourite whisky and food pairing combination?
For me it is always thinking about how the whisky flavours and food complement each other, either accentuating flavours or balancing them. I enjoy a refreshing citrus highball with Indian curry – Johnnie Walker Black Label with Blood Orange soda and a prawn bhuna is great! And the classic whisky and shellfish always works well, for example seared scallops with Talisker 10 Year Old.

What’s your favourite time and place to enjoy a dram?
That’s almost as difficult as picking a favourite whisky! For me whisky is about flavour, people and place – whether that’s a dram after watching Scotland at Murrayfield, in a cocktail serve with friends, or relaxing at home with my partner Dave.

What do you think is going to be the next big thing on the whisky horizon? 
It is always about flavour for us … innovating with bold flavours is what we do at Johnnie Walker. I’m always interested to see what other people are doing with our whiskies – some of the amazing bartenders and mixologists out there who are experimenting and innovating with our Scotch is always incredible to see. I am always interested to see with what they will come up with next.

What’s the one dram you couldn’t live without?
Johnnie Walker Black Label is a whisky with so much to it – works in different places, with different people and different serves and always enjoyable! 

Many thanks to Emma Walker. Who will be our next Whisky Insider? Click back soon to find out!


9 November 2021

Luxco Liquid Americana Christmas Tweet Tasting


It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
 
More liquid americana based social media based dramfotainment you say? Well as ever allow us to very gladly oblige!
 
Continuing our teeming throng of industry leading and sensory story led Tweet Tastings (the original series of virtual tastings) we’re delighted to announce that on November 29th, we’ll be teaming up again with our friends at Luxco, for an evening of festive frolics, belting bourbons and good, good, good, good, rye-brations.
 
On the night we’ll be sharing, sipping and savouring Ezra Brooks Bourbon 80 Proof, Ezra Brooks Straight Rye 90 Proof and Yellowstone Select Bourbon.
 
As we're quite literally starting to get into the festive spirit we’re also giving one of our selected tasters the chance of winning a bottle of Yellowstone Select, simply by posting a review of the whiskeys on the Ocado website. The full in’s and out’s of this will be provided to our tasters ahead of the event.
 
If you fancy taking part in what promises to be a right rollicking Kentucky knees up of a night click here to register your interest by emailing your name, address, mobile number, date of birth and Twitter handle. Please remember to mark the subject line of your email: #LuxcoXmasWhiskey
 
The closing date to register is November 17th, and if you are registering please make sure that you will actually be free on the night to take part!
 
Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the evening’s liquid americana fuelled dramfotainment with a dram in hand. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on November 29th from 19:00 GMT via #LuxcoXmasWhiskey
 
Registrations open to over 21's only!
 
For more info on Lux Row Distillers, the makers of Ezra Brooks visit: luxrowdistillers.com
 
For more info on Limestone Branch, the malers of Yellowstone Select visit: limestonebranch.com
 
@TheWhiskyWire
 #LuxcoXmasWhiskey
 
Be part of the Dramfotainment!


26 October 2021

J.J. Corry Tweet Tasting

As we quite literally start getting into the festive spirit, we’re absolutely delighted to announce that on December 1st, we’ll be teaming up again with our very good friends at J.J. Corry for another epic evening of Irish whiskey exploration.

The dramming line-up is under wraps for now, but if you fancy taking part in an evening brimmed with a bevy of belting Irish dramming ditties click here to register your details by emailing your name, date of birth, postal address, mobile number and that all important Twitter handle. Please also remember to mark the subject line: #JJCorryWhiskey

The closing date to register is November 5th, and if you are registering please make sure that you will actually be free on the night of December 1st to take part!

Even if you're not one of our lucky selected tasters, it'd be great to have you following the evening’s dramfotainment, with your favourite drop of irish in-hand. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on December 1st, from 7pm GMT via #JJCorryWhiskey

Registration open to over 21's only!

For more info on JJ Corry, visit: jjcorry.com

@TheWhiskyWire

@WhiskeyGate

@JJCorryUK

#JJCorryWhiskey

Be part of the Dramfotainment!