Leave it to Diageo to do everything correctly when it comes to a whisky tour. In 2021, the multinational corporation opened the Johnnie Walker Experience on Princes Street in Edinburgh, Scotland (the main thoroughfare in Edinburgh New Town) in a building that was once a department store and a bank. Now the building hosts a retail shop, specialized tours, a rooftop bar plus event and office space.
The main “Journey of Flavor” tour isn’t your normal alcohol tour. Far from it. I’ve been on whisky tours before and some can be dry or not very interesting for the many people who’ve been dragged by their whisky loving family member or friend. Diageo understood the assignment that many people going on this tour would not actually want to be there so…how do you make sure everyone has a good time?
The first thing the tour asked us to do is fill out a questionnaire about what flavors we gravitate towards. Do you like banana? Do you like smoke? After filling out this, the tablet gave us a color which would correspond to a wristband given to you by the tour guide. My color was pink for fruit.
The tour guide (ours was Xian, who was excellent) then gave our group an introduction. Who is a whisky drinker? A whisky drinker is anyone of drinking age and there is no wrong or right way to enjoy whisky be it neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail. This refreshing attitude to dispel myths was a nice change from geekery that can feel exclusionary. Right out of the gate, Johnnie Walker wanted you to feel welcomed.
The history portion of the tour is unlike anything I’ve seen before where an actor explains the … [+]
The history portion was probably the most unique part of the tour. Instead of making you watch a video or casually explain the history of who Johnnie Walker was, they have an actor on stage act out the life of Johnnie Walker and the history of his iconic whisky. The actor uses props, music, flashing lights, video screens, and a conveyer walkway, something right out of Broadway. Although silly at times, it kept my attention.
After this, you were given a highball (whisky and soda) using the color corresponding to your wristband given to you at the beginning of the tour. You poured the drink yourself using special machines that save over 15,500 glass bottles a year, a nod to sustainability. There were also trays of garnishes you could add yourself from crystallized ginger to orange peel.
Even the raw materials and process rooms were interesting, using technology, bubbles full of smoke (yes, really) and animations that leapt from the walls. While being on this tour, you can tell that Diageo spared no expense, spending reportedly 150 million pounds (approx. 208 million USD) on the entire operation: a large cost albeit for a long term investment in the brand.
In the end, we went to a tasting room where our tour guide Xian poured us two more drinks. These included a selection of cocktails like highballs or old fashioneds with various garnishes or drams of the straight whisky. I sampled two drams: the 18 year blend and the collaboration Johnnie Walker did with the iconic Harris Tweed, which was my favorite.
The tour is 90 minutes and went by very quickly. Obviously the tour ended next to the gift shop where you can get a range of Johnnie Walker merchandise, including monogrammed, etched bottles and even an AI machine that allows you to design your own label based around the art of Scottish artist Scott Naismith. The rare room in the back is worth a stop just to gawk at the prices.
The Johnnie Walker experience is housed on Princes Street a quick walk from the Haymarket train … [+]
The “journey of flavor” tour happens every twenty minutes on two identical floors in the building to accommodate more people and are offered every day except major holidays. Cost is 30 pounds (about $40) per person. Over 250,000 people have taken the tour in the past three years and the tour is offered in English, French, German, Mandarin and Portuguese (coming October 2024). You can book a few months in advance using their website so if you know your vacation will take you to Edinburgh, I recommend booking before you leave, especially if you plan to visit during the summer.
For those who want more immersive experiences which can also be booked online, Johnnie Walker does many other experiences like a chocolate and beer pairing (65 pounds or $87 a person) to more curated tastings for whisky aficionados.
And for an added treat, make an online reservation at their rooftop restaurant 1820 Bar, which has beautiful, instagramable views of Edinburgh Castle. The food list has snacks to a prix fixe menu that changes at lunch or dinner. The drinks list, including the excitedly exhaustive lineup of Diageo products, is also available.